Good wine, good time

Contributed
Published: May 1, 2008

James Madison’s Montpelier will host the annual Montpelier Wine Festival, May 3-4. The festival will open each day at 11 a.m., rain or shine, and will close at 6 p.m. Saturday and 5 p.m. on Sunday.
Festival goers will receive a souvenir wine glass and an opportunity to taste each of the 20 award-winning Virginia wines. The festival will also showcase a number of fun activities for the entire family. Highlights include:
Cooking With Wine Demonstrations: Learn new techniques of cooking with wine from Rowena Morrell, creator and publisher of “In the Kitchen” magazine, as well as Erica Hall of Charlottesville’s From Scratch Baking Company and Melissa Close, executive chef of Barboursville Vineyards’ Palladio Restaurant. Demonstrations will take place Saturday and Sunday at 1 and 3:30 p.m.
Picnic on the Grounds of Historic Montpelier Steeplechase Course: Bring your own food or choose from a mouth-watering assortment of gourmet offerings including breads, cheeses, seafood, salads, ethnic selections and gourmet coffees. Throw a blanket on the grass or arrange in advance for a private table.
Live Music, Arts and Crafts: Enjoy a variety of live music featuring jazz and blues, or browse through the offerings of mid-Atlantic artisans and crafters. Enjoy the numerous selections, many of which feature a wine-related theme.
Fun for the Entire Family: Watch spectacular demonstrations by “Wings Over Washington.” Families can also make their own kite, and will want to test their flying skills in a variety of kite challenge events. Other fun activities include barrel train rides for the children, oxen rides and petting the alpacas.
Revolutionary War Encampment: Visit a Revolutionary War Encampment where troops, families and visiting dignitaries from the late 18th century will recreate the setting of life at a period military camp with associated drills, musket firings, cooking and craft demonstrations.
Explore Madison’s Lifelong Home: Tour the lifelong home of James Madison, Father of the U.S. Constitution, architect of the Bill of Rights, and fourth President of the United States. Since 2003, Montpelier’s 22-room, 12,500 square-foot mansion has been undergoing the most significant historical restoration in the nation to return it to the home that James and Dolley Madison created and loved. The $24 million project will celebrate its architectural completion on Constitution Day, Sept. 17. Festival goers can tour the home for a discounted price of $5.
In addition to the Madison home, visitors can leisurely stroll the many other attractions on the property’s 2,650 acres, including the Madison family cemetery, formal gardens, the James Madison Landmark Forest, as well as various sites highlighting African-American life at Montpelier, including a freedman’s farm and slave cemetery.
Location and Tickets: Sponsored by James Madison’s Montpelier and the Orange County Chamber of Commerce, the Montpelier Wine Festival is nestled in the rural foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains and is located on the grounds of Montpelier, a National Historic Trust site. Four miles south of Orange on Route 20, Montpelier is 20 miles north of Charlottesville and 90 minutes from the Capital Beltway.
Ticket prices for the Montpelier Wine Festival are $14 in advance or $20 at the gate. Special $5 tickets are available for designated drivers and youths age 13 to 20 years. Children under age 13 are free. Reserved tables and hospitality packages are also available.
To learn more, call 800-594-8499 or visit http://www.montpelierwinefestival.com.