Sparkles and Flies

I know Labor Day is traditionally a day for family get togethers and backyard barbecues, although what that has to do with labor is beyond me.

In any case, being one of those people not engaged in labor at the moment, I decided instead to celebrate National Salami Day today by doing some winery hopping out past Charlottesville.

I chose as my companion a friend with a much better developed palate than I.

He even offered to drive, thereby relieving me of any effort on my part beyond swilling and passing the drive dreaming of salami.

We began at Afton Mountain Winery since it had recently changed hands.

The new owner and his son were pleasant enough considering the wines they were pouring were not of their own making.

Next up was Veritas and good god, what a lot of money those people must have.

Forget standing at the bar to taste like the common people do; we were seated at a table by ourselves and the pourer came to us.

We took a short break to tour the winery and returned to the taxing task of tasting 14 wines.

My favorites were the Viognier (big surprise, huh?) and the Claret, so I felt compelled to buy.

By now food was in order, so, as planned, we lunched at the Blue Mountain Brewing Company which was most enjoyable.

The view was stellar and made for a good excuse to linger.

As a perk, I was able to pick up a six-pack of the Full Nelson Virginia Pale Ale (in cans! how cool is that?) for my beer geek friend.

Our last stop was Cardinal Point Winery, where I know the winemakers, Sarah and Tim, and have even poured for them on a couple of occasions.

I know their wines pretty well, but they had a new rose which was interesting and two new dessert wines, named for their dearly-departed winery dogs, Tess and Sophie.

Obie, their present pooch, came out to sniff the beagle scent I carry and laid down to nap nearby.

We made record time getting home, despite 64 crawling with cops pulling over speeders.

But instead of dreaming of salami, I was thinking about what would have made a boring drive like that much more enjoyable and the answer is the right person's hand on my thigh for the drive (I mean, my friend is a great guy and all, but we're not like that).

That doesn't seem like too much to ask and even if it is, I want it anyway.