MTGlass

Yadkin Winter Reds Festival Closes: Visitors Consider it a Success

I rounded out the Yadkin Winter Reds Event on Sunday afternoon in the East Bend area of Yadkin County. It was a delightful afternoon and I got to meet new people at all three vineyards. This was an area that I had been meaning to get out to for a while and I was glad to get out and taste some very good wines. The pairings were perhaps the best of the festival and overall I have to say that this event was a complete success!

If you haven’t been out to Flint Hill Vineyards and Century Kitchen then make sure you go soon. Their Chambourcin paired with homemade potato gnocchi with marinara sauce was my favorite pairing of the festival. The marinara sauce was even made with their own Viognier. The acidity of the marinara sauce paired very nicely with the Chambourcin and the potato gnocchi was cooked perfectly as well. I will be back to revisit them again very soon for dinner and a tasting.

Cellar 4201 and Divine Llama rounded out the afternoon. Cellar 4201 had an excellent gourmet mac and cheese that was infused with nutmeg and cinnamon. When paired with their Sangiovese the flavors came alive and the mixture was very enjoyable. Their Sangiovese is excellent and if you are a Chianti or Syrah fan, you will likely enjoy this wine as well.

Divine Llama is a great place to visit. They have some excellent wines, most of which are named after their llamas which are on site. They paired “In a Heartbeat” with chocolates for the festival, but I got a real treat when I ordered a glass of their “Red Rita Rose”. I paired it with some cheesecake bites that they had on hand for the event and talk about a great dessert! I would suggest this great finish for any dinner party.

I really hope the Yadkin County Chamber chooses to host this event again next year. If you didn’t get to experience the Yadkin Winter Reds Festival in 2010, then I will suggest that you try to make it out in 2011. It is a great way to try out some new places, learn about some new wines, try some wonderful food, and do all of this for a very reasonable price. If you can spread it out over three days it gives you a whole weekend of enjoyable things to do. I can’t wait to go again next year!