Ghost sweep

Now that’s some mighty fine wine. Talking about Gray Ghost’s 2014 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, which won Gold in the ultrapremium Cabernet category in the International Eastern wine competition held in California.

The Amissville winery swept the first three California wine competitions of the year, taking home a total of 10 medals — one Gold, four Silver and five Bronze. In addition to the International Eastern Wine Competition, Gray Ghost medaled on four wines in the San Francisco Chronicle competition and three wines in the New World International Wine Competition. Gray Ghost’s 2014 Reserve Cabernet won in all three competitions and the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon snagged two silvers.

“In a region where Cabernet is king, it was quite an honor to take home six medals on Cabernet Sauvignons in California,” says Al Kellert, Gray Ghost’s owner and winemaker with his wife Cheryl.

The San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition is the largest competition of American wines in the world, receiving almost 7,000 entries from 36 states. The International Eastern is one of the longest running competitions in the country, established in the 1970s.

London pour

Whiskey from Copper Fox Distillery in Sperryville will be poured tomorrow and Saturday at the international Whiskey Live trade show in London, England. The whiskey will be served from the “Virginia is for Spirits Lovers” booth.

In addition, trade show-goers will be sipping whiskey from Belmont Farm Distillery in Culpeper, which has been distilling since 1988 — the first craft whiskey distillery in the entire U.S.

Virginia’s Department of Agriculture and its European trade rep arranged for the Virginia whiskey tastings.

Week 4

Week 4 of Wine and Dine Month is upon us. March, if you haven’t experienced, is Wine and Dine Month on the Rappahannock County Artisan Trail, with 22 members offering special activities. Here’s what you’ll find this week. Thursday, March 22:

Griffin Tavern, Trivia Night. Friday, March 23: Griffin

Tavern, ATriuM3 Band;

Middle Street Gallery, Members and Friends’ Art Show. Saturday, March 24: Griffin Tavern, Robbie Limon Band; Little Washington Winery, Wine Bootcamp; Magnolia Vineyards, wine tasting; Middle Street Gallery, art show; Wild Roots Apothecary, Food and Forage Workshop. Sunday, March 25: Griffin Tavern, Sunday

brunch; Little Washington Winery, wine classes;

Magnolia Vineyard, wine

tasting; Middle Street Gallery, art show; Narmada Winery, Winemaker for a

Day; Wild Roots Apothecary, Wild and Weedy Plant Walk. Wednesday, March 28: Wild Roots Apothecary, Spring Detox. All Week: Gay Street Inn, complimentary wine; Greenfield Inn B&B, discount and complimentary transportation; Griffin

Tavern, wine of the week from Rappahannock Cellars. For details: www. opendoortour.org/. Click on Wine and Dine Month.