Belle Grove Plantation to host fourth annual Wine Fest

On Saturday, September 13, Belle Grove Plantation will host its annual Wine Fest.  Gates will open at 11:00 a.m. and the festival will continue until 6:00 p.m.

Belle Grove is pleased to welcome eight Virginia wineries to the 2014 Wine Fest: North Mountain Vineyard & Winery (Maurertown), Mountain View Vineyard (Strasburg), Desert Rose Ranch and Winery (Hume), Wicked Oak Farms and Vineyard (Star Tannery), Quievremont Wine (Washington), Hunt’s Vineyard (Stuarts Draft), Winding Road Cellars (Markham), and 612 Vineyard (Berryville).  In addition, Winchester Cider Works will participate.  Visitors with tasting tickets will be able to sample from all these participants and purchase wine or cider by the glass, bottle, or case.

Music will be performed throughout the day.  The Carroll Brothers, an acoustic classic rock duo from Winchester will perform from 12:00 to 2:30 p.m.  The Elizabeth Lawrence Band will take the stage from 3:00-5:30 p.m.  The band is known for its soulful blues and rugged rock style, reminiscent of Bonnie Raitt and Susan Tedeschi and was just awarded Best Band of 2014 by the Fauquier Times.

Cooking and wine pairing demonstrations will be presented at 12:30 p.m. by Chef Sam Saliba from Hotel Strasburg, at 2:30 p.m. by Chef Kiesha Sellers from Strasburg’s At Home Bistro, and at 4:30 p.m. by Chef Christa Nahhas from La Nourriture Catering in San Francisco, California.

Food will be available for purchase and local crafters, businesses, and the Belle Grove Museum Shop will offer an array of merchandise and unique gifts for sale.  Belle Grove’s 1797 Manor House will be open for touring as part of the festival ticket.

Tasting tickets are on sale now for $20 at www.bellegrove.org or will be $25 at the gate.   Admission includes a commemorative wine tasting glass, tastings, access to all vendors, performances, and tours of the historic Manor House and landscape.  General admission is $10 for visitors under age 21 or those who do not wish to do wine tastings.

Also for sale at www.bellegrove.org are a limited number of tickets for an exclusive VIP Wine Fest experience. The $65 ticket includes designated parking, a gourmet lunch by Wild Berries Catering, a private wine tasting with North Mountain Vineyard, and full festival access.

For the latest information, visit www.bellegrove.org or www.facebook.com/BelleGrove.  Please note that pets, large backpacks, and outside food or drink may not be brought onto festival grounds.  Belle Grove Plantation is located off Route 11 at 336 Belle Grove Road in Middletown, Virginia 22645.  Use exit 302 from I-81.

Belle Grove’s Wine Fest will be held on the same day as another annual Middletown tradition, the Middletown Car and Truck Show.  The event will be held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, September 13 on Main Street in historic Middletown.  It will be free for spectators and feature oldies music by DJ Freddie Cheshire, as well as food vendors and door prizes.  Coming to the Middletown Car and Truck Show and the Belle Grove Wine Fest will make for a perfect Saturday outing in the beautiful Shenandoah Valley.  The cars will make their way to Belle Grove at 4 p.m. and be presented on the drive in front of the Manor House.

Belle Grove Plantation is a non-profit historic house museum that is a National Trust for Historic Preservation site and a partner in Cedar Creek Belle Grove National Historical Park.  The Belle Grove Wine Fest is one of the museum’s most successful fundraisers that contributes to the preservation and interpretation of its buildings and site.

In honor of Belle Grove’s Wine Fest, Santé Wine, Beer, and Gifts at 233 Kernstown Commons Boulevard in Winchester will host a wine tasting on Thursday, September 11 from 6 – 8 p.m.  Santé will also donate $1.00 to Belle Grove for every bottle of wine sold from Monday, September 8 through Saturday, September 13 through their “Wine for a Cause” program.  Wine Fest tickets are also available at Santé.