Summer Is Here!

To celebrate we have “Peach Fizz” a sparkling apple wine with natural peach flavor from Peaks of Otter Winery. And the wine racks have plenty of Peaks of Otter’s other fruit wines like “Plumlicious”, “Mango Tango” and “Blueberry Muffin.” We have also restocked Virginia Sparkling Apple Wine from Muse Orchard/Widow’s Watch Cidery. While this is an apple wine (made with locally grown apples!) it tastes more like a fruit-forward traditional sparkling wine. Note the new labels on the Sparkling Apple Wine- drawn by one of Muse Orchard’s owners, Gloria Frigola. “Two George Cyder”- a traditional, colonial-style hard cider is back on the shelf too.

Another perfect-for-summer wine with just a little sparkle is Encostas Do Lima’s Vinho Verde. This Portuguese “green wine” has a complex nose with aromas of red plum, pear, green apple and lime. On the palate Granny Smith apple predominates up front, lime on the zippy finish.

Also- we have a new Chardonnay from South Africa’s Swartland Region. Lexicon Chardonnay is a smooth, rich, full-bodied chardonnay. It has intense aromas of ripe apples, pear and lime. On the palate are notes of apricot and tropical fruit with hints of butter and vanilla imparted by the French Oak barrels it was aged in.

Some summer snacks have arrived- Mango Slices and Papaya Spears from NOW Foods are back in stock. These pleasantly sweet and naturally nutritious crystallized fruit pieces have no added sulfur or preservatives- just fruit and cane sugar!

And talking about pleasantly sweet and natural- Better Stevia Liquid Sweeteners are finally back in stock! These zero-calorie liquid sweeteners are incredibly easy to use. Simply put a drop or two in your favorite snack or beverage and stir- That’s it! And a drop or two really is all you need- they are quite potent. I like adding the French Vanilla to plain yogurt to make a delicious sugar free parfait. We have the following flavors: Coconut, Chai Spice, Dark Chocolate, French Vanilla, Hazelnut and Peppermint Cookie.

We have some new hot pads and coasters by Dawn Steed. These hand-made home goods come in a variety of sizes and fabric patterns.

And lastly- We placed an early order for a large batch of Birdseed Wreaths from J & W Farm. These molded wreaths are made from a blend of Virginia Grown birdseed that meets the nutritional requirements of most of our local birds. We decided to go ahead and stock up early on these rather than risk not being able to get them before holiday shopping begins.

And another bit of news- we are switching up our schedule a bit starting next week. As of July 04 we will be CLOSED on Tuesdays as well as Sundays and Mondays. We will remain OPEN Wednesday through Saturday, 11 AM – 5PM.

That’s all from the Farmhouse front- Have a Safe and Happy 4th!