We were supposed to be cruising up the Mississippi River for Vic's 50th birthday but my fruitless search for employment meant that the budget couldn't handle that plan so I decided instead to surprise him with a weekend getaway to the Williamsburg Winery. A closer venue and one that proved delightful.
A 300 acre farm, known as Wessex Hundred, is home to The Williamsburg Winery. The use of “Hundred” to name a property dates to the Colonial era and describes parcels of land sufficient to support a hundred families regardless of actual acreage.
Source: https://www.williamsburgwinery.com/historyandleadership
We drove to the property on Saturday morning and arrived just in time for lunch. All of the facilities - tavern, winery, and inn - are located within walking distance of each other so we parked the car and walked over to the Gabriel Archer Tavern for lunch. Vic had a salmon BLT with the house sangria and I had the Smoked Salmon Platter with a mimosa. Beautifully presented and delicious!
We ambled over to the inn, Wedmore Place, and were delighted to find that our room was ready ahead of the 3:00pm check-in. We were staying in the Gascony room, with a feel for a Gascon country house created by the four poster bed, the toile de jouy fabric on the wall, the armoire, the tapestry, and the painting of a nobleman above the fireplace.
Included in our stay were tickets to a tour and tasting at the winery so after we settled things in our room, we walked over to the winery and browsed in the wine shop until our tour began. It was very interesting - the winery has been in the hands of the same family since the 1980s, a family with involvement in both the wine industry and hospitality.
We thoroughly enjoyed the tasting - several whites, a rose, a couple of reds, a spiced wine very popular during the fall/winter hoildays, and a dessert wine, Vin Licoreux de Framboise (Red Wine with Raspberry) which was delicious. Our firm favorite was a white, 2016 Governor's White. After a purchase of the Governor's White at the wine shop, we made our way back to the inn. We had a late dinner reservation at the Café Provençal, the on-site restaurant, so we had plenty of time for leisure and a nap.
Our dinner was amazing - Summer Greens for Vic and A Taste of Two Cheeses for me as starters.
SUMMER GREENS
Feta | Wessex Tomatoes | Cucumber | Preserved Vegetables | Blackberry Vinaigrette
TASTE OF TWO CHEESES
Grilled Sourdough | Sweet & Savory Accompaniments
The main course was unforgettable, incredible, mouth-watering, amazing, I can't think of enough superlatives.
SEARED SCALLOPS
Byrd Mill Grits | Cherry Tomato | Sweet Potato | Lobster Nage | Bacon
I had to look up nage - it's a poaching liquid. Oh my goodness, every bite was incredible. Our dinner came with a bottle of wine so we selected the 2016 Governor's White that we had enjoyed at the tasting. I've completely forgotten the names of the desserts - mine was a chocolate selection and Vic's was a fruit and custard concoction with cookie crumbles served in a tiny honey pot.
The following morning, we returned to the cafe for continental breakfast and then checked out and headed for home. Vic said it was the best birthday ever. We enjoyed our stay so much that we are going back for Thanksgiving. I had been searching for an inn-type location that served Thanksgiving dinner and found it right here - we can't wait!
Happy birthday to your husband. Your meals look incredible. We're not much in the way of wine drinkers, but when we do we like a good white.
ReplyDeleteOh my goodness, what a amazing place! The whole stay sounded fabulous, and the food was a feast for my eyes as well as your tummies! :) Happy Birthday to Vick!
ReplyDeleteIt looks like you had an amazing and relaxing time. The inn looks beautiful!
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