The Washington Metro Region is home to a lot of very hard working people. You know who you are, and hopefully you’re reading WashingtonExec. There seemingly isn’t enough time for anything, including (unfortunately) taking time off to recharge your batteries. If this sounds familiar and you enjoy food and wine, you might want to consider Front Royal, Virginia for a quick getaway.
Located only about 75 miles from Washington, Front Royal is the northern entrance to Shenandoah National Park and Skyline Drive. In addition to these natural attractions, there is an active food and wine culture in the town. My wife and I have had excellent meals at the restaurants of David and Stacy Gedney, owners of the Element and Apartment 2g restaurants.
The vibe at Element is both casual and upscale, without trying to hard to convey either. Apartment 2g is an actual former apartment and on Saturdays offers elaborate chef dinners. Some standout dishes we’ve had include grilled tuna, scallops, Mahi-Mahi and filet mignon. The menu is small, but everything is done very well. Both Gedneys formerly worked at the Inn at Little Washington, so they had a template for fine dining in a rural setting.
They also run a small wine shop next door, which has introduced us to some good wines. The 2009 Sharecropper Pinot Noir is an excellent wine, deep cherry fruit with some spice and a silky texture. Most recently we enjoyed the Owen’s Roe 2010 Abbott’s Table, a red blend of many varietals that delivered a big, delicious experience without being overwhelming. My wife enjoys Sauternes, and she enjoyed the 2009 Chateau Villefranche last time we were there.
There also are several vineyards in or near Front Royal. Two of our favorites are Chester Gap Cellars and Glen Manor vineyards. Both offer very reasonable tastings complete with full details on how the weather that year, the cultivation and the wine making. Our favorite at Chester Gap was their Vintner Red, a mix of Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot.
It was smooth and flavorful wine, with balanced tannins. Glen Manor has only been making wine since 2008, though they sold their grapes to Linden Vineyards prior before making their own wine. Our favorite here was their Petit Manseng, a grape that I’d describe as somewhere between a Sauvignon Blanc and a Viognier. It’s a big white that could be very nice with spicy food.
Fine food and wine is flourishing where the Blue Ridge Mountains meet the Shenandoah River. Next time you can’t get away for longer, indulge your inner gastronome in Front Royal.