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october/noveMber 2013 Macon Magazine i 95 and hapless tourists with a magnificent color display along the famous panoramic route, featuring spectacular mountain vistas, scenic hiking trails (including the challenging Appalachian Trail), brisk mountain streams and wondrous waterfalls. Virginia has officially proclaimed October as Wine Month, to celebrate the fall foliage and grape harvest season. Begin your expedition like Lewis and Clark, who were commissioned by President Thomas Jefferson to officially explore the Louisiana Purchase. While traveling through Virginia's Botetourt (pronounced bot-uh-tot) County, William Clark took a fancy to a local girl and returned to Fincastle to marry her when his famous tour was over. The Botetourt Wine Trail is a charming diversion, beginning just off the Blue Ridge Parkway featuring three local wineries. One of these local vintages is sure to tempt you, too. botetourt Wine trail blue ridge Vineyards 540-798-7642 | blueridgevineyard.com Located at the head of the Shenandoah Valley, Blue Ridge Vineyard produces old-world wines such as gewürztraminer, pinot noir, riesling and cabernet franc. Panoramic mountain views from rustic barn tasting room with wooded hiking trails on 300-acre estate. Four- generation family operation uniquely hand crafts wines from old-growth vines. Open March through December, Wednesday to Sunday, noon-6 p.m. Virginia mountain Vineyards 540-473-2979 | www.vmvines.com Located on 100 acres, near historic Fincastle. First-generation family-owned and operated vineyard and winery. Variety of sweet and dry wines produced from 100 percent Virginia-grown vinifera vines. Picnic gazebo and lovely mountain views. Open Wednesday-Saturday, noon-6 p.m. and Sunday noon-6 p.m. from March 15- Dec. 15. Fincastle Vineyard & Winery 540-591-9000 | fincastlewine.com Botetourt County's first family farm winery. Fine wines from old-world vinifera grapes cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc and chardonnay. Traditional Bordeaux small-scale techniques. Winery tours and tasting room. Charming B&B in old farmhouse adjacent to the winery. Open Thursday through Monday, 11 a.m.-6 p.m. year round. Signature Stop: chateau morrisette 287 Winery road SW, Floyd, Va., 540-593-2865 | thedogs.com Your passion will grow stronger with each passing mile as you travel to Chateau Morrisette, where this fabulous foodie affair reaches its peak. The French-inspired winery sits graciously on a mountain top offering stunning panoramic views painted with the palette of autumn, perfectly manicured gardens, elegant dining with impeccable service, innovative cuisine prepared by an executive chef, an impressive wine cellar and an expert sommelier. What's not to love? The Morrisette family planted their is for Wine Lovers Wine Tasting Tips While wine tasting can be very subjective there are a few guidelines most wine connoisseurs recommend following when sampling new wines. technique: look at the Wine You can tell a lot about a wine simply from its appearance. The color of a wine can vary tremendously, even within the same type. For example, white wines can range from green to yellow and even brown. Red wines can vary from a pale red to a deep brown red. Pour a small amount of the wine into a clear glass to see its color. Using a white background such as a tablecloth or piece of paper will give you the best view of its true color. Tilt the glass slightly to observe the edge or "rim" of the wine. If it has a slightly purple-ish color it may indicate that it is a young wine while aged wines usually display a more orange or brown tinted rim. Another tip is to swirl the wine in the glass. This will show the body and thickness of the wine. A thicker wine usually indicates a stronger sweet flavor or higher alcohol content. technique: Smell the Wine Swirling the wine also helps to release the aroma, also known as the "bouquet" of the wine. Take a deep whiff of the aroma and then concentrate on what you smell. It can be difficult at first to describe what you smell, but after some practice it becomes easier to distinguish certain aromas from others. Some common aromas of wines are fruit, flowers, earthy, wood, herbs and spices. technique: taste the Wine The most important quality of a wine is its balance between sweetness and acidity. When judging a wine for the first time you want to take into consideration not only the body and texture of the wine but your initial feeling as you first taste it. Also reflect on the aftertaste left behind once you've swallowed the wine. You always want to consider its overall flavor and balance. If the wine is dry, is it supposed to be? Ask yourself if the taste is appropriate for the type of wine you are sampling. With these three steps and a little bit of practice, you can be a wine connoisseur in no time!