Respites
Freedom to Breathe
The best experiences in life happen when you least expect it. I was thinking recently about my approaching birthday that is just a little over a month away and could not help but reflect on how I spent my special day in 2012.
One of the things I look forward to when celebrating my birthday in recent years is that I don’t just take a day but rather I celebrate over the period of a long weekend; doing the things that help to remind me of the wonderful gift of life.
Last year was especially memorable as my husband planned simple, yet fun things to do beginning on Friday night with a lovely dinner and ending early Sunday evening dining at what has become one of my favorite spots in the Washington DC metro area.
Of all of the things we experienced over that long weekend, the highlight was by far our visit to a quaint little winery located in Warrenton Virginia.
Mediterranean Cellars is located in an area of many other wineries which also makes for a nice way to spend a summer day. Having visited wineries in Southern France and California, Virginia wineries are in no way the same, they are however, very special.
Situated in a picturesque area of Virginia, the drive to the hill country was a treat in and of itself and well worth the 45-minute drive. Luckily, the day of the visit was absolutely perfect with not a single cloud in the sky.
We arrived at the winery in early afternoon, just in time for an afternoon tasting. We opted to do the very short tour prior to the tasting, as this is a more of a boutique winery and the tour lasted not more than 15 minutes. Starting at just $10 per person for the tasting, we were given choice of three wines, which, as someone who is pretty familiar with wines, the quality was just okay.
My recommendation for visiting the winery is not so much the wines as it is the experience of taking the time for a nice drive to visit a place that is perfect for breathing. To make the afternoon or early evening truly special, you can pack a nice picnic basket along with a nice blanket in order to take advantage of some of the many beautiful spots that are perfect for relaxing.
If you are looking for the freedom to just bask in the beauty of a quaint little spot with someone special, then Mediterranean Cellars is the place to visit. You can also check out some of the other wineries that are just a little drive up the road. Or if like me, you prefer to take your respites one breath at a time then pack a lunch, head out to the hill country and have a nice red on me. Mediterranean Cellars — a definite breather...
How good is that...