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Chambourcin Reserve – Hiddencroft Vineyards
A Study in Time and Oak Wine Description This Chambourcin Reserve represents another chapter in Hiddencroft’s ongoing exploration of how extended barrel aging shapes a wine’s character. While most red wines spend months…
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Slingshots & Pig Iron
My friend Walt and I were making great strides in the field of slingshot technology. I was convinced that my latest creation represented the pinnacle of human ingenuity—a rubber band affixed to a…
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Step Back in Time: How Virginians Celebrated Wine and Valentine’s Day in the Late 1800’s
Valentine’s Day in the late Victorian Era (1875–1900) was a mix of romantic traditions, elaborate Victorian customs, and commercialization, with some elements that are still recognizable today. The types of wines enjoyed during…
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The Great Dynamite Caper & Peach Wine Debacle
Walt & I Were Up Behind the Mines I blame the whole thing on my friend Walt. Not because he was the one who found the dynamite, though he was. And not because…
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Paint by Numbers
The History and Evolution of Paint by Numbers: From Craze to Collectible Paint by Numbers is a timeless hobby that has captivated generations of aspiring artists and hobbyists. These kits have a unique…
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A Kitchen Full of Starlings
Christmas Family Gathering A Christmas family gathering in a large household is something between a celebration and a carefully managed storm. Every year, Christmas dinner at my grandparents’ house in Rixeyville, Virginia brought…
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Feathery Autumn Dance
When the Grapes Are Gone: The Starling, Mockingbird, & Dogwood Ballet Every year, just after the final grape clusters are snipped from the vines and the vineyard begins to settle into autumn’s quiet…
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Restoring an 1800’s Farm Wagon
When my wife and I purchased the property adjacent to Hiddencroft Vineyards in 2011, I was surprised to find the remnants of an old farm wagon beneath a Virginia white pine tree. The…
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Hong Kong Flu and the Bean Sprout
It was September 1968, and my cousins and I were spending time at our grandparents’ farm in Rixeyville, Virginia. At twilight, we raced around the backyard playing Tag, Red Light/Green Light, and Hide…
Writing that's Rooted in Truth, Memory and Myth
