~Wine Chics Magazine- All about Wine, Vineyard & Viticulture Art & Photography ~ The Official WineChics Blog
Greetings #WineChic Friends! It is that time again in the Vineyards and we are excited to tour and capture the Autumn moments and the incredible vines with our photography! There are many new wineries in the Commonwealth of Virginia so much to visit and capture. Happy Touring! 
Revisit us for updates and on our @Twitter site too! @WineChics at Twitter
As photographers, our travels take us to many locations and one of our favorites over the last decade is the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina. It is the perfect place for touring, vacation, events, weddings, romantic getaways and of course, food and wine. The Biltmore Winery, nestled in the Antler Hill Village, is a favorite among wine lovers for the total wine experience. The winery tour itself is fabulous from the incredible historic wine cellars to the tasting room, wine bar and everything-wine-you-could-want shop, food, dining and demonstrations, it has it all. From their history, beautiful grounds and vistas to their wonderful wine selections, Biltmore Winery wins for the best of wine tasting and touring. Visit our links below for wine discussions, videos and more.
We would be remiss not to mention touring the Biltmore Estate and Gardens on your visit and lodging at the Inn on Biltmore Estate for the total wine lovers experience. There is much to see and do at Biltmore Estate, Winery and in Asheville, NC.
Visit:
Biltmore Estate
Biltmore Estate Winery
Videos:
Wine Tasting Videos
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*Photography by JayJacy Photography – ©2013-2021 All Rights Reserved
Pictured: Biltmore Winery at Antler Hill Village and Inn on Biltmore Estate, Wine Cellars, View of vineyard from Inn on Biltmore Estate
Wine Chic Friends: Spring and all of its glory shall soon descend upon us here in the Shenandoah Valley and we look forward to its beauty all around us and the stunning glory of our vineyards! Think Spring and plan to visit all of them! Cheers, @WineChics
How beautiful the blossoms, how stunning the poured wine, how lovely the poetry, how blessed are we! Shall we go and sit under the Cherry Blossom trees and dream? We shall!
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WHEN cherry flowers begin to blow
With Yuki’s face beneath them,
The richest petals lose their glow,
And small buds haste to sheath them.
When blue wistaria hangs its head
And Yuki leans above it,
The swallow flits discomforted,—
With none to see or love it.
When lotus blossoms open wide,
And beckon men to dreaming,
My Yuki smiles,—and all their pride
Is but a perfumed seeming.
When snow is white on moat and tree
And crusts each bamboo feather,
My Yuki lifts her eyes to me,—
’T is all I know of weather.
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* Yuki By Mary McNeil Fenollosa (1900)
It is that beautiful time again in Virginia Wine Country!
Wine and romance are wed together as “two peas in a pod” or “a wink and a smile” and add a beautiful sunset and you have the perfect experience for wine lovers. Is it any wonder that brides-to-be love vineyard-winery engagements and weddings and wine lovers vineyard sunsets? Just love and perfection as our poets recite.
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OH! young Lochinvar is come out of the west,
Through all the wide Border his steed was the best;
And save his good broadsword he weapons had none.
He rode all unarmed and he rode all alone.
So faithful in love and so dauntless in war,
There never was knight like the young Lochinvar.
He stayed not for brake and he stopped not for stone,
He swam the Eske river where ford there was none,
But ere he alighted at Netherby gate
The bride had consented, the gallant came late:
For a laggard in love and a dastard in war
Was to wed the fair Ellen of brave Lochinvar.
So boldly he entered the Netherby Hall,
Among bridesmen, and kinsmen, and brothers, and all:
Then spoke the bride’s father, his hand on his sword,—
For the poor craven bridegroom said never a word,—
‘Oh! come ye in peace here, or come ye in war,
Or to dance at our bridal, young Lord Lochinvar?’—
‘I long wooed your daughter, my suit you denied;
Love swells like the Solway, but ebbs like its tide—
And now am I come, with this lost love of mine,
To lead but one measure, drink one cup of wine.
There are maidens in Scotland more lovely by far,
That would gladly be bride to the young Lochinvar.’
The bride kissed the goblet; the knight took it up,
He quaffed off the wine, and he threw down the cup,
She looked down to blush, and she looked up to sigh,
With a smile on her lips and a tear in her eye.
He took her soft hand ere her mother could bar,—
‘Now tread we a measure!’ said young Lochinvar.
So stately his form, and so lovely her face,
That never a hall such a galliard did grace;
While her mother did fret, and her father did fume,
And the bridegroom stood dangling his bonnet and plume;
And the bride-maidens whispered ‘’Twere better by far
To have matched our fair cousin with young Lochinvar.’
One touch to her hand and one word in her ear,
When they reached the hall-door, and the charger stood near;
So light to the croupe the fair lady he swung,
So light to the saddle before her he sprung!
‘She is won! we are gone, over bank, bush, and scaur;
They’ll have fleet steeds that follow,’ quoth young Lochinvar.
There was mounting ’mong Graemes of the Netherby clan;
Fosters, Fenwicks, and Musgraves, they rode and they ran:
There was racing and chasing on Cannobie Lee,
But the lost bride of Netherby ne’er did they see.
So daring in love and so dauntless in war,
Have ye e’er heard of gallant like young Lochinvar?
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* Lochinvar, Sir Walter Scott (1771–1832)
To all of our @WineChics friends, followers and wine-lovers everywhere, we wish you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy and Prosperous New Year. We look forward to wine touring, tasting and featuring Virginia Wine Country and beyond. Cheers!
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Last of all, December,
The year’s sands nearly run,
Speeds on the shortest day,
Curtails the sun;
With its bleak raw wind
Lays the last leaves low,
Brings back the nightly frosts,
Brings back the snow.*
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Come visit soon to follow our fall-winter wine touring for photography and more. To visit our reviews and photography of our wine country travels, click on the “All Things Wine” link.
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*Excerpt, A Year’s Windfalls, Christina Rossetti
Copyright, JayJacy Photography ©2020 All Rights Reserved
No Reblogs Please. Thank you
~ ~ ~
“Midway on long Winander’s eastern shore,
Within the crescent of pleasant bay,
A tavern stood; no homely-featured house,
Primeval like its neighbouring cottages,
But ’twas a splendid place, the door beset
With chaises, grooms, and liveries, and within
Decanters, glasses, and the blood-red wine.
In ancient times, and ere the Hall was built
On the large island, had this dwelling been
More worthy of a poet’s love, a hut,
Proud of its own bright fire and sycamore shade.
But–though the rhymes were gone that once inscribed
The threshold, and large golden characters,
Spread o’er the spangled sign-board, had dislodged
The old Lion and usurped his place, in slight
And mockery of the rustic painter’s hand–
Yet, to this hour, the spot to me is dear
With all its foolish pomp.”*
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*William Wordsworth
The beautiful days in Virginia Wine Country are upon us and they are glorious! Visit your favorite Virginia Winery and peruse our site here for recommendations. See you in Wine Country!
WINE CHICS 