Get Out of Town
At Veritas Winery & Vineyard, Virginia Wine is Art & Science
Clip: Season 1 Episode 6 | 3m 24sVideo has Closed Captions
Lauren and Laurita take a quick trip to Veritas Vineyard & Winery in Afton, Virginia.
During their weekend in Charlottesville, Lauren and Laurita take a quick trip to Veritas Vineyard & Winery in nearby Afton, Virginia. This family-owned winery grows 11 different varietals of grapes to produces some of the best wines in Virginia. George Hodson shares the story of how his parents turned a cow pasture into a thriving vineyard and winery over 23 years.
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback
Get Out of Town is a local public television program presented by WETA
Get Out of Town
At Veritas Winery & Vineyard, Virginia Wine is Art & Science
Clip: Season 1 Episode 6 | 3m 24sVideo has Closed Captions
During their weekend in Charlottesville, Lauren and Laurita take a quick trip to Veritas Vineyard & Winery in nearby Afton, Virginia. This family-owned winery grows 11 different varietals of grapes to produces some of the best wines in Virginia. George Hodson shares the story of how his parents turned a cow pasture into a thriving vineyard and winery over 23 years.
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback
How to Watch Get Out of Town
Get Out of Town is available to stream on pbs.org and the free PBS App, available on iPhone, Apple TV, Android TV, Android smartphones, Amazon Fire TV, Amazon Fire Tablet, Roku, Samsung Smart TV, and Vizio.
Providing Support for PBS.org
Learn Moreabout PBS online sponsorshipGEORGE: Veritas Vineyards is a family winery here in Afton, Virginia.
We're producing some of Virginia's best wines from the 11 different varietal's of grapes we grow here.
I can remember the first time I visited, it was a bunch of cow pasture.
Andrew and Patricia, my parents, they saw it and there was a dream there and they followed it.
23 years later, it's a winery, it's a vineyard, and when people drive on, it's unmistakable.
You guys are done with the horses now.
So now you get to enjoy the wine.
LAURITA: Oh, yes.
GEORGE: Welcome to Veritas.
LAURITA: Thank you.
We are delighted to be here.
LAUREN: I know, we are.
GEORGE: So you've seen the vineyards and now you get to taste the wine.
Having an experience of food and wine is, is kind of what we love to do here at Veritas.
Wine is great on its own, but it's really at its best when you compare it with food and then enhances the enjoyment of them both.
LAURITA: So this all looks great.
LAUREN: Which one should we start with?
GEORGE: Easiest place to start is with our Sauvignon Blanc.
We've paired it with a smoked salmon, which is kind of a non-traditional pairing.
LAURITA: But you got to get a quick picture.
LAUREN: Yes.
LAURITA: We're low-key foodies.
GEORGE: Well look how pretty it is.
LAUREN: It's so pretty.
LAURITA: It is gorgeous!
Yes.
LAUREN: Beautiful.
LAURITA: So should we taste first and then drink or?
GEORGE: I always enjoy the opportunity of seeing the contrast that food is actually interacting with the wine.
LAUREN: Right.
Cheers to you.
LAURITA: Cheers to you... LAUREN: Cheers to me.
LAURITA: And cheers to you.
LAUREN: Cheers to you.
GEORGE: As we've built this business, it really is the culmination of each of our skill sets.
Ultimately, wine making is equal part science, equal part art, and I think that that really kind of embodies a lot of who we are as a family.
So you're noticing a lot of that great acid.
LAURITA: Mm-hmm.
I could really taste the grape.
LAUREN: You could definitely taste the grape in that.
LAURITA: Yes.
LAUREN: But I definitely see what you mean by drinking the wine, eating the food, and then drinking the wine again.
GEORGE: As you start looking at Virginia wine, we are only good as the grapes that our farms produce.
A Virginia Farm Winery is a farm, and at the end of the day we are farmers who are nurturing a product through harvest and then creating the wine in the cellar.
And ultimately each vintage is a unique expression of that year and it encapsulates what we dealt with as a family and as a farming community.
LAUREN: So now being on the side and drinking the wine and being up in the mountaintop earlier this morning.
The hard work that you guys put into these wines does not go unnoticed.
We definitely see and know that like this is an amazing product that you guys are making and this is delicious.
LAURITA: Yeah.
Truly, the, the fruits of your labor.
LAUREN: Yes.
Literally.
Literally and figuratively.
LAURITA: Hell yeah.
GEORGE: We're not trying to be somebody else.
We're not trying to be another wine region.
We're very proud of what we're doing.
It's an expression of this place and the wine industry is the intersection between Virginia's biggest industries; the agriculture industry and the tourism industry.
We will continue to grow, and cooperate, and share, and, and make the best possible product we can.
LAURITA: With Ashton riding up on the horses and in the meeting you George, and having the tasting.
LAUREN: Right, this was really... LAURITA: This was like a full circle day.
LAUREN: Yes.
LAURITA: Seeing the grapes.
GEORGE: Yeah.
LAURITA: Coming down and tasting the grapes.
GEORGE: Yep.
LAUREN: Yeah.
LAURITA: Thank you.
GEORGE: Wonderful to see you.
Thanks for coming.
LAURITA: Thank you for having us.
♪ ♪
Bodo's Bagels is a Charlottesville, VA Institution
Video has Closed Captions
Clip: S1 Ep6 | 3m 18s | Laurita and Lauren explore the Charlottesville food scene with a visit Bodo's Bagels. (3m 18s)
Exploring the Life of Sally Hemmings at Monticello
Video has Closed Captions
Clip: S1 Ep6 | 4m 52s | Laurita and Lauren explore the history of slavery at Monticello. (4m 52s)
Providing Support for PBS.org
Learn Moreabout PBS online sponsorshipSupport for PBS provided by:
Get Out of Town is a local public television program presented by WETA