Chilly weather is (largely) behind us, which means getting outside more—preferably with a drink in hand—will soon become a top priority. Here are three ways to shake off winter for good with cherries, citrus and wine in bloom.
This spring, Terra Nebulo Vineyards, one of Loudoun County’s newest wineries (opened last August), will release a white table wine that’s far from ordinary. While viognier tends to stand alone in Virginia-made wine, Terra Nebulo employs one of the state’s signature grapes to upend the notion of table wine as an afterthought. The blend of equal parts chardonnay and viognier is only slightly oaked, allowing chardonnay’s classic mineral notes and viognier’s ripe apricot and passion fruit flavors to shine. If you prefer pink, the winery is also releasing a chambourcin/syrah rose from the 2014 crush and produces a slightly bubbly traminette that would be a sparkling choice for the start of outdoor concert season. // Terra Nebulo: 39892 Old Wheatland Road, Waterford
Once strawberries are in season (as early as later this month), look for South Block Juice Co.’s Sunshine cold-pressed juice. This blend of fresh strawberries, apples, limes and orange, with a hint of turmeric, will make you forget all about snowy mornings. Founder Amir Mostafavi touts the juice’s anti-inflammatory properties as being “perfect for post-workouts and post-yoga”—if you’re into that kind of thing. It’ll be easier to find, too: South Block recently opened locations in Del Ray and Vienna.
// South Block Juice Co., Multiple NoVA locations
Cherry Cayenne Storm returns this month to Leesburg nanobrewery Crooked Run Brewing and will now remain on the taps year-round. This Galaxy-hopped IPA is made with fresh cayenne peppers and cherry juice, with a lingering heat and sweetness from the fruit. No bottles are available yet, but take some to-go in a growler and enjoy it under one of the region’s thousands of cherry trees blossoming now. // Crooked Run Brewing, 205 Harrison St. SE, Leesburg
( March 2016 )
