Spring Wine Festival and Sunset Tour at Mount Vernont, VA

[ A Teetotaler Guide to a Wine Festival]

This is my first time attending a wine festival. I have never done this before because I don't drink. I came from a culture where drinking is considered a sin. At first I was not too excited when my husband told me about the festival--what am I going to do there? I don't even drink--but he said that we were going to sit at a VIP table, with tons of cheese and other foods to try. I was intrigued. So we went.

Before the event, I did a little research. The venue is George Washington's Mount Vernont. This is a famous landmark on the Potomac river. This is the home of George Washington, the first president of USA. The estate is massive, with a mansion, plantation, garden, nice landscape, museum and educational center. The estate is exceptionally beautiful, even after centuries,it does not look old. Talk about high-maintenance. I will definitely return to explore this place in the summertime.

The wine festival itself is pretty popular, it is held twice a year in Spring and Fall. All the wines served are local, from wineries in Virginia. When we got in, we were each given a wine glass and invited to taste as many wines as we pleased. We were escorted to the venue, located in the backyard of the mansion facing the Potomac river. The wine tasting was the main attraction, but there were other things to enjoy too, including a musical performance, free tour of the mansion, and food from the inn's restaurants, plus plenty of cheeses, meats, cakes and pastries at our table. So a teetotaler like myself still could enjoy the event.

  

Although I don't really drink wine, half of the enjoyment of wine is taking in the aroma before taste it. So I did that much, and to be honest, I loved it.

Judging from the aroma,  the white chocolate wine was the winner, followed by the tropical fruit wine. 

(just a little sip of White Chocolate Wine, cant help it)

My first experience attending a wine festival was great. I will definitely go again, especially if we sit at the VIP table (that cheese and dessert platter was a hit). 

Martha and George Washinton

That's my wine belly :p