| Featured Auction Items | |
The French Riviera – we make it easy for up to four of you to take that dreamed-of excursion to “Le Midi,” or stunning southern France. Unhurried pleasures and fairy-tale photography await you in this region of Benedictine abbeys, medieval castles, and top-rated restaurants which complement a country rich with bountiful world-renowned vineyards. Bordering the Mediterranean coastline, the region of southern France provides perfect temperatures and soil content for grape growing. Generations of vintners carry on a tradition that lends itself to some of the best bottles of Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon sold today. With the boundless hospitality of southern France, you’re welcome to stay as long as you like, or at least for one week, November 13 – 20, 2010, at your Diamond Resorts International facility of Le Club Mougins. Just ten minutes from the beautiful beaches of Cannes, this small and unpretentious resort near the medieval village of Mougins, is the perfect year-round vacation destination; so near to the coast and yet only an hour’s drive from the ski resort of the Southern Alps. Visit the La Maison des Vins (the house of wines) while you are there. Whatever your tastes, you’ll find plenty to do and see in this remarkable region of France. |
 |
 |
Napa Valley Wine Country Escape at the Silverado Spa and Resort – a couple’s escape to breathtaking Napa Valley, CA for tours and tastings of several exclusive wineries located only minutes away from your five day, four-night luxury accommodations at the elegant Silverado resort (www.silveradoresort.com.) And with two Robert Trent Jones golf courses, full-service spa, 10 pools, 17 tennis courts, two gourmet dining establishments, and much more on site at Silverado, your only difficulty will be what else to choose to fill your days and nights! |
|
From Vine to Bottle – You are the Vintner - Have you ever wondered what exactly goes into making wine? Raise your bid number to purchase a spot for either a single or a couple to experience the art of winemaking from the vintner’s perspective by purchasing a one of a kind event! Stage 1: This Autumn at harvest time, you will spend a crisp October morning at Rappahannock Cellars hand-picking the ripened-to-perfection grape clusters right off the vine. Then it’s off to the crush pad where you will engage in a traditional stomping of the grapes “I Love Lucy style” and begin the fermentation process. Once the work is finished you will be rewarded with a barbeque in the winery’s rustic barn featuring award winning Rappahannock Cellars wines. Stage 2: Return to Rappahannock when your wine is in the barrel for a barrel tasting, which provides a sneak preview of your young wine in the process of aging. Stage 3: Help bottle your wine and place your special event label on it. Each ‘Vintner” is then given 3 bottles of this unique wine as a reminder of your exceptional experience! |
 |
1. A weekly ½ to 1 paper grocery bag full of a seasonally available selection of over 100 varieties of heirloom vegetables, herbs and fruits for 18 weeks, May-September, through a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) produce share from Echo Ridge Farm in Middletown. 2. A whole young lamb, approximately 60 lbs hanging weight, custom-cut to your specifications from Front Royal’s Briarmead Farm of the Pastoral Guild. 3. A three month Egg Share of pastured eggs from the free-range chickens at Second Wind Farm, located in Sperryville and a member farm of the Pastoral Guild. 4. Five tender young roasting chickens from free-ranging birds supplemented with non-GMO feed from Beatrix Farm in White Post. 5. A six month Cow share providing one gallon per week of fresh, raw milk from Reality Farm in Little Washington, which includes delivery to the Front Royal area. |
|
Included is a $100 gift certificate for a sumptuous dinner at the Allegheny Grill, and a complimentary tasting at the Foxburg Winery. Sit on our cantilevered deck to enjoy views of the changing seasons; let go of the stresses of everyday life. |
|
|
|
 Weekend Getaway & ‘Model A’ Wine TourA weekend wine and locavore getaway for two to Paris! Paris, Virginia that is, to the famously popular Ashby Inn that “wins raves for its hospitality and superior kitchen." -New York Times. Arrive Friday evening to begin to unwind in one of the Inn’s elegant antique-furnished rooms. After a leisurely gourmet country breakfast, your chauffeured vintage 1929 Ford Model A Phaeton will whisk you off to local vineyards, including popular Barrel Oak and Philip Carter Wineries for complimentary tours and tastings. Have up to 4 other friends meet you at Barrel Oak for a complimentary picnic lunch. Later that evening, arrive back at the Ashby Inn in style to use your $50.00 gift certificate towards dinner of creative American-French fare, with the freshest ingredients sourced from local farmers and producers and presented in a charming intimate setting. Enjoy a second night at the Inn culminating in yet another sumptuous breakfast Sunday morning. Courtesy of: The Ashby Inn, Barrel Oak Winery, Philip Carter Wineries, Dr. Paul Byers, DDS |
|
|
“Wine is Bottled Poetry” – When Robert Louis Stevenson made this statement, he must have had in mind the poetry of the three wines in this package: Featuring two Wine Spectator Wines of the Year, and a bottle of Bordeaux that rates a perfect 100 from Wine Spectator: Wine Spectator wine of the year 2009 “This powerful Cabernet Sauvignon delivers intense fruit aromas mingled with chocolate cherry and slight mint aromatics. Cocoa and black cherry flavors lead to a complex, perfectly balanced palate of wood and fruit flavors that cumulate on the lingering finish.” Ray Einberger • Columbia Crest • Winemaker Wine Spectator rated 100 pts "...this fabulous vineyard has once again produced 7,000 cases of true elixir in 2005, and it looks like this vintage will take its place in the pantheon of monumental Pavies...[It] enjoyed a Burgundian-like, eight day cold maceration, a six week cuvaison, and malolactic in oak...Its liquid mineral, scorched earth, blackberry, cassis liqueur, and roasted coffee characteristics are accompanied by phenomenal acidity, high tannin, and unbelievable levels of fruit and texture. ...The 2005 Pavie is one of his greatest achievements in terms of richness allied to phenomenal elegance and finesse... (Robert Parker) Wine Spectator Wine of the Year in 2006 Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar "Medium-deep bright ruby. Beautiful, profound nose
of sweet ripe cherry, pipe tobacco, almond and raspberry jam. Ripe, suave and
juicy, with sweet flavors similar to the aromas, this is an absolutely seamless
wine with lively harmonious acidity on a suave, never-ending finish. Though
extremely concentrated, this is a uniquely refined Brunello with wonderfully
suave smooth, classy tannins." |
|
Silent Auction Highlights From the Mediterranean Zorba the Greek Goes Gourmet – Cook like a Greek gourmet with a whole Leg of Lamb from Briarmead Farm, paired with two Mediterranean Cellars wines, the finest Greek olive oil, Kalamata olives, Mer de Sel salt blend, Greek Seasoning and a gift certificate from Gourmet on the Go. “Everything comes from the Greek.” – Gus Portokalos, My Big Fat Greek Wedding A Party, a Portrait and Prosecco – you provide the party: your next big anniversary or other celebration, Northern Virginia wedding and portrait photographer Craig Spiering will provide on-location portraiture or event coverage for 2-3 hours, “reflecting the natural beauty and emotion found only in the authentic moments of your big day,” and we’ll add a bottle of Zardetto Prosecco Brut sparkling wine – “One of the finest of the bevy of light-bodied, crisp, tasty Proseccos in the marketplace . . . frothy, fresh, and savory." – Wine Enthusiast. Also included are four champagne flutes for toasting the event! From France Joie De Vivre Farm-fresh Eggs - Three months of a one dozen-per-week Egg Share from Second Wind Farm of The Pastoral Guild. These eggs are from free-ranging pastured hens that roam freely in the sunshine and fresh air, pecking and scratching for greens and bugs – joie de vivre for a chicken! Non-GMO and soy-free feed rounds out their natural diet. One taste and you’ll agree that these eggs from happy hens will become the pièce de résistance of your breakfast, brunch or baked treats! Day at DuCard Vineyards – Experience the winegrowing process up close and in style with this tour and wine tasting at DuCard Vineyards. The winners of this item will be treated to an in-depth tour of this beautiful Madison County vineyard, overlooking the Shenandoah National Park. Owner Scott Elliff will literally walk you through the vines and explain the major steps and complexities involved in operating a vineyard, and (depending on the season) give you an opportunity to do some hands-on "canopy management" yourselves. After the tour, you will sit on a hill overlooking the vineyard and sample the limited production DuCard Vineyards wines while enjoying a lunch with foods paired specifically with the wines. Group limited to 8 people; date to be established by mutual agreement. Enjoy these two wines as a prelude to a wonderful experience at Ducard; the 2009 Signature Viognier with wonderful aromas of honeysuckle, spring flowers, and peaches and the 2008 Popum Run Red, a Bordeaux blend of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot grapes From California Hanzell Chardonnay –through five decades, Hanzell Vineyards in Sonoma County has pursued empirical winemaking and established traditions on which great cellar-worthy winemaking is predicated. “Hanzell Chardonnay has demonstrated, vintage after vintage, decade after decade that it can age as well as any White Burgundy. What’s more, it does not merely endure, it transforms; it’s a masterpiece. Hanzell Chardonnay is consistently one of California’s greatest, bar none.” – Matt Kramer, The New York Sun. Wine Spectator rated 96 pts. Fresh Harvest Package - One CSA produce share for 18 weeks of a generous amount of organic fresh vegetables, herbs and some fruits from Lei-Kei Farm, LLC, in Clearbrook, VA; delivered late spring through early fall to your Winchester or Front Royal location, or for pick-up at the farm. For great ideas on preparing and serving your colorful abundance of garden goodness, the favorite of fresh vegetable cooks: From Asparagus to Zucchini; A Guide to Cooking Farm-Fresh Seasonal Produce. This cookbook from the Madison Area CSA coalition includes over 400 recipes starring the very veggies found in CSAs and farmers markets everywhere. People appreciate it for its delicious, straightforward recipes, the produce storage suggestions, and the many new ideas it offers. Use the lovely, reusable shopping bag to collect additional fresh produce at your local market. “It's difficult to think anything but pleasant thoughts while eating a homegrown tomato.” - Lewis Grizzard From Virginia Polyface Farms Package courtesy of Joel Salatin – from the Man who started a Movement; Six of Joel’s bestselling books, autographed by the author. Included are 4 dozen of Polyface Farm eggs. If you have an interest in more local eggs, be sure to find silent auction item V8, and also F2 in France. Lunch at Palladio at Barboursville Vineyards – Make a scenic trip to Barboursville Vineyards near Orange, one of Virginia’s premier and award-winning wineries, and use your certificate to enjoy a delicious, creatively prepared luncheon at acclaimed Palladio restaurant. “Northern Italian in inspiration, yet creatively indebted to the most seasonal and local resources of the earth and sea, Palladio offers the handsomest gastronomic redemption there can be, of the promise only the finest food and wine can extend -- recalling one, recurringly, to the beauty of this world.” This treat, PLUS a bottle to take home now of Barboursville Vineyards Phileo. With effusively fragrant aromas, floral complexity, and luscious sweetness, Phileo will show its best character when paired with desserts. |
|
From Farm to Fork – Nourish your family in the coming year as you savor the full flavors of the best local foods the northern Shenandoah Valley has to offer. Presenting a veritable cornucopia of produce, meat, eggs, and dairy products from local purveyors of “beyond organic” agriculture: 
Relive the Battle of Front Royal