Culture Food & Drink

Better and better

As a founding father wine geek, Thomas Jefferson is typically the first person who springs to mind when discussing the history of our wine region. But it was Emma Randel who literally put Virginia wine on the map in 1982. Largely due to the efforts of Randel, who recognized the importance of the area as […]

Paul Ting | September 28, 2022

Culture Food & Drink

Thirst place

August is Virginia Craft Beer month and, as part of the celebration, the Virginia Craft Brewers Guild hosted the annual Virginia Craft Beer Cup competition. This year, a record 106 breweries submitted 396 beers, and several Charlottesville-area breweries won significant awards (see below).  Noteworthy among local winners is Three Notch’d Brewing Company’s first-place award in […]

Paul Ting | August 31, 2022

2022 Best of C-VILLE Staff Picks

Bottle by bottle

It’s no secret Charlottesville is home to a wonderful food and wine scene—situated in the middle of Virginia wine country, benefiting from strong ties to farm-to-table culture, and featuring outstanding chef-driven restaurants and diverse cuisine. In this environment, it should not be a surprise that many local wine shops also flourish. All the favorites presented […]

Paul Ting | August 24, 2022

Culture Food & Drink

How do you like it?

Crisp. Refreshing. Bright. Glou-glou. Quaffable. These are the words you want associated with the wines you drink in the summer. It’s no surprise that full-bodied, high alcohol, heavily tannic wines are put aside when the temperature and humidity are on the rise. Here are five kinds of wine to chill out with this summer: Sparkling […]

Paul Ting | July 20, 2022

Magazines Weddings

Something for everyone

With its small-town feel, beautiful mountain views, historic landmarks, and a strong local food and wine culture, the Charlottesville area is a popular spot to get hitched. For brides and grooms looking to make their celebration truly representative of place, local wines are an important piece of the planning. Here are some can’t-miss recommendations for […]

Paul Ting | July 14, 2022

Culture Food & Drink

Iced is hot

With so many coffee roasters trying to deliver the perfect cup, central Virginia joe fans have lots to choose from. The advantages of buying from local roasters goes beyond allegiance to the companies and the love for all things local, though—the  direct benefit to the coffee drinker is a matter of taste. Buying coffee locally […]

Paul Ting | June 29, 2022

Culture Food & Drink

Best pressed

Beginning in 2021, the annual Virginia Governor’s Cup competition, which traditionally recognizes the best wines in the state, included a separate category for cider. In 2022, the competition awarded 10 gold medals to ciders and Albemarle CiderWorks’ 2019 Hewes Crab won Best in Show. Opened by the Shelton family in 2009, Albemarle CiderWorks is Virginia’s […]

Paul Ting | May 25, 2022

Culture Food & Drink

Thoughtful pairings

When it comes to wine, it can be easy to focus on education and use facts, legality, and tradition in your approach. What does a particular grape variety taste like, or what should it taste like? What laws govern wine of a certain style or from a certain place? What defines “quality” in a wine? […]

Paul Ting | May 4, 2022

Culture Food & Drink

Brewing perfection

Sake is believed to have originated in Japan approximately 2,000 years ago. As with many alcoholic beverages, it was refined as part of religious ceremonies, and commercial brewing of the rice-based beverage began in the 14th century. Although recent advances have allowed for automation and large-volume production, high-quality sake is still mostly made by hand, […]

Paul Ting | March 30, 2022

Culture Food & Drink

A drink refresher

Do you find yourself stuck in a loop at cocktail hour? When it’s five o’clock somewhere and Miller time has arrived, many people reach for the same beverages again and again. Lucky for us central Virginians, it’s easy to find exciting, locally made products to vary our drink of choice.  Here are a few that […]

Paul Ting | February 16, 2022