Middleburg Life| October 2017

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Volume 34 Issue 12 | October 2017 | middleburglife.com

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MIDDLEBURG

LI F E For the Love of Wine + Shaping Our World & Majestic Horses

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MIDDLEBURG

LI F E Oct. 2017

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PUBLISHER Greenhill Media LLC EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Elaine Anne Watt COPY EDITOR Rachel Musser ADVERTISING SALES MANAGER Alexa Wolff ADVERTISING SALES REPRESENTATIVES Shonna Call, Tonya Harding Jennifer Richards, Andrea Ryder CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Mollie Bailey, Heidi Baumstark, Callie Broaddus, Kerry Phelps Dale, Morgan Hensley, Dulcy Hooper, Richard Hooper, Carolyn Kincaid, Peter Leonard-Morgan, Peter Milligan, Chelsea Rose Moore, Kate Parker, Anne Sraders, Summer Stanley CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Callie Broaddus, Eryn Gable, Doug Gehlsen, Tony Gibson, Crowell Hadden, Joanne Maisano, Karen Monroe, Deborah Morrow, Julie Napear ART DIRECTION: Focal Point Creative DESIGNER: Elisa Hernandez PRODUCTION DIRECTOR: Nicky Marshok ADVERTISE IN MIDDLEBURG LIFE Greenhill Media, LLC 114 W. Washington Street, Ste. 102 P.O. Box 328 Middleburg, VA 20118-0328 540.687.5950 | info@middleburglife.com All editorial matter is fully protected and may not be reproduced in any manner without the written permission of the publisher.

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Middleburg Life reserves the right to reject any advertising. Distributed in Aldie, Alexandria, Ashburn, Boyce, Charlottesville, Delaplane, Dulles, Front Royal, Haymarket, Leesburg, Manassas, Marshall, Middleburg, Millwood, Paris, The Plains, Rectortown, Upperville, Warrenton, Washington, D.C., and Winchester.

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OCTOBER 2017

FIND US ON Instagram @middleburglife Twitter @middleburglife Facebook.com/middleburglife ON THE COVER A toast to Boxwood Estate Winery’s 10th Anniversary Vintage in their barrel room and to celebrate Virginia Wine Month.

Photo by John Nelson ON THIS PAGE Boxwood Estate Winery’s Tank Room Photo by Focal Point Creative

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PERFECT PICKING

By Beth Rasin

Whether you prefer a serene afternoon in nature or plenty of activities for the children, there’s a northern Virginia orchard offering just what you want.

STRIBLING ORCHARD The Stribling Orchard in Markham, Virginia, offers apple picking from mid-August through early November. Starting in September of each year, they also offer apple cider and pumpkins.

If you’re looking to stock your shelves or pick up some “made in Virginia” gifts, visit their Harvest House for cider, jams, honey from their own beehives, jellies, hot sauces, local eggs, salsas, cheese, eggs and peanuts.

On weekends after Labor Day, their bakery is open as well for breads, pies, cakes and other

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treats. Their apple orchard, family-owned for six generations and almost 200 years, covers 30 acres, and they have another 15 acres of peach trees (which you can pick in July and August).

While at the orchard, you can visit farm animals and see many historic buildings.

Combine a trip to the Stribling or Hartland orchards to include wineries like Naked Mountain, Chateau O’Brien, Fox Meadow or Aspen Dale, all in close proximity to Markham. School trips also are welcome.

Stribling Orchard: Open Tuesday-Sunday 9 a.m.-5 p.m.; 11587 Poverty Hollow Lane, Markham, Virginia, 22643; 540-364-3040; striblingorchard.com.

HARTLAND FARM ORCHARD Also in Markham, Virginia, you’ll find Hartland Orchard, where you may pick cherries, apples, peaches and pumpkins — or purchase them already picked.

They also sell honey and cider and cider

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slushies, and if you come during the fall festival on weekends in September and October, you’ll enjoy everything from hay rides to a corn maze, a jumping pillow, pig races and much more. An entrance fee is charged for the fall festival. When winter arrives, you can come back to select your Christmas tree.

Fall Festival is open Saturday 10 a.m.-6 p.m. and Sunday 12 p.m.-6 p.m., Sept. 9-Oct. 29; check website for other dates. No dogs.

School groups are welcome, and educational programs involving science, math and more are prepared for them.

Hartland Orchard: Open Monday-Sunday 9 a.m.-5 p.m.; 3205 Hartland Lane, Markham, Virginia, 22643; 540-364-2316; hartlandfarmorchard.com.

HOLLIN FARMS Hollin Farms in Delaplane, Virginia, welcomes visitors to pick their own fruits and vegetables at this four-generation family farm, with everything from berries and cherries to vegetables above and below ground, depending on the season. In September and October, in addition to picking apples and pumpkins, you can also dig your own peanuts and potatoes. See their website for information about pre-ordering grass-fed natural Angus beef.

If you’re lucky, you might get to meet Tom Davenport, a filmmaker and storyteller who Picking | Page 5

Picking | From page 4 grew up on the farm and will keep any child enthralled with his dramatic tales.

Make a day of a trip to Hollin Farms by combining it with a hike or tour through the historic buildings at neighboring Sky Meadows State Park.

Open Wednesday through Sunday; typical hours are listed below, but check their website for details on hours during specific fruit or vegetable picking seasons. No entrance fee.

Dogs welcome on leash.

Hollin Farms: Open Wednesday-Friday 9 a.m.-4 p.m., Saturday-Sunday 9 a.m.-3 p.m.; 1436 Snowden Road, Delaplane, Virginia, 20144; 540-592-3574; hollinfarms.com.

GREAT COUNTY FARMS If you’re looking for somewhere you can stock up on fruits and vegetables while also entertaining the children, Great Country Farms is your place. In addition to the 400-acre working farm and market, there’s a fishing pond, a jumping pillow, mazes, playgrounds, a cow train, petting zoo and much more.

Special events mark each season, with September offering an Apple Gala and Cider Fest each weekend, including cider doughnuts, and late September through October

brings the Pumpkin Harvest Festival. The “Rooserant” serves everything from pizza to hot dogs and salads, as well as pies and ice cream.

If you want more of Great Country Farms, sign up for one of their Community Supported Agriculture plans, which provide you with a sampling of the weekly harvest from June to October.

Their barn is a great spot for a rustic wedding or company event, and they offer a variety of themed birthday parties, from gem mining (for children 5 and under) to bonfires to barnyard bashes.

If you’re thirsty after all the kettle corn, head up the mountain to sister properties Dirt Farm Brewing or Bluemont Vineyard.

Entrance fee for the farm ranges from $8-$12.

Great County Farms: Open Sunday-Monday 9 a.m.-6 p.m.; 18780 Foggy Bottom Road, Bluemont, Virginia, 20135; 540-554-2073; greatcountryfarms.com.

MACKINTOSH FRUIT FARM Growing more than 20 varieties of peach, Mackintosh Fruit Farm offers early, mid and late season varieties so its picking season extends from early July through early SeptemPicking | Page 6

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Picking | From page 5

COX FARMS

ber. By grafting selected varieties on a root system, they’ve combined their favorite flavors and textures of peach with dwarf trees that can be easily picked from the ground.

Plan to make a day of it by bringing your lunch or buying it there, with options from pizza to salads to sandwiches. There’s a playground for children, a corn maze in October and special events take place almost every weekend, ranging from monthly farm dinners featuring homemade meals with in season fruits and vegetables to Apple Butter Day, complete with a 10k run in October. Sign up in advance for special dinners or the 10k.

If you have a big occasion coming up such as a wedding or birthday, they also host such events, with sit-down or buffet meals.

If you still have the energy for more walking after your fruit picking, head to the State Arboretum of Virginia in nearby Millwood, where you can hike short trails (from ¾ mile to 2 miles) through woodlands, meadows or wetlands.

No entrance fees. Dogs allowed. Check website to see which fruits and vegetables are available for pick your own when planning your visit.

Mackintosh Fruit Farm: Open Wednesday-Sunday 8 a.m.-6 p.m.; 1608 Russell Road, Berryville, Virginia, 22611; 540-955-6225; mackintoshfruitfarm.com.

If you’re looking for as much of an amusement park feel as a farm experience, Cox Farms will keep your children busy on slides, mazes and much more during its famous Fall Festival. Picking your own is not an option here, but there is plenty to keep you occupied for family fun or just feeling young.

After you’ve milked a cow, taken a few hayrides, found your way out of the corn maze and danced to one of the bands, check out the market on your way out for some fruits and vegetables from the 116-acre farm.

Each person gets a pumpkin with entry.

Many local schools take advantage of the farm for a field trip, and weekends are also packed, so be sure to arrive early.

Fall Festival previews Sept. 16-17, then is open daily Sept. 22-Oct. 31 and again Nov. 3-7.

Admission varies by date and size of group.

Cox Farms: Open Monday-Friday 10 a.m.7 p.m., Saturday-Sunday 9 a.m.-7 p.m.; 15621 Braddock Road, Centreville, Virginia, 20120; 703-830-4121; coxfarms.com.

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CROOKED RUN ORCHARD If you’re looking for something more peaceful, head to Crooked Run Orchard on the outskirts of Purcellville, Virginia, where you’ll find a farm stand and quiet country

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picking of apples, fall gourds and pumpkins on land first settled by the Quakers.

Come back later in the season for Christmas wreaths, and then return next spring and summer for berries, peaches and seasonal vegetables. Crooked Run keeps its farm in as natural state as possible, with no roads or vehicles and no mazes or petting zoos, just the fruits and bees.

If the tranquil experience at Crooked Run has you in a nature-loving mood, head to the nearby Blue Ridge Center for Environmental Stewardship to spot some wildlife on their nature trails, ranging from 0.1 to 1.9 miles.

Typical hours are listed below but hours are dependent on season, so view their website for the latest schedule. No admission charge. Cash or check only.

Crooked Run Orchard: Open Tuesday-Sunday 9 a.m.-5 p.m.; 37883 East Main St., Purcellville, Virginia, 20132; 540-338-6642; crookedrunorchard.com. ML Page 4: A day at Cox Farms always includes at least a couple trips on the hayride (photo courtesy of Cox Farms). Page 5: The freshest fruits come straight from the trees at Great Country Farms (photo courtesy of Great Country Farms). Page 4: Stribling Orchard’s Harvest House offers a variety of products made from its fruits (photo courtesy of Stribling Orchard).

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Middleburg Hunt Puppy Auction Story and Photo by Callie Broaddus

1 Aside from the general delight of an evening filled with puppies, good food, and cheerful company, the annual Middleburg Hunt Puppy Auction gives children the opportunity to get their hands dirty—or at least slobbery—handling the hunt’s iconic tricolor hounds. Contrary to what the event name may imply, auction bidders don’t get to return home with a brand new hound puppy, as much as they might want to. As each young handler stands their charge on the auction block, members of the hunt bid on the honor of naming each puppy, the youngest litter being an irresistible,

roly-poly six weeks old.

“Our Puppy Auction brings focus to the true stars of our sport,” says Penny Denegre, MFH. “It gets folks excited, interested and knowledgeable about hounds; they have a personal interest in following the hound's career as a result of this fun and spirited evening that is now in its 24th year.”

This year’s event took place on September 10th at the home of Jean Ann and Ralph Feneis, who once again hosted the event in their stunning bank barn on their currently for-sale historic Mount Harmony Farm. ML

2 Photos: 1. A young handler practices with her hound before bringing her in for auction. 2. Middleburg Hunt Joint Masters, Tim Harmon, Penny Denegre and Jeffrey Blue, who served as auctioneer for the evening.

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ON THE

COVER

F

or Virginia Wine Month, we visited one of Middleburg’s iconic wine venues, Boxwood Estate Winery, to showcase their renowned barrel room. Boxwood currently is celebrating its 10 Year Anniversary Vintage and has an impressive selection of delicious wines from which to choose. Cozy up to their circular wine bar for a tasting with both the barrel and tank rooms clearly visible through adjoining glass portals, and be sure to enjoy their patio space with its stunning vistas of the surrounding vineyards. Behind all the beauty that can be found here is the serious business of wine, with the unique challenges afforded by the variable climate of Virginia. Raise your glass to Boxwood’s continued success for many years to come! ML At Boxwood Estate Winery’s famed barrel room, Middleburg, Virginia (photo by John Nelson)

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HOPE& HEALING AT A PLACE TO BE

Story by Kerry Phelps Dale Photos by Sharon Hall Photography

T

o give hope and then deliver on it could well be the motto of A Place to Be. Two wholehearted, like-minded people met in 1999: Tom Sweitzer, a man of music; Kim Tapper, a woman of dance. They quickly discovered they’d both suffered the loss of a parent and childhood trauma and that music and dance had saved them. Tom had been an actor since he was a child and found his voice in theater and music. As a dancer, Kim’s voice was found in movement.

“We knew immediately that we were going to be a significant part of each other’s lives,” says Tapper.

The perfect couple who aren’t a couple found their soulmate in each other. They’re kindred spirits who have always understood that music and the expressive arts are great healers.

After working together for several years on productions and music programs at Middleburg’s Hill School, an idea erupted out of their mutual desire to help heal others through music and performance. “We both want to fight for a better world,” says Sweitzer.

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Inspiration, initial financial backers and the vision of Sweitzer’s very first client, Amy, gave birth to A Place to Be. With 21 original clients, the non-profit came to life in a small storefront in the center of Middleburg. At first the plan was to simply provide private therapy sessions and present play productions.

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From their modest beginnings, A Place to Be in only seven years has grown to serve more than 350 families. Their operation includes 53 music and expressive arts therapists, staff and interns, 40 volunteers, and last year 539 donors and grants raised $763,000. They now convene in their rented 4,500-square foot venue on Jay Street in Middleburg, and they have hopes for a larger building that offers outdoor space. Clients range in age from 3 to 90 and face physical/medical, behavioral/learning, intellectual/developmental, social/mental/emotional and life challenges, including cerebral palsy, traumatic brain injury, cancer, autism, Down syndrome, stress anxiety, grief and more.

“This is what I envisioned from the beginning,” says Sweitzer as he looks around at the approximately 40 joyful cast members of two upcoming productions, “A Will to Survive” and “One Second of Grace.” The past several hours spent in energetic and organized rehearsals include young men and women with a spectrum of challenges working together in music and movement.

Sweitzer and Tapper haven’t slowed in their pursuit for A Place To Be’s, nor their Healing | Page 11

Healing | From page 10 own, personal goals. They float ceaselessly and seamlessly from private sessions in their offices to group meetings to rehearsal to meetings with clients’ parents and spouses. Yet both therapists somehow find time to continue to enrich themselves professionally through continuing education, higher degrees, speaking engagements, conferences and retreats.

Tapper has built her credentials one discipline at a time: expressive arts therapist, licensed life coach, master’s degree in psychology, and finally trauma informed therapist. Sweitzer built upon his bachelor’s in music theater and master’s in music when he received a master’s in music therapy.

From the onset, the two were determined to build A Place to Be into a credible non-profit operation that used evidence-based practices to achieve remarkable, if not miraculous, results.

Sweitzer shies away from the word miracle. “To say anything we do is a miracle is to say it isn’t replicable,” he says. Because healing is more a journey than a destination, most results are achieved incrementally. Even so, the milestones and achievements of their clients can very often appear miraculous.

Twenty-four-year-old Forrest’s story is so

extraordinary as to evoke images of burning bushes and parting waters. After suffering a grave traumatic brain injury from a snowboarding accident seven years ago, the teenager was left motionless and speechless.

When Sweitzer started working with Forrest, a mere move of his pinky was cause for celebration. Months of persistent therapy to

find Forrest’s voice passed with little progress.

First Sweitzer had to teach Forrest to blow air through a straw, then through a recorder, then hum and finally, two years later Forrest spoke a breathy “good morning” and later landed the B flat note of the word be, in the Beatles’ “Let It Be.” Each small step a cause for Healing | Page 12

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Healing | From page 11 rejoicing. Many other celebrations were peppered between the oftentimes life-threatening 31 surgeries young Forrest has endured. It has been a harrowing journey, at best.

Today, Forrest sings, dances and speaks with pitch, rhythm and humor; clearly, this is nothing short of remarkable, if not miraculous.

Forrest, the subject of the soon to be released documentary, “Music Got Me Here,” continues to progress in his healing. “I want to go away to college,” he says. “I want to live independently.” Unfathomable concepts just a year ago. Much of his healing and hopeful future are attributable to Sweitzer and music therapy.

But Sweitzer also deals with mental health issues, “kids who cut themselves or are suicidal,” he says, with challenges running a full gambit of type and severity.

When Erica was only 12, she started seeing Tapper for life coaching. She was finding her way through her parents’ divorce and found the community of A Place To Be just what she needed. Soon she was volunteering, first with weekly social groups and then musical and improvisational groups. Erica discovered that in helping others, she, too, was benefitting. The once introverted teen with low self-confidence found that the groups drew her out of her shell.

“You can come here no matter what your challenges are, be yourself, and no one will judge you,” she says. Now a high-school senior and editor of the school newspaper, Erica not only found her voice, but she talks and writes about social justice, human rights and activism.

Examples of the far-reaching healing effects of music and expressive arts therapy are in evidence in every room of the operation on Jay Street. On any given day or evening, the studios and offices are full of people of all ages facing, navigating and overcoming life’s challenges—the mission of A Place to Be. “No one is without challenges,” cites Tapper, and when fears and hopes are shared in the same space, a room or a stage, healing is contagious. It doesn’t matter whether the person is wheelchair bound or trapped in one’s own mind without the power to speak.

Whether a person is challenged with depression or autism, cancer or grief, hope lies in the field of therapeutic arts and a community of people who care.

“When one extends a hand to another, and that person extends to another, and so on, all are helped,” offers Tapper. There is no hierarchy of importance in comparing the challenges of a youth with autism to that of a young woman with cerebral palsy. Both have much to offer in the healing of each other, and friendships are formed.

Sweitzer says love best defines A Place to Be: “It’s the single most important thing.”

Tapper thinks acceptance is the cornerstone. Both are in abundance and apparent to even a casual visitor. These values and

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emotions are displayed through connections between clients and between therapists and clients. Photographs, artwork and posters covering the walls of the brightly painted interior depict the presence of these and other virtues.

The Same Sky Project is A Place To Be’s major outreach effort featuring three shows that have reached 60,000 students in Loudoun County middle and upper schools. “A Will to Survive,” “One Second of Grace” and “Behind the Label” are theatrical productions that tour nationally with the goals of raising awareness of mental health issues and of teaching empathy and acceptance. “A Will to Survive” tells the story of a young man who battled depression and bipolar disorder for years before taking his own life in 2016. By popular demand, the show will again be touring this year and is even booked for the Kennedy Center (D.C.) on November 19.

In addition to individual therapy sessions and musical productions, there are five other core programs, all rooted in clinical and evidence based practices, that extend A Place to Be’s mission past its humble beginnings.

Weekly Lunch Bunch engages volunteers and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities in fellowship, music and movement. An Immersion Program is held several days a week for different age groups and uses the arts to guide participants toward self-development and awareness and achievement of their life goals. There are social groups designed for youth with social and emotional therapeutic needs. The always popular summer camps featuring full-scale musicals and rock concerts offer chances for youth to explore and expand their inner selves and imaginations. And Medical Music Therapy through INOVA Hospital regularly serves patients in ICU, Palliative Care, Stroke, Oncology, COPD, Pediatrics, Adult Mental Health and Outpatient Rehab.

“The work that Tom and Kim are doing at A Place to Be is the most progressive

OCTOBER 2017

and meaningful work I have ever seen,” says Kathleen M. Howland, Ph.D., Berklee School of Music (Mass.) professor and 35-year veteran of music and speech therapies. “From the first time that I met Tom as my master’s student, I felt instantly aligned with his work and objectives.”

Compassion, acceptance and hope are as important as the clinical modalities used and represent what is both unique and transformative about the mission and approach of the organization’s professional team.

“Their organization is built on the working values, not just stated values, of inclusiveness, purpose and empathy,” says Dr. Howland. “All of their work with clients flows from this.”

Sweitzer and Tapper have married their talents with their passion for healing and music to create remarkable results. Helping the voiceless to sing, the depressed to feel joy, the isolated to connect, the introverted to perform are all in a day’s work.

It is no wonder that A Place to Be thrives.

Trading in love, compassion, acceptance and hope is a brilliant business plan. They are the keystones to healing, no matter the challenge.

And they are free, renewable resources that when shared, proliferate.

Call that a miracle if you want. ML To volunteer or contr ibute v isit Office@aplacetobeva.org Page 10 (top): A Will to Survive, a musical about teen suicide, travels to middle and upper schools to spread the message of hope. Ann Charlotte Robinson, mother of the inspiration for the production, plays herself, with another child playing her son Will. Page 10 (bottom): Dynamic duo Tom Sweitzer and Kim Tapper, executive directors and co-founders of A Place To Be. Page 11: The Same Sky Project's Behind the Label was the brainchild of client Amy, front row in wheelchair. Page 12: Forrest's remarkable transformation is in large part attributed to music therapy, Tom Sweitzer and A Place To Be.

debbiemeighan@kwluxuryhomes.com

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Chamberlain Hill Account Executive, IMG Sports Marketing The Hill School Class of 2005 Woodberry Forest School ’09 University of Richmond ’13 Georgetown University ’15

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OCTOBER 2017

THE VIRGINIA GRAPE NORTHERN VIRGINIA’S VINEYARD YEAR

I

once overheard a Virginia winery owner explain that “except for frost, humidity and hurricanes, Virginia is just like California.” Of course that’s true…kind of. The basic elements of the vineyard year are the same regardless of geographic location. With that in mind, let’s begin by taking a look at the basic parts of the growing year. Then we will examine how the seasonal challenges of “frost, humidity and hurricanes” impact the growing regimen of a vineyard manager in Northern Virginia.

COMPONENTS OF A GROWING YEAR Generally speaking, there are six major stages of the growing year. Some might take exception with this simplification, but for our purposes we will concentrate on the

milestones that begin with winter pruning and end with harvest.

Winter pruning typically takes place in or around February. Some vineyard managers may start earlier and conduct a final pruning.

Exact timing can be dictated by weather.

In the spring, ideally, as temperatures start to climb above 50 degrees Fahrenheit, nodes on the branches of the vine begin to swell until they burst open. This event is known as bud break. After the buds form, the shoots mature and grow leaves.

Several weeks after bud break; the shoots will begin to flower. Flowering is a necessary step for all fruit-producing plants. The period between bud break and the first formation of fruit is when the vines are most vulnerable, and success or failure of the growing

season hangs in the balance.

After the flowers are pollinated, tiny dots or berries will form. This is known as fruit set, and the small berries will mature and grow in size until they begin to take on color.

The point at which the grapes begin most noticeably to change color is referred to as veraison. Red varietals take on their distinct red hue, and white grapes become golden or translucent. From this point until harvest the grapes continue to store sugar, soften, become larger, and acidity levels drop.

Harvest begins roughly six to eight weeks after veraison. The precise timing of harvest is dependent largely on the growing season.

Grape type is another factor. Early ripening varietals like vidal blanc, for instance, will be Vineyard | Page 16

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Vineyard | From page 15 harvested weeks before later ripening grapes like petit verdot.

THE YEAR AT BREAUX VINEYARDS Breaux Vineyards is located in the northern reaches of Loudoun County. Totaling over 90 acres under vine, its estate vineyard is the largest in Northern Virginia.

While every vineyard in Virginia experiences the same difficulties, Breaux will be used to illustrate the challenges of “frost, humidity and hurricanes.”

The vineyard manager at Breaux is Gonzalo Ortiz. He and his father own small wineries in Chile’s Maipo Valley (a suburb of Santiago, where Ortiz grew up) and in Chester County, Pennsylvania. In addition to Chile and Pennsylvania, Ortiz has managed vineyards in New Jersey, and he is now in his fourth season at Breaux. So Ortiz has a lifetime of experience, but more importantly he understands the challenges of the Mid-Atlantic.

FROST Timing of the winter pruning is important, because it can lead to early bud break.

This seems ideal since it accelerates the growing cycle and can lead to an equally early harvest before the threat of hurricane season and heavy fall rain. A late frost, on the other hand, between bud break and fruit set can be devastating for many varietals.

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The impact of a late frost is most problematic in low-lying areas. Cold air, after all, is heavy and tends to settle into the valleys thereby sparing higher elevations. This is one of several reasons that vineyards are frequently planted on hillsides.

This year at Breaux a late frost impacted the low-lying areas, but according to Ortiz “the Vinifera (typical European varietals) was spared.” He went on to explain “they plant Vidal Blanc and Seyval Blanc in the lower rows, because they get a decent secondary crop.” In other words, these hybrids will bud again and produce a smaller crop. This may mean lighter yields, but the season is not entirely forfeit following a single frost.

HUMIDITY According to Ortiz, “humidity leads to downy mildew and botrytis,” either of which can impact the health of the leaves and ultimately the vines. These are fungal infections that when left untreated can destroy the canopy (leaves). “Without sufficient canopy,” Ortiz explained, “the clusters [of grapes] can be affected, and the vines will not be able to store enough energy reserves to make it through the winter.”

Throughout the Mid-Atlantic, vines must be regularly sprayed with antifungals. This can be an expensive proposition, but it is necessary for both the near-term and long-term health of the vines.

OCTOBER 2017

HURRICANES AND OTHER RAIN EVENTS We need to differentiate between rain during the growing season and rain at the harvest. The timing and quantity of precipitation has different consequences depending on when it occurs during the vineyard year.

Rain is obviously necessary for growing grapes, but too much rain during the growing season can lead to excess vigor. In other words, the canopy will grow too thick, and that requires constant hedging to control the leaves and ensure that the grape clusters have sufficient sun exposure. Ortiz pointed out that this has been a relatively dry year, and he “has only hedged twice, which is two or three times less than previous years.”

Even at the end of the most successful growing season, a hurricane or large rain event can spell disaster. It is too early to know with certainty whether storms will threaten the 2017 vintage, but Ortiz was optimistic. He pointed out that after the warming trend early in the year and a period of cooling in mid-summer, the cumulative effect is “harvest will be five to seven days earlier than last year.”

AS IF THAT’S NOT ENOUGH… Of course frost, humidity and hurricanes are not the only problems that growers must contend with. Young vines are particularly Vineyard | Page 17

Vineyard | From page 16 susceptible to winter freezes.

Extreme cold, like the polar vortex in 2013, can kill even mature vines.

Another challenge includes hail, which can be very local, but can damage or destroy entire blocks of fruit.

Finally, there is also the threat posed by animals, or predation. Deer fences will keep out some predators, but they do not guard against starlings, wild turkeys and migratory birds. Raccoons can also ravage sections of a vineyard, and bears can destroy trellises and other vineyard structures while feasting on the fruit.

DO YOU STILL WANT TO OWN A WINERY? The fact is the Commonwealth is a tricky place to cultivate grapes. Every growing season brings a different combination of trials. As you can see, the challenges of frost, humidity and hurricanes are not the only problems growers face.

We often forget that winemaking is an agricultural pursuit.

Like most farmers, winegrowers and vineyard staff experience many sleepless nights attempting to minimize damage caused by weather events.

Fortunately, over the past 40-plus years, growers like Gonzalo Ortiz have learned how to manage the risk. Furthermore, growers cooperate and share information so that the industry will succeed. As a result, new wineries continue to open, and production levels continue to climb. So don’t give up on your dreams of owning a winery just yet. ML Brian Yost blogs as The Virginia Grape and writes for a number of local, regional and national publications. His articles concentrate on wine trends and wineries in the Eastern United States. Find more of his writing at thevirginiagrape.com.

Page 14: Nearly ready for harvest, grapes are protected from predation by netting (photo by Brian Yost).

Page 16: The vines require periodic hedging to control vigor (photo by Brian Yost). Above: After the buds form, the shoots mature and grow leaves (photo by Brian Yost).

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OCTOBER 2017

MIDDLEBURG FILM FESTIVAL CELEBRATES FIFTH YEAR

By Chelsea Rose Moore

F

or a town without a movie theater, Middleburg has mastered the art of marrying the sophistication and glamor of Hollywood with small town charisma at its fifth annual Middleburg Film Festival. Creating a magical fall weekend, the festival is held October 19-22, 2017, and will screen a mix of Academy-Award contenders, documentaries, foreign language and independent films.

The powerhouse team behind the

festival is led by Susan Koch and Sheila Johnson. Johnson is the founder and board chair of the festival and serves as the CEO of the Salamander Resort, vice chairman of Monumental Sports and Entertainment and president of the Washington Mystics —and is a longtime resident of Middleburg. She has been a

board member of the Sundance Film Festival and has been the executive producer and producer of many films.

“As an avid filmgoer and film producer, I’ve seen over and over the power of films,” Johnson wrote in the festival’s welcome note.

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Festival | Page 20

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Festival | From page 19 “Movies have a rare and magical ability to inspire, to educate, to engage and entertain. They lift us up out of our everyday lives, help us see others’ points of view, and build new bridges of empathy and understanding.”

Executive Director Koch is proud to showcase many films directed by other women and operate a festival committed to showcasing diversity. Koch is no stranger to participating in festivals herself, as she is an EMMY and Peabody award-winning filmmaker.

In past years, the Middleburg Film Festival has welcomed celebrities Emma Stone, Damien Chazelle and Meg Ryan, and 2017 will continue the trend of a strong Hollywood presence. Celebrities this year include Lee Daniels, Dee Rees and Greta Gerwig, whose directorial debut is the much-buzzed about film Lady Bird.

“We celebrate the people who really make the films, those unsung heroes—the composers, the screenwriters,” said Johnson. True to her words, composer Nicholas Britell, the composer of Moonlight and the eagerly anticipated Ocean’s Eight, will be discussing his work, while the Shenandoah Symphony will provide a live accompaniment for screened selections from his films.

The festival will open with a showing of Darkest Hour, a film chronicling Winston Churchill in the early days of World War II. The film stars Ben Mendelsohn as King George VI, and Mendelsohn will be joining the festival.

Popular events at the festival will be Wine & Conversation with a leading filmmaker or actor hosted by Vanity Fair special correspondent Maureen Orth at Boxwood Estate Winery and a farm-to-table dinner with filmmakers at Greenhill Winery & Vineyards.

“I think that’s what makes this film festival so special: It’s about Middleburg. It’s a celebration of the town,” said Johnson. “We have our talks in the wineries, we have farm-to-table dinners. People are tasting wines and going to dinner in town. It’s a wonderful fall feeling.”

New this year is the Middleburg Film Festival app, available for both the iPhone and Android. With logistical details and the schedule of events, the app is a one-stop shop for information about the films, giving users a way to purchase tickets and learn which film screenings have open seats. It even provides out-of-town guests with dining and accommodation options in Middleburg. Users can share photos via the app and receive real-time notifications and updates.

The festival is showing approximately 25 films at The Salamander Resort & Spa, The National Sporting Library & Museum, The Hill School and the Middleburg Community Center. While advance ticket packages are available online, individual tickets to regular screenings are $15, and the student price with a valid ID is $10. This year’s festival will likely see 4,000 guests from the greater Washington, D.C., area, and from all over the country. ML Tickets may be purchased on the festival’s website at middleburgfilm.org, on the mobile app, or at the box office, located at the Middleburg Community Center, beginning Monday, October 16. A shuttle bus will be running Friday-Sunday and making stops at The Hill School, the Middleburg Community Center, Salamander Resort & Spa, Greenhill Winery, and Boxwood Winery.

Top: The sign points the way (photo by Joy Asico). Middle: Actress Emma Stone and Director Damien Chazelle at last year's event (photo

by Joy Asico). Bottom: Festival Founder Sheila Johnson, Actress Emma Stone, Director Damien Chazelle, and Festival Executive Director Susan Koch (photo by Joy Asico).

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OCTOBER 2017

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New carpet on the upper and lower levels. Nanny Suite with full Kitchen and Bath in fully fin walk out basement that also includes a gym with sauna. 1000 bottle wine cellar. Spectacular in-ground pool plus tennis/sport court.

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$1,199,990 42 impeccably maintained acres (17 additional acres with DUR also available for sale at a combined cost of $1,399,990). Custom log and stone home constructed for hand-hewn square logs with exposed timber framing. New roof in 2017. New HVAC in the addition in 2016. Three masonry fireplaces. Three outbuildings; two with electricity including a two-story barn-plan garage and a three bay tractor and tool shed. Whole house generator. Workshop in basement. Potential income and tax break for being a part of the Forest Management Plan. Estimated standing hardwood timber inventory is approximately $45K - $50K.

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PIES, GLORIOUS PIES

By Mollie Bailey

If you’re looking for exceptional treats that come baked in a crust, the Middleburg area has an embarrassment of riches.

W

hen it comes to tasty pies, you’d be hard pressed to find an area in the country with more delicious options. Here in the Piedmont region, southern baking traditions converged with the local food movement and innovative bakers to create a slew of bakeries offering treats for traditionalists and adventurers alike. While food fashions like cupcakes and whoopee pies come and go, pie has been a constant.

“I think pie is the quintessential American dessert,” said Avis Renshaw of Mom’s Apple Pie Company in Leesburg. “And aside from just eating the fruit itself, it may be one of the healthiest desserts you can eat.”

We got the story of a few of the area’s premier pie pâstisseries and the pastry pros behind them.

LITTLE APPLE PASTRY SHOP, INC. Loudoun County natives Kay Pitts and

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Margaret Hawes form the mother-daughter dream team behind the mouth-watering confections at the Little Apple Pastry Shop, Inc., in Aldie. To hear Pitts tell it, baking came out of necessity, first.

“My father always wanted me to go out and rake leaves, and I hated it,” recalled Pitts. “I figured out if I stayed in the house and baked his favorite cookies he’d let me off the hook.”

By the time she was a teenager Pitts, having mastered candy and cookies, started channeling the spirit of her grandmother, the family pie pundit, who died when Pitts was a child. While Pitts joked that the pie gene skipped a generation, her mother, Hawes, has found a niche baking the shop’s savory pies, which include creative concoctions like the chicken dinner pie (stuffing forms the bottom crust, with mixed veggies, chicken, mashed potatoes and homemade gravy).

The duo focuses on special orders these days, especially as wedding pies have become a trendy alternative to traditional cakes, and they hand deliver orders as far as Baltimore and Lexington. They make everything themselves and by hand to ensure the highest quality, so don’t wait till the end of the day then wander in expecting to see your favorite treat.

When she’s not filling special orders, Pitts

OCTOBER 2017

is in the kitchen experimenting with new flavor combinations. Some of them make the menu full-time, like the apple jalapeño pie, dreamt up when Pitts was making jambalaya and had a few leftover peppers, and apple maple bacon.

“I love to put things together and see what happens,” said Pitts. “Of course I don’t have as much time as I’d like, but I have lots of ideas, and I love having this as a creative outlet.”

Don’t Miss: Chocolate chess pie. “People say it tastes like a brownie but fudgier and creamier with a slight crunch on top because it has a little cornmeal in it,” said Pitts. “It’s good with whipped cream or ice cream—but then again, everything is.”

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MOM’S APPLE PIE COMPANY Sure Avis Renshaw may run a thriving bakery with two locations, but her first love is farming, not pies. Back in 1981 Renshaw started loading homemade pies alongside her produce to take to the farmer’s market, and no matter how many she brought the stock Pies | Page 24

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Want to try your hand at making a special treat? Try this recipe, which will be published in their upcoming cookbook, for a Red Truck Bakery favorite. Pro tip: If you’re making your own crust, take it easy on the dough. Don’t overwork it, and don’t stretch it out.

Red Truck Bakery’s Harvest Apple Pie With Cranberries And Walnuts Have two sheets of pie dough made and chilled. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

For filling: 8 cups peeled and sliced apples, approximately 6-8 apples (we prefer a mix of apples, combining sweet and tart and always firm, such as Honeycrisp, Pink Lady, Stayman, Granny Smith and Mutsu) 1 1/4 cups sugar 1 1/2 tsp. freshly grated orange zest 1/2 cup cornstarch 1/4 tsp. cinnamon 1/8 tsp. nutmeg ½ cup walnut pieces Pies | From page 22 would sell out in minutes. Fast-forward 36 years, and she’s managed to keep one foot in the field while she’s making sweet treats at Mom’s Apple Pie Company.

Renshaw’s husband Steven Cox heads up the family’s Lost Corner Farm in Lucketts, where they run a CSA program and grow much of the produce used at the bakery. If Renshaw can’t grow it, she scours her contacts for the best fruit she can find, and she elects not to make, say, blackberry pie, out of season if she can’t find ingredients that are up to her high standards. Her own blackberries are such a hit that Renshaw’s daughter, Petra Paredez, who runs her own acclaimed pie shop in Manhattan called Petee’s Pie Company, treks down during the season to pick her own to take back to New York.

Mom’s pies are made with significantly less sugar than most recipes to allow the taste of the fruit to shine through.

“When we first got started, every recipe we thought had too much sugar; you didn’t taste the fruit,” she said. “I would encourage everyone to cut some of the sugar.

When you’re getting it fruit fresh and it’s already ripe, you don't need to add that much more sweetness.”

Don’t miss: Pumpkin pie. It’s made from multiple varieties of squash, including long neck pumpkins, butternut squash, sugar baby pumpkins and kabocha squash, among others. “When we started I didn’t think it would make a big difference [to use fresh pumpkin], but it really does,” said Renshaw. “Each has a different flavor. As soon as it gets the first day it hits 50 degrees, everyone comes running

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in and wanting pumpkin pie. It’s an almost biological craving.” momsapplepieco.com 220 Loudoun St. SE, Leesburg, VA 703-771-8590 Open Monday to Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.; Saturday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Sunday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

126 A Commerce St., Occoquan, VA 22125 703-497-7437 Open Monday to Friday, 7 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.; Saturday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Sunday 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

RED TRUCK BAKERY A decade ago Brian Noyes quit his job as an art director at Smithsonian magazine to transfer his creativity to the kitchen, and he hasn’t looked back since. After a tough first year, he caught a big break when a New York Times food critic stumbled upon his treats baked in his Orlean farm home. Since then he’s had praise heaped on him from virtually every publication with an interest in food, including Garden & Gun, Esquire, Southern Living, Bon Appetit, O, The Oprah Magazine, Condé Nast Traveler and Saveur among others. Even President Obama is a fan. (He posted a photo of himself eating Noyes’ sweet potato bourbon pecan pie on his official Facebook page.)

Noyes’ pie menu rotates with the seasons, with a few perennial favorites on the permanent menu. During the summer the cherries from his farm fill his cherry pies— Noyes’ favorite—and he sources local fruit for his other creations. Noyes, who studied at Culinar y Institute of America and

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½ cup whole fresh or frozen cranberries 1/4 stick unsalted butter, cut into small pieces 1. Peel, core and slice the apples and place into a large mixing bowl.

2. Grate the orange zest into the sugar and blend (it flavors the sugar and intensifies the orange flavor); let sit for a minute or two. Combine the orange sugar, cornstarch and spices. Add the mix to the apples and combine.

3. Roll out two pie doughs; drape one into a pie pan. Fill with the apple mixture.

4. Over the filling, evenly spread the walnut pieces and the cranberries and mix slightly and carefully into the apples. Scatter the pieces of butter on top. Cover with the second rolled-out dough. Trim and crimp the edges, sealing in the filling.

5. Cut a few slits in the top; brush with egg wash. Place on a sheet pan (preferably with a rack on it) and bake at 325 degrees for one hour (rotating after 30 minutes) until the center is bubbling.

L’Academie de Cuisine, isn’t satisfied with basic creations. His pumpkin pie, rated best in D.C. by Washingtonian, is sweetened with a Pies | Page 25

Pies | From page 24 caramel, with a hint of orange zest.

On baking mornings, Noyes goes to bed at 6 p.m. to jump out of bed at his 2 a.m. alarm, and on days he’s not in the kitchen he’s working on an upcoming cookbook, set to hit bookstores in 2019. In addition to a pair of brick-and-mortar shops in Warrenton and Marshall, Red Truck also has a thriving online ordering business, shipping cakes, granola and muffins all over the place. But pies are a little tougher, though Noyes is experimenting with different packaging techniques for double crust pies.

“I wish UPS would handle our more fragile pies more carefully,” said Noyes. “Right now the only pie we send is our mincemeat pie—we spent a lot of time resurrecting that maligned pie.”

Noyes is passionate about giving back to the community: All unsold bread is donated to local shelters each day, and he regularly doles out gift certificates to local causes.

Don’t miss: Kentucky bourbon pecan pie with chocolate. It’s available year round and one of Red Truck’s best sellers.

Redtruckbakery.com 8366 West Main St., Marshall, VA 540-364-BAKE Open Monday to Friday, 6 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.

22 Waterloo St.,Warrenton, VA 540-347-2224 Still hungry for more? Here’s one more you just have to visit soon!

UPPER CRUST BAKERY The father-and-son team of Jim and Scott Stine have been churning out decadent desserts at this Middleburg staple for decades and have earned a loyal following from locals and tourists thanks to their famous cowpuddle cookies, but if you haven’t tried their pies you’re missing out. Creations that sound as good as they taste (we recommend the all that jazz

and jingleberry pies) impress every time they hit the table.

This reliable bakery is hardly a secret, so be sure to place your holiday orders well in advance, and don’t forget your checkbook—your credit card won’t work here. ML 2 North Pendleton St., Middleburg, VA 540-687-5666 Page 22: Raspberry Pie from the Little Apple Pastry Shop (photo by Mollie Bailey). Page 23: Scott Stine of The Upper Crust displaying one of their amazing pies (photo by Alexa Wolff). Page 24: Jingleberry pie from The Upper Crust (photo by Alexa Wolff).

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PIEDMONT JUMPER CLASSIC Story and Photos by Joanne Maisano

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3 One of the creators of the Piedmont Jumper Classic Shelby Bonnie says: “This is our first year and thanks to the hard work of Jen Hicks. Shows like this are good for the local horse industry and good for the local economy. We hope to build it into a bigger and more important show, but not lose that feel, shows should be enjoyable. Joe Fargis, renowned Olympic rider, has been incredibly helpful and in many ways our inspiration. We all know this is a great area for the horse sport, has great footing and infrastructure and has restaurants, hotels and stores that make staying here a pleasure.” ML

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Photos: 1. Sloane Coles on Whiskey Business. 2. Augustin Rosales winner and Grand Champion of NAYDJP riding Starfighter, owned by Gail Dady and sponsored by Denise DeRisio-Perry. 3. Alexa Lowe Wiseman on Arvid. 4. Sloane Coles winner of the $5000 Welcome Stakes on Whiskey Business.

BREAKING THE ICE BETWEEN LUXURY AND EXPEDITION DEMYSTIFY THE PLANET’S MYSTERIES IN SILVER CLOUD COMFORT After an extensive refurbishment in November 2017, Silver Cloud will be the most luxurious expedition ship in our Expedition fleet. Offering more gilt-edged refinements than you would ever expect on an ice-class ship in Antarctica. Silver Cloud is the adventure of a lifetime in the comfort you deserve.

9 I N T I M AT E S H I P S • 7 C O N T I N E N T S • O V E R 9 0 0 D E S T I N AT I O N S • I N FI N I T E P O S S I B I L I T I E S

CRUISING GOES FROM ORDINARY TO EXTRAORDINARY Enjoy exclusive amenities when you reserve your voyage with Connoisseur Travel. Whether you sail in all-inclusive luxury along the Mediterranean Sea, explore the new and unknown with Silversea Expeditions, or prefer a balance of yacht-like intimacy combined with the diversions of larger ships. We’ll enhance every aspect of your journey. Where will your story begin?

www.ctlvacations.com Washington, DC | Kennett Square, PA | Lynchburg, VA (202) 469.8998 | (855) 469.8998 All renderings are intended as a general reference. Features, materials, finishes and layout may be different than shown.

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By Dulcy B. Hooper

THE HORSE IN ANCIENT GREEK ART

By Dulcy B. Hooper

“T

hat snaffle bit hasn’t changed at

all!” exclaimed one of the guests. “The ornamental cheekpiece might be a little different, but not the snaffle bit.”

The opening reception for The Horse in Ancient Greek Art took place at the National Sporting Library & Museum on September 9, 2017, attended by more than 200 guests sipping champagne and enjoying hors d’oeuvres on the lantern-lit terrace. There were many familiar Middleburg faces as well as numerous guests representing partner organizations from around the country.

Guests left their champagne glasses on tables set up immediately outside the doors to make forays into the museum. The exhibition is spread out over two floors, and the depictions of humans and horses inspired many observations that equestrian lifestyle has not changed much over the last few thousand years, with The Horse in Ancient Greek Art striking many parallels to the horsemanship of today.

The Horse in Ancient Greek Art features Greek vases, sculptures and coins from the 8th through the 4th centuries BCE. Both the exhibit and the accompanying publication explore the significance of the horse in ancient Greek culture, as well as imagery of the

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horse in ancient myth, war, sport and competition.

Black- and red-figure vases depict some of the earliest examples of the horse in Greek art, culture and mythology, beautifully illustrating ancient equestrian life.

Chariot horses, jockeys, grooms tending to steeds—all celebrating ancient sport and competition.

In addition to horses, the exhibition explores chariots and mythical horses such as Pegasus, as well as horse/human hybrids such as centaurs and satyrs.

The Horse in Ancient Greek Art was organized jointly by the National Sporting Library & Museum and the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts. Some of the objects on display are being exhibited for the first time, items drawn from private collections, the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, the Tampa Museum of Art, the Metropolitan Museum of Art and other museum collections.

An accompanying exhibition catalog was published by the National Sporting Library & Museum in partnership with the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts and is being distributed by Yale University Press. The volume was edited by Nicole Stribling, curator of permanent collections at NSLM, and Peter Schertz, Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, who co-curated the exhibition. The catalog is illustrated with more than 80 objects depicting scenes of ancient equestrian life, interspersed with essays written by scholars exploring the significance of horses in myth, art, sport and competition.

The Horse in Ancient Greek Greek | Page 29

Greek | From page 28 Art will be on exhibit at the National Sorting Library & Museum through January 14, 2018. It will then travel to at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts and will be on display from February 17, 2018 to July 8, 2018. Guided tours are available at NSLM, focusing on an exploration of ancient Greek culture, art, mythology, literature and equestrian topics.

For more information, contact Anne Marie Barnes at ABarnes@NationalSporting.org or 540-687-6542 ext. 25. ML Page 28: Attributed to the Workshop of Athens 894, Greek (Attic), Geometric Amphora, 720-700 BCE, Shoulder Grazing deer A & B Procession of seven chariots, terracotta, 26.625 x 13.5, Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, Arthur and Margaret Glasgow Fund. Page 29 (top): Attributed to the Sappho Painter, Greek (Attic), Black-Figure White Ground Lekythos, ca. 510 BCE, Quadriga chariot horses being harnessed, terracotta, 8.75 x 2.375, Private Collection, Virginia (photo by Eryn Gable of Focal Point Creative). Page 29 (middle): Members of the British military forces, Capt. George Walker, Lt. Hector Fair, Capt. Paddy Selfe, and Major Mark Cann. Dubai team members and guests also enjoyed touring the exhibit (photo by Alex Mangione). Page 29 (bottom): Villanovan or Early Etruscan (Italy), Horse bit, ca. 800-700 BCE, bronze, 3 ž x 6 x 5, Sidney and Lois Eskenazi Museum of Art, Indiana University (84.28) (photo courtesy of National Sporting Library & Museum).

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MountMount Gordon Gordon Farm Farm Langhorne Langhorne Farm Farm Red Gate RedFarm Gate Farm Crest Hill CrestFarm Hill Farm The Plains, TheVirginia Plains, Virginia $11,750,000 $11,750,000

Upperville, Upperville, Virginia Virginia $3,990,000 $3,990,000

Aldie, Virginia Aldie, Virginia $3,750,000 $3,750,000

Hume, Virginia Hume, Virginia $3,600,000 $3,600,000

cres and immaculate 128 acres 3andlevel, immaculate 13,000+3sqlevel, ft stone 13,000+ & 266 sq ftacres stone in Piedmont & 266 acres Huntin•Piedmont Panoramic Hunt views • Panoramic of the Blueviews 149ofacres the along Blue the 149historic acres along and scenic the historic byway and between scenicAldie bywayExceptional between Aldie Fauquier Exceptional propertyFauquier along Rappahannock property along•Rappahannock 203 • 203 e main house shingle • 5 BR main • 8house FP • •Exceptional 5 BR • 8 FP finishes • Exceptional on Ridge,finishes Bull Run on and Ridge, Cobbler Bull Run mountains and Cobbler which mountains surround the whichand surround Leesburg the• Open, and Leesburg usable and • Open, rollingusable farmland and•rolling 2 ponds, farmland immaculately • 2 ponds, maintained immaculately acres maintained w/appox 1 mile acresriver w/appox frontage 1 mile river frontage floor • Caterer's every kitchen floor • Caterer's • Elevator kitchen • Spa••Elevator Separate• whole Spa • Separate property •whole Improvements property •include Improvements 4 farmhouses, includean4 farmhouses, windmill, lotsanof road windmill, frontage lots•of5/6 road BRfrontage Victorian • 5/6 farmhouse BR Victorian • Elegant farmhouse stone &•clapboard Elegant stone house&•clapboard 5 BR, 4 full house 3 half • 5baths BR, 4 full 3 half baths • Pondsbuildings • Pondswater cottage • Pool guest • Farm cottage manager • Poolresidence • Farm manager • 3 additional residenceiconic • 3 additional red dairy barn iconic andred many dairyagricultural barn and many buildings agricultural plus converted plustower converted • Charming water tower setting, • Charming large porches, setting, • large Gourmet porches, kitchen • Gourmet • Spacious kitchen family•room Spacious • Gunnite family pool room • Gunnite pool and •traditional andwalls traditional • Thisstone working wallsfarm • This is protected workingby farmbeautiful is protected by beautiful houses •tenant 12 stall houses center-aisle • 12 stall stablecenter-aisle • Pond •stable Pond •stone specimen trees andspecimen large garden treesside andpool large•garden First time side pool w/stunning • First time unobstructed w/stunning views unobstructed of Blue Ridgeviews Mtnsof •Blue Situated Ridge Mtns • Situated a Virginiabeyond Outdoors a Virginia Foundation Outdoors conservation Foundation easement conservation which easement which rdinary landExtraordinary w/incomparable land views w/incomparable extending beyond views extending offering in 50+ offering years • inCurrently 50+ years in Land • Currently Use - not in Land in amongst Use - protected not in amongst properties protected in Old Dominion properties in Hunt Old•Dominion 5 stall Hunt • 5 stall ue Ridge Mts the• Blue Orange Ridge County Mts •Hunt Orange County Hunt allows 2 parcels allows 2 parcels Conservation Easement Conservation Easement barn • VOF easement barn • VOF residence easement set back • residence 1/2 mile from set back road1/2 mile from road n MacMahon Helen MacMahon (540) 454-1930 (540) Paul 454-1930 MacMahon Paul MacMahon (703) 609-1905 (703)Paul 609-1905 MacMahon Paul MacMahon (703) 609-1905 (703) Alix 609-1905 Coolidge Alix Coolidge (703) 625-1724 (703) 625-1724 Helen MacMahon Helen MacMahon(540) 454-1930 (540) 454-1930

Mayapple Mayapple Farm FarmRollingRolling Belvedere Meadows Meadows Merry Merry Chase Chase Farm Farm Belvedere Middleburg, Middleburg, Virginia Virginia $3,400,000 $3,400,000

Purcellville, Purcellville, Virginia Virginia $2,950,000 $2,950,000

Marshall,Marshall, Virginia Virginia $2,800,000 $2,800,000

Middleburg, Middleburg, Virginia Virginia $2,195,000 $2,195,000

ple Farm", Mayapple purist delight Farm", • Original purist delight portion• of Original house portion of house home with Gracious 5 BRshome • Gourmet with 5kitchen BRs • Gourmet • Two-story kitchen • Two-story Stunning 267 acres Stunning between 267Middleburg acres between & Purcellville Middleburg• & Prime Purcellville Atoka•RoadPrime location Atoka • 155.08 Road location rolling &•mostly 155.08useable rolling &Gracious mostly useable n 1790 in Preston built inCity, 1790CT in •Preston HouseCity, was dismantled CT • Houseand was dismantled and - some floor-to-ceiling floor-to-ceiling display of window the Bluedisplay Ridge Mountains of the Blue •Ridge Mountains • Rolling terrain Rolling open terrain some- wooded some open • Lovely some wooded building• Lovely acres •building Beautiful setting, acres • Beautiful tree lined setting, drive • tree Mainlined house drive circa • Main house circawindow at current site rebuilt • Detail at current of work siteis•museum Detail ofquality work is•museum Log sites quality Log sites FPs, coffered ceilings, 3 FPs, random coffered width ceilings, rustic random cherry width floorsrustic • cherry floors • with•mountain views with&mountain large spring views fed&pond large• spring Miles of fed pond 1837• •Miles 4 bedrooms, of 18374 •baths, 4 bedrooms, 4 fireplaces 4 baths, • Improvements 4 fireplaces • 3Improvements moved to sitewing frommoved western to Virginia site fromcirca western 1830Virginia • 4 BR,circa 4 1830 BR, 4 trails home office,Large gym, home rec room, office, multiple gym, rec porches room,and multiple patiosporches and patios outdoor ridingand Large trails ••4Complete privacy • Complete with extensive privacy frontage with extensive on Beaverfrontage include on Beaver 4 tenant houses, include 34 barns, tenantindoor houses,and 3 barns, indoor outdoor riding A, 2 half BA, full9 BA, FP &2 detached half BA, 92-car FP &garage detached • Historic 2-car garage Historic • Three finished stories, • Threeapprox. finished 10,000 stories, sf. approx.

• Carriage 10,000 house sf. •• Carriage house • arenas once • arenas Dam•Creek • Very Dam unique Creekoffering • Very- can unique be divided offering once - can•be divided bank barn and stonelogbank shedbarn moved and from log shed Leesburg, movedVA. from• Leesburg, VA. fish, • swim, Garage • PrivatelyGarage situated • Privately on 27 acres situated on 27 acres Come hunt, Comeride hunt, and fish, enjoy swim, theride outdoors and enjoy the outdoors Paul MacMahon Paul MacMahon (703) 609-1905 (703) 609-1905 e, minutes from Private, townminutes • Frontage from on town Goose • Frontage Creek. on Goose Creek.MacMahon Helen MacMahon Helen MacMahon(540) 454-1930 (540) 454-1930 Helen Helen MacMahon(540) 454-1930 (540) 454-1930 MacMahon Paul MacMahon (703)609-1905 (703)609-1905 Margaret Carroll Margaret Carroll (540) 454-0650 (540) 454-0650

The Hague-Hough The Hague-Hough House House Monroe Monroe ValleyValley Place Place Old Gate OldHouse Gate House Old Fox Old Den FoxFarm Den Farm The Plains, TheVirginia Plains, Virginia $1,900,000 $1,900,000

Aldie, Virginia Aldie, Virginia $1,899,000 $1,899,000

Waterford, Waterford, Virginia Virginia $1,395,000 $1,395,000

KildareKildare

Firethorn Firethorn Lane Lane

Middleburg, Middleburg, Virginia Virginia $1,175,000 $1,175,000

setting historic top setting village inof historic Waterford village • Circa of Waterford 1745 Charming • Circa antique 1745 Charming Beaumont ModelBeaumont Home, prime Model lot Home, in Creighton prime Farms lot in Creighton • 3 Hill top Farms • 3 inHill brick and antique stucco farmhouse brick and stucco • Circafarmhouse 1820 • • Circa 1820 • ored 3 bedroom Restored 1830's3farmhouse bedroom 1830's on 65 acres farmhouse • Multiple on 65 acres • Multiple • 6onBR, 5 BA & 7•FP • Expanded and stone brickon and17.20 stoneacres home 17.20 acres 6 BR, 5 BA & 7 FP • Expanded level brickpond, home •level Amazing brick home quality• & Amazing detailedquality finishes&•detailed 5 brickfinishes • 5 home to appox 4,000 sfto• appox Well maintained 4,000 sf • Well 4 BR maintained home 4 BR home hes & fireplaces, porches lots of&charm fireplaces, • Lovely lots ofpool, charm shared • Lovely pond,pool, shared Beautiful woodwork throughout • Highthroughout ceilings • •Meticulous woodwork High ceilings • Meticulous family room • 4 full bedrooms + 1/2 bath••4 4full fireplaces + 1/2 bath • Master • 4 fireplaces suite on • Master suite on Beautiful w/recent additionw/recent includingaddition master suite including & large master suite & large family room ll barn, workshop 4 stall•barn, Expansive workshop mountain • Expansive views, mountain rolling bedrooms views, rolling barn w/apartment • w/apartment renovation •include Improvements include barn • Wood floors• ••5 Wood FP • Whole Lovely main level • Gourmet main level kitchen • Gourmet with Wolf kitchen appliances with Wolf & renovation appliances •&Improvements floors •house 5 FP generator • Whole •house generator • Lovely pasture & fully openfenced pasture elevated & fullyland fenced • Gorgeous elevated setting land • Gorgeous setting space for Garage 6 vehicles • In-ground pool••In-ground Large poolpoolwalled space for 6 vehicles • Large pool •walled gardens Sought-after • Private setting• Private setting cabinets High ceilings, cabinets oak • High floors, ceilings, award oak winning floors, Garage award winning gardens location • Sought-after location e protected valley Middleburg and The Plains • andshaker in thebetween protected valley between Middleburg The Plains • •shaker house Stone•outbuildings • Lovely gardens • Lovely gardens nestled among large house • Stone outbuildings protected to Middleburg onto Middleburg on room,the elevator media • Attached room, elevator garage••Attached Rear brick garage patio••Rear brick• patio nestled amongfarms largeclose protected farms close ervation easement permits easement 2 more homes to complete the tomedia Conservation permits 2 more homes complete hard-to-find smallhard-to-find acreage-justsmall underacreage-just 2 acres • OLREA Golf course views Golf course views under 2 acres • OLREA pound compound Paul MacMahon Paul MacMahon (703) 609-1905 (703) 609-1905 MacMahon Paul MacMahon (703) 609-1905 (703) 609-1905 Alix Coolidge Alix Coolidge (703) 625-1724 (703) 625-1724 en MacMahon Helen MacMahon(540) 454-1930 (540)Paul 454-1930

Cobbler Cobbler SpringsSprings Marshall,Marshall, Virginia Virginia $869,000$869,000

Middleburg, Middleburg, Virginia Virginia $799,000$799,000

The Plains, TheVirginia Plains, Virginia $795,000$795,000

WillowWillow Hill Hill

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private setting, Veryminutes private from setting, Rt.minutes 66 • Hilltop from Rt. setting 66 • Private Hilltop6+ setting Handsome located inhouse a sought-after located inarea a sought-after between 77.77 area acres between acres in Private a lovely 6+setting acres injust a lovely 3 milessetting from town just 3ofmiles from townhouse of Handsome recorded 77.77 in 3acres tracts recorded • Improved in 3 tracts by log•cabin Improved and 2by log cabin and 2 mountain views withand mountain shared views frontage andonshared 5+ acre frontage lake •on Middleburg 5+ acre lake• Stucco • Middleburg and Middleburg The Plains and • Main The Plains residence • Main recentlyresidence home with • Stucco 5 bedrooms home•with Traditional 5 bedrooms yet •Middleburg Traditional yet sheds •recently Very private, shedsmostly • Verywooded private,with mostly frontage wooded on Goose with frontage on Goose nial built in 1988, Colonial redone builtinin2016 1988,• redone 5 bedrooms in 2016 • 5•1/2 5 bedrooms • 5plan 1/2 • open renovated • Largerenovated master suite • Large and two master additional suite andgenerous two additional open floor Hardwood floor plan floors• •Hardwood Wood burning floors fireplace • Wood burning fireplace Creek generous • Historic Creek site of •remains Historicofsite Cobbler of remains Mountain of Cobbler Hunt Mountain Hunt deck,• front • 2 fireplaces baths • 2-car • 2 fireplaces garage • •large 2-carrear garage large rear deck,porch, front rear sizedgarage bedrooms, sizedwith bedrooms, their own each fullwith baththeir • Large owngourmet full bath •Club Largeoctagonal gourmet horse • 2 bay and each • Front • Front deck, porch, patio &rear pool deck, • 2patio bay garage & pooland Clubbarn octagonal • Potential horse for barnsubdivision • Potentialorfor taxsubdivision or tax h & gardens porch • 6,000 of living space sf onof12.03 & sfgardens • 6,000 livingacres space• onmain 12.03 acres • main kitchen Lovelykitchen living and • Lovely diningliving roomsand • Wrap diningaround rooms •credits Wrap•around master suite Verymature prettytrees lot with mature• trees level master suitelevel • Very pretty lot •with Huntingcredits preserve • Hunting preserve er suite on Master the main Dominion suitelevel. on theOldmain level. Hunt Old Dominion Hunt porches with western porches viewswith fromwestern the elevated views from site •the Charming elevated site • Charming and old stone wallsand old stone walls Paul MacMahon Paul MacMahon (703) 609-1905 (703) 609-1905 tory.

Territory. guest house • Beautiful guest house gardens • Beautiful and stonework gardens and stonework Helen MacMahon Helen MacMahon(540) 454-1930 (540) 454-1930 l MacMahon Paul MacMahon (703) 609-1905 (703) 609-1905 Alix Coolidge Alix Coolidge (703) 625-1724 (703) 625-1724 Helen MacMahon Helen MacMahon(540) 454-1930 (540) 454-1930

info@sheridanmacmahon.com info@sheridanmacmahon.com www.sheridanmacmahon.com www.sheridanmacmahon.com

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110 East Washington 110 East Washington Street • P.O. Street Box• P.O. Box 1380 Middleburg, 1380 Middleburg, Virginia 20118 Virginia 20118 (540) 687-5588 (540) 687-5588

PET OF THE MONTH Meet Zoey 11-year-old Australian Shepherd mix (with Sheltie/Collie markings) Hello! My name is Zoey and I am a beautiful 11-year-old mix. I love to be pampered with petting from friends. If you give me a treat, I'll give you my paw in return to say thanks.

I came from a shelter in West Virginia, but I wasn't able to tell my story to MHF. I can say I love to be engaged with humans. When I want your attention, I'll place my head on your lap or bark because I have something to say to you. I like to keep my eye on you and make sure everyone is okay. I personally wouldn't call myself special needs, but I do have an inoperable hernia. The only remedy is short walks and long snuggles with you!

Just because I need to take it easy doesn't mean I don't have spunk. I'm happy to have a conversation with you.

Needs a little extra care because of inoperable hernia. ML

Article courtesy of Melanie Burch, Director of Development. For more information, call 540-3643272 or visit middleburghumane.org.

Middleburg Humane Foundation operates a

private, 4.5-acre farm shelter located in Marshall, Virginia. It is their goal to provide a haven for abused, neglected and at-risk animals, both large and small. Photo courtesy of Chris Weber Studios.

TRUNK SHOW

Sunday, October 15th in Middleburg MYSTIQUE JEWELERS MIDDLEBURG 112 W Washington Street | Middleburg ,VA| 540.687.3100 Contact us: mystique@mystiquejewelers.com • www.MystiqueJewelers.com OCTOBER 2017

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NATIONAL SPORTING LIBRARY & MUSEUM’S

7

TH

ANNUAL POLO CLASSIC

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An enthusiastic crowd of art and polo fans turned out to celebrate the National Sporting Library & Museum’s 7th Annual Polo Classic weekend of events that culminated on Sunday, September 10th as four competitive polo teams assembled on the beautiful fields at Great Meadow for sport and the support of NSLM’s programs.

Participating in the weekend were the British Forces Foundation Team, Team Dubai, Team Greenhill Winery & Vineyards and Team Beverly Equestrian/Cria Yatay, the Mounted Army Color Guard from the Caisson Platoon of the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard), the St. Andrew’s Society of Pipes & Drums, the Parade of Orange County Hounds, and the many volunteers, patrons and staff that make this one of the most highly anticipated events of the year.

Earlier in the week, an Art & Wine reception was held in honor of Greg Montgomery, artist once again for this year’s Polo Classic poster that was commissioned on behalf of the Photos: 1. After a hard fought battle and great fun, Team Greenhill Winery & Vineyards celebrates its win over Beverly Equestrian in the Mars Cup Match. 2. The Orange County Hounds take the field with the majestic bagpipes nearby. 3. Nacho executes an amazing near-side back shot! 4. Team British Forces Foundation and Team Dubai take the field in the Founders Cup Match before the cheering crowds. (All photos on this page by Tony Gibson)

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2 NSLM by TTR Sotheby’s International Realty. Saturday the 9th marked the official opening of NSLM’s newest exhibition, The Horse in Ancient Greek Art, and many of the team members took advantage of the opportunity to have a private tour of the exhibition on Saturday afternoon.

As the players and supporters of NSLM gathered over the course of a few days, the anticipation grew for the pomp and circumstance to follow. The gorgeous white tents capped with their red pennants under fair skies presented the perfect backdrop to the smartly dressed gents and ladies gathered at Great Meadow.

In the true spirit of sportsmanship, the

teams took the field, with the British Forces Foundation Team defeating Team Dubai in the Founders Cup Match, and Team Greenhill Winery & Vineyards edging out Team Beverly Equestrian/Cria Yatay in the Mars Cup finale. It was clear that it was all in good fun and a true celebration of time-honored traditions, camaraderie and mutual commitment to preserving the history and role of the sporting life throughout the ages.

We hope you enjoy these images captured throughout the weekend, and that you will reserve your place on next year’s calendar to come out and be a part of this grand event! ML POLO CLASSIC | Page 34

Photos: 1. Nacho Figueras and John Gobin relish the first class competition (photo by Tony Gibson).

2. David Tafuri, International Lawyer, Fox News contributor, and accomplished polo player enjoys the day with model and girlfriend Anastasia Vakula (photo by Tony Gibson). 3. Bill Newman and Sheila Johnson (photo by Julie Napear Photography). 4. Brett and Laura Rees (photo by Julie Napear Photography). 5. Catherine and Cathy Brentzel (photo by Julie Napear Photography).

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POLO CLASSIC (Continued from page 33)

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Photos: 1. Gary Maresco, Joel Kobert, David Lawrence, and Craig Dufresne (photo by Julie Napear Photography). 2. Constance Chatfield-Taylor, Jimmy Hatcher, and Jacqueline Ohrstrom (photo by Julie Napear Photography). 3. Greg Montgomery with Dubai Team polo players Raja Abuljebain, Petra de Spanko, Steve Thompson and Tariq Sheikh (photo by Eryn Gable of Focal Point Creative). 4. Mary Margaret Scharf, Glenn Epstein and Andrea Ross (photo by Julie Napear Photography). 5. Greg Montgomery with British Military Team polo players Hector Fair, Paddy Selfe, Greg Montgomery, Mark Cann and George Walker (photo by Eryn Gable of Focal Point Creative). 6. Joe Ruzzo, Elizabeth Lowham-Ruzzo and Mark Lowham (photo by Julie Napear Photography).

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JUST LISTED-COUNTRY CHARMER ON TRAPPE RD. UPPERVILLE, VA

Farm & Equine Insurance Specialists Since 1921 "Calvary Hill", a rare find nestled beside a stream and tucked amidst the grand estates of Lazy Lane Farms, Ayrshire and LLangollen, this 19th century farmhouse is a small jewel resplendent in its own qualities. Freshly renovated and ready for you to enjoy sweeping views of the Blue Ridge Mountains, lovely gardens and the pool. Location, location, location..1/2 mile from Rt. 50 on the paved portion of Trappe Rd. This property and surrounding area are steeped in Civil War history.

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JOYCE GATES

540-771-7544 joyce.gates@LNF.com Middleburg Sales Office

High-value Dwellings Multi-state Exposures

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703-729-5553 Lansdowne OCTOBER 2017

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John Coles s s “ Specializing in large land Holdings”

oakendale

pottS Mill land

Oakendale Farm is the epitome of an exquisite Virginia hunt country estate in prime Orange County Hunt territory. From the William Lawrence Bottomley designed Manor house to the meticulously manicured gardens, grounds, dependencies and the hundreds of acres of surrounding pastures with protected view-sheds.

333 acres @ $8,990,000 or 837 acres @ $17,990,000

Within 5 miles of Middleburg, 316.85 acres of very private beautiful open rolling fields with frontage on Little River and views in all directions. Mature hardwood forest, Orange County Hunt Territory with great ride out. Open Space Easement. $5,756,500

MeadoWgRoVe

black Rock

RallYWood

World class equestrian facility comprised of 115 Acres in the OCH Territory. The U shaped complex encompasses an 80’ x 180’ lighted indoor riding arena connected by a breezeway to the 12 stall center-aisle barn and extraordinary living and entertaining quarters overlooking the outdoor ring. Additional structures include tenant houses and large heated equipment barn. $4,750,000

deStinaiRe faRM

Breathtaking mountain views and glistening spring fed 10 acre lake, create a magical setting for this stunning historic estate. Encompassing over 180 gorgeous acres features include a stone and stucco 16 room residence with an ultra modern gourmet kitchen, new tiled baths and separate 2 bedroom guest wing. The 10 stall stable & new tennis court complete this fabulous estate. $2,995,000

Great elevation, fantastic views, open land, woodlands and river frontage on the Rappahannock River. 726.66 acres in 14 parcels, all of which are 50 acres or larger.

Accessed from Hume Road and from Black Rock Ford. Mixed game for hunting. Great opportunity for tax credits. $2,979,306

noRWood

Impeccably maintained, this is an exquisite 118 acre horse farm with ten fields and paddocks of 4 board fencing, gently rolling land and panoramic views of the Blue Ridge Mountains with glimpses of Skyline Drive. In addition to the stucco and stone main residence, there are guest and tenant homes, numerous barns and run-ins to house 25 horses comfortably, and an indoor dressage ring. $2,750,000

leitH lane

10 S. MadiSon St.

25+Acre Horse Property in 2 Parcels. Lovely & light filled 2 level home, perfect for 1 level living.Renovated 8 years ago. Kitchen opens to the family room & breakfast room.

Main level master bedroom suite w/sitting room & stunning new bath. Stone terraces lead to the beautiful gardens & heated pool. 9 stall barn, riding ring, 6 paddocks, 2 br. tenant house. Tremendous ride out potential! $1,450,000

Handsome Building ~ 25 Yr Established Business~Turn-Key & Inventory in the center of Historic Middleburg. Stunning upscale home items, crystal, unique gifts, cards, custom stationery, gourmet chocolates and much more. Approx. ½ of inventory is offsite and included in sale. $1,400,000 Rebecca Poston (540) 771-7520

WHiteHall

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The 176 Acre Estate of Norwood is approx. 1 mile east of Berryville. An allee of mature Maple trees line the long driveway of the manor house, c. 1819, listed in the National Register as, “One of Clarke County’s most elegant, intact examples of the Federal style of architecture.” The brick home offers 11’ ceiling height, original flooring, moldings, gracious entertaining rooms, 3 bedrooms and 3+ baths. $1,700,000

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The lovely 22.8 Acre Ridgeview Farm offers a private, 4 bedroom residence sited on a knoll, with spacious rooms and views into the trees that border Little River. Located in prime Orange County Hunt territory the horse facilities include a 6 stall barn with tack room and wash stall, machine shed, run in shed and 4 beautiful board fenced paddocks, fields and round pen. VOF Easement. $1,095,000

The stately mansion is sited on 8½ acres within the town limits of The Plains, VA. The size of the home and its room sizes lends itself beautifully for hosting large events. The foyer measures 48’ x 11’. The zoning allows for potential division rights or potential tax credits. Convenient to Exit 31 of I-66. $1,050,000

BEARS DEN - 151.61 acres in 3 parcels.

(50.49, 50.48 and 50.64) Can be sold individually as well (50+ acre parcels) One largely wooded parcel, other two parcels share a pond and have wonderful views. Great location off of Leeds Manor Rd. and only minutes from Warrenton. $353,000 & $454,000

www.thomas-talbot.com Offers subject to errors, omissions, change of price or withdrawal without notice. Information contained herein is deemed reliable, but is not so warranted nor is it otherwise guaranteed.

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( 5 4 0 ) 27 0 - 0 0 9 4 WaVeRlY faRM

gReen gaRden

landMaRk

Middleburg~A graceful & charming 5 bedroom French Country home is set amongst nearly 40 serene acres enhanced by majestic trees, rolling lawns and fenced paddocks. This wonderful horse property also includes a 7 stall center-aisle barn with office, additional 4 stall barn with apartment, indoor arena, and tremendous ride out potential. Located in the OCH Territory. $3,200,000

c.1823, with a stunning tree lined entrance, offers one of the grand manor homes in the famed horse country of Upperville. Recently renovated, the home offers wonderful indoor and outdoor living areas. Porches, gardens, barns, paddocks, riding arena, pond, pool and magnificent views from the Bull Run to Blue Ridge Mountains. $3,200,000

Stone posts and walls mark the entrance to the 133 acre country estate of Landmark. As the driveway gently rises, curves and then circles in front of the handsome twostory stone manor house, one notices that the home is sited perfectly to enjoy the expansive mountain views from the Bull Run to the Blue Ridge. The setting for this four bedroom, four bath residence is further heightened by the massive boxwoods and the stately trees. $3,150,000

MountVille land

StoneHaVen

deeR cReek

145+ acres of land in sought after location on Mountville Road near Foxcroft School. Several home sites with wonderful views and vistas yet extremely private, half wooded and half pasture with over 2,000’ of Goose Creek frontage. Minutes from Middleburg with easy access to Dulles International Airport and Washington DC. Middleburg Hunt Territory. $2,465,250

A picturesque and tranquil retreat nestled on 158+ acres in pristine Rappahannock County. At the end of the private drive is the historic Stone residence, c. 1745 with additional stone cottage for guests or office and tucked into the woods, beyond the home, is a charming and beautifully restored 2 bedroom log cabin. Gardens, lawn, barns, paddocks and tremendous ride out potential provide an outdoor haven. $1,845,000

Absolutely exquisite 4 Bedroom, 4 Bath Colonial on 25 acres offering privacy & seclusion in a picture booksetting. The 3 level main residence includes 4 fireplaces, pine floors, Living Room, Dining Room, Family Room, study & a fabulous gourmet kitchen, all in pristine condition.The manicured grounds incl. a charming 2 Bedroom Guest house, free form pool, great 4 stall barn, 5 paddocks, large equipmentbuilding, blue stone arena. $1,795,000

gReen Mountain Rd.

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Beautiful rolling land with excellent views of the Blue Ridge just outside of Upperville. 93+ Acres in a great location. This is a portion of Tax ID#:656382092000 and is subject to Loudoun County approval. $1,397,173

Lovely 2 story Brick Colonial on Landmark Road.

3 Bedroom, 2.5 Baths on 13 acres. 2 car garage and fenced for horses. Great ride-out. Orange County Hunt terrirory. $1,150,000

MARSHALL ~ Commercial Land: Great opportunity to purchase property in the town of Marshall. Zoned C-1, over 1.6 acres of land. Great location next to Oak View Bank, minutes from I-66 and seconds from Route 17. $1,000,000

land

tail Race faRM

RokebY Road

POTTS MILL ROAD - with frontage on Little River, Open Space Easement, rolling fields with mature hardwood forest, Orange County Hunt Territory, great ride out, very private, within 5 miles of the village of Middleburg. 3600 views.

316.85 acres $5,800,000 179.1 acres $3,222,000 137.74 acres $2,534,500

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Barrington Hall (540) 454-6601

Aldie~Wonderful horse property. Fully fenced with tremendous ride out potential in Middleburg Hunt Territory. Three level, 4 bedroom, 3 bath home perfect for extended family.Verizon FIOS, Greenhouse and Pool. 4 stall & 2 stall shed row barns, paddocks, frost-free automatic waterers, 2 run-in sheds, 80' x 140' riding ring. $748,000 Rebecca Poston (540) 771-7520

ROKEBY ROAD ~ Upperville 1.84 acre parcel with 3 Bedroom septic Certificate on hand. Mostly wooded with fantastic views to the east! Great opportunity to own in a prime location! $299,999 Barrington Hall (540) 454-6601

ThoMAs AnD TAlBoT ReAl esTATe (540) 687-6500

Middleburg, Virginia 20118

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Blood Will Tell Bird Dog Paintings by J.M. Tracy

AN EXHIB ITION R E D F OX F I N E A RT 2 E A ST WA SH I N GTO N ST R E E T · M I D D L E BURG, VA 20117 OCTOBER 2 – DECEMBER 1, 2017 above: John Martin Tracy (American, 1844 - 1893) Reproof (detail), oil on canvas, 16 x 24 inches

Contact Turner Reuter 38

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703.851.5160

OCTOBER 2017

tr@redfoxfineart.com

www.redfoxfineart.com

THEN & THERE

HUNTING HINTS FOR NOVICES Story and photos by Richard Hooper

I

have sat in a saddle—yes, even when it was attached to a horse and the horse was moving forward at a variety of admittedly uncontrollable speeds, gaits, if you insist. This has occurred on enough occasions for my accumulated distance to be measured in miles.

It would, however, be a travesty or a comedy

if I were to call this riding. My rhythm while posting, more often than not, was sorely counter to that of the horse. Any harmonious progression would have been mere luck.

I could only guess as to what leg the horse might be leading with.

Given the nature of my equestrian abilities, I have never attempted to follow hounds on horseback and, therefore, have

not been in need of becoming fully educated in the matters of etiquette and turnout. Those who have grown up in hunting families have observed the formalities and were no doubt tutored along the way. Yet there are others who have plunged in more precipitously, hopefully having observed some meets

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Hunting | Page 40

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Hunting | From page 39 and having received advice from friends with hunting experience.

It appears, however, that for many generations there have been those not properly schooled. In the preface to “Practical Hints for Hunting Novices” by Charles Richardson (London: 1906) the author writes that, “…because of the increased difficulties which Masters of Hounds and Field Masters have lately found with regard to the management of their fields. And as much of the want of discipline which is seen from day to day is the outcome of ignorance on the part of the offenders, and is by no means intentional, it appeared likely that a few practical hints as to behaviour would be of assistance to those hunting people who had not been in the way of securing what may be called a hunting education.”

Nothing can take the place of experience, but a leg-up can be obtained from “Foxhunting Formalities,” by J. Stanley Reeve, published in book form by the Derrydale Press in 1930, after appearing in The Sportsman.

There was another self-help work, “Hunting Hints for the Novice” by an M.F.H., that appeared in 1927, published by the clothiers, Brooks Brothers. Helping to guide one to proper attire for foxhunting and beagling, with an extensive list of priced items, it offered little else.

Turnout is important. Along with riding ability and knowledge of etiquette it forms a core of competence. But if a component is

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lacking how does one compensate?

Henry Alken, artist of Regency and early Victorian sport and commentator on human foibles, took a look at this condition in his work “How to Qualify for a Meltonian,” published in 1819. His advice was, basically, to fake it, and with six deceptively beautiful, hand-colored plates and a bit of text, he tells his readers how to do so—and the adversity that can occur if one does.

The town of Melton Mowbray nestles in Leicestershire, England’s fabled foxhunting

OCTOBER 2017

country. To be a Meltonian would have indicated one was among the crême de la crême of hunting personages.

As Alken explains in a preface to the plates, “My motive is, to give some little instruction for the qualification of a Meltonian, and at the same time to warn all aspiring persons of the difficulty they have to encounter even in the endeavor at perfection in this extreme of Sporting excellence. The next best Hunting | Page 41

Hunting | From page 40 thing to being a man of high consideration, is to be taken for one: to be thought in any way like a Meltonian is honour quantum suf. (of sufficient amount) for ninety-nine in a hundred.”

The explanations to the plates provide some rather specious advice. In “How To Go To Cover,” Alken explains that this should never be done at less than 16 miles an hour.

In “How To Ride Down Hill,” we are told to, “Be sure to ride down hill at top speed.

However steep it may be, you must not exhibit the most distant sign of fear.... Even here let your seat be easy and elegant.” Throughout Alken’s text to the plates, he tells the reader that if his advice is followed, “you may be taken for a real M.” The humor in Alken’s first five plates sets the reader up for a sobering tone in the final plate. The image shows a horse and rider going over a fence just before trampling a fallen rider on the other side. The plate is “How To Take The Lead,” and Alken says of it:

Very few sporting men arrive at this elevated position. If, by being well laid in, you have the opportunity of taking the lead, do it all risks. You must have no more fellow-feeling in fox-hunting, than you have in your political career. Ride straight to your point. Should you be called upon to make your appearance before a coroner’s jury, you may calculate on the pleasure you will afterwards receive, by the side of every cover where you are known, to hear, in an under tone, such observations as, That is one of the most desperate riders in the world, &c.; and you will have the satisfaction of knowing it to be true. Do something like all this, and you may at last be taken for a real M. Should one be seeking information on hunting turnout and etiquette it can be found at horsecountrylife.com/catalog/ turnout.html provided by Horse Country in Warrenton. ML Page 39 (top): How to Go to Cover from How to Qualify for a Meltonian by Henry Alken, 1819 (courtesy of the National Sporting Library & Museum). Page 39 (bottom): How to take the Lead from How to Qualify for a Meltonian by Henry Alken, 1819 (courtesy of the National Sporting Library & Museum). Page 40: Dressing for the Hunt and a portion of the Price List from Hunting Hints for Novices. Page 41 (left): The cover of Hunting Hints for Novices, published by Brooks Brothers in 1927. Page 41 (right): Departing for the Hunt from Hunting Hints for the Novice.

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Please call us today to schedule an at home appointment to discuss auction consignment

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PRINTS

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S TA M P S

MIDD LIFE AD - Oct. Issue 2017_Layout 1 9/25/17 1:29 PM Page 1

e Please join Friends of the Blue Ridge Mountains to celebrate their 10th Anniversary with a concert and reception f e at ur i ng

Furnace Mountain Band October 29, 2017 4:00 - 6:30 PM

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Sounds of the Blue Ridge

There’s Something New at Goodstone.

Experience the finest in gourmet farm-to-table dining at our new Conservatory Restaurant. Plan a getaway to Virginia’s wine and hunt country and visit our breathtaking 265-acre estate with 18 elegant guest rooms in six guest residences. It’s always the good life at Goodstone.

UPCOMING EVENTS: Sunday, October 15th: Pints for Paws Thursday, October 19th: Snacks and Spirits: A Hunt Country Happy Hour Saturday, October 28th: Foxx Manor: A Party To Die For Please visit Eventbrite to purchase tickets, or call Olivia Hilton, Leisure Events Coordinator at 540-687-3094 for more information.

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36441 Blueridge View Lane, Purcellville, Virginia 20132 For ticket information and sponsorship opportunities:

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W W W. G O O D S T O N E . C O M OCTOBER 2017

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Falling for Native Plants

By Celia Vuocolo, habitat & stewardship specialist for The Piedmont Environmental Council

A

utumn is a time of activity – apple picking, back-to-school and trick or treating. Life is also bustling for our native plants and wildlife.

Birds and monarchs migrate, bees and butterflies throw off their last bit of energy and mammals bulk up for a long winter ahead. Our gardens are also putting on their last show of the year, and there are a number of native plants that can help your garden go out with a bang while providing a lifeline for our local wildlife.

Native plants are good for soil, wildlife and water conservation. As they have evolved with our local ecosystems, native plants take more readily to sites they are evolutionarily linked to, even where other traditional garden plants won’t grow. Providing native plants in the fall is crucial for migrating birds and late season pollinators.

A healthy backyard habitat garden will include plants that bloom from early spring through fall and have native fruiting shrubs and trees. Here are a few examples of some fabulous fall plants to consider for your garden: SYMPHYOTRICHUM OBLONGIFOLIUM, AROMATIC ASTER

Aromatic aster is arguably one of the most striking native fall perennials. Its vibrant purple flowers attract a variety of bees, butterflies and other insects. During mild autumns, it can bloom up until Thanksgiving!

It is a great plant to have for late migrating monarch butterflies, and it pairs well with little bluestem and goldenrod. Full sun and average-dry soils are best for the aromatic aster. It grows to 2-3 feet high and wide and behaves like a small shrub. Skip the mums this year and plant an aster instead!

VIBURNUM DENTATUM, ARROW-WOOD VIBURNUM While not a fall-blooming plant, arrow-wood provides another important ervice: high-fat fruits for migrating songbirds! If you’re looking to plant a shrub to attract birds, this is one of the best. Dark purple berries appear in early fall, it grows to 6’-10’ high and wide, has a lovely fall color and produces white clustered blooms in the springtime.

Viburnums provide a food source for 97 species of native Lepidoptera caterpillars, which mature into some of our much-loved butterflies. Arrow-wood in particular hosts

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the spring azure butterfly. Full or partial sun and average soils work for this plant, and it tolerates clay soil and black walnut trees!

SOLIDAGO RIGIDA, STIFF GOLDENROD Goldenrods sure do get a bad rap! Despite popular belief, they are not what causes hay fever in the fall (that would be their lesser-known neighbor, ragweed, which blooms at the same time). As a rule of thumb, colorful flowers have heavy pollen that relies on animals to move around, while nondescript green blooms are carried by the wind – and end up in your nose!

There are tons of goldenrod species native to Virginia, and they all vary in flower presentation, structure and preferred growing conditions. Stiff goldenrod is a great one for gardens because it has an elegant habit and, unlike some of the other goldenrods, it is well behaved.

Solidago hosts 112 species of native

OCTOBER 2017

butterfly, moth and skipper caterpillars, while also attracting a wide diversity of insects to its blooms. It likes average soil and full sun, and it grows to 3-5 feet high. ML Top: Fall Asters (photo by Betty Truax). Bottom: Stiff Goldenrod (photo by Celia Vuocolo).

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LAVENDER DREAMS: A Look at Cyndie Rinek’s Blooming Hill Gardens

By Chelsea Rose Moore

C

yndie Rinek is a self-described “grower of things,” or more specifically, a grower of lavender. With one thousand plants in the ground, she grows 98 varieties in her gardens.

But she does more than simply grow lavender. She’s turned her love for the plant into a successful business called Blooming Hill Gardens & Gift Shop.

For her, lavender is so much more than a business: It’s her deepest passion, and her favorite conversation topic. “It became an interest. It became a hobby. It became a passion – and now a business.”

Her husband is a landscape architect, and has lent his talents to developing Blooming Hill’s dreamy gardens and fields. As a plant lover and certified arborist, he has an eye for a well-designed space. “Peter believes that if you’re sitting in the living room, you should be able to look out the window and see a beautiful setting.

Even in the winter, when everything is bare, you should still be able to see good structure,” Rinek said.

She regularly gives presentations about lavender, accompanied by a slideshow and handouts. She loves sharing her passion, and enjoys imparting her own experience and knowledge to eager listeners. She frequently speaks to garden clubs by hosting them or by traveling to a venue of their choosing.

Although lavender is a familiar smell, she believes it is important to delve deeper and discuss the plant’s healing properties.

Used for thousands of years, lavender has been found in Arabic cookbooks dating back to the 10th century. Back then, it was almost as sacred as papyrus, and was used for all sorts of purposes, even for paper. “Lavender is a fascinating plant. It’s been around for 2,500 years. You can do so much with it. You can eat it, cook with it, use it for aromatherapy. It’s antibacterial and antiseptic.”

Its aroma is known to produce a calming effect on humans and animals, and can help reduce feelings of anxiety and stress.

Guests interested in learning more about lavender should attend one of the events offered throughout the year. She hosts five public teas, a full tea for Mother’s Day, and an annual Lavender Festival, where guests can wander through her fields and pick their own lavender. She even has a booth at the Leesburg Flower & Garden Festival and at the Bluemont Fair.

In her gift shop, she carries unique items for the home, garden, and kitchen. The shop – and Rinek’s whole property – is filled with whimsy. But her culinary items are perhaps most interesting. She sells lavender for use in cocktails, marinades, and Lavender | Page 47

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Lavender | From page 46 desserts; she blends her own teas by infusing lavender with herbs; and she makes a lavender salt and a sugar. With three beehives on her property, she produces her own lavender-infused honey (the honey alone is worth a visit to Blooming Hill!).

Perhaps most notably, she sells lavender ice cream. A few years ago, she was reading Victoria Magazine and happened on a recipe for lavender blueberry ice cream. Intrigued, she made it for her family, her garden club, and dinner guests – and everyone loved it. She started hunting for more recipes to develop additional flavors, and partnered with Mt. Crawford Creamery for production, a 70-acre dairy farm located near Harrisonburg, Virginia. She offers five flavors in half cups, pints, and quarts: lavender honey lemon, lavender blueberry, lavender chocolate, lavender rose, and lavender dark chocolate chunk.

She has also collaborated with

Purcellville’s StoneHouse Meadery to create a lavender mead. “[This business] is one of the most fun, gratifying things,” she said, “Especially when you get people who come back year after year – it’s very gratifying. We’ve developed so many new friends.

Someone told me they come here for the experience. [The most rewarding thing for me] is really the people: the act of sharing with people.” ML Blooming Hill Garden & Gift Shop is located at 19929 Telegraph Springs Rd, Purcellville.

The gift shop is open every Friday and Saturday, from 10am – 5pm. To learn more about lavender events and teas, visit www.bloominghillva.com.

Page46 (top): Cyndie Rinek with her lavender (photo courtesy of Cyndie and Peter Rinek). Page 46 (bottom): Cyndie's Lavender Honey Lemon Ice Cream (photo courtesy of Cyndie and Peter Rinek). Right: Blooming Hill lavender fields (photo courtesy of Cyndie and Peter Rinek).

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Cubbing Season Is Here Story and photos by Joanne Maisano

1

2 3 The start of cubbing season is upon us and foxhunting (chasing) is right around the corner. Cubbing is a chance for the new hound puppies to learn the ropes from their elders in the pack. It’s also a chance for the fox cubs to learn about the chase from their elders. Cubbing season usually means an early start time since the temperatures are still too warm and the length of time out is usually much shorter. Dress is also casual but neat and varies amongst the different hunts.

Official foxhunting season begins the end of October to the beginning of November, and is quite a sight to behold seeing the Huntsmen and some Masters in their scarlet coats. The hounds are the stars and truly exciting to watch. ML

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Photos: 1. Orange County Hounds. 2. PFH members head out from Brookfield Farm. 3. Eva Smithwick Huntsman-Jt. Master of Snickersville Hounds. 4. Piedmont Fox Hounds with Huntsman Jordan Hicks and Neil Amatt.

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I am a huge snuggler, and there is nothing about me that you won’t fall in love with. I am a happy and healthy guy who just wants to find love. Crossy: 10 years, male, no medical needs but only has five teeth left. admin@middleburghumane.org (540) 364-3272 www.middleburghumane.org

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A FIRST FOR LOUDOUN: WILLOWCROFT FARM VINEYARDS Story by Heidi Baumstark Photos courtesy of Willowcroft Farm Vineyards

F

lint, the resident cat, is the first out of the barn. That wasn’t always the case, since

year s earlier, horses galloped out.

Today, this 1875-built barn serves as the tasting room at Loudoun’s first winery: Willowcroft Farm Vineyards in Leesburg. It’s here where wine lovers sip reds and whites from some of Virginia’s oldest grapes.

Out of the Commonwealth’s 280 wineries, 44 of them (16 percent) are in Loudoun—the most of any county in Virginia. Vines at Willowcroft hold the record as the first planted in Loudoun County.

“I’ve been making wine for over 30 years, Willowcroft | Page 52

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Willowcroft | From page 51 the longest in Loudoun,” says Lew Parker, owner and winemaker.

Over the years, Parker and his wines have been consistent winners. Some distinctions include Parker being honored in 2002 as the Virginia Wine Industry Person Of The Year.

In 2011, he received the Governor’s Cup gold medal award for the 2010 dessert wine, “Claire,” named after their French intern. In 2013, Parker received the Gordon Murchie Lifetime Achievement Award.

It all began in October 1979 when Parker purchased the 30-acre horse farm called Martingale. He moved the family into the farmhouse; the oldest part is a log structure dating to 1790. Inspired by two looming willows that stood in the entrance circle, he renamed the farm Willowcroft.

Educated as an engineer from Lehigh University (Pa.) and having earned a master’s in finance from Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, Parker worked in Tysons Corner as a chief financial officer at Hazleton Laboratories before adding “winemaker” to his resume. When Hazleton was sold, Parker got involved in the medical device business and founded companies making orthopedic prosthetics while still crafting award-winning wines.

Back then, the Parkers lived in Oakton.

“Our two daughters were into 4-H clubs, and we couldn’t raise animals there. So in 1979, we decided to buy land,” Parker explains.

The following spring, vines were planted in the old vegetable garden, but by the end of the year, they all died. “They grew too fast and didn’t harden off for winter. Lesson learned!”

Parker admits. In 1981, he planted again. This time, it worked. His first commercial crush was in 1984, and sales began a year later with the opening of Willowcroft in April 1985.

When Parker purchased the farm, the USDA advised against commercial wine growing since it was still too risky for vines to successfully grow in Virginia soil. But the industry changed thanks to Konstantin Frank, a Ukrainian plant scientist who immigrated to New York and worked at Cornell University, which had a wine program. Frank proved it was possible to grow European grape varieties in the eastern United States. Prior to this, it was not considered possible to grow a Chardonnay, Riesling or Cabernet Sauvignon vine in Virginia.

Parker says, “Frank is considered the father of the wine industry for the eastern U.S.” Located on Mt. Gilead Road, Willowcroft’s roots run deep. There is a reference to Gilead in the Bible’s Old Testament as a mountainous region east of the Jordan River. In Eugene Scheel’s book, “Loudoun Discovered: Communities and Crossroads, Quaker Country and the Loudoun Valley (Volume Four),” he writes that in 1821, Dr. Isaac Eaton purchased 18 acres to establish a health spa from the

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area’s mountain spring waters. In 1823, Eaton sold three ½-acre lots on his property to establish a settlement named Mount Gilead.

In 1824, a post office was established in the village, which by 1825 extended to 22 lots and several streets.

William C. Ray's book, "Mount Gilead: History & Heritage” (available for purchase at the winery) notes that William G. Jenkins purchased the land in 1877 from Landon Jones, a blacksmith. The price was $2,571.

(The Jenkins family also ran the mill in Leesburg where Tuscarora Mill Restaurant is today.) In 1933, W.S. Jenkins sold the property to a D.C. dentist, Dr. I.G. Kohlmeyer; Jenkins claims that as a boy, he watched Confederate troops pass down Mt. Gilead Road after the Battle of Antietam (Sept. 17, 1862) near Sharpsburg, Maryland.

In postbellum years (1865-1877), the village grew with a school opening in 1870 and several stills at the springs that once fed the health spa. With the coming of Prohibition in 1921, Mount Gilead’s industries dried up.

By 1930, the county stopped maintaining the road, so what was once a village is now a small residential community. But with the opening of Willowcroft, the area has returned to its post-Civil War spirits industry.

Scheel, famous for his hand-drawn intricate maps, explains the origin of nearby Hogback Mountain Road, once part of Route 15. “It’s called Hogback Mountain,” he says, “because looking from Leesburg the field resembles a hog lying on his back.”

This road is included in Scheel’s 1990 handdrawn Loudoun County map, which can be found under a glass case at Thomas Balch

OCTOBER 2017

Library in downtown Leesburg.

“People come here for the wine,” Parker says. “We’re not in the entertainment business.” Willowcroft offers a “Press”tige Wine Club. “There’s a maximum of 400 people in the club, so now we have a waiting list.”

Jeff Gaines, of Fairfax, can attest to Parker’s winning wines. On a recent Friday afternoon, Gaines came to Willowcroft with his wife, Cris, and their daughter, Ive, a recent college graduate.

Jeff said, “One day we came out for a tasting. Cris and I found wines we both liked, so we joined the wine club and keep coming back.”

Guests can purchase cheese and other goodies to go with wine, including an assortment of truffles from Middleburg’s Finest Chocolates.

Cris added, “I love the truffles. The dark chocolate raspberry one is the best.

It’s heaven.”

And about that cat, Flint. Ive admits, “I love the cat in the barn—so chill!” ML Willowcroft Farm Vineyards is located at 38906 Mt. Gilead Road in Leesburg. For more information, call 703-777-8161 or visit www. willowcroftwine.com.

Page 51 (top): Lew taking a tank sample from one of his award-winning wines. Page 51 (bottom): Lew Parker earns the Gordon Murchie Lifestime Achievement Award in 2013. (Left to right) Lew Parker, Susan Mitchell, tasting room manager, Dean Triplett, operations manager, Kelly Peck, administrative director. Page 52: Willowcroft’s red barn, built circa 1875, now serves as the winery’s tasting room.

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OCTOBER 2017

STAIRWAY TO...

HEAVEN

By Dulcy B. Hooper | Photo by Richard Hooper

Y

ears ago, my husband Richard and I spent the better part of a day wandering through the Paris Flea Market in Porte de Clignancourt. It was, and I believe still is, the largest concentration of antique shops in the world.

The flea market must be seen to be believed. As the day went on, Richard and I kept finding ourselves in front of a showroom featuring antique spiral staircases. There were at least a dozen of them, each one its own work of art and propped up from floor to ceiling in a most impressive presentation.

“I think we should consider getting one of these,” Richard said.

“But what would we do with it?” I asked.

“Prop it up against a wall or something?” I was still a bit jetlagged.

“We could build an addition onto the back of the house,” he said. “It would be beautiful.

I promise.” It struck me that Richard wanted that staircase as much as I wanted a dog.

I had always had dogs, rarely being without one since the earliest days of childhood.

Zen, my little Pekingese, had lived for only a few months after Richard and I met, and my many entreaties for another dog had led nowhere. This was my chance.

“So if you get a staircase,” I said, “it’s only fair that I get a dog.”

“Maybe two,” said Richard.

We returned to Paris the following year.

The shop’s proprietor, Claude Aucoutourie, invited us to his home, a 1700s millhouse surrounded by outbuildings full of antique staircases going back hundreds of years.

Before we began the mammoth effort of selecting one, Claude took us back to the millhouse for lunch and a very pleasant bottle of French wine.

Hours later, we found a staircase that seemed perfect for us. It was from around 1880, according to Claude, and had formerly been in a house in Champagne, where it connected a two-floor library. In discussing the price, which Richard translated for me, I asked about shipping costs. Claude’s English was as limited as was my French. Both assured me that the cost of shipping would be a reasonable $1,500.

I found that implausible, but c’est la vie. I thought, instead, about my soon-to-be-dog/s.

After lunch, Claude drove us to a nearby village to meet the craftsman who would be working on our staircase. He had been an apprentice for nearly 20 years but finally had his own shop and set of tools. We were

warmly welcomed into the shop, and in the coming months, we would return twice to visit our staircase.

While Richard was busy designing the addition, I was hard at work looking for our dog/s. A friend had rescued a Chinese Crested, and the dog’s personality was so delightful that I was leaning in that direction. Richard, however, balked at having a hairless dog.

“No problem,” I said. By this time, I had amassed some knowledge about my dog of choice. “The recessive gene creates Chinese Crested Powderpuffs.”

“A hairless dog with fur?” Richard asked.

I thought that I would have my dog/s in a week or two, but the search went on for months, during which time I made a complete nuisance of myself to Chinese Crested breeders up and down the East Coast and then on to California, Texas and Arkansas.

In the meantime, Richard had continued to work intently with Claude and the craftsman. The measurements had to be precise, down to 1/16 of an inch in every direction. It required reams of drawings, diagrams, measurements and faxes, as every angle of the staircase had to dovetail precisely with the addition.

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Stairway | Page 56

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Stairway | From page 55 Finally, the addition was finished, and we now were just awaiting the completion of the staircase. At long last, I had the first of my two dogs, Sophie. A Crested breeder from South Carolina had called out of the blue. “Are you the woman who’s been looking for female Powderpuffs?” he asked. Four months later, Isabel had joined us as well.

Nearly two years since our first trip to the Paris Flea Market, we got word that the staircase was ready to be shipped. When Claude faxed the final drawings and transport papers to Richard, the staircase was already at Charles De Gaulle Airport. I wasn’t there when those final faxes came through, but I can only imagine Richard’s shock: The landing was 180 degrees different from all of the diagrams and plans, meaning that the staircase opened directly onto a wall. After many calls and faxes back and forth, Claude had the staircase picked up at the airport and brought back to the village for further . . . refinements.

Weeks later, we got word that the staircase was again at Charles De Gaulle. But now there was another problem: Our beautiful staircase was 18 inches too long to fit into a FedEx plane, the original mode of transport upon which the shipping estimate was based. Instead, it would require a special flight on Air

France, incurring a multitude of additional charges. The $1,500 quoted by Claude quickly approached $14,000 - $15,000. Nonetheless, the staircase was scheduled to ship that week.

“I got a call today.

Looks like we might have to hire a crane to get the staircase off the plane in New York.”

“I got a call today,” Richard said a couple of evenings later, trying to sound casual.

“Looks like we might have to hire a crane to get the staircase off the plane in New York.”

I struggled not to say, “I told you so.” After all, I had my dogs.

The Air France flight was headed for LaGuardia and then Dulles, and we anxiously awaited news of its safe arrival. And then the staircase that we had waited for for nearly two years simply disappeared, with no one on either side of the Atlantic able to explain where it might be. Weeks later, it was found in a warehouse in New Jersey. Richard only found where it was when he received a call indicating that there would be additional storage fees if he didn't claim it.

At last, the staircase boarded another flight, this one bound for Dulles. It arrived early on the morning of New Year's Eve. A local contractor who we had used for the addition met Richard at Dulles. The staircase was loaded onto the truck, driven to DC, delivered through the narrow alley behind our home with inches to spare, and slid off the truck onto bales of hay outside of the addition. A door was removed to corkscrew it inside. Working with my brother-in-law and two friends, Richard got it installed within hours. It was a perfect fit.

At the end of the day, we toasted the staircase and the dogs, and all was right with the world. ML Page 55: Sophie near the staircase.

Land Trust of Virginia

RECEIVES ANNUAL AWARD — HONORED BY SCENIC VIRGINIA

T

he Land Trust of Virginia is the 2017 recipient of Scenic Virginia’s pres-

tigious annual Scenic Vistas and Lands Preservation Award. LTV Board, Advisory Council and staff members were in attendance to accept the award at the Scenic Awards Gala Reception and Ceremony held at the Virginia State Capitol in Richmond on September 15th.

Now in its 15th year, the Annual Scenic Awards program is the Commonwealth’s premier event for honoring excellence in the field of scenic preservation, with a special emphasis on projects that can be replicated

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in other areas of the state. Its purpose is to remind Virginians how fortunate we are to live in such a beautiful place as it honors the wonderful results of hard work, partnerships, and creative solutions to preserve, protect and enhance this beauty. Scenic Virginia believes that beautiful landscapes are good for business and essential for the soul, and that our scenic assets are essential to the cultural and economic health of our Commonwealth.

The protection of those scenic assets is at the heart of the work of the Land Trust of Virginia. In fact, scenic open space is one of the conservation values LTV ensures is protected when working with landowners on their donations of conservation easements.

“For 25 years LTV has been working to conserve land in Virginia. Our work has played a part in preserving the pastoral landscapes and vistas that nourish all of us,” commented LTV Board Chairman Chris Demata-

OCTOBER 2017

tis. “It is an honor to be recognized for our efforts and it is a tribute to the hard work of the many professionals and volunteers that have built LTV into the organization that it is today. On behalf of our Board, our staff and our many supporters, we want to thank Scenic Virginia for this award.”

Accepting the Scenic Virginia Award from their Board Member David R. Kenerson, Jr. (on the left) are members of LTV’s Board and Staff including (left to right) James E. Rich, Christopher C. Dematatis, Chairman, Sally B. Price, Executive Director, and Yakir Lubowsky, Chairman’s Advisory Council.

The Land Trust of Virginia is a private land trust that partners with landowners who voluntarily protect and preserve properties with significant scenic, ecological and historic value. LTV holds 153 easements protecting a total of 16,265 acres across 12 counties in Virginia. ML

Cherry Blossom 5K Run, Walk and Pooch Prance For Breast Cancer Join us at Foxcroft School!

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Rutledge Farm

WELCOMES OLYMPIC CHAMPION & SHOW JUMPING TRAINER WILL SIMPSON TO ITS INAUGURAL CLINICS Story by Elaine Anne Watt Photos by Anna Purdy

G

reatness is a quality often debated. Are you born with it, can it be demonstrated in just one moment in time, or is it the accumulation of a lifetime of consistent achievement? Sports pundits will weigh in ad infinitum on this point, rarely reaching accord.

In the case of Will Simpson, 2008 Olympic Team Gold Medalist in Hong Kong at the Sha Tin Equestrian facility riding Carlsson Vom Dach, and national and international Grand Prix champion, there is no room for debate, as he has risen above the field time and time again and when it mattered the most. But, more importantly, he has the mental clarity, commitment and passion to demonstrate his extraordinary level of achievement in all facets of horsemanship along with a “competitive fire in his belly” that still stirs a call to action towards the Olympics in Japan three years away.

Sitting down with Simpson, who’s based in Thousand Oaks, Calif., is a delight, as it does not take long before you’ve found the key to mutual understanding. It is not about him; it is about each and every horse, each and every day, and the excitement of the journey.

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He credits a lot of his inner competitiveness to his father, also an athlete, who encouraged him to try many sports during his youth. His first horse, Glenda Jo, was special, winning eight out of eight classes at two different shows, an unusual feat that built early confidence and a determination to win. He’d started riding at age 11, and with these early successes and a great love of the outdoors, he decided he wanted to “become a cowboy.”

He also traveled around the country, watching and learning from the greats like Rodney Jenkins, George Morris and Bernie Traurig, something he still does today. His approach reminds one of Bruce Lee, who studied many different martial arts styles and mastered multiple physical disciplines to reach his peak performance. Simpson appreciates the rodeo riders and multi-generation cowhands who have learned how to get the most from their horses, and he applies this to the training of jumpers.

What he loves to share is that his job is to read a horse, to find out what it needs to be an athlete. Having worked on many breeding farms early on in his career, a big part of the excitement for him is “discovering that 3-year-old horse, the little things they do that tell you it’s worth putting in another five years

OCTOBER 2017

to have an 8-year-old superstar. That is a very special moment when you recognize that potential.” He has found that when those initial instincts turn out right, “that is my key moment of success and satisfaction.”

In addition, there is an art to controlling the adrenaline and truly pairing the abilities of the horse to what is needed in the moment.

You need “to conserve the horse throughout each competition, giving just enough but no more than you have to to get the job done.

You’re training them as to what they are capable of on a consistent basis even while competing.” Furthermore, “you have to have 100 percent confidence in each other; if there is even an ounce of doubt on either side, you can’t be your competitive best.” He called upon that knowledge and skill to perform his perfectly clean jump-off ride at the Olympic Games, clinching the team gold medal, where 35 years of preparation and lead-up gave him the opportunity to “show the whole world how great this horse was.”

The wonderful thing about horses is that they can pick up on anything in your head and body. They are amazingly intuitive, and the horse is trying to understand what you want to make you happy. “The horse is Rutledge | Page 60

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Go Greek this Fall Cover Your Parts

Tues, Oct 10 | 6-7:30 PM

DR. RITA MAE BROWN - Author and MFH Explore how riders from ancient Greece through modern day dressed for the field. $5 admission, free to NSLM members.

Horsemanship in Ancient Greece Thurs, Oct 26 | 6-7:30 PM

DR. CAROL C. MATTUSCH - Mathy Professor Emerita of Art History at George Mason University compares modern riding, tack, and philosophy with that of the ancient Greeks. $5 admission, free to NSLM members.

Symposia in Ancient Greece Thurs, Nov 2 | 6-7:30 PM

On view through January 14, 2018 Organized by the National Sporting Library & Museum and the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts

DR. PETER SCHERTZ - Jack and Mary Ann Frable Curator of Ancient Art at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts presents on the ancient Greek tradition of wine drinking and entertainment: the symposium. $5 admission, free to NSLM members.

Free School TourS

All school groups receive free tours of The Horse in Ancient Greek Art exhibition.

For RSVPs and tour requests, please contact Anne Marie Barnes at 540-687-6542 ext 25 or ABarnes@NationalSporting.org.

Artwork: Attributed to the Orestes Painter, Greek (Attic) Red-figure Column Krater, ca. 440 BCE, terracotta, 16 ¼ x 14 ⅜ x 12 ⅛ inches, Private Collection. Photo: Claudia Pfeiffer

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Rutledge | From page 58 actually trying to find the easy path to his existence; a well-timed release of the contact with the bit to show the horse that he has performed the task properly is the greatest reward you can give him,” says Simpson.

“The result is that you’ll get lighter and lighter with the horse, with every little nuance telling him what is needed and him responding to your wishes.”

As a trainer, his ultimate success is “to bring a horse along, conditioning and maintaining him properly, showing that horse how good he really is, having him become a winner, and then turning that horse loose to go on and win with someone else.” Emotionally, it can be difficult; however, it is a business, and he treats it as such. Although he’s had his favorites along the way, Simpson knows that if he does his job well, many of these horses will move on to others.

So, why was Simpson in Middleburg?

More than 30 years ago, a 16-year-old’s stepsister, Sheri, living in Charlottesville, knew that her brother would love to meet and train with a really young, up-and-coming Grand Prix rider making a name for himself. Aleco Bravo-Greenberg had the good fortune to meet Simpson and learn from him, forging a lifelong friendship. After some years apart, Bravo-Greenberg tracked him down in

California back in 2006, renewing those ties.

Now that Bravo-Greenberg has undertaken extensive renovations and upgrading of Rutledge Farm, he invited Simpson to be a part of his inaugural clinics for riders seeking world-class training. August 29th and 30th found Simpson here where he conducted two afternoon clinics to very attentive and appreciative students. Simpson and Bravo-Greenberg laid out the course at what Simpson deemed a “first class outdoor arena,” and by all accounts it was a great success.

Simpson also is very involved in a nonprofit called The Compton Jr. Posse, where for 10 years he has been part of programs to keep kids off the street and teach them the responsibility and confidence that comes from riding and taking care of horses. In order to remain in the program, the kids have to keep good grades in school, be good citizens and perform their duties in the program. During fundraisers for these programs he’s developed a “mean” barbeque talent, with his auctioned dinners fetching as much as $20,000 each for Compton Jr. Posse.

His daughter, Sophie, 19, and his son, Ty, 15, are both riding competitively, too. Sophie started riding “at two days and never looked back,” and Ty joined more recently about 1 ½ years ago. So, in addition to planning to continue to ride competitively himself for

Page 58: Will Simpson with hosts Aleco and Sandra Bravo-Greenberg. Page 60: Will Simpson at Rutledge Farm to teach inaugural clinics.

to, and the rarest of orders is an espresso with grounds that a regular customer has ordered twice from her.

“A lot of people overhear what the person in front of them ordered and ask me what it

is and then say, ‘I’ll take what they got,’ ” she says. But most regular customers order the same thing every day, and if they’re lucky, Tori will have it ready for them before they get to the front of the line.

Tori’s favorite thing to do when not working at Common Grounds or Middleburg Tennis Club, where she’s a server, is to spend time with her almost 3-year-old godson, Segar.

“He’s literally the best thing in the world,” says Tori. “He’s everything to me.”

Tori lives in Warrenton, where she has lived since middle school with a roommate and her pair of opposite ends of the canine spectrum, Chloe the shih tzu and Sadie the shepherd mix.

Oftentimes you can catch Tori hanging out at Common Grounds after work or on her day off simply because she enjoys the people.

“They are like family to me,” she says of the customers, staff and owners.

A coffee shop can be that special place between work and home whose success oftentimes lies in the smile and friendly service of the barista. Common Grounds nailed that with Tori Lay. ML

another few years, he’s looking forward to “following them around as they compete.”

With a little luck and perhaps some encouragement from the Middleburg community as a whole, we’ll be seeing more and more of Simpson at Rutledge Farm as rider, trainer and coach. In the meantime, if you happen to see him around town, say hello.

He’s simply great. ML

MEET MIDDLEBURG

Tori Lay, Barista Story and photo by Kerry Phelps Dale

T

ori Lay would be unrecognizable if she showed up without her trademark infectious smile and giggle. She’s the kind of person—happy and positive—you just want to be around, making her a popular barista at Common Grounds in Middleburg.

Upon joining the coffee shop four years ago, a year after they opened, the former bartender quickly learned the art of making a simple cup of coffee, a latte, a caramel macchiato, a white chocolate mocha, a half-decaf skinny cappuccino, etc. The menu of coffee items didn’t intimidate her; she’d been mixing any number of complicated drinks for years.

“I didn’t know anything about coffee,” she says of her first days. “I don’t even drink coffee, but I figured if I could bartend, I could make coffee.”

She’s learned that customers prefer the simplicity of ordering a small, medium or large drink to the “shenanigans” of the coffee powerhouse Starbuck’s tall, grande and vente.

Tori says the most popular drink ordered at Common Grounds is the caramel macchia-

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OCTOBER 2017

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HIT THE TRAILS

Story and photos by Beth Rasin

The Middleburg area offers great opportunities to get outside and stretch your legs this fall.

Story and photos by Beth Rasin

W

hen the humidity clears away and the temperature begins to dip into refreshing lows at night, it’s the perfect time to pull out your wool and fleece and lace up your hiking boots. Whether you want to take a gentle stroll or work up a sweat, we’ve highlighted a few of the many local options to suit your needs.

CLOSEST TO HOME Hill School Nature Trail & Polly Rowley Arboretum, Middleburg Cross the newly redone bridge at the southern terminus of Pendleton Street to

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access a walking path of just over 2 miles that winds through 137 acres of gently rolling fields, streams, wetlands and woods on the Hill School property. Right across the bridge, the school will soon be dedicating the new Polly Rowley Arboretum, with many species of trees and new signage coming.

Salamander Resort Trails, Middleburg You don't have to be staying in one of the gorgeous rooms at the Salamander Resort to enjoy their miles of trails through the woods and fields on their 340-acre property. Stop by the front desk for a map of trails to enjoy on foot, bike, or horse. Afterwards, you might even want to treat yourself to a massage at their spa!

Local Parks Both Franklin Park in Purcellville and Northern Fauquier Community Park in Marshall have trails that loop past ponds, playing fields and playgrounds. Marshall’s is fully

OCTOBER 2017

paved and often used by stroller pushers and bike riders as well as walkers and joggers.

A SHORT DRIVE AWAY Whitney State Forest, Warrenton Just 2 miles outside of downtown Warrenton on Lees Ridge Road, this 148-acre state forest offers multi-purpose trails that are ideal preparation for longer hikes or perfect if you need to run errands in town but want to sneak in a quick outdoor jaunt as well.

The full loop is 2.3 miles, but with relatively flat terrain, it’s not a challenging hike. Much of the trail is wooded, but it also passes by open meadows and farmland, including views of the historic North Wales estate. Be sure to wear shoes you don’t mind getting muddy, as parts of the path are sometimes wet.

Want a bite to eat afterwards? Check out Warrenton’s new Indian restaurant, Taj Trails | Page 63

Trails | From page 62 Palace, or head to Main Street for Black Bear Bistro & Brick Oven.

Blandy Experimental Farm, Boyce The four waking trails at Blandy range from ¾ mile to 2 miles of mostly level paths (a combination of gravel, dirt and pavement) that take you past ponds, plants and wildlife on the 700 acres that serve as a field station for the University of Virginia and also house the State Arboretum, right off Route 50.

On your way there, stop at the Locke Store in Millwood to pick up sandwiches for a picnic lunch.

Bears Den, Bluemont This hike just off the Appalachian Trail provides the best view per effort required.

I’ve convinced even the most unenthusiastic members of the family to tackle it, and no one’s ever regretted it. Although it has a few steep sections, it’s only about 1 mile to a beautiful view of the valley. And if even that sounds too ambitious, park at the Bears Den Hostel, just ½ mile up 601 from Route 7, where you’ll walk less than ½ mile to the overlook or enjoy other short trails ($3 fee). Parking for the hike can be found where Route 7 meets 601. Can be crowded on weekends.

Ravens Rock, Bluemont This slightly longer hike, across the highway from Bears Den, tends to be less crowded. The views are great, and rock climbers can often be seen here. (It’s known to them as “Crescent Rock.”) Turn right onto Ravens Rock Road off Route 7 and go almost 2 miles to a gate and parking area. If you park lower down on Route 7, in the AT parking area, your hike in will be a longer, steeper 5 miles.

Heading home through Purcellville provides a good opportunity to stop at Magnolia’s At The Mill for dinner.

Sky Meadows State Park, Delaplane Sky Meadows in Delaplane has both hiking trails and a network of trails for horses, all of which range from less than half a mile to nearly 2.5 miles. You can connect to the Appalachian Trail and/or weave together a day’s adventure within the 1,860 acres of the park.

Tour the historic buildings, and check out a new Children’s Discovery Area. Many different festivals and events throughout the year invite another reason to visit. $5 entrance fee per car (up to nine occupants).

If you work up an appetite on some of the steep climbs, head to Hunter’s Head in nearby Upperville, where in nice weather you can continue your day outdoors by dining al fresco.

Thompson Wildlife Management Area, Delaplane Not far from Sky Meadows, multi-use trails wind through 4,000 acres of this wildlife management area known for its spring wildflowers. The full loop hike is 8 miles, but with two parking options off Leeds Manor Road between Markham and Paris, it’s easy to make several shorter out-and-back hikes, to Lake Thompson or further. Use caution during hunting season; orange vests are recommended, and hikers must register (wildlife.virginia.org).

If you work up a thirst, you’re right around the corner from Naked Mountain Winery in Markham.

FURTHER AFIELD Maryland Heights, Harpers Ferry, West Virginia For a beautiful view of the town and the confluence of the Potomac and Shenandoah rivers, work your way up to the top of Maryland Heights in Harpers Ferry. It’s less than an hour to Harpers Ferry from Middleburg, and if the 5-mile Maryland Heights hike sounds

too ambitious, other options can be had, all of which offer historically significant highlights and many sights to see in town afterwards.

Elizabeth Furnace Recreation Area, Fort Valley If you’re up for an hour in the car, Elizabeth Furnace in the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests is a lovely area without quite the traffic that the Shenandoah Park can draw during peak foliage. Signal Knob and Buzzard Rock are two of the most popular hikes here, and most activities can be accessed by parking at designated spots on Route 678. The summit at the end of the 8.2-mile Signal Knob hike was once used as a lookout by both Union and Confederate troops and still provides a view well worth the effort to see it. History buffs will especially enjoy the interpretive trails explaining the history of the furnace, which made iron and charcoal, and a swinging bridge and historic cabin are other features worth checking out.

At the risk of giving away one of my favorite spots, we never fail to visit Thumwa Thai in Front Royal at the conclusion of our hikes in this area. Although it’s not much to look at on the outside and is far from fancy inside, the food is fantastic, and on weekend evenings you can always find fellow hikers refueling. ML For information on hikes at the Bull Run Mountain Conservancy (August Issue) and Shenandoah National Park (September issue), look for earlier editions of Middleburg Life.

Page 62: Bears Den offers rocks for sunbathing and a beautiful view west to Winchester. Page 63 (left): Sky Meadows State Park offers plenty of different options for getting into the woods. Page 63 (right): A walking path beckons at Franklin Park in Purcellville.

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THE BUSINESS OF WINE

By Peter Leonard-Morgan

A

lmost 400 years ago, the first colonial legislative assembly, the House of Burgesses, passed what was known as Acte 12, requiring that all households in Virginia plant 10 vines of European Vitis Vinifera grapes or be punished for not doing so.

Such decrees were committed to the history books long ago, yet this marked the beginning of efforts, which, other than a 17-year hiatus during the Prohibition Era, have continued unabated to this day, to cultivate and develop grapevines in Virginia. Those efforts were met with continued failure thanks to a harsh climate, difficult growing conditions and the dreaded phylloxera pest, rendering European varietals unsuitable for successful wine production on America’s East Coast.

With failure, however, came gradual progress. During the 1800s, for example, a hardy Virginia grape was discovered by one Doctor Norton, which bears his name to this day.

This grape produced a quality wine, winning awards both domestically and on the international stage.

Despite the fact that Virginia produces less

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than 1 percent of all wine made in the United States—California not surprisingly claiming the lion's share—the Commonwealth boasts in excess of 260 boutique wineries and has the fifth largest winery population in the nation, resulting in the production of more than 1.6 million gallons of wine in 2016.

These numbers may suggest that establishing a vineyard is a fairly simple proposition; the fact is that it is anything but and absolutely not for the faint of heart.

So, what is the business of wine?

BOXWOOD ESTATE WINERY Siblings Rachel and Sean Martin run Middleburg’s family-owned Boxwood Winery, set on the glorious former horse farm of General Billy Mitchell, father of the United States Air Force. Rachel is Boxwood’s winemaker and viticulturist, as well as the brainchild behind the establishment of the Middleburg AVA, or American Viticultural Area, in 2012. Earning this designation by the Federal Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB), part of the United States Treasury, took six years.

Her brother Sean is vice president of Boxwood, and together with their mother

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Rita Cooke and stepfather John Kent Cooke, they acquired the property in 2001 with the sole purpose of establishing a high-quality vineyard and winery.

Engaging the services of renowned viticulturist Lucy Morton, they planted an initial eight acres of Vinis Vinifera in 2004, resulting in their first vintage in 2006. Since that planting, the estate has grown to 26 acres under vine today, bottling around 5,000 cases annually.

Boxwood’s unique, modernist tasting room and winery was designed by Washington, D.C., architect, Hugh Newell Jacobsen.

To round out the mission of developing great wines to complement this special venue, the family hired Stéphane Derenoncourt, an established Bordeaux winemaker, as consultant to work alongside Rachel as the winemaker.

Additionally, Boxwood has established tasting rooms in Reston Town Center and the National Harbor, where its customers sample wines from all over the world in an atmosphere and style reminiscent of Boxwood.

So, what did it take to get here? Colossal Business | Page 66

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OCTOBER 2017

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Business | From page 64 amounts of energy and vision, supported by significant initial and ongoing capital investment, together with faith in experts in their chosen fields to grow the best grapes in the best locations.

The Martins assert that it takes at least a decade of commitment to go from initial planting to first profits. That may explain why there were smiles all around this summer for the winery’s 10th anniversary! They are vested in their community, with Sean sitting on Middleburg’s Economic Development Advisory Committee and the winery regularly supporting various town events.

RdV VINEYARDS AND WINERY RdV, in the bucolic hills near Delaplane, is the dream realization of its owner and founder, Rutger de Vink. De Vink, a retired Recon Marine, sought out the perfect 100 acres he wanted, finding a fifth generation Angus cattle farm with ideal terroir and orientation.

He went to work on the owners, convincing them that they should allow him to buy it.

His persistence paid off, and, 16 years later, one of Virginia’s finest vineyards produces high quality wines in limited amounts, in an environment that exudes the impression of serious financial investment.

RdV produces two wines, both Bordeaux style red blends, priced at $125 and $75, with tastings at $50 per person. Bottling 2,200 cases each year, RdV clearly sees its market as the very upper end.

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Estate director, master sommelier and graduate of the Culinary School of America, Jarad Slipp joined RdV in 2014 following illustrious careers at some of the world’s great restaurants. Slipp is serious about wine. He explains that RdV, from an investment standpoint, isn’t looking at a profit plan measured in years but a legacy measured in generations. De Vink did not go into this with plans to package a top tier business into a saleable asset. He sees himself as a steward who will pass on something unique, much like a Patek Philippe or an old master.

After the Marines, de Vink did his time as an apprentice under respected Linden Vineyards founder Jim Law, so that when the time came to launch RdV, he understood the process from start to finish.

Only one French cooper supplies RdV with its oak barrels, and in order to ensure the best possible blending, each year, one of France’s most respected enologists visits the winery to blend from various barrels in ratios which will produce the ideal balance.

The barrel cave at RdV is an underground complex created by blasting into solid granite. That granite surrounding the cave ensures that temperatures remain constantly low all year. Like Boxwood, RdV also has its own bottling equipment, a machine which is used three days a year but is considered a necessity in a place where only the best will do.

GREENHILL WINERY & VINEYARDS In 2012, aeronautical communications

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entrepreneur David Greenhill, who had been scouring the Virginia countryside for years to locate the perfect winery, contacted respected, third-generation French master winemaker and viticulturist, Sébastien Marquet.

When Greenhill stumbled upon the small, family-owned vineyard and winery in Middleburg, he was convinced it was “the one.”

Aided by Marquet’s expertise, Greenhill immediately set about turning his vision into reality. Isabelle Truchon, Marquet’s partner and renowned equine artist, was engaged to develop a Greenhill brand from the ground up. She re-designed the interior of the member’s clubhouse, an important Revolutionary Era stone manor which had been, until then, the previous owner’s home. Now, as the newly branded Greenhill Winery and Vineyards, they began the design and build of a custom, two-story tasting room to take the place of the smaller, existing one which they re-purposed into a farm store, along with a dedicated winery with unique barrel room, all of which opened this past January. New French oak barrels were ordered, as well as the finest European wine making equipment and stainless-steel tanks.

Distinctive, creamy white Charolais cattle, a breed which originates from Marquet’s native Burgundy in France, roam the fields near the vineyards. They not only provide a rustic background for tasting room guests but also excellent meat for sale at the farm store.

Business | Page 68

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Business | From page 66 The original, ten-acre vineyard was supplemented by the planting of nine more acres under vine, while a 12-acre vineyard called Naked Valley, located between Charlottesville and Lynchburg, was acquired in order to grow additional grape varietals and add new flavors from this different terroir.

Initially, Marquet, who as well as being the winemaker-viticulturist is also the chief commercial officer at Greenhill, purchased grapes from other vineyards in order to blend sufficient wine for the fast-growing demand at the new property. The intervening years have seen healthy increases in harvest, allowing Marquet to bottle some 7,000 cases of wine varieties and blends including Chardonnay, a dry Riesling, Viognier, Seyval and Vidal Blancs, Cabernets Sauvignon and Franc, Merlot, Pinot Noir and Malbec.

According to Marquet, acquiring an existing operation provided some advantages over a green field site, in that there was a degree of infrastructure in place. However, Greenhill has committed significant capital and resources in this extreme makeover, with the goal of becoming profitable during the next few years. They’ve focused on carving out their own identity as a premium wine making business and customer-centric facility. David’s also committed to local polo,

both as player and patron, making Greenhill wine synonymous with the sport at great Great Meadow.

At Greenhill, as with other quality properties, customers can enjoy fine cheeses and charcuterie with a warm baguette to perfectly complement their favorite vintages. Add to that some local, live music on a Friday evening overlooking the scenic, distant Bull Run and Blue Ridge Mountain ranges, and one can see why so many people frequent these serene spots.

A clear picture emerges from this sampling of dedicated Virginia wine entrepreneurs: All have invested significant sums of money and made long-term personal commitments to see their businesses thrive and become fixtures in Northern Virginia. Local government support has been crucial to their successes, as has a healthy culture of camaraderie between wineries to help develop clusters and wine trails, further encouraging wine aficionados to explore these delightful destinations.

Moreover, each business runs its own version of a wine club, where members commit to purchasing a specific number of bottles each year. In return, these VIPs are the first to sip the latest vintages at members-only release parties, as well as enjoying other benefits, such as dedicated member

areas, complimentar y tastings and wine-themed evenings.

In 2015, 8,300 people were directly employed in the Virginia wine business, and $180 million in tax revenue was attributed to it based on more than $1 billion in revenues.

Gorgeous swathes of land are kept from overdevelopment by these clusters of delightful properties, in addition to providing destination seekers with beautiful places where they can enjoy the fruits of the labors of countless passionate, hard-working people. The cumulative effect is to generate significant economic bounty to rural areas, not simply as revenue for tasting rooms, but also business for local restaurants and stores, helping to maintain rural communities throughout the Commonwealth.

The business of wine is a complex one, nevertheless it shows no signs of discouraging new comers to this capital-intensive business, nor slowing down the expansion of existing operations. ML Page 64: RdV Vineyards' Entrance (photo by Peter Leonard-Morgan). Page 66 (left) is Sébastien Marquet, winemaker, viticulturist and COO of Greenhill Winery & Vineyards (photo courtesy of Focal Point Creative). Page 66 (right) Rachel Martin, winemaker and viticulturist with Sean Martin, Vice President of Boxwood Estate Winery (photo courtesy of Boxwood Estate Winery).

APPRECIATING THE LIFE OF

MRS. DARLINGTON

By Leanne Wiberg

L

ocally she was known as “Mrs. D.” To the rector leading her memorial service on September 16th in The Plains, she was known as Mrs. Darlington. To those who lived with her in Antarctica, and to some who later documented her joint polar explorations with her husband Harry, she was known simply as Jennie.

On August 30th, at age 93, Jennie Darlington died of heart failure at her home, Chilly Bleak Farm, near Marshall, Virginia, after a life characterized by fullness of heart and generosity of spirit. Her husband predeceased her in 1996. She is survived by her daughter, Cynthia Darlington Beyer of Marshall, and her son Harry “Skipper” Darlington IV, who continues to reside on the family farm.

As a member of the Ronne Antarctic Research Expedition of 1947-48, Mrs. Darlington was one of the first women to winter over in Antarctica. As the new bride to the senior aircraft pilot for the expedition, she wrote about the physical and psychological strains of the experience in her book, “My Antarctic Honeymoon,” published by Doubleday in 1956.

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Warm-hearted and naturally companionable, she was able to constructively and compassionately monitor the human dramas that eventually unfolded because of the challenges brought about by isolation and tight living quarters.

At her memorial service, Bob Dodson, a member of the research party, paid tribute to Jennie’s womanly presence, saying that her “calming influence” promoted increased civility and was instrumental in helping to mend frayed interpersonal relationships and

OCTOBER 2017

in boosting the sapped morale of the group.

Mrs. Darlington’s scrupulous sense of integrity was evident throughout her life, from her early adventures to the many years spent breeding Angus cattle, tending to her family and as a vibrant member of the community.

A notable example of this was when she indulged the wishes of the expedition’s leader to have his wife be the first woman from the team to set foot on the continent of Antarctica, staying quietly in her cabin to avoid causing a fuss.

Her son Skipper paid tribute to his mother’s sense of humor by recounting how, in her final days, Mrs. D was being transported from Warrenton to Johns Hopkins Hospital (Md.) by helicopter. “When the pilot came to check on her and wanted to know if there was anything he could do, she asked him, if perhaps…maybe…he could find her a glass of Pinot Grigio?”

After a full life, Jennie Darlington will be missed by all who knew her, but her zest and adventurous spirit will live on. ML Je nni e D arling ton ( P hoto cour tesy of Skipper Darlington.)

The WINC Wake-Up Show with Barry & Lisa Mornings 5am-10am

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Photo by Focal Point Creative

10/1–1/7

The Horse and the Camera (From 1970 – 1960) from the Judith and Jo Tartt, Jr. Photography Collection, National Sporting Library & Museum (Wed.–Sun. 10 a.m.–5 p.m.): Come see this insightful exhibition of exceptional photographs. 102 The Plains Road, Middleburg. Admission is Adults $10, Seniors $8, Youth $8, Children Free. For more information visit www.nationalsporting.org or call 540-687-6542.

10/1 – 1/14

The Horse in Ancient Greek Art, National Sporting Library & Museum (Wed.–Sun. 10 a.m.–5 p.m.): This exhibition features Greek vases and sculpture from the 8th through the 4th centuries BCE drawn from a private collection, the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, and other museum collections. The exhibition and accompanying publication explore the significance of the horse in ancient Greek culture, the superb horsemanship skills of the ancient Greeks, and imagery of the horse in ancient myth, war, sport and competition. Admis-

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sion is $10 Adults, $8 Seniors, $8 Youth and Children Free. For more information, visit www.nationalsporting.org.

10/4 – 10/26

The Artists in Middleburg (AIM) Equine Sculpture Workshops with Goksin Carey: Equine Sculpture 1 (beginning, horse bust) will run Wednesdays, October 4, 11, 18, and 25 from 12 Noon4 p.m. and Equine Sculpture 2-3 (intermediate, full horse) will run Thursdays, October 5, 12, 19 and 26 from 12 Noon-4 p.m. 102 W. Washington St., Middleburg. For more information visit www.theartistsinmiddleburg.org or call 540-687-6600.

10/6

The Loudoun Fairfax Hunt Ball (7 p.m. – 11:30 p.m.): The Masters & the Board of Governors of Loudoun Fairfax Hunt request the pleasure of your company for dinner, dancing, silent and live auctions at River Creek Country Club.

Entertainment is by Suit & Tie, dress is Black Tie or Scarlet, if convenient. 4800 Olympic Blvd., Leesburg, VA. Tickets are $135-$275,

OCTOBER 2017

available online at www.eventbrite.com.

10/6

40th Anniversary Celebration at Hunt Country Jewelers (6:30 – 9:30 p.m.): Enjoy cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, gifts & giveaways in recognition of 40 years in the community. Wear your favorite hunt country pieces for extra surprises. 105 East Main Street, Purcellville, VA. Admission is Free.

10/7

Opening Ceremony & Ribbon Cutting at Mt. Defiance Cidery’s New Tasting Barn (11 a.m.): Join Marc Chretien, head distiller Peter Ahlf, their team, and town and county dignitaries as they open their impressive new location on Route 50 just east of Middleburg, where they will be growing, processing, flavoring and bottling Virginia-grown varietals of apples for farmhouse ciders.

10/7, 14, 21, 28

Salamander Resort & Spa’s Pumpkin Fun, Fitness Center (3 p.m.): Decorate

with stickers, paint or carve a toothless grin on your own pumpkin to take home. $25 per pumpkin. For reservations please call 540-326-4060.

10/8

5K Race Through Tuscany at Three Fox Vineyards (Race begins at 9 a.m.): Hosted this year by Travis Bishop of Bishops Events, this 5K race in Delaplane through the vineyard and rolling hills of Three Fox is sure to get your day off right! The race begins at 9 a.m., and complimentary tastings and discounts await you at the finish line. Sign up at http://bishopsevents.com/event/2017-three-fox-vineyard-5k. Casey Cline will be playing from 1:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. For more information please visit www.threefoxvineyards.com.

10/8

Pi e d m ont Fox Hou n d s Hunter Trials, Salem Farm Show Grounds, Upperville, VA (8:30 a.m.

Start): Featuring the $1,000 Field Hunter Derby and new for 2017, Novice Rider and Green Hunter, a premier event not to be missed. For prize list or inquires, contact Barb Riggs at barbarariggs@gmail.com or call 540-878-8386.

10/10

“Why Are Gardens Important” Lecture presented by the Piedmont Garden Club, Middleburg Community Center (11 a.m.–1 p.m. ): Join the members of the club for a history of gardening with Benjamin Lenhardt, chairman of the Garden Conservancy. Deadline to reserve seating is October 3. Admission is $50 per ticket and includes a boxed lunch. For more information, contact Nicole Perry at 540-592-3380 or email piedmontgardenclub@gmail.com.

10/10

Turnout Through Time, National Sporting Library & Museum (6 p.m.–7:30 p.m.): Join the NSLM as they celebrate thousands of years of equestrian attire with author and MFH Dr. Rita Mae Brown! Explore how riders from ancient Greece through modern day dressed for the field. Admission is $5; free to NSLM members. Please RSVP to Anne Marie Barnes, the Clarice & Robert H. Smith Educator at ABarnes@NationalSporting.org, or call 540-687-6542 ext. 25.

10/14

The Virginia Fall Races, Glenwood Park, Middleburg (9 a.m. gates open, post time 1 p.m.)

Celebrating 63 years of racing, this wonderful annual event features The Theodora A. Randolph Field Hunter Championship Finals, a petting zoo, fun fair, pony rides, concours elegant, vendors and food trucks, with the event for the Benefit of Inova Loudoun Hospital Foundation. For more information visit www.vafallraces.com, contact virginiafallraces@gmail.com or call 540-687-9797.

10/15

Cherry Blossom 5K Run, Walk and Pooch Pranch for Breast Cancer, Foxcroft School, Middleburg (In-Person Registration Opens 11:30 a.m., Walk, Run & Prance start at 1

p.m.): Organized by Cherry Blossom Breast Cancer, do your part to find the cure by joining in at Foxcroft School, 22407 Foxhound Lane, Middleburg. Online registration, information and donations can be made by visiting www.CherryBlossomBreast CancerFoundation.org.

10/15

Grace Church Concert Series presents Tysons McLean Orchestra (5:00 p.m.): Conducted by Miriam Burns, come enjoy works by Bach, Vivaldi and Grieg during this special presentation at Grace Episcopal Church, 6507 Main Street, The Plains, VA. Admission is $25 for adults, $15 for students. Season subscriptions are available. For tickets and information, please visit www.gracetheplains.org or call 540-253-5177 ext. 107.

10/19 – 22

Middleburg Film Festival, Middleburg, VA: The Fifth Middleburg Film Festival, a highly anticipated annual event, is sure to bring thousands of people to town to enjoy the lineup of selected films, and the filmmakers, actors and dignitaries that plan to attend. Visit the Festival website at www.middleburgfilmfestival.org to purchase your advance tickets. Residents of Middleburg receive a 15% discount on select packages. Details and special events are expected to be announced shortly.

10/19-22

Salamander Resort & Spa, Movie-Worthy Day Date for Two: Whether it is a first or 100th, a movie-worthy day date for two. Rent their new exclusive Shinola bicycles and take off on an adventure through Virginia’s horse and wine country. Come to a stop at a local vineyard, and indulge in Executive Chef Ryan Arensdorf ’s curated Luxury Vineyard Dining picnic with a local cheese and charcuterie board, country-style pate with housemade cherry mostarda, smoked salmon tartar, royal osetra caviar with traditional accompaniments, a bottle of Greenhill Winery’s Blanc de Blanc and much more. For reservations, please call 540-326-4020.

10/21

Boxwood Estate Winery Live Music (2:00–5:00 p.m.): Come enjoy the harvest season at Boxwood Winery with live music featuring Dave Goodrich. Enjoy our selection of delicious wines and help us celebrate our 10th Anniversary Vintage. 2042 Burrland Lane, Middleburg. For more information call 540-687-8778.

10/21

Aldie Harvest Wine & Food Festival, Village of Aldie (10 a.m.–4 p.m.): The 53rd annual festival will feature antiques, crafts, jewelry and collectibles along with historic civic organizations highlighting notable people and events from town lore. Kids events, food trucks, the Aldie Mill, wine tastings and craft beer are lead up to the awesome Aldie Duck Race at 4:00 p.m. For additional information and to learn where to park visit the festival online at www.aldieheritage.com or email info@aldieheritage.com.

10/26

Horsemanship in Ancient Greece, National Sporting Library & Museum (6 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.): Join the NSLM as Carol C. Mattusch, Mathy Professor Emerita of Art History at George Mason University, compares modern riding, tack, and philosophy with that of the ancient Greeks. Admission is $5; free to NSLM members. Please RSVP to Anne Marie Barnes, the Clarice & Robert H. Smith Educator, at ABarnes@NationalSporting.org or call 540-687-6542 ext. 25.

10/27 – 10/29

Annual Halloween Celebration at Three Fox Vineyards (Open 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.): Discounts for everyone in Costume and our Haunted Trail will be open again! Enjoy live music on Saturday by Movin’ On from 1:304:30 p.m. Stay later with us on Saturday until 7 p.m. Sunday, live music by Big Steve & Pete from 1:30–4:30 p.m.

10/28

International Gold Cup at Great Meadow, The Plains, VA (Gates Open 10:00 a.m.): The legendary 80th running of this Virginia Gold Cup steeplechasing classic is anticipated to run before a sellout crowd of over 50,000 people. Race day activities include terrier races, shopping, hat contests, tailgate contests, and worldclass steeplechase racing. Pack your own picnic basket or purchase food and beverages in the Tavern Tents. General Admission car passes cost $55. Information and tickets are available online at www.vagoldcup.com. For questions, please call 540-347-2612.

10/29

Orange County Hounds Team Chase at Old Whitewood Farm, The Plains, VA (Start Time: 12 Noon): This annual event has been held at Old Whitewood for 34 years. Reserved parking is available for $100 per vehicle.

General admission is a requested $10 donation to Orange County Hounds. For information please contact Pippy McCormick at doverhse@earthlink.net.

11/2

Symposia in Ancient Greece, National Sporting Library & Museum (6 p.m.–7:30 p.m.): Join the NSLM as Dr. Peter Schertz of the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts presents on the ancient Greek tradition of wine drinking and entertainment. Admission is $5; free to NSLM members. Please RSVP to Anne Marie Barnes, the Clarice & Robert H. Smith Educator, at ABarnes@NationalSporting.org, or call 540687-6542 ext. 25.

11/4

Middleburg Music Fest International, Piano Recital at Salamander Resort & Spa (5 p.m. – 6 p.m.): Internationally acclaimed pianist Giuliano Mazzoccante will perform works by Scarlatti, Beethoven, Chopin, Liszt and Scriabin.

Admission is $40 per person. For more information, please contact Miguel Diaz at 703-725-0097.

OCTOBER 2017

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DISCOVERING GATSBY IN MIDDLEBURG FOR WINDY HILL

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nter the flamboyant world of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s 1920’s classic, The Great Gatsby,

for the benefit of Windy Hill Foundation. Arrive in the utmost style at Salamander Resort & Spa, enter amidst the shining lights and flashing cameras to sip champagne, feast on culinary delights and dance with abandon circa the roaring 20s.

Friday night, November 17th is your chance to dress with finesse and party all for Middleburg’s own Windy Hill Foundation’s extraordinarily important mission to provide affordable housing and educational opportunities to members of our community.

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Offering services to children through seniors, Windy Hill has grown in 36 years to become a model for what can and should be done to elevate the less fortunate to upward mobility and security within our society. Proceeds from the evening will go towards existing programs and for the establishment of scholarships so that residents who want to go further in their vocational or collegiate educations can do so.

Not unlike the dreams of Nick and his mysterious millionaire neighbor, Jay Gatsby.

Can you flirt like Daisy and feel at home in the opulence of West Egg? Are you an incurable romantic or in pursuit of the highlife? Do you prefer the unknown to the known? Then this is your night!

Your hosts have planned an exceptional evening of fun reminiscent of the days of bootleggers, supper clubs and big bands to sweep you onto the floor. None other than

OCTOBER 2017

Doc Scantlin & His Imperial Palms Orchestra, dubbed the best band in America by Forbes, will be there to get you on your feet. And, Brian Damewood of Damewood Auctioneers will help all those irresistible items waiting to be generously bid upon find their match~ Want to make every moment count? Stay over for the night in one of Salamander’s sumptuous rooms, available at special rates when booked

by October 31st.

Follow Gatsby on social media and don’t wait to reserve your tickets, as this event sold out last year! Not sure what to wear? Remember this was the era of “anything goes!” ML www.windyhillfoundation.org #readysetgatsby #windyhill Spend an evening with Gatsby at Salamander Resort & Spa (photo by Lydia Strohl).

OCTOBER 2017

Base-15 -- Trim to 10.00”Wx14.00”D -- CMYK

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This fully renovated brick home by Swiss architect Henri de Heller in 1938 sits on 5+ professionally landscaped acres in downtown Warrenton. House has influences from the Modernistic Movement & listed on the Nat’l Register of Historic Places. 5 BRs, 5.5 BAs, formal Living Room, Dining Room, Den, Conservatory, gourmet Eat-in Kitchen, Family Room & 6 fireplaces. The grounds have over 100+ species of trees, shrubs, flowers, terraced gardens & stonewalls all centered around a sunken garden. 3-car Garage. $1,775,000

Paris~ Just Reduced $300k~ Circa 1770, Lovely Stone and Stucco Farmhouse sits at the foot of the Blue Ridge Mountains, 20+ acres surrounded by Protected Lands, Incredible Views, Meticulous exterior renovations include Re-Pointed Stonework, Metal Roof, 2 Large Additions, Covered Porch, Basement, Buried Electric, Well and Septic, Fully Fenced, Mature Trees, Boxwoods, Ready for all your $1,550,000 interior finishes.

Polo! Foxhunting! Eventing! all these are perfect at Lyme Kiln Farm's unique protected enclave on 54+ Acres in Horse Country. Surrounded by Goose Creek, with rare privacy so close to town, this property has it all: 4 Bedroom main house, 2 Bedroom tenant house, gardens, groom's flat, pool, pond, 10 stall barn, fenced paddocks. Ideal country home for family and/or horse enthusiast. $1,495,000

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Marshall~Fully renovated home nestled amongst large farms on 1 manicured acre in sought after area. Enjoy a traditional country home on the outside with a sophisticated, contemporary design within. 3-4 BRs, 2.5 BAs w/open Kitchen & Eat-In area, DR w/original stone fireplace, LR with built-ins, bay window and fireplace, separate Office or 1st Flr BR. Master Suite w/lux BA & His & Her Walk-ins. Large open flagstone terrace, porches and extensive landscaping. $1,135,000

Cricket Bedford (540) 229-3201

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Coming Soon! Beautiful all brick and stucco Tudor style home on 5 acres with sweeping lawns, in an idyllic setting. Spacious rooms, hardwood floors, updated country kitchen, two family rooms, sun room opens to a large deck, walkout lower level opens to terrace, elevator access to all three levels.

Outstanding location minutes from Middleburg on a scenic country road.

Priced at $897,000

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Middleburg ~ Custom estate home on 3+ lush acres minutes to town. This 6,000+ sq. ft. former model has open floor plan with 5 Bedrooms, 6 Baths, stunning Chef's Kitchen that opens to Family Rm w/fireplace, wall of windows & spacious side covered porch. Formal Living Rm w/fireplace, Dining Rm, Den/Office, & Master Suite with Sitting Room, his & her Walk-ins & Luxury Bath. Quality finishes throughout include hardwood floors & crown molding. Spacious Nanny Suite on top level. Fully finished lower level with Rec. Room. 3-car attached garage. $895,000

Cricket Bedford (540) 229-3201 RokeBy RoAd

MARSHAll~ Commercial: Great opportunity to purchase property in the town of Marshall. Zoned C-1, over 1.6 acres of land. Great location next to Oak View Bank, minutes from I-66 and seconds from Route 17. $1,000,000

Bluemont~Unique and charming, this arts and crafts style mountain retreat was built in 1904 as an escape from the heat of the city. Beautiful wood floors, 5 stone fireplaces, exposed beams, huge enclosed porch. On 14 private acres, both wooded and lawn, surrounded by mature trees. Only a mile from Rt. 7. Several outbuildings with stone foundation. $649,000

Cary embury (540) 533-0106

tHe PlAiNS~Rare 6 acre parcel along prestigious Zulla Road. Fully wooded w/slightly rolling terrain & house site farther back away from road. Existing driveway better entered driving North on Zulla. 500+' of road frontage.

Small stream. Old septic permit available. EZ to I-66. $450,000 PottS Mill Rd~Middleburg Build your dream home on a rolling 3.17 acre parcel just East of town. Cleared lot upperville 1.84 acre parcel with 3 Bedroom septic is in area of lovely homes, just South off Rte 50 at corner Certificate on hand. Mostly wooded with fantastic views of Potts Mill & Sally Mill Roads. Setting offers an elevated to the east! Great opportunity to own in a prime location! home site with views. Ideal commuter location. Permitted $299,999 $285,000 3 BR septic on file.

Barrington Hall (540) 454-6601

Please see over 100 of our fine estates and exclusive country properties by visiting www.THOMAS-TALBOT.com Susie Ashcom Cricket Bedford Catherine Bernache Snowden Clarke John Coles Rein duPont Cary Embury Barrington Hall

THOMAS AND TALBOT REAL ESTATE A StAuNCH AdVoCAte of lANd eASeMeNtS lANd ANd eStAte AGeNtS SiNCe 1967 Middleburg, Virginia 20118

(540) 687-6500

Phillip S. Thomas, Sr.

Celebrating his 55th year in Real Estate.

Julien Lacaze Anne V. Marstiller Brian McGowan Jim McGowan Mary Ann McGowan Rebecca Poston Emily Ristau

Offers subject to errors, omissions, change of price or withdrawal without notice. Information contained herein is deemed reliable, but is not so warranted nor is it otherwise guaranteed.