Weekend Wine Getaway? Try Bluemont Vineyard near the Blue Ridge Mountains

Bluemont Vineyard

If you have an itch for a weekend wine getaway, now is the perfect time to hit the local wine trail. With Loudon County berries and peaches at peak, many wineries are showcasing some delicious dessert blends that will keep the taste of summer going well into fall.

Blue Ridge Blends

Grapes at Bluemont Vineyard

Bluemont Vineyard sign

We opted for the short drive to Loundon County to explore Bluemont Vineyard on the eastern slope of the Blue Ridge Mountains. The view from the deck alone is worth the drive, but the custom blends with local fruits are just as exciting.

A Cure For Ennui: Urbana’s Bellini Bar Is Still Charming, Four Years Later

A passion fruit-cherry combo bellini at Urbana in Dupont Circle. (Heather Brady/Glassified DC)

D.C. is a city for people who brunch. But what’s a Washingtonian to do after tiring of the usual Bloody Marys and mimosas?

In the midst of your ennui, we’re here to remind you of another tried-and-true favorite: the bellini.

Scot’s Honor: Scottish Whisky At The Jack Rose Saloon

Ruth Lynn, who bartends in Scotland when she’s not studying for med school, examines the vast array of Scottish whiskys at Jack Rose Dining Saloon in Adams Morgan. (Heather Brady/Glassified DC)

Ever wondered about Scottish whisky? The fact that you have it neat, not on the rocks? The variety of colors it comes in? The lack of an ‘e’ in its name?

Ruth Lynn, Glassified DC’s favorite friend from Scotland, shared some of her expertise as a bartender there and demystified the liquor for us. She even impressed the bartender at Jack Rose Dining Saloon, where over 90 percent of the 1,400 whiskey bottles they have is Scottish, with her knowledge. (She impressed us, too.)

The Story Behind the Rickey, D.C’s “Native Cocktail”

Shoomaker’s, the home of the Rickey, in 1917. Image via shorpy.com.

Find a highball glass. Take a lime, cut it in half. Squeeze a half into the glass, then drop in the shell. Add a dose of dry gin or rye whiskey, then top with soda water and stir.

You’ve just made a “Rickey”—circa-1880-style—the drink that last year became by ordinance of the city government D.C.’s native cocktail.

“We’re one of two cities that has named an official cocktail,” says Garrett Peck, a local historian who was instrumental in the process. “New Orleans is the other. Do you know what drink is theirs?”

The Hurricane, obviously.

“No, it was actually the Sazerac,” says Peck, “since the Hurricane was actually created in Wisconsin.”

It was behind the bar of a saloon called Shoomaker’s  on what is now Pennsylvania Avenue that the Rickey was created some 130 years ago. Called “Rum Row,” the stretch of the city that was home to Shoomaker’s is believed to be the highest concentration of bars that this country has ever seen.

“It was called ‘the walk of magnificent distances,’ because you could walk all the way home going from drink to drink to drink,” says Derek Brown, co-owner of a D.C. duo of craft cocktail bars, the Passenger and Columbia Room. “Shoomaker’s, though, was the star.”

Storified: Elizabeth’s Gone Raw…at the bar on Fridays

[View the story “Elizabeth’s Gone Raw…” on Storify]

Octagon: A Wine Story Of Founding Fathers And French Grapes

The barrels that house Octagon are made of French oak. (Courtesy of Barboursville Vineyards)

D.C. knows all about Founding Fathers. From Washington to Madison, Monroe to Hamilton, the area is bursting at the seams with their influence.

But one Founding Father — that fiery redhead, Thomas Jefferson — went a step further in his contributions to the nation by encouraging the growth of French grapes for spectacular wines produced locally.

Barboursville Vineyards, a large-production facility near Charlottesville, Va., has embraced the idea of French grapes in a big way. On land that was once tended by Jefferson, the vineyard has established a wine that may just be worthy of the man himself — Octagon.

A Bottle Of Pear Wine, Complete With The Pear

The fruit is still in the bottle — a great wine and a conversation piece. (Courtesy of Fabbioli Cellars)

What’s better than a wine made from pears?

A wine made from pears with a full piece of fruit in the bottle.

Just north of Leesburg, Va., Fabbioli Cellars has mastered the process of making pear-in-a-bottle wine, with great results.

Look What We Found on 14th Street This Morning: Batch 13, a New Small-Batch Liquor, Wine, and Beer Store

At a wee morning hour that was definitely more café au lait than craft brew, we spotted this freshly minted wine/liquor/beer store on 14th, just doors down from Cork and Peregrine Espresso. We can’t find a website, but did come across an article posted late last week on Borderstan.  Here’s what they have to say:

Batch 13 is the place to go if you are looking for special beer, wine or spirits. The two-level store has been open for a week now. At 1724 14th St NW (between R and S Streets), it is a new retail addition on the block. After some six months of waiting for permits — and then renovations to the former Dogs by Day daycare space — the liquor store’s decor is a delight to the eyes.

We spoke to one of the managers of Batch 13 who told us, “Batch 13 is a fun place to shop and learn about beer, wine and spirits.” The store has more than 1,000 craft beers from small breweries — a paradise to the aficionado. It also carries a wide selection of wines and will be carrying small batches of bourbons and whiskeys. It is the place where you can find a brand you know, or Distilled Aventinus, which sells for $98 per bottle.

Batch 13 eventually plans to open rooftop for special tastings and gatherings. Batch 13 has tastings every Friday and Saturday from 6 pm to 9 pm. The store is open from Monday to Thursday from 2 pm to 10 pm, Fridays and Saturdays from 12 to 11 pm. They also deliver.

Denizens of 14th Street, have you checked it out yet?  If so, give us the scoop by leaving us a comment, or tweeting at us at @GlassifiedDC.

The Siren’s Call: Cocktails and Oysters on Capitol Hill

The bar in The Eddy has 20 seats, which means you can bring more friends. (Courtesy of UrbanDaddy DC)

Guess who’s coming to the new oyster bar on Capitol Hill?

Truckeroo hits a homerun! Where to grab a drink near Nationals Park.

Take me out to the ballgame! With the Nats on a roll, we’ve all been spending more time around the Navy Yard. But where to go for those post-game celebrations?  Glassified DC went to check out what was going on around National’s Park.

Half Street Fairgrounds, Truckeroo, by Glassified DC

We timed our visit with last week’s Truckeroo, something we highly recommend. While we were expecting the domestic divas to dominate this game, we were happy to see a wide selection of beers to match the diverse food truck palette. (Note: The next Truckeroo event is set for August 10.)