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On Location: Virginia Surprises
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In the rolling hills, this editor got lost looking for a vineyard, but did find stellar barbecue and a new B&B on an organic beef and lamb farm
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BY CLARK MITCHELL
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A plate of ribs at Belmont Bar-B-Que, in Charlottesville; the hard-to-find Stone Mountain Vineyards.
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I’ve been to Virginia plenty of times, as my partner’s family runs an organic farm near Washington, VA. We’ve hiked in the woods, hit the farm stands for pumpkins to carve with our nephews and niece, and driven the back roads in search of the best apple cider. But one thing has always eluded me: the perfect Virginia wine. Maybe I never put enough effort into seeking out the area’s good wines. So this assignment—to report a story for Endless Vacation® magazine about Virginia’s burgeoning wine scene—was a great opportunity to educate myself.
LOST AND FOUND
Despite my best efforts, I couldn’t even find all the wineries I set out to see—like Stone Mountain Vineyards, which I later learned is famous for its inaccessibility. It’s set on a mountain precipice at the end of a gravel road—and I was told that even the locals get lost looking for it. Indeed, the Stone Mountain website hints at that when it warns, “Please follow the driving directions on the web page. If you use GPS, or services such as Mapquest or Google maps, they WILL send you the wrong way!” It’s a shame I couldn’t find it; they’re apparently doing great things with the Malbec grape. stonemountainvineyards.com
I BRAKE FOR RIBS
On any great road trip, you come across things you never set out to find. Case in point: Belmont Bar-B-Que, in Charlottesville. It’s located next door to the Local, a restaurant I wanted to include in my story. But when I showed up at the Local for lunch, I discovered it’s only open for dinner, so Belmont was the closest option. Once inside, I was in hog heaven. The fall-off-the-bone pork ribs with “inferno” sauce deserve their own love song. But somehow I couldn't muster the will (or the appetite) to try what the college kids at the next table were having, the Slop Bucket. This combination of cheesy potatoes, barbecued beans, pulled pork, coleslaw and sauce looks about as good as it sounds. I’m happy I stuck with the ribs. 816 Hinton Ave., Charlottesville; belmontbbq.com; 434-979-7427; lunch for two, $20 without drinks, tax or tip
DOWN ON THE FARM
Pilgrims come from all over the region to eat at the legendary Inn at Little Washington—but they don’t always want to fork out a fortune for a room there. Thankfully, there’s a new alternative nearby—the Inn at Mount Vernon Farm. Before it opened last month, I had a look at this cozy B&B, which is located on a working beef and lamb farm. The five-room inn sits high on a hill, overlooking the pastoral fields of Rappahannock County. I’ve been stocking my freezer for years with the farm’s organic meat, and I’m willing to say that if the Miller family (owners of both farm and inn) puts as much care into the inn as they do to their animals, this will be a great overnight stop while exploring Virginia’s wine country. 147 Mt. Vernon Lane, Sperryville; 800-765-0604; theinnatmountvernonfarm.com; doubles from $249 per night
NOTE: Information may have changed since publication. Please confirm key details before planning your trip.
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Published: July 6, 2011
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Photos: Clark Mitchell; Bill Crabtree Jr./Virginia Tourism Corporation
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