Those of us who are fortunate enough to live in and around Middleburg recognize that our beautiful little village is one of the premier day-trip destinations in the National Capital area.

Whether you wish to attend an equestrian event, tour the area's immaculate stables, stroll the manicured gardens of local estates, shop in classic village boutiques far removed from the clutter of urban shopping malls, or simply escape to the countryside for a few hours, Middleburg is high on the agenda of our city-dwelling neighbors.

But what about us?

Where do we go for new adventures and interesting areas to explore? Each month, in the Eccentric, you will find a description of one of the delightful destinations we have discovered to the north, south, and west of Middleburg that are within comfortable driving reach and offer a rewarding experience, both upon arrival and along the way.

We will reserve for your own planning the eastbound trip to Monument and Museum City, the obligatory itinerary for your out-of-town visitors.

This month our destination is the Barboursville Winery and Palladio Restaurant, 75 miles south of Middleburg. Our drive will take us through the village of The Plains in order to reach Route 17 and Warrenton. We suggest ignoring the new southern bypass and continuing into Warrenton on Route 17.

Coffee
Just after passing the Highland School, you will find Gusto di Vita (Flavor of Life), a drive-through coffee hut perched in the parking lot of the Warrenton Center. It's a great place to load up your cup-holders with mocha latte for the leisurely trip ahead.

Stay on Routes 17 and 29 through Warrenton, heading south to Culpeper, then exit onto Route 15 toward Orange. The drive through rolling open farmlands meanders past the Inn at Meander Plantation, a quiet and comfortable bed and breakfast, and its nearby neighbor the Willow Grove Inn. In the town of Orange, turn west on Route 20, "The Constitution Route", toward Montpelier, James Madison's home, and a worthy spot to stretch your legs and click some photos.

Follow 'Winery' Signs
As you approach the Barboursville area follow the directional signs to the winery, which is located off of side road 777. More than 800 acres comprise the estate, originally home to Virginia Governor James Barbour, who, beginning in 1822, resided there with his family in a mansion designed by Thomas Jefferson.

The skeletal remains of the mansion, destroyed by fire on Christmas day in 1884, serve as a striking setting for the annual summer performance of Shakespeare in the Ruins and other theatrical events.

Legend has it that the fire started in the kitchen that day during dinner and, rather than interrupt their holiday festivities, the Barbours simply moved the dining table to the front lawn and their meal as the house burned.

Virginia Piemonte
The Zonin wine consortium, based in Gambellara, Italy, purchased the property in 1976 and seven years later Barboursville Winery opened to the public.

The Barboursville wines and the facilities where they are produced, sold, and served reflect a rich Italian heritage blended seamlessly with the viniculture tradition introduced to the Commonwealth by Thomas Jefferson. Owners' Gianni and Sylvana Zonin have faithfully replicated in Virginia's Piedmont the Piemonte region of Italy.

It is difficult to measure a winery solely by the medals awarded at the seemingly endless number of domestic and international wine competitions. Every tasting room from the Shenandoah Valley to Napa Valley displays gold, silver, or bronze medals awarded by someone for something.

For us, the first clue that Barboursville was producing something special came several years ago during a celebratory dinner at the incomparable Inn at Little Washington. There we discovered that the house wine was a Barboursville cabernet franc.

The Barboursville tasting room is tastefully done, with well-spaced tasting centers and pleasant, knowledgeable and helpful staff. It takes only a few sips of the daily samples to understand why winemaker Luca Paschina was recently named Virginia wine industry 'Person of the Year.

Palladio
Adjoining the tasting room is Barboursville's gem of a restaurant, Palladio. Executive Chef Melissa Close and her culinary team bring fresh local ingredients to the table where they are paired nicely to showcase the fruit of the Barboursville vines. Both the lunch and dinner menus change monthly and can be viewed in advance on Barboursville's informative web site (www.barboursvillewine.com).

The Palladio dining experience is all about choices. First, you choose between a two, three or four course meal, including desert. Next you choose among the four or five dishes offered for each course. Finally, you may order a bottle of wine or, for about $3.00 per course, you may opt for a glass of wine chosen by Luca and Chef Close.

Alessandro Medici from Lombardy oversees the dining room, assisted by his Sardinian born wife, Mia Judd. Alessandro will happily help you make the right choices.

During our most recent visit, Palladio's menu featured such items as a broiled fresh sardine, risotto flavored with wild ramps and studded with magical fiddlehead ferns, grilled marinated quail, and braised baby goat served with fried polenta.

We chose to conclude a memorable lunch by sharing an assortment of imported and domestic cheeses served with dabs of artisan balsamic vinegar, locally produced honey, and house made fruit preserves – saving Sandy's sweet tooth for a homeward bound stop at the Carousel Ice Cream stand in Warrenton.

Our three-course lunch for two with wine, tax, and gratuity was $115.

On the way home we stopped at the Elkwood Corner Nursery, just north of Culpeper on Route 15/29. Paying homage to what we hoped was the long awaited arrival of warmer weather, Sandy filled the cargo deck with a weekend's worth of plantings.

Summer is a special time at Barboursville Winery. The Four County Players perform Shakespeare in the Ruins during July and August. Palladio offers an accompanying pre-theater dinner or you can bring your own picnic if you choose.

Details on this and other special events are published on the Barboursville web site. For a truly special treat, reserve the Vineyard Cottage for an overnight stay and linger awhile in a very special corner of the Commonwealth.