Chris Pearmund and friends at City Square Cafe
Pairing Pearmund Wines with Great Food: A Review of the 7th Annual Autumn Wine Dinner at City Square Café in Manassas
Guest post by Tim and Celia Miner (contact: VAWineNDine@aol.com )
(October 27, 2011: Manassas, Virginia) We are privileged to have a passion and a hobby that allows us to enjoy great food that is paired with fantastic wines, and tonight was such a night. For those who haven’t had to pleasure to dine at City Square Café , you are missing something special in Northern Virginia. CSC is owned and managed by Robert and Susana Barolin , who have a wonderful culinary history and a long relationship with Manassas. We have frequented CSC many times on a Friday evening for a pitcher of sangria and several of the best tapas in the state, and we have attended some of the quarterly wine dinners here and have always enjoyed the food immensely. The food at CSC is thoughtfully selected by Robert and by Chef Scott, who is a master in the kitchen as far as we are concerned. Tonight was special though.
Tonight the guest of honor was Chris Pearmund, managing partner at Pearmund Cellars , Vint Hill Craft Winery , The Winery at La Grange , and several other “projects.” It isn’t often one can get wine notes directly from the owner. Chris related that he started his journey with a vision to marry his love of wine production with good food to be created in his own restaurant. While the restaurant never happened, he has been a leading figure in Virginia wine, especially in the Northern Virginia area. During his introductory remarks, Chris mentioned several of his latest projects to produce historic wines for Virginia. First he talked about the new “Winery at Bull Run” which will produce wines without electricity using techniques from the 1860s. Next he talked about using old oak trees legally obtained from the Bull Run battlefield to produce the barrels that will age a wine in honor of the Sesquicentennial of the Civil War. Chris added his comments between courses on each of the wines that were paired with the meal’s food. Again, this was a rare and wonderful treat.
The first course was an “Autumn Squash Pot Pie” paired with the Pearmund 2010 Viogner. This sweet dish consisted of slices of acorn, butternut, and sweet potato squash cooked in abundant pumpkin gravy and topped with a thin puff pastry. We were pleased with the food for its uniqueness and its good taste. The Viogner pour, like all pours tonight, were abundant three or four ounces. Robert raved about the Pearmund Viogner as the “best Viogner wine outside of France.”
The second pairing for the night was the Pearmund 2009 Cabernet Franc with a Buttermilk Fried Quail with a ginger-spiced sweet potato mash. Once again, the sweet potato mash gave the entrée an overall sweetness that the Cabernet Franc grape stood up to quite nicely. The pairing was excellent, but it was during this course that we noticed that none of the reds used during the meal were decanted. We asked Chris what he thought of decanting and he told the story of how he always takes a drink of the red wine he will serve with a meal while he was cooking—first because the cook deserves it and second because it gives the wine time to breathe. We heartily agree.
The third course was, by far, the best pairing of the evening. Pearmund’s award-winning 2007 Ameritage was served with medallions of roast tenderloins with a chili pepper and blackberry glaze. Personally we are very big fans of cuvee wines and Pearmund’s blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Petit Verdot, and Merlot grapes really stood up and complemented the spicy-sweetness of the peppers and blackberries in the sauce. In his comments, Robert told how it was this wine, served at the official dinner for the sesquicentennial of the First Battle of Bull Run, that inspired the dinner we were enjoying tonight. This course got “two yums” from us.
The fourth and final course for the evening was a pairing of the 2009 Snort from The Winery at La Grange with a slice of pumpkin cake roll topped with a nutmeg-spiced homemade ice cream. The “Snort” (sounds like “port”) wine was very good with the sweetness of the dessert and was a great complement to the wonderful food. During his course notes, Chris challenged everyone to come up with another name for “port-style” wine, saying the official designation of “fortified wine” was just too boring. “Game on” now for all you creative blog readers.
Full house at City Square Cafe
Overall, the meal was outstanding with the pairings appropriate and tasty. The final bill was about $90 per person with tip and taxes, which is a little below average cost for a dinner where four or five wines are served especially with such generous pours. Robert, Susana, and Scott designed a superb menu of foods for the different courses. They were original, very satisfying and there was a good variety of textures and tastes. We are advocates for smaller portion sizes at restaurants, since we believe the average person should be able to appreciate the last course as much as the first without feeling stuffed. Tonight’s meal was right on.
This small restaurant is one of the gems of eating in Old Town Manassas and we would recommend it anytime. Wine dinners take place quarterly and their website is the place to keep track of the upcoming special events. All meals “officially” begin at 7 pm with the first group welcome at 7:30 and the first wine and food served at 7:35 to 7:40 pm. The wines used during the dinners are sold by the restaurant at below the rates charged at the wineries. The seventh annual Autumn Wine Diner at City Square Café rates two “yums up” (YUM+YUM) from us.
Thank you for reading our review and stay tuned for news of more fine wining and dining in Virginia. If you have comments or suggestions for events and locations of upcoming wine-dinners, please contact us at VAWineNDine@aol.com.
City Square Café
9428 Battle Street, Manassas, VA 20110
703.369.6022
www.citysquarecafe.com
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Wine dinners held quarterly
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Visiting wineries is hard work; you’ve got to keep your strength up! Here are quick links to our reviews of some great spots to sit, dine, and sip.
Have a favorite that we haven’t included? Don’t keep it a secret – let us know!
* we’ve taste-tested these ourselves!
Northern Virginia
*Bistro Bethem – Fredericksburg
*Chrysalis Vineyards – Middleburg
*Thornton River Grille – Sperryville
Narmada Winery – Amissville
Potomac Point Vineyard – Stafford
*Sunset Hills Vineyard – Purcellville
*Vintage Ridge Vineyard – Rectortown
Central Virginia
*Blue Mountain Brewery – Afton
*It’s About Thyme Restaurant – Culpeper
Palladio Restaurant – Barboursville
Gabriel Archer Tavern/Williamsburg Winery
Southern Virginia
*Chateau Morrisette – Floyd
*Rosemont Vineyards – LaCrosse
Eastern Shore of Virginia
Bloxom Vineyard Pizza – Bloxom
Want more choices? Check out the 3,000 dining choices compiled by the Virginia Tourism Corporation?
In the middle of downtown Fredericksburg, Bistro Bethem is convenient to everything, but even if it weren’t, you’d want to find your way there. The storefront has been converted into a high-ceilinged, energetic bistro with a creative menu, interesting wine list, great service, and acceptable pricing.
Lots of wood makes up the décor, with local art lining the walls in a rotating gallery. Menus change daily to keep up with seasonal ingredients. Recent offerings included appetizers ($6.50 – $20) such as Dragon Creek oysters, fresh Italian burrata cheese, wood-fired pizza and a bright-tasting mac ‘n cheese with three cheeses and a sprinkle of dill. A half-dozen entrees ranging from $16 to $26 included a cheeseburger of Wagyu beef, lamb medallions, and Delmarva scallops, along with a $12 small plate entrée of Chicken Confit with potato puree and wilted arugula. A dense, dark chocolate torte was the perfect finish.
Hours: Tuesday – Saturday, lunch 11:30 – 2:30, dinner 5 – 10. Sunday, brunch 11:30 – 2:30, dinner 5 – 9.
Closest wineries: Hartwood, Mattaponi, Potomac Point, Lake Anna
Nearby hotel: Inn at the Olde Silk Mill
Parking: street
Directions:
309 William Street
Fredericksburg, Virginia
540-371-9999
bistro@bistrobethem.com
From I-95 Exit 130: Take Route 3 East. Pass under the Route 1 Bypass and take the first left onto William Street (Route 3 Business East). Pass the University of Mary Washington, restaurant is at 309 William Street on the left.
One of only a very small number of Virginia wineries with full-on restaurants, Chateau Morrisette doesn’t disappoint. The dramatic, lodge-style dining room is set with white linens and lots of bling on the tables, which are spaced far enough apart to accommodate actual conversations.
In winter, you’ll enjoy the big fireplace, and in summer be sure to ask for a table on the patio.
Lunch includes fancy-homey sandwiches (open-faced meatloaf with Portabella gravy, hot pretzel with ham and gruyere), salads, and a handful of entrees normally served at dinner, but priced less ($16 – $21). Dinner entrees range from $20 – $30 and include an outstanding Shrimp and Grits, plus beef tenderloin and prime rib, chicken saltimbocca, cashew-crusted trout, rack of lamb and more.
Sundays in summer offer a brunch buffet ($24, or $12 for kids 10 and under), including a waffle bar and omelet station, salads, Sticky Buns, Sausage Gravy with biscuits, grits and potatoes, sausages and bacon, pork, fish and chicken entrees, prime rib and more.
Wineries within 10 miles: Villa Appalaccia, Foggy Ridge Cider, Blacksnake Meadery
Hours:
Lunch: Wed – Sat 11-2 and Sun 11-3 (June – October, Sunday brunch buffet available)
Dinner: Fri & Sat 5:30-9
Directions:
Chateau Morrisette287 Winery Road SW
Floyd, VA
540-593-2865
From Charlottesville: Take I-64 West to Staunton. In Staunton take I-81 South to Exit 114 (Christiansburg/Floyd), turn left onto Rt. 8 South and follow it for approximately 22 miles into Floyd, continue through stoplight and proceed for approx. 6 miles until you see an entrance sign onto the Blue Ridge Parkway, head South in the Parkway, watch for milepost 171, proceed approx. ½ mile and take a right onto Black Ridge Road and then an immediate left onto Winery Road. Chateau Morrisette is located approx. 300 yds. down Winery Road on the right.
Like Colonial Williamsburg nearby (no affiliation), Williamsburg Winery has grown into a come-and-stay destination in its own right. Across from the Colonial-style winery is the Gabriel Archer Tavern, serving lunch daily (11 – 4) and dinner (Thursday – Monday, 6 – 9).
A wisteria-shaded patio is the preferred spot in warm weather, where you can settle in with a glass of wine (Williamsburg, of course) and a salad, sandwich, or wrap, or a nice charcuterie platter, plate of smoked salmon, or olives and goat cheese.
Dinner offers the same platters, or an entrée of duck, salmon, ham, or chicken, or pasta or quiche.
Watch for occasional special wine events at the Tavern, such as the Thursday Night Food & Wine Pairings, priced at a reasonable $55/person including food, wine, tax and gratuity.
Hours:
Lunch daily, 11 – 4; dinner Thursday through Monday, 6 – 9
Williamsburg Winery
5800 Wessex Hundred
Williamsburg, VA
757-229-0999
During the summer months and major holidays, Chef David Rose (of the Rose family of owners) prepares a special tasting menu for guests. Check the winery’s website for updates on when food will be available, and then try hard to get there.
When we visited on a summer Saturday, the sunny dining room was doing a brisk business for lunch. We had a fun lunch of brisket rolls with goat cheese and capers, cucumber salad with sundried tomatoes, and a creative club sandwich. The views are pretty, the food is good, and the wines are lovely.
Read more about our visit to Rosemont Winery here.
Winery Hours:
Monday – Saturday 11 – 6, Sunday 1 – 6
Directions:
Rosemont Vineyard
1050 Blackridge Road
La Crosse, VA
434-636-9463
From Richmond, Va.
- Take I-95 south to Petersburg and get on I-85 south
- At Exit 4 turn left onto Highway 903 for 7.5 miles
- Turn left onto Blackridge Rd. approx. 1 mile
- Rosemont Winery will be on the right
From Raleigh, NC
- Take I-85 north to Virginia Exit 4 at Bracey
- Turn right on Highway 903 for 7.5 miles
- Turn left onto Blackridge Rd. and go approx. 1 mile
- Rosemont Winery will be on the right
Narmada is still relatively new, but already a favorite for its warm welcomes. The elegant tasting room is big enough for a crowd, with plenty of tables, frequent musical guests, and a fun and varied choice of wines, including several lighter/sweeter choices that go well with the Indian fare on Narmada’s menu. Read more about our visit to Narmada here.
The menu includes:
Vegetable Samosas, $6.00
Fried Indian pastries with a lightly spiced vegetable filling, accompanied by Tamarind sauce.
Aloo Tikki, $5.00
Handmade spicy mashed potato and vegetable cakes with Indian yogurt sauce.
Butter Chicken, $9.00
Butter chicken with yellow rice.
Vegetable Biryani, $6.00
Spiced saffron basmati rice with mixed vegetables and nuts.
Kulcha with Hummus $6.00
Indian Bread served with hummus.
Kulcha, $3.50
Indian Bread
Gourmet Cheeses and Meats
Antipasto Platter, $11.00
Gouda, salami, olives and roasted red peppers with a baguette.
Assorted Cheese Platter, $14.00
Goat, cheddar, Moody bleu and Gouda cheese served with jam, almonds, and crackers.
French Brie and Baguette, $8.00
French Brie served with jam and warm baguette.
Baby Gouda and Baguette, $7.00
Baby Gouda served with grapes and warm baguette.Sharp Cheddar and Baguette, $7.00
Sharp Cheddar served with grapes and warm baguette.
Glenview Farms Goat Cheese and Baguette, $7.00
Goat Cheese served with almonds, sun dried tomatoes and warm baguette.
Wineries within 10 miles: Gray Ghost, Unicorn, Gadino
Winery Hours:
Summer Hours: Thursdays 12-5, Wine Down Fridays 12-6, Saturdays 11-7, Sundays 12-6. Open till 7 on Sundays before a Federal holiday, and 11-6 on Monday holidays.
Directions:
Narmada Winery
43 Narmada Lane
Amissville, VA
540-937-8215
From Washington, DC
Take 66 West to exit 28 (Route 17 South) travel 12 miles to Warrenton. At traffic light make right onto LEE HWY/US-17 S/US-211 W/US-29 Business Route South. Continue for .8 miles. Make slight right turn onto 211 West. Continue on 211 for 13 miles to winery entrance on the right.
From Loudon County
Take Route 15 South into Haymaket then take 66 West to exit 28 (Route 17 South) travel 12 miles to Warrenton. At traffic light make right onto LEE HWY/US-17 S/US-211 W/US-29 Business Route South. Continue for .8 miles. Make slight right turn onto 211 West. Continue on 211 for 13 miles to winery entrance on the right.
A wee trend is developing among Virginia wineries that want to welcome the explosion of weekend wine travelers, but preserve the ambience of the tasting experience. It’s a wonderful, civilized thing, and it’s called a seated tasting.
Vintage Ridge’s premier pairing includes a tasting of all wines, paired with artisan cheeses, meats, and seasonal food selections chosen to compliment the varietal wines.
On our visit, we tasted manchego spicy plum chutney, fire roasted tomato bruschetta, salami, Bella Vitano cheese with raspberry, goat cheese with date, and blue cheese with spiced pecans. You can order more if you’d like to make a meal of it, but you may find, as we did, that focusing on taste, aroma, and texture leaves you plenty satisfied, even if you didn’t consume a Big Mac-sized portion.
Coming with a big group? Groups of 12 or more can arrange private tastings inside or on the patio.
Wineries within 10 miles: Barrel Oak, Three Fox, Delaplane, Naked Mountain
Winery Hours:
Open April to early December, Friday – Sunday, 11 – 5.
Vintage Ridge Vineyard
8517 Maidstone Rd
Rectortown, Va
540-364-3371
Potomac Point’s Bistro is an honest-to-goodness restaurant, one of only a handful in Virginia wineries. Just off the tasting room, the Bistro is a quiet, comfortable respite from the madding crowds. On the menu is a changing selection of wine-friendly foods, including salads, soups, sandwiches, Panini, a focaccia and a pasta of the day, plus a large selection of tapas ($7 to $17), an entrée of the day, and a choice of desserts. Tapas include such appealing combinations as chicken, gorgonzola, walnut, and spinach with cracked pepper aioli, Port wine fig croustades with Prosciutto and Manchego cheese, and shrimp cakes with chili-lime cream.
Read more about Potomac Point.
Wineries within 10 miles: Hartwood
Hours:
Wednesday/Thursday 11:30 – 3:30, Friday/Saturday 11am – 4pm, 5:00 – 9:30pm, Sunday – Thursday 11:30-6pm.
Directions:
Potomac Point Winery
275 Decatur Road
Stafford, Virginia 22554
540-446-2266
Potomac Point Winery is located on the historic Widewater Peninsula in the northern tip of Stafford County, Virginia at 275 Decatur Road. From I-95, take exit 148, proceed to ramp leading to Route 1-southbound. Travel approximately 1 mile to the Telegraph Rd. traffic signal and turn left. Travel less than 1/2 mile on Telegraph Rd. and turn left onto Widewater Rd. Travel 2.8 miles and turn right onto Decatur Rd. (at Decatur’s Crabs). Travel 1 mile to Winery on the left at 275 Decatur Rd.
From Washington: Take I-66 west to US 50. Go west to Champe Ford Road (SR 629). A good landmark on the way is Gilbert’s Corner (US 50 & US 15), which is 17 miles west/northwest of I-66 & US 50. From Gilbert’s Corner continue west on US 50 another 2.5 miles to Champe Ford Road (SR 629). Turn left (south) and go 1.3 miles to the entrance to Chrysalis Vineyards on your left . Parking is available in the large lot next to the entrance.
From I-66 and I-81: Take I-66 east 40 miles to US 15 (at Haymarket). Go north on US 15 for 14 miles to Gilbert’s Corner (US 50 & US 15). At Gilbert’s Corner, turn left (west) on US 50 and go 2.5 miles to Champe Ford Road (SR 629). Turn left (south) and go 1.3 miles to the entrance to Chrysalis Vineyards on your left. Parking is available in the large lot next to the entrance.
Chrysalis Vineyards is about as fine a place we’ve seen for a picnic, with abundant seating on a patio and the rolling green lawn, Blue Ridge views in the distance. They’re slowly moving from providing the usual snacks (cheese from local producers, warm bread, etc.) into offering more robust fare (weekends only). An assortment of patés, chutneys, and cheeses are available in the tasting room refrigerator; see the weekly menu here, starting at 3pm on the Tuesday before. There’s a limited quantity, so contact Chef Hump (540-687-8222 ext. 205) if you’d like to reserve some.
Also available, via a weekly catering menu, are a yummy assortment of cold meals, sandwiches, and salads, ranging from $8 to $18. Offerings change weekly (see this week’s menu here), but have included Moroccan Tandoori Chicken, Greek Islands Pork, Farm Fresh Egg Salad, Portobello and Arugula salad, and Cuban sandwiches. Catering Menu items must be ordered (pre-paid) by 5pm on the Monday before the weekend, and require an 8-person minimum.
Read more about Chrysalis Vineyards.
Wineries within 10 miles: Swedenburg, Quattro Goombas, Piedmont, Boxwood
Winery Hours:
Daily 10 – 5:30, last tasting at 5:00 (closed major holidays)
Directions:
Chrysalis Vineyards
23876 Champe Ford Road
Middleburg, Virginia 20117
540-687-8222
From Washington: Take I-66 west to US 50. Go west to Champe Ford Road (SR 629). A good landmark on the way is Gilbert’s Corner (US 50 & US 15), which is 17 miles west/northwest of I-66 & US 50. From Gilbert’s Corner continue west on US 50 another 2.5 miles to Champe Ford Road (SR 629). Turn left (south) and go 1.3 miles to the entrance to Chrysalis Vineyards on your left . Parking is available in the large lot next to the entrance.
From I-66 and I-81: Take I-66 east 40 miles to US 15 (at Haymarket). Go north on US 15 for 14 miles to Gilbert’s Corner (US 50 & US 15). At Gilbert’s Corner, turn left (west) on US 50 and go 2.5 miles to Champe Ford Road (SR 629). Turn left (south) and go 1.3 miles to the entrance to Chrysalis Vineyards on your left. Parking is available in the large lot next to the entrance.
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