Photography By Tommy Stafford
Nelson County Life Magazine ©2008
Brewing Tanks Go In At Devil’s Backbone
Wintergreen / Beech Grove, Virginia

It’s official, the brewing tanks started going in Wednesday morning at Devil’s Backbone Brewery in Beech Grove at the intersection of Route 664 & 151 in The Village At Glen Mary. We first told you about the tanks making the trip to the U.S. from Japan here last year. They had been in storage for several months until the building was ready for them to be installed. Devil’s Backbone will be Nelson’s 2nd microbrewery to start operation joining, already opened, Blue Mountain Brewery in Afton.

Above, Brewmaster Jason Oliver of Devil’s Backbone, takes a look down into one of the tanks set in place Wednesday morning.

“This is an exciting time for us and for Nelson County,” says founder Steve Crandall of Devil’s Backbone. “After all of the wait it’s nice to see the tanks being put in place and tremendous progress being made on the construction of the brewery,” he continues

Left, Jason Oliver holds the steps up to the brewing platform in place while Steve Crandall uses a wrench to level the assembly.

Steve says the newest brewery should be finished and opened in the late fall of this hopefully by November if everything is on track. The brewery is just one of many construction projects taking place in Beech Grove. Last week we told you about, Jeff Stone, at Wintergreen Winery where a major event facility expansion is underway diagonally across the road.

Above, Steve talks about leveling the platform with Jason.

Look for more on the brewery’s construction and dates for opening in the upcoming August 2008 issue of Nelson County Life out later this month.

The moon rises over Veritas Vineyards at this past weekend’s Starry Night’s Event

Photography By Tommy Stafford
Nelson County Life Magazine ©2008
Afton, Virginia

The weather was absolutely perfect for the over 1000 people that packed Veritas Winery and Vineyard for their monthly Starry Nights event this past weekend. Abbey Road, entertained the crowd with plenty of familiar Beetles tunes way into the night.

See you at next month’s event on August 9th featuring the Kings of Swing.

Photography By Tommy Stafford
Nelson County Life Magazine ©2008
Beech Grove, Virginia

Rhonda Ponton of the Nelson Chapter of Southern Cruisers Motorcycle Riding Club, shows one of the raffle tickets being sold at this past Saturday’s event to help raise money for Heather Collins who was severely injured in a car accident in June. The money raised will help out with non-covered medical expenses.

Beautiful weather made for perfect car and motorcycle show in front of Sparrow’s Cafe in The Village At Glen Mary just south of Nellysford. Lots of neat car and bikes were there as well as John (HoJo) Howard singing a few tunes for the crowd. It was the first of numerous events that will become regular happenings as the area is completed with the addition of Nelson’s second micro brewery, Devil’s Backbone Brewery, this fall.

The Summer Concert Series Continues!
The Honeybirds
featuring Jan Smith
Saturday, July 12th
4pm to 8pm
Admission is $10 for adults UNLESS you bring 5 non-perishable food items (per person), in which case, admission is FREE!
Kids 18 and under admitted free.
In case of inclement weather, please call the winery
or check our website for changes/cancellations.
www.cardinalpointwinery.com

Starry Nights continues this coming weekend July 12th, 2008 – 7 to 11PM at Veritas Winery & Vineyard. this weekend’s performance features AbbeyRoad (Beatles Cover Band). See you there!

Below you can see the entire schedule for the remainder of the season, plus additional information.

Click image above for printable download of schedule.

Join us for Starry Nights! There will be wine, live music and food under the stars, from 7 to 11 p.m. Entry at the door or ahead of time is $10 and includes a Veritas glass. Bring a picnic or purchase dinner, prepared by Chef Said Rhafiri, for an additional $15. To view the menu for a particular date, click on “Make Reservation.” For more information or to make reservations for a table or dinner, please call 540-456-8000 ext. 108.

Photography By Tommy Stafford
Nelson County Life Magazine ©2008
Wintergreen / Afton, Virginia

Folks celebrated the 4th at Wintergreen Winery at their Wine Down on the 4th & 5th. The weather had a few hit and miss showers, but not enough to dampen the spirits or the band.

Folks were able to pull up a chair near the band and enjoy two complete days of relaxation!

Now this little one is very curious!

Some of the latest award winning wines were served and enjoyed!

And up the road over at Afton Mountain Vineyards, they were kicking back for the 4th of July as well with a great afternoon of music, picnics, and wine.

Great afternoon for a taste!

Or to kick back and read. We like that magazine! Excellent choice!

Or take a stroll to check out grapes for the next batch!

NCL

WINTERGREEN, VA – “Wine down” and celebrate America amidst the backdrop of the Blue Ridge Mountains with “Fun on the Fourth…and Fifth!”

Enjoy wine, music, picnics and fun at Wintergreen Winery on Friday, July 4th and Saturday, July 5th from 10am until 6pm. Sip wine, listen to live music, shop, picnic by the river, soak in the scenery and relax in a setting perfect for kicking back. The wine tasting will include 2007 Black Rock Chardonnay Reserve, 2006 Viognier, Three Ridges White, Thomas Nelson White, Three Ridges Red, Cabernet Franc, Mill Hill Apple and the decadent Raspberry dessert wine served with chocolate. Plan to stay a while and take in the scenery with a picnic outdoors and enjoy live music from noon until 5:30pm. The music will kick off on Friday with South 29, a trio of classically trained and unchained musicians who leave audiences awash in a simmering blend of blues, funk, and rock. On Saturday guests will be treated to the danceable, fun, upbeat and rocking rhythm and blues of Chickenhead Blues Band. The $7 daily admission fee per adult (children are free) includes the wine tasting, live music, a souvenir wine glass, use of the winery grounds and riverside picnic areas plus wine and gift shop specials. The event will be held rain or shine. Light picnic fare will be available for purchase to enjoy at the scenic picnic area on the banks of the Rockfish River.

Wintergreen Winery is surrounded by panoramic mountain views and is located approximately 35 minutes from Charlottesville in the Rockfish Valley of Nelson County near Wintergreen Resort and the Blue Ridge Parkway. For more information visit www.WintergreenWinery.com or call (434) 361-2519.

DIRECTIONS:
From Charlottesville and Richmond, Virginia:
Interstate 64 West to Exit 107; US 250 West six miles to left on Route 151 South; fourteen miles to right on Route 664; winery entrance 1/2 mile on right.
From Shenandoah Valley, Virginia:
Interstate 64 East to Exit 99; US 250 East three miles to right on Route 151 South; fourteen miles to right on Route 664; winery entrance 1/2 mile on right.
From the Blue Ridge Parkway:
Exit at Reed’s Gap (MP 13.5) on Route 664 East; winery entrance five miles on left.
From Lynchburg:
Route 29 North to left on Route 151 North; Follow Route 151 for twenty one miles to left on Route 664; winery entrance 1/2 mile on right.

Summer Concert Series Continues!
CASHMERE JUNGLE LORDS
Saturday, June 14
4pm to 8pm

Admission is $10 for adults UNLESS you bring 5 non-perishable food items (per person), in which case, admission is FREE!
Kids 18 and under admitted free.

In case of inclement weather, please call the winery (540-456-8400) or check our website for changes/cancellations.
www.cardinalpointwinery.com

Starry Nights from the 2007 season.

It’s back! The ever popular Starry Nights at Veritas Winery and Vineyard begins this weekend on June 14th at 7PM. The season kicks off with King Cadillac, retro rock and roll!

Click image above for printable download of schedule.

See you there!

Nelson County Life Magazine ©2008
Wine Into Summer @ Wintergreen Winery
Wintergreen / Beech Grove, Virginia

Memorial Day is generally thought of as the official start of summer. The weather certainly said that over at Wintergreen Winery for their Wine Into Summer event Saturday and Sunday. Blue skies, great music by William Walter And Co. was just the right mood for an afternoon by the river or kicking back in the sun.

William Walter And Company played late in the day.

The weather made it a perfect afternoon to sit by the Rockfish River and enjoy a little vino!

Inside, Valerie, was busy checking out people with wine for the afternoon.

The tunes made it a perfect day to dance in the sun!

It was also a great day to play a little ball!

To see more upcoming events this year at Wintergreen Winery visit their calendar section by clicking here.

Forecast By Tommy Stafford – Nelson County Life Magazine

LISTEN TO THE WEATHER BY PRESSING THE BUTTON.

Nelson County Life Magazine ©2008
Wine Into Summer At Wintergreen Winery
Wintergreen / Nellysford, Virginia

Today’s weather and is brought to you exclusively by:

The new farm market at a.m. Fog in Afton. Thanks to Chuck Strauss for the latest pic!

Not long ago I went back to Tennessee to visit my folks on the farm. You’ve heard me talk about my days back there as a kid. They were some mighty good ones, just like my grown up days here in the mountains. I was remembering this old man that lived across the road by the name of, Son Johnson. I’d always walk up to his house and remember those chickens running all over the place. He was farm raising eggs and meat long before it was trendy. Just good, down home, quality food.

Ken and Yvonne Harris at a.m. Fog on the Nelson-Albemarle County Line along Route 151 in Afton do the same thing.

My old friend Son is long gone these days. His house isn’t even there anymore, but Ken and Yvonne’s is. Right now they have spinach, kale, brocoli, cabbage and veggie start, 6 kinds of lettuce, 26 types of heirloom tomatoes, plus sweet peppers, and a big selection of HOT peppers! Heck for your Hawaiian flair how about pineapple, and back home…maybe a little watermelon!

And look what else they have: asparagus, lettuce, cucumbers, STRAWBERRIES, strawberry onions (the best!!!), roasting potatoes, Idaho potatoes, carrots, green peppers, farm eggs, meat, and fresh baked bread.

And yea, my buddy, the trusty:
-Local “Happy Steer” Hormone and Antibiotic Free Meat
-Local Hormone & Antibiotic Free Chicken

Not to mention the countless other vegetables, annual, and perennial plants along with fruit trees ready for planting.

The beautiful new farm market is OPEN FOR BUSINESS NOW, and just on the horizon, hot teas, coffee, muffins, and bread while you take a look around.

If you do the WWW thing you can visit them on the web at www.amfog.net If you don’t, they are the kind of folks who still answer the phone, now there’s a concept! Call ‘em at 540-456-7100.

-SUNDAY’S High / Low at NCL-Nelson County Life Magazine in the Rockfish Valley : 80°/43° – RAIN : 0.00″ – YTD: 14.18″
-SUNDAY’S High / Low at NCL-Wintergreen Nature Foundation on Devil’s Knob @ Wintergreen Mountain : 69°/45° – RAIN 0.00″ – YTD: 20.50″
-SUNDAY’S High / Low at NCL-Hatcreek Farm on Horseshoe Mountain @ Roseland, VA : 77°/45° – RAIN : 0.00″ – YTD: 20.16″
-SUNDAY’S High / Low at NCL-Tiger Fuel @ Lovingston, VA : 77°/46° – RAIN : 0.00″ – YTD: 8.77″
-SUNDAY’S High / Low at NCL-Delfosse Winery & Vineyard @ Faber, VA : 78°/51° – RAIN : 0.00″ – YTD: 8.42″

WOW! What a fantastic weekend! And today continues with the great weather before we have a change late tonight into Tuesday. There have been all kinds of events taking place this Memorial Day Weekend. In today’s weather photo above they soaked in the sunshine and wine over at Wintergreen Winery as part of their Wine Into Summer event this past Saturday and Sunday.

Lot’s more events taking place over the long holiday, be sure to check them out on the left hand side of your screen under recent posts.

After a long stretch of really nice weather over the weekend, things will slowly change late tonight, but not after the best day of them all. Today will be sunny again with temps even warmer into the middle and upper 80′s.

As a cold front moves toward us over the next 36 hours, showers and thunderstorms will break out beginning in some areas after midnight. Wider spread thunderstorms will be likely on Tuesday into Tuesday evening before tapering off by afternoon Wednesday. After this system moves through, temps will cool to the lower 70′s for a couple of days before rebounding back into the 80′s by week’s end.

Regional Current Surface Map via wunderground

Looking 12-24 Hours Ahead

Your Nelson County Life custom area forecast including: Wintergreen, Massies Mill, Schuyler, and Crozet.

MEMORIAL DAY: Sunny and very warm.
* Highs Valley: 85-88°
*On the mountains: 77-80°
*Winds: S 5-10 MPH
*OVERNIGHT: Becoming mostly cloudy with showers and thunderstorms possible by daylight. Mild. Lows valley: 64-67° : Mountains: 61-64° : Winds: SW 10-20 MPH

TUESDAY: Showers and T-storms likely, more numerous in the afternoon. Continued warm.
* Highs Valley: 84-87°
*On the mountains: 73-76°
*Winds: W 10-20 MPH
*OVERNIGHT: Scattered thundershowers, tapering to showers. Lows valley: 60-63° : Mountains: 51-54° : Winds: N 5-10 MPH.

WED: P/C Showers 71/51
THU: Sunny 75/53
FRI : Mo/Sunny 80/59
SAT : Mo/Sunny 83/60
SUN : P/S T-Storms 80/59

All mountain temperatures in the extended period roughly 10 degrees cooler than those in the valley listed.

Have a great and safe Memorial Day everyone!

KnowYourNelson.com

Photography By Paul Purpura
Nelson County Life Magazine ©2008
International Wine Festival At Wintergreen
Wintergreen Mountain, Virginia

Part of the weekend’s events at Wintergreen Resort is the 2nd Annual International Festival of Wines presented by Wintergreen Performing Arts. Above, Claude Delfosse of Delfosse Winery and Vineyard in Faber, talks to one of the folks stopping by Saturday.

People stop by to sample one of the many wines.

Here another person drops by the Wintergreen Winery booth for a taste of their latest wines!

See you at next year’s festival!

NCL

Photography By Heidi Crandall
For Nelson County Life Magazine ©2008
The Village At Glen Mary
Beech Grove / Wintergreen, Virginia

As we’ve been telling you over the past several months, Nelson’s newest micro brewery is under construction and on track for opening later this year in the fall. This week was another key step in the construction phase as the huge custom beams were prepared and put in place at the brewery site at Route 664 & 151 on the way up to Wintergreen Resort.

Above, the custom beams being prepared for installation.

A crane lifts the beam into place.

A wide view of the brewery under construction in The Village At Glen Mary.

Once completed this Fall, Devil’s Backbone Brewery and Restaurant, will join Blue Mountain Brewery that opened in the fall of 2007 in the north end of the county in Afton.