Food Notes

By The Daily Progress Staff

Published: November 18, 2008

Thanksgiving wine pairing on tap at DelFosse

DelFosse Vineyards and Winery has its Thanksgiving Food and Wine Pairing at 12:30 p.m. Sunday.

DelFosse wines will be served, and there will be a 10 percent discount on wines purchased at the event.

The menu by Genevieve DelFosse will team up her seasonal gourmet selections with four samplings of award-winning wines. There will be a short discussion of the pairings.

Admission is $30 and includes a wine glass. Reservations are required. For information, visit http://www.delfossewine.com or call 263-6100.

Scottsville brings out the artisans on Saturday

The Scottsville Holiday Farmers Market will be from 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday in the 300 block of Valley Street in Scottsville.

Local farmers and artisans will set up on the sidewalks to help visitors set the table for Thanksgiving and beyond.

Visit http://www.scottsvilleva.com/market.html or call 286-3750.

New Madison winery offers weekend tastings

Sweely Estate Winery in Madison has weekend tastings from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays and during the week by appointment.

The hospitality center is almost finished and will open in January. Until then, the wine tastings will take place in the production facility next door, giving visitors a chance to see where the wines are made.

First releases from an outstanding 2006 are from a limited production of 2,000 total cases. They bear the original name, Acorn Hill Winery, making them collector’s items.

Wines that are ready to drink include 2006 Acorn Hill Pinot Gris, 2006 Acorn Hill Chardonnay and 2006 Acorn Hill Viognier.

The 2006 Acorn Hill Merlot is ready to drink but can be cellared for a year to a year and a half. The 2006 Acorn Hill Cabernet Franc is ready to drink but can be cellared for three to five years.

The winery is at 6109 Wolftown Hill Road in Madison. Learn more at http://www.sweelyestatewinery.com or call (540) 948-9005. 

Obrigado’s offers a taste of holidays in Louisa

Obrigado’s will have a Holiday Wine Tasting and Mosaic show from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday.

Wines will be available for holiday meals and gift giving. Mosaic artist Sarah Swanlund will be on hand.

Lunch will be available from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Obrigado’s is at 109 W. Main St. in Louisa. Call (540) 967-9447.

Tasting kicks off Santa program for seniors

Home Instead Senior Care is launching its Be a Santa to a Senior program with a Kick-Off Wine Tasting Event from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. Friday at In Vino Veritas at 3015 Louisa Road.

The event is catered by Brix Cafe.

The Be a Santa to a Senior program helps make sure that isolated seniors receive gifts and companionship during the holiday season.

Christmas trees were decorated Monday at Volvo of Charlottesville, Sam’s Club, In Vino Veritas and Our Lady of Peace with ornaments that feature the first names of seniors and their gift requests. Shoppers can select ornaments, purchase the requested items and return them unwrapped to the stores with the ornaments attached. Coming up will be a community gift-wrapping party on Dec. 10 and gift deliveries to local seniors after Dec. 10. Details will be announced later.

Friday’s event is free. Learn more at http://www.beasantatoa

senior.com or call 292-5553.

Harris Teeter earns nod from Health magazine

Health magazine recently named Harris Teeter one of America’s 10 healthiest grocery stores.

Harris Teeter was praised for its fresh and healthy food choices and tools designed to help shoppers make wise purchases.

The chain offers more than 500 produce items each day in its Farmers Market, presents its Naturals line of organic products and offers nutritional information in shelf tags and educational information in its Yourwellness initiative, which includes the Yourwellness for Life program, which includes a 15-week action plan to help shoppers make healthy lifestyle choices.

Also on the list were Whole Foods in first place and Food Lion in the seventh spot.

Learn more at http://www.health.com or harristeeter.com.

Local musician takes his act to South River

Jimmy O will perform on acoustic guitar during dinner starting 7:30 tonight at South River Restaurant and Wine Shop in Waynesboro. Guests can enjoy dining and dancing to favorite tunes during his weekly performance.

A free wine tasting and pairing featuring Rappahannock Cellars wines is set for 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday.

For details, visit http://www.southrivergrill,com or call (540) 942-5567.

Williamsburg rolls out the holiday markets

The Williamsburg Holiday Farmers Markets are scheduled for 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 29 and Dec. 13 in Merchants Square on Duke of Gloucester Street in Williamsburg.

Saturday’s market will feature klezmer music by Bagels and Fraylox from 9 to 11 a.m. Colonial Williamsburg curator of plants Lawrence Griffith and photographer Barbara Lombardi will sign their newest book, “Flowers and Herbs of Early America.’’

Parking is $1 per hour in the Prince George Street garage and free until noon in the Francis Street parking lot.

Learn more at http://www.williamsburgfarmersmarket.com.

Wineworks will be open for tours and tastings

Through December, Virginia Wineworks, home of Michael Shaps Wines, will be open 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays for wine tastings and tours.

Wine samplings and sales will include Virginia Wineworks and Michael Shaps labels. Send e-mail to or call 296-3438.

Keswick Hall offers tastings and sales of both labels at Fossett’s Bar at Keswick Hall, which is open daily year-round for wine tastings.

For details, contact 979-3440.

From staff reports

The magazine was released Oct. 14.

A special collector’s issue of “Paula Deen’s Christmas’’ is on newsstands that focuses on Colonial Williamsburg.

Southern cooking maven Paula Deen; her husband, Michael Groover; and the magazine’e editorial staff visited the Williamsburg Inn and Historic Area to experience the magic of Colonial Williamsburg and take photographs for the special issue.

Deed had afternoon tea with Patrick Henry in the terrace Room at the Inn, shopped in the Prentis Store and Silver Ball Jeweler on Duke of Gloucester Street, visited Anderson Blacksmith and learned from historic foodways interpreter Jim Gay how chocolate was made in the 18th century.

To get a copy of the special issue, visit http://www.cookingwithpauladeen.com or Colonial Williamsburg retail outlets.

From staff reports