This past weekend marked the twelfth anniversary for Gray Ghost Winery. As our readers already know, we wrote a series on the winemaking process based on our experiences at Gray Ghost, and we could not resist returning to Gray Ghost to congratulate Al, Cheryl and Amy. Therefore, on July 8 we decided to attend the anniversary event held at the winery, and we had a wonderful time.

For a nominal fee we received a special logo glass and full wine tasting; we also witnessed civil war re-enactments complete with exploding cannons! It was a lovely day with warm temperatures and low humidity, and our picnic lunch was accompanied by jazz performed by a trio of musicians. We were able to visit with Al while we tasted the full line of Gray Ghost wines, and to our surprise the 2005 Cabernet Franc was released just that day. We had already tasted the Cabernet Franc at the March barrel tasting; so, we were anxious to taste it out of the bottle. The 2005 Cabernet Franc at Gray Ghost is not blended, and this was evident when we brought our sample to the nose. It possessed a strong raspberry aroma with a bit of herb and spice, and these are the characteristics that are unique to Cabernet Franc. We savored the Franc’s raspberry flavors and then opted to purchase a bottle for lunch.

Of course, we always bring food with us when we visit wineries, and on this day, we brought along spicy deli meats served on a baguette seasoned with olive oil and cracked pepper. An assortment of salty nuts, cheeses, and fruit also came along for lunch, and we enjoyed our wine and food while listening to the cool sounds of the jazz.

After lunch we decided to check out the civil war re-enactors. A John Mosby look-a-like provided the presence of the Gray Ghost, and he directed a small contingent of civil war soldiers/re-enactors to give demonstrations of Civil War era cannons and guns. Also lending an air of authenticity to the occasion were several women dressed in fashions of the era. They seemed immune to the deafening roar of the cannons, but we covered our ears when warned to do so by Colonel Mosby!

We concluded our day by wishing our best to the Kellerts; they will be busy planning the wedding for their son, Al, Jr. while also gearing up for another harvest season. Amy advised that we practice our bending exercises in preparation for this year’s harvest, and we eagerly anticipate our opportunity to harvest again this fall.