Happy Hour Friday : White Hall Vineyards Petit Verdot

Last weekend my brother and his girlfriend were visiting us from Atlanta. Although the weather wasn't warm and sunny as we had all hoped, it definitely didn't slow us down. We went to a dinner party Friday night (thanks John and Hobby!) where the wine was freely flowing and the dinner spread was out-of-this-world. There was BBQ from Barbeque Exchange, marinated tomato and mozzarella skewers, mini pizzas, herb chicken mini bruschetta with cheddar and fig jam (unreal!), and one of my all time favorite dressings to accompany the asparagus - green goddess! Oh, and who could forget the little macaroons for dessert -so cute! It was a wonderful night of eating, drinking and catching up with friends.

We woke up Saturday morning and left the house headed to lunch followed by an afternoon of vineyards. The final stop on our wine tour of Charlottesville was White Hall Vineyards. This was my first time at White Hall and it exceeded my expectations by far. The vineyard is small and intimate and the staff is so warm and personable. After a wine tasting, we ended up buying a bottle of this wine (because we loved it so much) and the four of us sat in front of the fire chatting and loving this petit verdot.

White Hall's tasting notes describe this wine as "rich ruby colors and luxurious aromas of cedar, dark chocolate, and tobacco foreshadow a round palate laced with notes of bright cherry and currants, enhanced by smoky vanilla flavors and well-integrated tannins." This red is light and versatile. It is the type of wine that could accompany pasta, steak, chicken or even a salad . This bottle retails for around $20 which is so reasonable for a great red wine! You can purchase it online directly through the vineyard or find it at select Harris Teeters, Krogers or Publix. Don't miss out on this delicious petit verdot. Have a great weekend and enjoy your Happy Hour!