Luxury Travel Advisor - November 2008 - (Page 32)

VAULT FIELD VINEYARDS is carefully establishing its name in winemaking. ready to provide customized tours to nearby Mount Vernon, Stratford Hall and a range of Northern Neck Wineries. She’s also arranged beautiful weddings at the nearby Christ Church, an 18th-century landmark that’s considered one of the greatest architectural treasures of colonial America. In one instance, the bride and groom were carried back to the Tides Inn in grand style via a horse-drawn carriage for the reception. On a less formal note, Newlin has sailed guests over to a nearby beach for a clambake party. Note: Luxury travel advisors wishing to book the top accommodations at the Tides Inn should request a Vista Suite, since they have great entertainment space complete with wet bar. The Lancaster Suite is tops here; it has a living room, bedroom and two bathrooms. Wineries of Interest Virginia’s Northern Neck region has a burgeoning wine industry that may not be as mature as its counterparts in other regions of the state, but we feel it’s coming along nicely, thanks to its terroir, which is said to be similar to the Bordeaux region of France. In particular, two establishments are doing some interesting things, Vault Field Vineyards (www.vaultfield.com) and White Fences Vineyard (www. whitefencesvineyard.com). Vault Field, which is in the process of building a showcase tasting room, is currently producing some very good estate-bottled reds and California-style whites. White Fences, located right in Irvington near the Tides Inn, sits on six acres that grow Vinifera and French American Hybrid vines that are used to produce the vineyard’s Meteor Wine. White Fences has a spacious, contemporarily furnished tasting room, which we loved and will please oenophiles who like to sample their vintages in an elegant setting. Hint: Be sure to ask owner Bill Westbrook about setting up a private tasting paired with delicacies from the nearby Good Eats Café, which is run by Sally Rumsey and Steve Andersen (804-472-4385). Note: Virginia Tourism (www. vatc.org) 20 years ago declared October to be Virginia Wine Month, a celebration that is still going strong. This is a good time to recommend clients visit; the harvest is in and the state’s 130 wineries host festivals and events. An ideal guide who can take clients throughout the area and share insider secrets about Lancaster County’s history is George Beckett (nnht@kaballero.com) of Northern Neck Heritage Tours (www.nnht.com). What’s to learn, you ask? It’s a little known fact that Virginia’s Northern Neck is the birthplace of George Washington, James Madison, James Monroe and Robert E. Lee, to name a few. Beckett can also arrange for your client to take a cruise across Chesapeake Bay. When clients want a break from the recreational activities at The Tides Inn, they can walk or bike into the charming town of Irvington. During our stay, we visited the town’s Farmer’s Market, which is held the first Saturday of the month from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. from May through December. As we wandered around the serene town, we also came upon church fairs and bazaars where we were able to peruse through local crafts at very 32 LUXURY TRAVEL ADVISOR | November 2008 http://www.nnht.com http://www.vaultfield.com http://www.whitefencesvineyard.com http://www.vatc.org http://www.whitefencesvineyard.com http://www.vatc.org

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Luxury Travel Advisor - November 2008 Contents Publisher's Letter Editor's Letter Las Vegas Australia Virginia's Northern Neck Posh Penthouses K Club Four Seasons Florence Entertaining Luxury Caribbean Spas The Pulse Jetset Report Luxury Lifestyles Just Back Luxury Travel Expo Sightings Source List Virtuoso Insert

Luxury Travel Advisor - November 2008

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