The Piedmont of Virginia, which starts about an hour outside of Washington, D.C., is defined by the majestic Blue Ridge Mountains, which in the right light, actually do cast blue and even purple. They frame a worthy landscape of undulating green fields punctuated by barns, mansions and centuries-old shade trees. Driving here brings on a contentment that stands in stark relief to stressful Beltway driving. Amid all this pastoral beauty, curvaceous lanes beg for an easy pace. Here's how to craft a perfect weekend that captures the essence of the area:
Plan for a concert at Castleton. Founded by the late Maestro Maazel, the famous conductor, in a former chicken coop on his sprawling property nestled amid rolling hills, it has become the Mid-Atlantic's answer to Tanglewood. Now helmed by Maazel's widow, German actress Dietlinde Turban Maazel, intimate concerts take place within the charming original theater. Larger concerts by artists like Jose Carreras and Itzhak Perlman are performed in a new 22,000-square-foot theater. The musical schedule is robust and varied throughout much of the year, but in summers is positively sings.
The New York Times has named Castleton's Classical Summer Festival one of the country's best. This year, Grammy Award winner Wynton Marsalis brings Jazz at Lincoln Center's summer training program for high school students to Rappahannock County, so visitors to Castleton will have an opportunity to mingle with the budding musicians, perhaps catch a note or two as they practice en plein air and attend a showcase with Marsalis and his students.
This part of Virginia is ripe with wineries, very good wineries. Although there are destination wineries that merit a must-see, it is even more fun to carve out an afternoon to weave along back roads and visit several. Here are a few to seek out:
Linden Vineyards, in the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountain, is a small winery run by Jim Law, who makes his home on property. These are strong wines are made from grapes grown only in this region. Tastings are a bargain at $7.
Gadino is a small, family-run winery in Rappahannock County. The friendly owners Bill and Aleta Gadino, along with their son-in-law, who is charge of the tasting room, tap their Italian heritage to make their wine.
Barboursville is Virginia wine country's gold standard. Located on 900 acres, it has been named among the top wineries in the U.S. thanks to slew of wine awards, including 2015's Gold Medal for the Petit Verdot Reserve.
Early Mountain is a new comer that's making a big splash in Virginia wine country. The owners are AOL founder Steve Case and his wife Jean. They host creative events, like cinema and sips, have a beautiful, Napa-worthy tasting room, and are serious about their terroir.
As for bedding down, it's hard to find a more idyllic spot than Glen Gordon Manor, which overlooks Shenandoah National Park. The property has a storied history beginning as a Wells Fargo stagecoach stop before turning up the glam when Wallis Simpson's sister invited British royalty to frolic in its pool and clink glasses on the patio.
Today, Dayn Smith and his wife Nancy Moon own it. Smith launched his international reputation with one of San Juan, Puerto Rico's best restaurants, Perla at La Concha Hotel, where his culinary prowess put him on a multitude of "best chefs" list. The couple and their two young boys fell in love with the low-key lifestyle the region offers and now make their home on the property.
Dinner at Houndstooth, Glen Gordon's restaurant, is an unselfconscious farm-to-table dining experience, which delivers refined dishes like grilled lamb with vegetable ragout, using fresh, locally produced ingredients. The property is surrounded by farmland and benefits from its position by having back door deliveries of grown-to-order trays of micro greens and forest-foraged spring morels.
Because the kitchen is where Smith feels most at home, he welcomes guests to join him for kitchen demos, where they can dig their hands into the fresh ingredients themselves. Recently, I was part of a small group that sipped a crisp Riesling as he taught us coax pillowy gnocchi from humble potatoes.
Nancy is the friendly face of the inn. She sees herself as a caretaker of the history of the property, retaining and restoring the original floorboards and the oak walls of the hunt room. But she's not a slave to history and with her comes airiness, a lightness and brightness. She handpicked everything from tassels to chandeliers, and the personal touch shows. Even the hairdryers were chosen with care. "I tested many and got these because they dry hair quickly," she explains. "Who wants to stand around drying their hair while on vacation?"
None of the seven rooms at Glen Gordon are the same. Those in the manor house put you in close proximity to the kitchen and the irresistible tree swing on a hill out front. They are filled with historic charm and good art.
But there is no better place to soak in the landscape than in one of the two suites housed within the Glencroft Cottage. They are beautifully appointed with lush fabrics, marble bathrooms the size of many Paris apartments, and sitting rooms outfitted with iPads. But the very best attribute of all is the view from their back windows, which reminds you why this place is so special. The view unveils the timelessness of the Piedmont as rolling horse pastures yield to the mountains that have hugged them for generations.