Tonight we continue our travels along the Virginia wine trail with a visit to Barrel Oak Winery (BOW), where we celebrated the Fourth of July. Just over a year old, Barrel Oak is a family and pet friendly winery, located in Delaplane, Virginia on the Fauquier Wine Trail. Surrounded by picturesque views of rolling countryside from every vantage point, the wineries hilltop location is breathtaking. From the winery to the grounds, owners and winemakers Brian and Sharon Roeder left no stone unturned, while crafting Barrel Oak Winery into a first class facility in their inaugural year!
As expected for a holiday, Barrel Oak was very busy. Fortunately for us, the expansive tasting room and patio more than accommodated the crowd. After being warmly greeted upon our entrance, we made our way to the tasting counter where we sampled a lineup of 13 wines. Barrel Oak’s vines are not yet fully mature, so grapes are sourced from various vineyards, including Breaux Vineyards. Our tasting room associate, Scott, walked us through the lineup which included everything from the BowHaus White (a blend of Vidal Blanc and Sauvignon Blanc) to the fabulous 2007 reds (specifically the Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc). Unfortunately, my tasting sheet was somehow misplaced between Virginia and Florida, so no tasting notes this time around.
After our tasting, we decided to enjoy two glasses of the Cabernet Franc outside on the patio. Local Sixfortyseven, a mobile farm-to-fork kitchen, was on site preparing fresh, locally sourced, organic fare. The grilled hamburger made it’s way on my table, pairing wonderfully alongside the Cab Franc, which won gold at the Virginia Governor’s Cup.
Whether enjoying a glass of wine with friends and family on the stone patio, or just stopping in for a tasting, Barrel Oak is a must stop on the wine trail and one I look forward to visiting again. Cheers!
Remember to drink local and be sure to click here to vote TheOther46.com as your favorite wine blog!