Valentine's Soiree
Celebrating Friendship & Love
Join us for an enchanting evening filled with festive cheer at our Valentine's cocktail soiree! Delight in cider and wine tastings from three exceptional cideries and three renowned local Virginia vineyards. Savor delectable appetizers crafted by Grelen's Chef Paul, ensuring a culinary experience to remember. Don’t miss this opportunity to indulge in exquisite flavors and celebrate the friendship and love! Singles and couples welcome.
APPETIZER MENU:
Apricot glazed pork and apple kabobs DF, GF
Sliced steak sliders with pickled onions, chimichurri sauce, and cotija cheese DFO
Smoked salmon canapé on cucumber round with spinach pesto GF
Roasted potato cups filled with herb cheese GF
Grilled artichoke dip served with assorted crostinis and vegetables GF dip
Mini chocolate blintzes with raspberry and mascarpone filling
BEVERAGE TASTINGS include wines by BARBOURSVILLE VINEYARDS, EARLY MOUNTAIN VINEYARDS, SOUTHWEST MOUNTAIN VINEYARDS & VERITAS and ciders by ALBEMARLE CIDERWORKS, PATOIS & TRODDENVALE. Each beverage vendor will have a table and be providing educational information about their specific cider/wine. See below for details on the beverages and those who will be giving them.
$50/PERSON
Includes 5 tasting tickets, Grelen Chef Paul's hors d'oeuvres and one glass of wine or cider of choice. Additional tasting tickets and glasses available for purchase
February 15, 2025
5:30 - 8:00 PM
The Grelen Depot
118 E. Main Street, Orange, VA
Singles & Couples Welcome
$50/person
Make it an Extra Fun weekend!
Book Grelen's Boxwood Villa or Spotswood Lodge.
Charles Gendrot
Sales, Marketing, and Winemaking Consultant
Williams Corner Wine
With 40 years of practical experience in winemaking, viticulture, marketing, and wine sales, Charles possesses expert knowledge of various varietals, wines, and spirits from around the globe. Additionally, he has extensive management experience in vineyards, cellars, and laboratories, adhering to standards such as BATF, TTB, COFRAC, and HACCP.
He has had a long storied career and at one time he was the Director of Winemaking & Operations/Senior Winemaker at Kluge Estate Winery and introduced 7 new award-winning wines to program. He was also a Research-Winemaker/Enologist at Vérité Winery at Kendall-Jackson Estates in Sonoma, CA managing and carrying out all aspects of winemaking for 500 tons/yr. of premium artisanal French-style red program. And finally, he started his career as a year round winemaker and consultant for over 100 Châteaux at all stages of the wine making process in France.
Tastings include...
Early Mountain Vineyard
Virginia Red Blend Foothills 2023
The aromas of the 2023 Foothills are lively, with red and black fruits, subtle dried herbs, and bright summer berries. It is medium bodied with soft tannins and balanced acidity, bringing more to the table than you might expect. The flavors are layered and many, allowing for more contemplative complexity than we are used to from an “everyday” wine. 43% Petit Verdot, 23% Merlot, 18% Cabernet Franc, 11% Tannat, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon
Early Mountain Vineyard
Shenandoah Valley Cabernet Franc 2022
100% Cabernet Franc. The aromas are mingling of ripe, black fruits, rosemary, forest mushrooms, and black pepper. The fruit/savory play continues on the palate, which is rich with persistent, ripe tannins and subtle acidity. The approach in is finessed like a Burgundy style with a focus on the aromatics and silky tannin structure. This wine demands that you both engage its aromatic offering and pour yourself another glass.
Food Pairing; Works beautifully with traditional Cab Franc pairings of roast lamb and fuller flavor meats, but with its silken texture and savory notes it also bridges to lighter dishes with umami notes
2021 Gold Medal winner for Virginia's Governors Cup Competition
Veritas Vineyards
Monticello Rose 2023
The 2023 Rosé is a sure sign that spring has arrived. The pure fruit flavors in the aroma are inviting and fresh, and their intensity is unwavering through the finish. The color of the Rosé is Rose Petal—which is a light pink or even a blush pink that evokes an aroma of strawberries mixed with hints of fresh, mouthwatering watermelon rind. Veritas Rosé dances on the tongue with lively freshness from a newly picked bowl of red fruits. This Rosé is very food-friendly and is the little black dress of pink wines, as it will pair well with almost any dish. The wine is made partly by a process the French call “saignée,” which means “bled” from the French verb to bleed. This rose color is achieved by removing the juice from Cabernet Franc and Merlot grapes after approximately 24 hours of soaking with the skin to get a hint of color and bright ripe fruit aromas. It is then blended with the whole cluster pressed Cabernet Franc, giving the wine a great acid backbone.
Veritas Vineyards
Monticello Viognier 2023
Pale as a white peach our 2023 Viognier is brimming with all the lovely aromas we associate with the Viognier grape. Perfumes of orange blossom mingle with peaches and cream with just a hint of ginger. Tasting is believing everything the aroma promised with perfectly balanced flavors of peach and apricot that are enveloped in a sensuous mouth feel that on the finish hints of honey and ginger. Veritas Viognier 2023 continues the reputation of the unsurpassable Viogniers made in Virginia.
Troddenvale
Petite Cider 2022
Troddenvale is a cider producer that uses fruit grown in Virginia to create complex ciders with aromatics and body. They also produce other ciders, including: House Cider, Foraged Cider, Farm Cider, and Family Ties.
Troddenvale Petite Cider 2022 is a cider made from Virginia Hewe's crabapples grown at high elevation in Bath County, Virginia. It was bottled in late March 2022 and rested for nine months before release.
Patois
Traditional Method Sparkling Cider "Bricolage" 2021
Traditional method cider of foraged crab, heirloom, and seedling apples. Nine months under voile in French oak, re-fermented in bottle with its own yeasts and aged an additional 16 months before disgorgement.
Guy Wallis
Albermarle Ciderworks
Guy Wallis serves as the Events Manager and Head of Distribution at Albemarle Ciderworks. Hailing from York, UK, he boasts over a decade of experience in the food and beverage sector. Guy thrives connecting with diverse individuals, whether he's overseeing renowned pubs and restaurants or coordinating events. After relocating to Pennsylvania in 2022 to marry his wife, he found his way to Virginia and became part of Albemarle Ciderworks. In his free time, he enjoys hiking, foraging, and diving into dark fantasy novels or works by Stephen King.
Tastings include...
Albemarle Ciderworks
Wickson Crab 2022
Dry single varietal of Wickson Crab. Notes of passionfruit and citrus. Floral with a smooth, light astringency. 9.4%
Albemarle Ciderworks
Brut D’ Albemarle Harrison 2023
A bottle conditioned cider that is very similar to an apple champagne. Great for that special celebration! 9.7% ABV
Southwest Mountain Vineyard
Representing Southwest Mountain will be Tyler Wagner, Wine Club & Hospitality Manager.
Southwest Mountains Vineyards (SMV) embraces the influence of Mother Nature, inspired by Thomas Jefferson’s teachings on Virginia’s unique land and climate. The vineyards produce Old World-style wines, shaped by the region’s distinct challenges and opportunities. With a focus on land preservation, dedicated craftsmanship, and honoring Virginia’s wine-growing tradition, SMV creates wines that reflect the geography and history of Keswick and the Monticello AVA. Each bottle tells a story, elevating Virginia wine to new heights and exceeding expectations.
Tastings include...
Southwest Mountain
White Blend 2021
This Monticello Appellation wine features a rich gold color, tropical fruit aromas with white flower blossoms, and flavors of white peach and a hint of pineapple. Made from 65% Viognier and 35% Petit Manseng, it’s fermented in 70% stainless steel and 30% neutral oak, aged for 7 months. With no residual sugar and 12% alcohol, it offers a clean, balanced finish.
Southwest Mountain
Cabernet Franc '21
This deep violet wine from the Monticello Appellation offers aromas of blackberry, sage, and woody spice. On the palate, expect flavors of black currant and plum, complemented by a rich tannin structure. Composed of 85% Cabernet Franc and 15% Merlot, it is small-lot fermented and aged for 9 months in a mix of 60% three-year oak and 40% neutral oak. With zero residual sugar and 12.7% alcohol, it delivers a bold, balanced finish.
Barboursville Vineyards
Founded in 1976 by Gianni Zonin, whose family has been crafting wines in Italy since 1821, Barboursville Vineyards is committed to producing exceptional estate-bottled wines of European origin that rival the finest wines worldwide.
Located on the historic estate of James Barbour, Virginia's Governor during the War of 1812, Barboursville offers a welcoming experience with its exquisite selection of wines, the elegant Palladio Restaurant, the charming 1804 Inn, Vineyard Cottages, and the iconic Ruins of the mansion designed by Thomas Jefferson for Governor Barbour—all nestled within a peaceful private park.