TravelAwaits
May.13.2021
After a long winter in lockdown, I was desperate for a getaway that would feel transporting, even though I didn’t want to drive very far. So I headed south from bustling Washington, D.C., breaking free of the traffic on the Beltway and driving past the Virginia suburbs just outside the city. Just an hour’s drive away, I found myself surrounded by bucolic bliss in Middleburg, Virginia.
Middleburg is the heart of Loudoun County, the fifth-largest wine-producing region in the country, nestled in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Not only are there 30 wineries nearby, making Middleburg the perfect perch for wine lovers, but the town of just 539 full-time residents boasts 160 buildings on the National Register of Historic Places, so it’s a draw for history buffs as well. And since it’s the horse and hunt capital of the United States, equestrians will find a lot to love here, too. (The town was a favorite of horsewoman Jackie Kennedy Onassis,
illustration: Danielle Grinberg
Airing between regular episodes of the “VinePair Podcast,” “Next Round” explores the ideas and innovations that are helping drinks businesses adapt in a time of unprecedented change. As the coronavirus crisis continues and new challenges arise, VP Pro is in your corner, supporting the drinks community for all the rounds to come. If you have a story or perspective to share, email us at podcast@vinepair.com.
In this episode of “Next Round,” Zach sits down with Allie Nault and Jarad Slipp, accomplished sommeliers and new business owners. Their venture, Knead Wine, doubles as a retail wine shop and a takeout artisanal pizzeria.