I’m not usually great at planning outings but last week I spied a little article in a column in the paper listing upcoming events at our local wineries that caught my interest. It was announcing French Crepe Day at the Delfosse Vineyard in Fagan, VA. on Sunday. Well, I like wine. I like crepes. I especially like spending Sunday afternoons with my friends, drinking wine and enjoy incredible mountain vistas. Our calendar was free, all we needed were friends to enjoy the afternoon with. As it happened, our usual partners in crime, Carol and Chuck Lewis were also free this weekend, so the outing was a go!
This was our first trip down to Delfosse Vineyards. None of us were really sure where it was, but like most things around here, it was about an hour’s drive. Mind you, an hour of driving around here actually gets you somewhere. It’s not like our old days in DC or Virginia Beach where it took us an hour to drive from one end of town to another. Along the way we were treated to Mother Nature’s fall splendor in full color. The sky was deep blue and there wasn’t a cloud to be seen.
Even though this is my fourth fall here, and my, eh-hem, let’s say, it’s not my first experience with fall color, each time I see a new view of the rich tapestry of colored leaves on rolling landscapes, it’s hard not to feel the “ew and aw” of each new site. There is just something deeply pleasing about watching nature prepare for a long winter’s rest.
After driving about thirty-five miles down US29, we turned off onto a narrow, windy country road that climbed into the hills. From there we turned onto yet another road, much narrower than the first, and the climb continued. Even few miles or so, signs were posted along the road; “Delfosse Vineyards, You’re Almost There!” which reassured us that we were indeed on the right track and would soon be enjoying our wine and crepes.
Soon we turned into a drive flanked by a beautiful stone gate and the tasting room was in our site. What a surprise it was, to see such a sleek, almost modern building sitting in this rustic scene. Inside, the room was set like a bistro with brightly painted tables set for parties of four. We started with a small cheese plate accompanied by a bottle of Viognier. Over the course of the next few hours we each had a savory and then sweet crepe and shared another bottle of wine. Everything was delicious and the company congenial and comfortable. After we’d finished the last of the wine, we took a walk around the property to stretch our legs before heading back home.
Sometimes, after I’ve spent an afternoon like this, I ponder what I could have done in my life to have been blessed with living in such a place. I know the answer; it is nothing; just as if we’d had a string of bad luck, it wouldn’t be punishment. Nonetheless, I feel the blessing and am incredibly thankful to live in such a beautiful place, to have a husband who is willing to take me on these little outings and especially to have good friends to share these times with. Oh, and a nice glass of wine isn’t bad either.