Wine Tasting and Food Pairing at Fabbioli Cellars

October is Virginia Wine Month (it now has an "official" title in the event that you needed the extra push to head out to wineries and enjoy some local, Virginia wine).  That, coupled with this government shutdown, means that if you are like me, you might find yourself with some time on your hands. 

Now, you could go ahead and clean that storage room in your basement (throat clearing here towards my husband) or you could enjoy your time off  sampling some tasty wine.  Might I suggest the latter? 

One winery I would definitely suggest visiting is Fabbioli Cellars out in Leesburg, VA.  It's only about an hour away from DC (and conveniently located next to outlet shops, so you can get some discount shopping in as well).  Fabbioli Cellars is open everyday from 11am-5pm.  Are you not in your car yet?  Okay, well read on to see what you are missing.

Fabbioli Cellars is situated off of a quiet back road in Leesburg.  The wine tasting area is located in the bottom level of a small farm house with outdoor patio seating and picnic tables overlooking the vineyard.  Very relaxing and picturesque.

Inside the tasting area, they sell bottles or glasses of wine, and food accompaniments (think dips, cheese, cured meat, and some chocolate) to enjoy on the patio.  It's a fantastic selection and much more robust than most wineries (see how easy! you don't even need to pack a lunch!).   

In a fun change from the "wine tasting" norm, Fabbioli Cellars offers a food pairing with their tasting menu (a great deal at $15).  If you opt for the tasting, you are led back to their tasting room, which is super cute and cozy, featuring about 5 separate seating areas for sampling the wine and food pairings.

They change their pairings every month and all the staff members can contribute to the food pairings (for example, when I was there, the cucumber dip was a recipe provided by one of the staff).  The pairing also features an item from a local chef (this past month it was from a local food truck, The Roving Italian).  I was really impressed by the creativity and local sourcing involved in the tasting menu.  I think I see my new "retirement" job in my future... 

The wine was delicious and the pairings were a tasty and relaxed way to enjoy the wine, similiar to how you would at home.  The staff was friendly, informative and down-to-earth, overall a really enjoyable tasting experience.  I don't normally favor white wines, but the Someting White wine was fanastic.  And the pairing of the desert wine, Rosa Nera, with the chocolate truffle was out of this world.

We definitely had a great afternoon out at Fabbioli Cellars and of course, had to bring a few momentos home with us.  So, take the time this month to enjoy some Viriginia wines and celebrate the fall season.  It's a great time to relax, unwind and appreciate life with a fine glass of wine.