Rachel & Sean's Wedding Day

Rachel & Sean were married at Keswick Vineyards on Sunday, October 27th on a colorful Charlottesville fall day.  I love how Rachel & Sean chose to have their wedding ceremony in what I call our "fall" location.  It gives you the best of everything for a backdrop.  You have the Estate, the fountain, the vineyard, the mountains and all the fall colors!  Hard to capture it all in a photo since you are basically surrounded with breathtaking views.  Rachel incorporated just enough orange in her color scheme to blend with the natural fall colors.  Her bouquet by Verde Natural Florist was right on and the simplicity of the centerpieces were perfect!  Love the idea of using old shutters to put place cards in for guests to find their table.  Also, love the look of using an old door as a table top above wine barrels to create a sweet table. Thanks to the following vendors that make weddings here so effortless for our couples:  Caterer Barbeque Exchange, DJ Andy Wilfong, Photographer Audra Wrisley, Verde Natural Florist, Officiant Steve Farmer, rentals by MS Events and Musician Peter Markush.

Oct 31, 2013 at 12:07 AM Permalink

Lindsey & Joshua's Wedding Day

Oct 28, 2013 at 12:08 AM Permalink

Congratulations to Lauren & Jesse!

Oct 20, 2013 at 12:08 AM Permalink

Amanda & Justin's Wedding Day

Oct 14, 2013 at 12:09 AM Permalink

Congratulations Corrie & Matthew!

Congratulations to Corrie and Matthew who were married at Keswick Vineyards on Saturday, October 12th.  While Mother Nature continued to provide us with overcast and misty weather from the left overs of Tropical Storm Karen, Corrie's Mother went to work setting up her daughters dream wedding.  Corrie and her Mother are very crafty people and made so many things for this wedding.  Her Mother sewed all the tablecloth overlays, napkins, placemats, even the bouquets!  Can you believe those bouquets are made of fabric????  Amazing!  Corrie's Mom had also made this incredible quilt as a wedding gift that was hung behind the sweetheart table.  Another surprise for Corrie and Matthew was a huge canvas painting that was hung in the tent of the couple, along with their dog, in a sports car.  Corrie also had collected china with every plate being different, furniture to hang out in under the tent, different items to be set up as centerpieces that were different on each table, a big trunk to put ice in and display beer on the lid of the trunk.  There are just way too many things that Corrie and her Mom did to make this wedding so personable to describe.  Corrie and Matthew chose to be married on the East lawn of Edgewood Estate under a 300+ year old oak tree.  Even though Mother Nature was being difficult, she did let up on the drizzle so we could still do an outdoor ceremony.  Everything was simply beautiful!  Corrie had two dresses for her day; the traditional wedding gown and then a party dress for the reception.  Love how her dress and bridesmaids dresses match the feel and decor of the tent.  Of course, none of this could of happened without the help of the following vendors:  Event Planner Barb Wired, Catering by The Catering Outfit, DJ Dan Sims, Photographer Jodi Miller, Hair & Make-up Artist Jesse Wagner from Aveda Newport News, Hedge Florist, Officiant Rob Marshall and Albemarle Limo's for buses.

Oct 13, 2013 at 12:10 AM Permalink

Congratulations Lindsay & Bryan!

Congratulations to Lindsay and Bryan we were married at Keswick Vineyards on Friday, October 11th.  Mother Nature sure did a 180 from the weather we had last week end.  Because of the left overs from a tropical storm, the skies were overcast with some drizzle.  Thankfully, the drizzle let up right at ceremony time so Lindsay & Bryan could have their wedding outside like they had dreamed of.  They chose a little different location to have their wedding ceremony.  They chose what I call our "fall" location because on a clear day you have such a panoramic view of the mountains, the Estate, the vineyard and the fountain accented with fall colors.  Unfortunately with the overcast skies you couldn't get all of that view but it was still beautiful.  Thanks to the following vendors for all of their exceptional service last night:  Catering by Harvest Moon, DJ Mark Allen, Photographer Tyler Corvin, Musicians Linden Trio, Hair & Make-up by Anne Kibler of Charlottesville Makeup Artist, Verde Natural Florist, One Preppy Cookies and Bakeshop, Officiant Steve Beam and Albemarle Limousine for buses to ensure everyone made it home safely.

Oct 12, 2013 at 12:10 AM Permalink

The State of Virginia Wine 2002 – Present

Have I really just finished my 13th harvest in Virginia? Indeed I have, and maybe now would be a good time to reflect on the decision to come to the Old Dominion and where the future lies for the 5th largest wine-producing state in America.

At that point the intention was to only be here for a year or so and head elsewhere, ultimately ending up back in South Africa making wine. “Virginia, huh?” said my father. Yup VIRGINIA. “Blue Ridge Mountains, Shenandoah Valley, Monticello, UVA, the canoe capitol of the world, but the wine is kind of crappy” said someone familiar with the area. Okay he did not say crappy, he used a much more colorful word to describe the wines, one that does not leave much to the imagination. “The wine is that good?” I replied sarcastically, sounds like a challenge and the perfect opportunity. Thomas Jefferson never produced a single bottle of wine from his Monticello vineyards and neither did George Washington at Mount Vernon, yet that pioneering spirit endures today in our wine making community, for walls are to be broken down and challenges met.  Virginia might in many ways be one of the most challenging grape and wine-producing areas, but that did not stop Mr Zonin from establishing Barboursville Vineyards in 1976, hiring one of the most iconic figures in our wine industry, Gabrielle Rausse, to plant vineyards. If memory serves me correctly, Virginia had 6 already established wineries by 1970, 46 by 1995, 105 by 2007 and today a little over 200. People are starting to recognize the potential for producing fine wines in this area and are not deterred by the challenges that face them, for, as the saying goes, nothing worthwhile comes easily.

I think Mr.Jefferson would be quite proud of  how far the Virginia Wine industry has come, measured by growth alone. But hang on a moment, we are in the business of producing wines, and success is measured by quality not quantity. How we are perceived by consumers and critics, measured against the benchmarks of the American wine industry? Surely this is a better indicator of our success? Leading the way in the American wine industry, in my opinion, is California. Napa has been joined by Sanoma, Paso Robles and other areas in producing distinctive wines reflecting regional character. wines that receive critical acclaim by consumers and wine writers alike.  And let’s not forget the states to the North, Oregon and Washington, who are also producing many world-class wines. Try Cabernet from Washington State and Pinot Noir from Oregon to see what I am talking about.

So the big question. ” Are we making wines that are world-class and can compete with anything the West Coast can throw at us?” If we are comparing apples to apples, Cabernet to Cabernet, then the simple answer is No, not every year. However, every now and again we get vintages like 2009 and 2010 where we produce something special, our 2009 Estate Grown Cabernet was one of only 22 wines that received a double gold medal at the San Francisco International Wine Competition. So there is certainly potential there, even if mother nature only allows us the opportunity once every 4-5 years. If we talk about Viognier, Cabernet Franc and blended reds, then the answer, in my humble, biased opinion, is that you bloody well betcha. I have tried some Meritage blends, Cabernet Franc and Viognier wines that I think can more than hold their own with our West Coast counterparts. I would even go as far as to say that they can hold their own with other wine regions in the world. Not consistently year in and year out, but us winemakers are working on achieving that. 

The Future I would like to recognize a few people who I think have been instrumental in promoting our wines and our State. I think Governor McDonnell and the First Lady deserve a lot of credit for promoting our wine industry. Emerging markets have been opened through trade missions to Asia and to Europe, our wines are now being exported to China and London. By serving only Virginia wines at the mansion and by creating the Virginia Wine Summit, the Governor has really put a focus on our wines. Wine Enthusiast named Virginia as one of its top ten wine destinations in the world. Along with Secretary Haymore and the Virginia Wine Marketing Office, we producers have the backing of people who can make things happen and get the word out there, a big thank you to you. In Tony Wolf and Dr. Bruce Zoecklein we have two gentleman whom I admire tremendously. Their work and willingness to be available to us has certainly increased the quality of our wines and vineyard practices. One need only attend any of the number of technical meetings to see the amount of work and effort being put into our industry, benefits that a re reaping big rewards today. And of course all the winemakers and vineyard managers in the State. I am amazed at the talent and the enthusiasm shown for this profession, combined with the willingness to work together. Lead by stalwarts such as Luca Paschina, Dennis Horton and Jim Law, the future of Virginia wine is in good hands and I for one am excited to write another blog in 10 years, raving about how our wines have progressed.

There is still a lot of work to be done, we cannot rest on our laurels and we need to recognize that we are not there yet. We are moving in the right direction and at a frenetic pace, and people are noticing. So do I have any regrets about coming to Virginia and making wine? With the state of this industry, a beautiful wife and daughter to show for it and some decent wines in the library and nothing but a bright future ahead, WHAT DO YOU THINK?

Oct 11, 2013 at 8:33 AM Permalink

3 is a charm, right?

What a great way to finish out a 3 day week end of weddings at Keswick Vineyards with the marriage of Leah & Jeremy.  Leah and Jeremy are such a beautiful couple both inside and out and it was such a pleasure to be able to take some photos of their special day along the side of their professional photographer Christian.  The weather was just perfect again.  The tent was beautiful with the added Asian lanterns over the dance floor.  Check out their cake.  Albemarle Baking Company did an amazing job decorating it with a grape theme which matched the beautiful plum colored bridesmaids dresses.  Leah also surprised Jeremy with a grooms cake of his motorcycle.  I love how they had personalized shades made to put over wine glasses with tea lights in them for each table.  These shades you can have made with your menu on them, a photo or table number like Leah & Jeremy did.  Thanks to all the vendors who helped make their wedding extra special:  Catering by Beggar's Banquet, DJ Andy Wilfong, Photographer Christian Hommel, Pastry Chef Albemarle Baking Company, Officiant Erick Weaver, Florist NW Designs, Hair & Make-up by Theresa Oliver, Musicians Mike Dunn and Janet Muse, Day of Coordinator Diane Burner and Skyline Tent Company.

Oct 9, 2013 at 12:12 AM Permalink

Wedding #2 for the Week End

Oct 8, 2013 at 12:13 AM Permalink

1st of a triple wedding week end

Fall is here which means lots of weddings.  Nothing can be better than having a fall, outdoor wedding in Virginia.  To start off this week end, Cherissa & Frank were married at Keswick Vineyards on Friday, October 4th.  Cherissa & Frank booked their wedding here site unseen.  They are from Virginia Beach and fell in love with Keswick Vineyards just by the photos they had seen.  They certainly could not of been disappointed with their choice.  Mother Nature did an outstanding job in providing picture perfect weather and the vendors all did an amazing job.  Cherissa & Frank have a tradition that every Friday night is pizza & wine night for them.  Their wedding night would be no different.  They brought in a pizza food truck to provide fresh, homemade pizza's as a late night snack.  Delicious!  Thank you to the following vendors:  Event Planner Barb Wired, 20 South Catering, DJ T.D. Layman of Sound Enforcement, Photographer Elisa B, Videographer Humble Down Productions, Hair & Make-up by Jeanne Cusick, Officiant Brian Purcell, Cakes Unlimited, Blue Ridge Floral, Albemarle Limousine for the vintage car and buses, Blue Ridge Pizza Food Truck, Strike A Pose Photo booth and Festive Fare for rentals.  Click here to view their video by Humble Down Productions.

Oct 7, 2013 at 12:13 AM Permalink