Molly always loved a good stick.

Here is Molly’s posting from the Saint Bernard Rescue.   We think she was almost 5 when she came to use.  On the very first day here, she was not used to being on a leash.  We were going for our first walk behind the barn and what do you know, but we ran into a skunk!  Thats right 120 pounds of new stinky dog.    The magic mix to minimize the smell,  baking soda, peroxide, and liquid dish soap.  If foams up and you just keep pouring it on.  Needless to say, we always keep a supply on hand.

Saint Bernard Rescue Listing

Molly has been a wonderful family member. One of the most undemanding dogs I have every had the pleasure of knowing. She loved a good stick, jumping around in the snow like a bunny, She loved hotdogs and up until the end would do anything for a treat and belly scratch. She will be missed every day. Although I do believe we will be finding her hair for the next few months.

Molly was always happiest when she was having her belly rubbed

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The Inn on Poplar Hill in Historic Orange Virginia is a  proud to support the Presidents Passport Program.

Are you traveling last minute?  If we have a room available for tonight, we offer a LAST MINUTE SPECIAL of 20% off the regular room rate.

West Mountain Ridge on a afternoon trail ride.  Discover  your hidden archeologist on a dig at Monticello.  Your Innkeeper knows the inside scoop on all these great adventures and more.

We are experts on the area and everything it has to offer and are always happy to help you plan your adventure.

Valid Passport Holders must be registered with the Presidents Passport Program.  Not yet registered? Register Here

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Guided Wine Tours

Enjoy a professional guide wine tour

If you’ve ever wanted to experience central Virginia’s wine country from an insider’s point of view, or simply wanted to go wine tasting with a designated driver who knows the wine country like the back of  their hand, then kick back in the air-conditioned comfort of a VINO VAN  for a fun-filled scenic tour of local wineries and attractions with a wine knowledgeable local guide.

You will visit several wineries along the Monticello wine trail or the Blue Ridge Wine Trail where you’ll enjoy the hospitality of the vintners and have the opportunity to taste and purchase their wines. Along the way, you will have the opportunity to enjoy a gourmet picnic lunch packed especially for you by the Inn at Meander Plantation

Vino Vans owner, Belinda S. Blanchard, usually called Suzie, is a chef, food writer, wine and food educator as well as a wine judge (twice) at the prestigious Blue Ridge Wine Festival in Blowing Rock, NC. She has also been keynote speaker at the North Carolina Wine Grower’s Association. In her home state of Virginia she is Director of the Virginia Wine Academy and co-owner and Executive Chef at the Inn at Meander Plantation and Vineyard.

Although Vinovans is prevented from including the tasting fees in the cost of the tour, Guests at the Inn on Poplar Hill receive complementary tasting passes to several local wineries including Barboursville, Copper, Keswick, Castle Hill, Jefferson and Prince Michel. Because  these complementary tastings are provide at the discretion of bthe wineries for our guests and may change at any time.

Rates: $150 per person includes an elegant lunch

VinoVans offers group discounts and other specials.

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A Group Kayak Trip down the Rapidan River

Enjoy paddling down at the scenic Rapidan river with an experience Kayaking instructor from the Rapidan River Kayak Company.

You will kayak about 4..5 miles downriver through mild rapids and relaxing flats.  With seclude spots to pull over to enjoy a snack or just enjoy the solitude and nature.  If you are luck your group will spot the nest of  a bald eagle who makes her home along the bank of the Rapidan River.

With a little luck and an eagles eye you may spot this feather friend along the route.

You Instructor  with Rapidan River Kayak Co,  of Orange, is certified by the American Can0e Association.  All equipment is provided. to ensure individualized instruction Class size is limited to five students. You will learn the level one skills defined by the American Canoe Association.

Recommended Clothing for your Rapidan River Kayak adventure. Swimsuits an shorts in warm weather.  If temperature is cool, add layers that can be shed as the  day warms.  Shoes are required.  Wear water shoes, water sandals, or old athletic shoes you don’t mind getting wet.  Bring a hat, sun glasses, sunscreen, water and a snack.

Kayak Tours – Rapidan River

A two to three hour paddle down the scenic Rapidan River from below the Spicer’s Mill dam to the Rte. 15 bridge at Madison Mills. You will kayak approximately 4.5 miles downriver through mild rapids and relaxing flats.

Group Trips.  Rapidan River Kayak Company can also offer group trips with a flotilla of kayaks, canoes and river tubes.  Call for special pricing based on your unique group.

Eagle soaring above the Rapidan River

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Third fish of the year at the Inn on Poplar HIll Bed and BreakfastSecond Fish of the year at the Inn on Poplar Hill Bed and Breakfast

The 2012 Fishing season officially opened at the Inn on Poplar Hill Bed and breakfast this week, when our neighbor caught the first few fish of the year.  It didn’t take him long after he cast the first lore for the line to have a struck.  Within 10 minutes Greg had reeled in three small fry.

Guests at the Inn on Poplar Hill are welcome to try their luck at our fish in hole.  A one acre spring fee pond that we stocked with 600 fish in the Spring of 2003.  In the past 9 years all those fish have grown and had lots of baby fish.  Bring your fishing pole and pick up a carton of night crawlers or some lures from the hardware store in town.  The guest who catches the biggest fish of the year wins a free night for the next year.

Second Fish of the year at the Inn on Poplar Hill Bed and Breakfast

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Stay with us Sunday through Thursday night during the month of may  for two nights and only pay  for the first night. This special is not valid for our 20% off last minute rate.  This 1/2 off rate requires a prepaid reservation!  So please call us and mention prepaid 2 for 1.    Cancellation with more than 10 days notice will be offered a refund less $25.  Cancellation with less than 10 days will not be refunded, but may move the reservation to a different day during the month of May.

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Gluten Free Chocolate Covered Peanut Cookies

• 1 package Gluten Free Pantry Decadent chocolate cake mix
• ½ cup butter flavored Crisco
• ¼ cup soft butter
• 2 eggs
• 1/3 cup peanut butter
• ¾ cup white sugar
• ½ cup unsalted peanuts

Cream the Crisco, butter, peanut butter, eggs and sugar together. Stir in the cake mix. Until well blended. Fold in the peanuts.

Chill batter

Drop on lined cookie sheet into 1 inch balls

Bake 350 for 12 to 14 minutes do not over bake.

Enjoy! I don’t think your friends will know these are gluten free!

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Tips for planning a Virginia wine tasting tour.

New to the sport of wine touring Here are my top ten recommendations for planning a successful Virginia Wine Tour

1. Don’t let the fancy jargon and spit bucket intimidate you. Wine makers and for the most part anyone who works at a winery does so because they are passionate about wine. They love to talk about how wine is made, in particularly how their wine is made and the just about anything to do with the wine business.

2. Of course timing your tour is important. During a busy weekend tasting rooms will be crowded and the pourers may not be able to spend as much time talking shop. If possible schedule your tour during the week, when the winery staff will have more time to spend with each customer. If you are touring on the weekends, get an early start at the larger facilities you plan on visiting.

3. Plan your route and confirm the wineries you would like to visit are open the day you plan on visiting.

Don't make the mistake of ruining your taste buds with a cigar, until the end of the day!

4. On the day of your tour. Leave the perfume and cigars at home, you don’t want the smell of your favorite fragrance or a cigar interfering with your ability to taste the wines. Make sure you have a picnic lunch and pleanty of water. It is important to stay fed and hydrated while tasting wine.

5. Take Notes. Although it is certainly optional, most wine tastings involve taking notes at each step. Otherwise, by the time you’ve tried two or more wines, you will probably confuse which impressions went with what wine! Most wineries have a tasting sheet with the winemakers notes. This is a great place to start, although I like to make my own appraisal prior to reading the description. I don’t want to be influences by the flowery descriptions.  Using the  WineEvaluationChart  may help to get you started.

6. Look at the wine.

a. Hold the glass by its stem and take a look at the wine’s thickness (called “viscosity”).

b. Swirl it in the glass to see how it clings to the sides (called “legs” or “tears”). The thicker or longer the legs, the richer and denser a wine will be.

c. Inspect the edge of the wine where it meets the glass. This is called the wine’s “meniscus”. Generally speaking, the darker the meniscus, the more full-bodied a wine is expected to be.

d. Inspect the color to determine the wine’s age: in white wines, the hue actually darkens with age while in reds, they often lighten.

Inspect the Color

e. Inspect the color in terms of the type of grape: in red wines, a deep, rich red is often seen in a Cabernet Sauvignon while an even darker, almost purply hue can be noticed in lots of Shiraz. A Pinot Noir is usually a brighter, red color and not as thick. In white wines, a Sauvignon Blanc tends to be almost clear with a slightly greenish hue and Chardonnays often have a golden cast. Noting the color and variations in color between a wine of the same grape from another can be quite interesting.

7. Swirl and Smell the wine. To do a “proper” wine tasting, it is said that you must swirl the wine in the glass (pretend like you’re making a mini tornado in the bowl of the glass). By swirling the wine in this manner, you expose more of the liquid to air, thereby releasing more of the wine’s aroma. Then take a deep long sniff. Really smell it trying to pick up the subtle and sometime not so suttle fragrances. For information on specific aromas frequently found in wine, The Wine Wheel.

8. Taste the wine. At last, the best part! So, how do you properly taste the wine? Still holding the glass by the stem, you take a small sip. Let the wine roll back on your tongue and linger in your mouth. For lack of a better phrase, I recommend that you almost chew the wine, letting its flavors hit against the different areas of your tongue. The first sip is the most important as your taste buds notice the flavors more. After the first sip, your tongue becomes accustomed to the wine and you will not be able to pick out its characteristics as well.

9. At this point, you’ll hear comments involving “palate” or “mouthfeel” -both of which refer to the weight, texture and flavor of the wine in your mouth. When discussing the palate or the mouthfeel, the full gamut of metaphors–from fruit, vegetable, mineral, gaseous, and chemical flavors (real, imagined or just plain staged) to personality types–are utilized. Descriptions of the wine’s acidity and tannin levels are also noted here as both of these elements dramatically affect the wine’s weight and structure and character.

Don't forget to spit.

10. Swallow or Spit out the wine. I prefer to actually swallow the wine at a tasting. If I am tasting more than two or three wines, I just make sure I don’t take more than two sips from each of the samplings. That said, if you are visiting several wineries on your tour you may want to try the spitting method for obvious reasons. Don’t worry: if you are at a wine tasting, there should be a glass or other receptacle available to you to discreetly spit your wine into.

11. Note the finish Whichever method you choose, make sure to note the lingering flavor of the wine in your mouth after you’ve disposed of it. This is called the wine’s “finish” and the general rule is, the longer the finish, the higher quality of wine. That said, I’ve had some lousy wine that seemed to linger for hours, so, I’m not so sure if I buy into this philosophy!

12. Cleanse the palate. Most tastings will supply you with crackers or other palate-cleansing substances to clear the mouth and prepare it for the next sampling. There are lots of opinions out there on the best “cleansing” substance to use, but if nothing else, I recommend at least taking a sip of water and cleaning your mouth with it before moving on to the next wine. Otherwise, the finish from your prior wine will interfere with your ability to sample the next. Don’t forget to make your notes now, befor you move on to your next taste.

13. To be safe it is always a good idea to have a designated driver when visiting several wineries on a Virginia wine tour. I highly recommend Vino Vans, their knowledgeable wine guides will pick you up and safely delivery you to each winery on your list. Your wine guide from Vino Vans can give you the inside scoop on all of the local vineyards, opening times, tasting fees, Special reserve tastings and an incredible picnic lunch packed by the Inn at Meander Plantation is included. with your tour.

Salud! And happy tasting.

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Five Simple Steps to Tasting Wine

1. Look

The first step is to hold the glass by the stem and look through the wine against a white background to appreciate the true color. The wine should be bright and clear, not hazy or cloudy. White wines range in color from nearly clear to a golden yellow. Red wines range in color from dark, intense red to light, pale red.

2. Swirl
To get the full aroma of the wine, fill a large wine glass a third of the way full, and swirl the wine around in the glass. This releases the aromatics.

3. Smell
Inhale deeply through your nose and try to identify what you smell. Do you smell fruit or spices? You might find hints of familiar smells including wood, tobacco, citrus, apple, chocolate, plums, pineapple, flowers or raspberries. While contemplating the smell, look at the wine and notice whether it’s thick or thin, bright or mellow, clear or hazy.  For more information about smell and wine read about the  Wine Aroma Wheel developed by Ann Noble.  This wheel

4. Taste
After taking a sip, roll the wine around in your mouth to reach all of your taste buds. Then, breathe air through your lips to release the aromas. If the wine makes you pucker, it may be a little tart (high in acids) or tannic (dry like banana skins and tea leaves). If it feels hot and burns a little, it may have high alcohol content. If none of these elements overwhelm you, the wine is likely well-balanced. Notice how it feels in your mouth: this is called the texture.

Finally, take a taste. Start with a small sip and let it roll around your mouth. There are three stages of taste: the Attack phase, the Evolution phase and the Finish.

1. The Attack Phase, is the initial impression that the wine makes on your palate. The Attack is comprised of four pieces of the wine puzzle:
   1. alcohol content
   2. tannin levels
   3.  acidity
   4. residual sugar 

These four puzzle pieces display initial sensations on the palate. Ideally these components will be well-balanced one piece will not be more prominent than the others. These four pieces do not display a specific flavor per se, they meld together to offer impressions in intensity and complexity, soft or firm, light or heavy, crisp or creamy, sweet or dry, but not necessarily true flavors like fruit or spice.

1. The Evolution Phase is next, also called the mid-palate or middle range phase, this is the wine’s actual taste on the palate. In this phase you are looking to discern the flavor profile of the wine. If it’s a red wine you may start noting fruit – berry, plum, prune or fig; perhaps some spice – pepper, clove, cinnamon, or maybe a woody flavor like oak, cedar, or a detectable smokiness. If you are in the Evolution Phase of a white wine you may taste apple, pear, tropical or citrus fruits, or the taste may be more floral in nature or consist of honey, butter, herbs or a bit of earthiness.
2. The Finish is appropriately labeled as the final phase. The wine’s finish is how long the flavor impression lasts after it is swallowed. This is where the wine culminates, where the aftertaste comes into play. Did it last several seconds? Was it light-bodied (like the weight of water), medium-bodied (similar in weight to milk) or full-bodied (like the consistency of cream)? Can you taste the remnant of the wine on the back of your mouth and throat? Do you want another sip or was the wine too bitter at the end? What was your last flavor impression – fruit, butter, oak? Does the taste persist or is it short-lived?

5. Spit
It may make you slightly uncomfortable initially, but if you are tasting several wines during an event it is essential to spit. Spitting enables you to experience wines without the danger of imbibing too much alcohol. If you are just trying a few, go ahead and swallow. A wine that lingers in your mouth and throat after you have spit is a sign of good length and body.

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Wine Touring 101

Wine Touring Tips

Whether you are new to wine tasting or a seasoned veteran here are a few tips that will help you make the most of your experience:

• Plan your adventure.  Map out your route, check the wineries schedule, make appointments with smaller facilities, pack a picnic lunch, and hit the trail. The wine trail that is.
• Weekends can be particularly busy during nice weather.  If possible visit the larger; well know wineries during the week or early in the day, when the crowds will not be a problem.  OT avoid the crowds visit during the week if possible, check the wineries schedule, some may be closed different days during the week.  Give the winery a call to be on the safe side.  Driving down a country road only to find the gate closed or a private event taking place can be frustrating.
• Do not wear perfume or fragrances while tasting wine. Smell is such a huge factor in how a wine is perceived and you’ll want to save all of those olfactory receptors for the lovely wines you will taste at the Virginia Wineries.
• Most wineries in the area charge a nominal fee for tastings.  But will wave this fee when you purchase wine, or if you join their wine club. More about the benefits of wine club later.  We have arrange complementary tastings at many of the local wineries for our Guests.
• You will be given “tastes” of wine.  Usually about 2 oz, but the pours vary from winery to winery.  It is perfectly acceptable to pour or spit out the wine.  This is a good idea if your are visiting multiple wineries.  Drinking too much can dull your taste buds, and often make subpar wine taste better.  You may end up purchasing wines that you later have to regulate to the second or even third bottle of the evening list. If you are truly trying to get a feel for all of the wines limit how much you consume.  The wineries will not be offended if you either spit or dump-out wine. You may also opt out of tasting a particular wine if it’s not your thing
• Ask questions.  In most cases the staff at the wineries will be happy to discuss their wines and the wine making process.   Almost everyone who works at a winery does so because they are passionate about the art of  wine making.   Winemakers LOVE to tell you about their wine.
• If you find a wine that you especially like, buy it from the winery! If you like it and you know you’re going to buy it, then why not directly from the people who make it? Plus it’s a great token of your wine excursion and it gives you a way to share the experience with friends when you return home.
• Do NOT chew mints or gum, they will definitely affect the taste of wine and not for the better!
• Drink lots of water between tasting wines. Staying hydrated is the key to avoiding hangovers. You’ll thank yourself in the morning! Also, be sure to eat along the way at some point. The less food you eat, the more quickly you will become intoxicated.
• Make notes about the wine you are drinking.  Most wineries will have a list of wines they are currently tasting, with the wine makers notes.  Compare your impressions with that of the wineries. Take a note pad to make tasting notes. You can get something as simple as a spiral notebook. It’s always good to write down your perception of the wine you tasted as you taste it (and when you still remember). It can be used as a handy reference when you are heading to the wine store to make a purchase at a later time.
• Taste only at the wineries and not in the vehicle between wineries.  Virginia State Law pro prohibits wineries from allowing alcoholic beverages other than the wine they produce to be consumed on their premises, including in their parking lots. Also, the wineries are required by law to refuse to serve any one who appears intoxicated. The goal of tasting wines is to expose you to great wine and help acquaint you with a particular winemaker’s style, not get you drunk.
• We recommend you have a designated driver, along for the adventure.  Virginia has strict DUI laws and it’s just not worth it to take chances.
• Lastly, enjoy yourself. Exploring wineries should be a very fun experience. Try wineries you have never been to and some that you’ve never even heard of. You just never know the adventures you might have!

Use the map below to get directions from your current location or from the Inn on Poplar Hill 278 Caroline Street, Orange VA 22960.

Happy Tasting!

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