Fork & Cork

My boyfriend and I

I had been ready for Fork and Cork for weeks! I remember it being announced last year but unfortunately I wasn't of age to enjoy the wine festivities. In March I heard it was coming back, so I bought my ticket as soon as I could. Getting there was entertaining, the bus was packed with students (probably in this class  with blankets, lawn chairs, and thirst mouths. The lines were long, but luckily the line for those with tickets went by very quickly! The first wines we tasted were from the Peaks of Otter Winery from Bedford, VA. The most memorable wines from that winery were:

Strawberry Shortcake purchase

Strawberry Shortcake
$15.00
Their Review: Smooth, Crisp, Refreshing.
My Review: I loved it! It was fruity but not too over the top that it made me sick when I drank the whole bottle. There were strong aromas and tasting of strawberry and apple. Though when I think of strawberry  I think of sweetness, this win had the crisp, fresh, berry taste this made this wine very enjoyable. 

Blueberry Muffin

$15.00

Their Review: Like my wife Nancy-Beautiful but expensive, triangular blue bottle.

My Review: This wine had strong a blueberry nose. It smelled and tasted like waking up to the smell of fresh, warm blueberry muffins baking and then just taking a bite. This wine was a little too fruity or had too much breakfast characteristics that I could drink more than two glasses of it, still those two glasses were yummy.

The Mango Tango

$22.00

Their Review: The dance you'll never forget.

My Review: Though I'm a fan of mango and the summer nose I got from this wine, I was not a fan. The taste of mango overpowered any distinct taste that it was wine. All I could taste was mango and that taste would have gotten old after a few sips. 

Kiss the Devil

$15.00

Their Review: Made from 30 varieties of peppers, including ghost, better for basting than tasting, super hot.

My Review  AHHHHHHHHHH!!! DO PEOPLE ACTUALLY DRINK THIS 'WINE'??? This was the last wine Peaks of otter offered for tasting, but before they asked if we wanted to kiss the devil. After their description  I should have said no, but that's no fun! They had a chaser ready for when we drank it and we surely needed it. It tasted like hot sauce and vodka mixed together. It was definitely not something I would drink with anything! The lingering burn on my tongue was what prompted me to buying their first wine we tasted. I'm guessing that's how they get sales. 

Hokietron dancing!

We were getting hungry, so we decided it was time for lunch and The Cellar truck look like it could hit the spot. I ordered hot dogs with chips. I added ketchup and mustard on it and after each bite I would wash it down with the Strawberry Shortcake wine I bought at Peaks of Otter. I'm not sure if it the tang in the ketchup or mustard, but it was a good idea to drink my wine after. The wine seemed to taste more sweeter that it was on its own. I wouldn't eat hot dogs with tthat again. After watching the live band and older women drunk dancing, we proceeded to continue our tastings with Hill Top Berry wines. I was surprised and excited to learn that these wined were not made form grapes, but from other fruits! I tried:

Lavender Metheglin
$16.95

Their Review: Metheglin is derived from the Welsh word "meddyglyn" which means healing drink.  In ancient times, healing spices were added to mead resulting in a  drink with healing powers.  Lavender, believed to promote good health, is also soothing and relaxing and is associated with romance and seduction.  Possessing a beautiful golden color and a bouquet of fresh lavender flowers, this slightly sweet mead can be enjoyed heated or paired with desserts such as blackberry cobbler. 

My Review: The nose was very soothing, like when you walk to a room where they are burning some kind of lavender candle. The taste was as if you drank the lavender oils that were burning in that room. That taste was most powerful at the beginning and on the finish, but in the middle the honey softened the lavender taste. 

Strawberry Melomel 
$13.95
Their Review: A unique sipping wine with a delightful strawberry bouquet that is sure to please the senses.  Pair it with an assortment of food like cheesecake, almonds, and country ham.  Also makes a great cigar wine. 
My Review: The nose was very fruity with hints of strawberry and other berries, like blueberries. Unlike the one I tasted at Peaks of Otter, the strawberry flavor in this was was overbearing. It was too sweet and I couldn't detect any other flavors. 

Cranberry Table Wine 

$16.95

Their Review: Hold on to your taste buds.  This tart wine goes well with baked or grilled chicken or with turkey during the holidays; makes a refreshing sea breeze or cranberry lemonade as well.

My Review: THIS WAS MY FAVORITE WINE ALL DAY!!! This definitely made your mouth make a sour face, but in a good way. The nose was cranberry, cranberry, cranberry! The taste was tart like they warned, but it was a good tart that made you want some more. Even though it was tart, the fruitiness made it enjoyable alone.I tried to go back and buy another bottle of wines, but they sold out!

My friends visiting from Northen Virginia had a blast!