Wine Tasting / Pairing Venue: Random Saturday Challenge

[KMango]

Here is a last-minute rescue opportunity for anyone reading today...

If you were me, and:

• Had a mother in law who adored wine (on the simpler scale, not sophisticated palate)
  
• Who wanted to taste several tonight
  
• And have them paired with small bites
  
• And a person (or people) available to talk her through an experience
  

Where would you go?

Cost is not an issue, but anywhere "stuffy" will be as annoyed with us as we are with them. I'm tempted to host a mini-tasting on my patio, but would prefer to save the market stops and kitchen flurry by simply outsourcing tonight.

Bonus Points: Virginia or Maryland preferred. Anything in nature, even just a nice flowerbed, would be a HUGE plus.

(probably an impossible request)

(but thanks)

(for thinking 'bout it)

[plarkins]

I'm not sure of any restaurant/bar that would have staff available to provide a decent walk-through/explanation of the wine or tasting how-to's. Going to an actual winery came to mine, but might be too far of a drive. So, then I thought maybe a winery with a tasting room in the city. That brought Boxwood to mine. They have a number of locations around the area. Boxwood's wine is solid VA grape, but they have plenty of other wine to choose from, plus light pairings/snacks. Not sure if they have enough staff to provide a personal walk-through of the wine, but there's a chance...at worse, they would know their wine well enough for a good tasting.

[dcs]

Screwtop?

[DonRocks]

Screwtop?

Yeah, I emailed Mango and this was my first thought too.

[goldenticket]

Grape + Bean - they'll do a flight and have nice small plates, as well as a few outdoor tables.

Vermillion (and any of the NRG spots, I believe) does half pours. Pairing options might be more limited, and it can be quite noisy in the bar area.

Adding to the winery list, Aspen Dale Winery at the Barn does a very nice little food pairing with their tasting, for about $7. More substantial cheese/charcuterie plates are available for purchase. The tasting room, in a converted barn, is quite charming and rustic. There is plenty of outdoor seating with nice views.

[KMango]

Special thanks, all. We wound up at both Grape & Bean (the new one, at Rosemont, rules!) and at Cheesetique in Shirlington.

And the places above will probably all get a visit from us during a future weekend. Gems of ideas, thanks again.