Fall Winery Trip

One of the best ways to enjoy a gorgeous fall weekend is to drive out to a winery, especially if you can go to one in the mountains. H and I drove out to the town of Aldie for a wine tasting a few weekends back and thoroughly enjoyed the beautiful view while trying six different wines. (Spoiler: I still like generic white wine the best.) Outdoor wine tastings are also a great opportunity to get dressed up.

Although visiting Paradise Springs Winery is on my bucket list, I went to Cana Vineyards instead based on a friend’s recommendation. I had been missing the mountains back home, and my Insta-stalking revealed that Cana has a view of the mountains. I still plan to visit Paradise Springs another weekend!

The Winery:

Cana was a good choice—the vineyard features a mansion with a porch downstairs and a second-story terrace. I always gravitate towards white wine, so I was looking forward to trying some reds without committing to buying a whole bottle. Some of the wines were from Cana, and some were from other nearby vineyards. H and I took notes, albeit not always very helpful ones (for one I put “tastes a lot like red wine”). We sat upstairs after the tasting to savor a glass of the wine I liked the best, obviously an inoffensive white.

What I Wore:

Wine tastings are a chance to wear items that are too high fashion or impractical for everyday wear. Instead of choosing an off-the-shoulder bodysuit, a backless dress, or a big floppy hat, though, I kept my outfit simple. I wore the same tweed miniskirt that I wore during our trip to Providence, paired with a dark burgundy sweater I picked up from the men’s department at J Crew and a denim jacket. I accessorized with suede boots and a suede bag.

We had planned to go apple picking to complete our fall weekend outing, but after the wine tasting it looked like it might rain, so we headed back. I was grateful to not have to balance on a ladder in a skirt or be precious about my shoes, since suede shoes don’t mix well with anything except clean, dry sidewalks and being indoors.

What’s your favorite winery? Do you get all dolled up for a wine tasting, or keep your outfit simple? Let me know in the comments!