点评:After my visit to William & Mary, I had time to stop at Williamsburg Winery, and I was glad I did. Unfortunately, the day I visited, they weren't offering any tours. I had been looking forward to taking the Barrel Cellar Tour, but instead, I headed to the tasting room to enjoy a flight of wine.
There are several different flights to choose from, and I really enjoyed the wines I sampled. I am someone who prefers red wine, and I was pleased to find that there were many reds to choose from. It was also nice to see that the winery offers food options following the tasting. The Gabriel Archer Tavern, which offers a farm-to-table experience, and the Godspeed Galley Bar both provide food options.
The winery does a great job with hospitality. Being a New Yorker, I experienced some genuine "Southern charm." Besides enjoying the wine, I found the staff to be friendly, welcoming, and sociable. My favorite wine was the Williamsburg Cabernet Sauvignon. They did it right by aging it in wooden barrels for 14 months.
The winery itself has a comfortable setting, surrounded by peaceful and serene grounds. It is a wonderful place to relax and enjoy a glass of wine.
While enjoying my wine, I wanted to learn more about the history of the winery. I found it fascinating to learn about Patrick and Peggy Duffeler, who founded Williamsburg Winery in 1983. Patrick was born in Brussels, Belgium, and came to the United States to finish high school. He later attended the Rochester Institute of Technology. Patrick was a keen businessman who eventually returned to Europe to work for Philip Morris. He went on to head the inaugural Marlboro Formula One Racing Team.
As time passed, Patrick and Peggy were drawn to Williamsburg. The land they purchased was called Wessex Hundred. The name dates back to the Colonial era and described land that was considered sufficient to support 100 families.
The Duffelers planted their first grapes in 1985. However, they were not the first people to plant grapes on this land. In 1609, the first settlers planted vines, and later, in 1619, the British required every landowner to plant at least 10 vines under the "Acte of 1619." Williamsburg Winery released its first wine in 1988, and in 1990, it earned its first Virginia Cup. This area is the Birthplace of American wine!
The winery also does a wonderful job of honoring and remembering the area's history. There is a section of grapevines planted in an area known as "Archer's Hope." A British explorer wanted the first settlement to be established at Archer's Hope, but he was overruled by the captain, who wanted the settlement to be established at Jamestown instead.
Part of Wessex Hundred is located on Archer's Hope, and in recognition of that history, the winery created a signature Bordeaux-style blend called Gabriel Archer's Blend. Now you know where the name of the Gabriel Archer Tavern comes from!
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed my visit to Williamsburg Winery. Even though I wasn't able to take the tour I had originally planned, the wine, hospitality, beautiful grounds, and fascinating history made the visit worthwhile. If you find yourself in Williamsburg, I definitely recommend stopping by, enjoying a tasting, and experiencing some of that Southern charm for yourself.
Enjoy your visit!
翻译:参观完威廉与玛丽学院后,我抽空去了威廉斯堡酒庄,很庆幸自己这么做了。可惜在我到访的那天,酒庄并未安排任何参观活动。我原本期待能参加“酒桶窖藏之旅”,但最终还是前往品酒室,品尝了多种葡萄酒。
酒庄提供了好几种不同的品酒组合可供选择,我非常喜欢自己试饮的那些葡萄酒。我是个偏爱红葡萄酒的人,很高兴发现这里有众多红葡萄酒可供挑选。很高兴看到酒庄在品酒环节之后还提供餐饮选择。提供“从农场到餐桌”体验的Gabriel Archer Tavern酒吧,以及Godspeed Galley Bar酒吧都供应食物。
这家酒庄在待客方面做得非常出色。作为一名纽约人,我切实体验到了地道的“南方待客之道”。除了品酒之外,我觉得这里的员工友善、热情且善于交际。我最喜欢的葡萄酒就是威廉斯堡赤霞珠。他们将葡萄酒在木桶中陈酿了14个月,这一做法十分恰当。
这家酒庄的环境宜人,四周环绕着宁静祥和的庭院。这里是放松身心、品饮美酒的绝佳去处。
品酒之余,我想更多地了解这家酒庄的历史。得知威廉斯堡酒庄是由帕特里克与佩吉·杜费勒夫妇于1983年创立的,我觉得十分有趣。帕特里克出生于比利时布鲁塞尔,后来前往美国完成高中学业。后来,他进入了罗切斯特理工学院求学。帕特里克是个极具商业头脑的人,最终他回到欧洲为菲利普·莫里斯公司工作。随后,他出任了首届万宝路一级方程式赛车队的负责人。
随着时间的推移,帕特里克和佩吉渐渐喜欢上了威廉斯堡。他们购置的那片土地被命名为“韦塞克斯百户区”。这一名称源自殖民地时期,用来指代那些足以供养100户人家的土地。
1985年,达弗勒尔家族种下了第一批葡萄。不过,他们并非最早在这片土地上种植葡萄的人。1609年,第一批定居者便开始种植葡萄藤;后来在1619年,英国政府通过《1619年法令》,要求所有土地所有者至少种植10株葡萄藤。威廉斯堡酒庄于1988年推出了第一款葡萄酒,并在1990年首次荣获“弗吉尼亚杯”。这里堪称美国葡萄酒的发源地!
这家酒庄还出色地传承与铭记着这片地区的历史。在一片名为“阿彻的希望”的区域里种植着葡萄藤。一位英国探险家希望将第一个定居点建立在“阿彻的希望”处,但他的提议遭到了船长的否决——船长希望把定居点建在詹姆斯敦。
韦塞克斯百户区的一部分位于“阿彻的希望”地区。为纪念这段历史,这家酒庄特地酿造了一款具有波尔多风格的特色葡萄酒,并将其命名为“加布里埃尔·阿彻调配酒”。现在您知道“加布里埃尔·阿彻酒馆”这个名字的由来了吧!
总的来说,我非常享受这次威廉斯堡酒庄之旅。虽然没能参加原本计划好的导览,但美味的葡萄酒、热情的待客之道、优美的环境以及引人入胜的历史都让这次访问物有所值。如果您有机会来到威廉斯堡,我强烈建议您顺道造访,品尝美酒,亲身感受一下南方特有的魅力。
祝您游览愉快!