Fabbioli Cellars: Fun at the Farm !!!
Hello Friends,
Well, before I begin I would like to say “Thank You” to Mother Nature for holding to her promise, as this past weekend was absolutely perfect and ideal for visiting Virginia wineries. So guess what I did? You guessed it right! I paid visits to several Virginia wineries.
Fabbioli Cellars - Fun at the Farm !!!
One of the highlights of Saturday was a visit to our pal Doug Fabbioli’s farm house in Leesburg, VA, for their 2nd annual Open House event. Last year's visit made for a very enjoyable summer evening, so what would this year hold? Read on and find out more about "fun at the farm".
This year Doug added more pieces to the puzzle and everything fell into place and came together very nicely. With Mother Nature cooperating, I could not think of a better place to be on Saturday evening – clear skies, live music, good food, great company, and Fabbioli Cellar’s fine red wines . What more could a Virginia wine enophile ask for? I mentioned in a previous post “that Doug sure knows how to throw a party” and boy, did my friend deliver!
Fabbioli Cellars Cabernet Franc 2006
The evening started off with seeing several old friends and making some new friends and as you know, once a wine friend, always a wine friend. We chatted away and quickly moved to tasting some of Doug’s hand-crafted wines in the tasting room. The following selections were being poured: Fratelli 2005 (Chambourcin-based smooth blend), Tre Sorélle 2005 (Bordeaux-styled flavorful and supple blend), Cabernet Franc 2006 (recently released), Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 (recently released), and for the sweet ending – Doug’s famous Raspberry Merlot. Yummy!
This year Doug again offered at no charge: admission, grilled hot dogs, sausage and buffalo burgers with sweet roasted corn, as well as other goodies, and asked the guests (extended family) to bring a dish to add to the table. Well, you would have sworn we all knew one another and planned it out because everyone brought something tasty and different. Needless to say, there was a mélange of delicious foods to pair with your favorite Fabbioli Cellars wine.
Since I had only tasted the Cabernet Franc 2006 from the barrel a few months ago, this selection that some locals identify with as being the state’s flagship red wine was an easy choice to make. Doug’s Cabernet Franc 2006 shows well and is done in a smooth, easy drinking style with an inviting nose and a lot of good upfront fruit and spicy nuances. To me it is drinking nicely now, so be sure to visit the winery and secure a few bottles. The season of fall will be here before you know it and a good local Cabernet Franc makes for a nice fall time evening sipper.
Vineyard tour with Doug
With wine in hand, we followed our fearless leader Doug into the vineyard for a tour. Like other local vineyards, Doug has had to build a deer fence around his vineyard to keep Bambi out. You see, like we enjoy wine, the deer enjoy grapes, and as much as I love deer there just is not enough for man and deer to enjoy – sorry, Bambi. Doug also gave the group a general overview of his vineyard practices and techniques, and we learned all about various pests, diseases, irrigation, drainage, etc. – the life of a grower is indeed hard work but it must be rewarding to see people enjoying the final product in the bottle as our fearless leader had a chance to witness Saturday evening.
~~ One of my favorite flowers ~~
Moving right along there were a number of fun-filled activities to enjoy from playing soccer and tossing a Frisbee, to visiting the sun-flower garden and soaking up the beautiful countryside. Additionally, acoustic guitar extraordinaire, Tony Lapera, wowed the crowd in playing a number of great classic rock tunes that had everyone snapping their fingers, tapping their feet and shaking their head. Great job, Tony! The crowd was also treated to a sampling of the Fabbioli Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve 2005. This wine is a result of an excellent vintage and good winemaking – the crowd loved it!
The evening ended with a colorful Firework show..Boom Boom !!!
Like with all good things, it was nearing time for Vine Spot to say good-bye to Fabbioli Cellars, but not without a bit of a bang first. The night ended with an explosive light show that filled the sky with colorful streaking patterns, for which my camera did no justice – the real thing was much more colorful and dynamic.
In closing friends, if you do not know Doug or have not sampled his wines, get to know Doug and sample his wines. He is a key player in the rapid development and success that can be found all along the Loudoun Wine Trail. Fabbioli Cellars is currently open for tasting throughout the summer season on Saturdays from 11am – 5pm. Visit their web site and get on the mailing list to find out about events, winemaker and vineyard news, etc. When you visit Fabbioli Cellars, tell the family you read about them here on Dezel’s Virginia Vine Spot!
- Stay tuned, Dezel has a sneak peek of a new Loudoun winery for you - the views will wow you !
- Visits to Swedenburg, Chrysalis and another Weekly Sip!
Fabbioli Cellars, 15669 Limestone School Road, Leesburg, VA 20176
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