Twin Oaks Tavern Winery
Bluemont, Virginia
Twin Oaks is truly a tavern for all seasons. Pomeroy first
took Ecco to the Tavern in February for “Sweethearts Weekend,” and they
snuggled up by the fireplace in the cozy tasting room to enjoy wine and live
music.
A return visit in May allowed the Wine Dogs to relax on the lower of the
three tiered decks that spill off of the tasting room, taking in stunning "top of the mountain" views
of Winchester and the vineyard at budbreak.
The tasting room captures a true tavern feel, with high,
beamed ceiling, exposed wood detailing and a square three-sided tasting bar to
welcome guests – two and four-legged alike.
A picture of Hagrid, a beautiful,
gentle St. Bernard and member of the Wine Club, hangs by the door. The
fireplace mantle is crowded with statuettes of Twin Oak “regulars.”
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| Will the Wine Dogs earn a spot? |
The Tavern is rapidly becoming a Wine Dog favorite. On each
visit, Ecco and Pomeroy were made to feel at home by a committed crew that
includes Fred,
Wine Captain Sue,
and winemaker, singer and gracious proprietress, Donna Evers.
Donna is an accidental vintner. The successful Washington
realtor built a weekend escape in the mountains of the Northern Blue Ridge on the
old Twin Oaks Tavern property – a place where Washingtonians of old would retreat
for refreshments and cool breezes.
She restored the ravaged and fire-damaged inn as a charming home, but relaxing is not in her makeup. Donna returned from a 1999 trip to Europe obsessed with having a vineyard on her property. The consultants gave her mixed
opinions, but whatever they said, she knew her answer would be “yes.” Viticulture is in her veins -- her
relatives in Croatia built the Kolasic Family Vineyard, still an operating winery today. Carrying forward with the tradition,
Donna’s daughter and grandchildren can be found working at the tavern.
Original plantings included Chardonnay, Merlot, and Cabernet
Franc, with recent additions of Zinfandel and Riesling - harkening back to Donna's Croatian roots. Donna plans to keep the winery small (1,000 cases) to preserve its boutique character.
The wines are impressive. Last year, Twin Oaks Chardonnay was earned gold and a 92-point (exceptional) rating at the World Wine Championship. Ecco (a young pup whose taste still runs to sweeter wines) gave
two paws up to Raspberry wine. Rose in color, it is considered
a white and is crisply refreshing. Pomeroy enjoyed the Cabernet Sauvignon and the bold, jammy Norton.
But it was Twin Oaks signature Bordeaux-style blend that earned two paws up from both pups. The Raven Rocks Red (named for the street where Twin Oaks Tavern is located) is a combinations of Cabernet Franc and Merlot with a touch of Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot.
Music is an integral part of the Twin Oaks Tavern experience, and Sunday is “open mike” time. Acoustic guitar player/vocalist
Michael Stephenson wandered in the door during the Wine Dogs’ first visit and everyone was mesmerized by his music. A recently discovered talent (by Brian Roeder while playing a friend’s party at Barrel Oak Winery), Michael is now making the winery circuit. He has a great, gravelly voice and sings with true emotion. A special treat was his original “Won’t Somebody Turn the Lights Back On,” based on his war and post-war experiences in Somalia. “To write that song, I had to live it,” Michael explains. Watch for him!
And watch for Ecco and Pomeroy at Twin Oaks Tavern!
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Bill and Vicki Edmands planted their first vines in 2000. They opened their tasting room in 2007 and, by December, the buzz was growing about a new winery that made unique food pairings a part of every tasting. Munchkin showed up for a Virginia Wine Dog visit in 2008, and was escorted in by the Vintage Ridge pack for a most civilized tasting (read review here).
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