News for October 2008

"Food without wine is a corpse; wine without food is a ghost;
united and well matched they are as body and soul, living partners."

-- André Simon

Our Tastings and Wine Dinners [more]

Pearmund Cellars Crush Monkey Friday, $125 October 10th, 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. Our Press Pad Reservations: 540-347-3475		Movie Night Picnic Under The Stars, $35 or $60 October 10th & 24th, November 7th, 7:00 p.m. - 9:30 p.m. Winery at La Grange, Haymarket, VA Reservations: 703-753-9360

Natural Progression, Christian, Pop & Original Music, FREE October 11th, 1:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. Our Barrel Room Questions: 540-347-3475		André Fox, Blues & Rock Music, FREE October 12th, 1:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. Our Barrel Room Questions: 540-347-3475

La Grange Crush Monkey Friday, $125 October 17th, 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. Winery at La Grange, Haymarket, VA Reservations: 703-753-9360		Monster & Ghost Hunt, FREE, Come in Costume October 25th - 26th, 11:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. Winery at La Grange, Haymarket, VA Questions: 703-753-9360

Spooktacular Wine Dinner, $99 + tax & tip, menu October 25th, 6:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m. Winery at La Grange, Haymarket, VA Reservations: 703-753-9360		Cab Frankenstein Trick or Treat, $5, FREE in Costume October 31st - November 2nd, 10:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. Our Haunted Barrel Room Reservations: 540-347-3475

Annual Beast Feast, $99 + tax & tip, menu November 15th, 6:30 p.m. - 10:00 p.m. Our Wild Barrel Room Reservations: 540-347-3475		Your Family or Corporate Holiday Party, details Your Choice of Day or Evening, 11:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m. Our Barrel Room Reservations: 540-347-3475

Our Products

Learn Wine Production at Pearmund Cellars

October offers two more opportunities to participate in this year's wine crush under the guidance of our winemakers: Chris Pearmund, Rob Cox, and D. J. Leffin. Gain experience with fruit processing, juice analysis, pH adjustment, fermentation (including yeast selection, inoculation, and nutrition), temperature control, racking, barrel strategy, winery hygiene, and clean-up. Red grapes will be crushed on October 10th at Pearmund Cellars and on October 17th at our sister winery. Don't miss our final Crush Monkey Fridays!

This month, our 2007 Riesling, 2005 Cabernet Franc, and 2006 Malbec will be sold out. Our 2006 Cabernet Franc and our 2007 Malbec will be released, but, alas, we won't have any more Riesling until May of 2009. Come to the winery to purchase the last of your favorite varietals. Besides daily tastings of up to 12 varietals, our fall activities include:

Movie Night Picnic Under the Stars: On October 10th and 24th plus November 7th, adults can relax with a picnic and watch a classic movie outdoors on a large screen at our sister winery in Haymarket, Virginia. Priced with two glasses and one bottle of our classic wine, choose either a $35 basket with cheese and crackers or a $60 basket with an array of gourmet food. Reservations are needed for this adults only picnic under the stars. The classic movie is our gift.
Blending Music and Wine: Relax with your favorite varietal while you enjoy the Christian, Pop, and Original music of Natural Progression (singer songrwriters David Fatula and Damon Lomison) on October 11th and the Blues and Rock music of André Fox on October 12th. Natural Progression's vocal harmony, acoustic and electric guitars, percussion, and other instruments bring a breath of fresh air to both classics and orginal pieces. André Fox focuses on 60's, 70's & 80's music from his ten professionally recorded CDs. The uplifting talents of these accomplished regional musicians are free with your choice of wine, but tips are appreciated.
Monster and Ghost Hunt: As Halloween approaches, the staff at the Winery at La Grange is become frightful: monsters, witches, and demons abound. They also have a few ghosts. On October 25th and 26th, visit the barrel room in costume to enjoy special treats. Candy for the children and surprises may be found around every turn!
Spooktacular Wine Dinner: On October 25th, come in your creepiest costume and join the fun at our sister winery as they gather around tables lit with dripping candles, chandeliers covered in spiderwebs and bats, plates full of frightfully delicious food, and spooky music all around!
Cab Frankenstein Trick or Treat: On October 31st thru November 2nd, wander through our haunted barrel room and indulge in our vertical Cabernet Franc tasting. This activity is free for adults in Halloween costumes. Other adults will be charged $5. Our family-friendly celebration will include treats for children. Visit our sister, Winery at La Grange, only 10 minutes away, to complete your trick or treat on Halloween!
Annual Beast Feast: Dress in a wild animal print or game hunter outfit and bring your most adventurous friends to share our most exotic wine dinner on November 15th. Enjoy diverse regional and international wild game dishes paired with our finest wines.

Are you interested in having your holiday party hosted by the winery? Discuss your ideas with our Private Tastings Planner. Contact her via (540) 347-3475. She can help you create an elegant, unusual, or romantic tasting or wine dinner that your guests will remember for years to come. You may want to include some of our wine specials: 2006 Ameritage Reserve for $20 per bottle, while quantities last, and 2006 Redmund's White for $12 per bottle or $120 per case with no additional discounts.

Our Process

In the Vineyard: This year's harvest is in full swing. Late season rains were kind to Virginia vineyards but kept fruit hanging longer than usual. We are now picking the last of our Chardonnay grapes and continuing to process red grapes from other local vineyards. Although the 2007 harvest produced vintages that were about as perfect as possible for Virginia, the current harvest should produce vintages that are far better than average.

Crush at Pearmund Cellars

In the Winery: The nice part about a late harvest is better red varietals. The longer hang times increase the grapes' flavor complexity and create richer wine styles with concentrated fruitiness and higher alcohol. In 2009, look for excellent dry reds and two new dessert wines. Stop by the winery to learn more about the challenges and creativity involved in late-harvest winemaking. Taste the fruit, examine its color, nibble the seeds, and feel the skins, but, be careful, you might be put to work. If nothing else, your opinions will be valued because our wines are made to titillate our customers' sophisticated palates!

Our People

Mike O'Meara Hosts Chris Pearmund Pairing Virginia Wines

On September 19th, Mike O'Meara hosted Chris Pearmund in his nationally syndicated WJFK 106.7 radio segment. They discussed the etiquette of wine tasting and the secrets of pairing wines with food as they shared six Virginia wines and gourmet food nibbbles with the Buzz Girls. If you missed hearing the show, check out the podcast. You will find that Chris has the quick wit needed to be a standup comic or radio show host.

Our Partners & Retailers

Partner: Thanks to affordable rates and weekly specials from American Eagle Limousine, limousine rentals are not just for brides, proms, or corporations! Voted "Best of Washington DC" by Washingtonian Magazine and "Most Exotic Fleet" by DC One Magazine, American Eagle offers the highest quality service, the most professional chauffeurs, and the newest fleet of limousines available – with no exceptions. Join their mailing list to learn about weekly specials and trip ideas and call them for your next wine country tour.

Wine Store: Since 1916, the staff of Wegmans has pledged that "good people, working toward a common goal, can accomplish anything they set out to do." They have raised the bar on grocery shopping experiences, with abundance of choice, restaurant-quality foods, beautiful displays, excellent customer service, consistently low prices, and early adoption of technology. Wegmans is also known for exceptional levels of charitable donations focused on programs that reduce hunger, help young people succeed, and strengthen neighborhoods. In November 2nd, Jerry Motter will be opening the Wegmans' wine store at the Lake Manassas. Ask him about purchasing our fine wines.

Enjoy Pearmund Cellars Wines at South River Restaurant

Restaurant: The South River Restaurant and Paddock Wine Shop is owned and operated by Linda Roland in Waynesboro, Virginia. The restaurant specializes in fresh seafood, quality hand-cut Angus steak, fresh vegetables, and home made soups and breads. Its wine list and wine shop represent over 30 wineries in Virginia including Pearmund Cellars. Weekly wine tastings, special wine and food events, catering, boxed lunches, business meetings, and semi-private banquet room are available on request.

VA Winery Partner: Inn at Little Washington

Inn: The five-star-rated Inn at Little Washington in Washington, Virginia, has been making both hospitality and culinary news since it opened over 25 years ago. Its recent $5 million renovation created even more innovations, such as a state-of-the-art kitchen with a wall of glass overlooking the Inn’s herb and cutting gardens. Inn guests are treated to breakfast, either in bed or in an airy dining room, while lunch might be a picnic lunch in the countryside. World-reknowned Chef Patrick O’Connell serves inspired prix-fixe dinners with specialties like medaillons of veal sauté with local morels. Ask him about his favorite Pearmund Cellars wine.

Our Industry

Recently, Wines and Vines promoted VinoEnology, a new website developed by industry consultant Petar Kirilov. Its comprehensive collection of winemaking calculators will give you an idea of the complicated work Chris and D.J. are doing to bring us great Pearmund Cellars wines:

Fermentation (Brix, yeast, nutrients);
Chaptalization and water dilution (sugar and water additions);
SO2 (addition of potassium metabisulfite and liquid SO2 solution);
Acid addition (tartaric, malic and citric acid addition);
Fining and oak addition (clarification and oak wood chips addition);
Fortification (alcohol addition);
Blending and cost calculator (wine blending and cost).

We appreciate your business and your feedback. What topics would you like to see covered in future newsletters?
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