When I learned that the Ritz-Carlton Tysons Corner was offering a wine package that included a stay at the hotel and a day
A little background first:
The Ritz-Carlton, Tysons Corner has formed a collaboration with the RdV Vineyards in Virginia wine country to create an outstanding experience for their guests which includes an enjoyable ride through the scenic hillsides of Virginia to RdV Vineyard which is situated on 16 acres of farmland. The vineyard sits on a steep, stony slope in the beautiful countryside and is roughly an hour’s drive from the hotel. The Ritz-Carlton Tysons Corner and RdV Vineyards have partnered to create an exceptional and exclusive wine tasting tour for two.
This package includes the following benefits:
- Overnight accommodations in a deluxe room or suite
- A welcome amenity of charcuterie & wine upon arrival in your room
- Round trip sedan transfer from the hotel entrance to RdV Vineyards
- Reservations for a winery tour at RdV Vineyards
- A VIP tasting – Charcuterie board and blind wine tasting exclusively for two
- Daily breakfast for two at the hotel
- Complimentary valet parking at the hotel
To give you an idea of how Always5Star this package is, below you will get a first-hand look:
🌟 Luxury Accomodations
After all, this is a Ritz-Carlton and the Tysons Corner property honors the brand that is synonymous with ultimate luxury and service.
For our stay, my husband and I upgraded our package to an “Executive Suite with Club Lounge Upgrade” room.
The suite includes a separate bedroom and living room area.
🌟 Welcome Wine and Charcuterie
As soon as my hubby and I arrived in our room, this lovely amenity was awaiting our arrival. What a nice touch this is!
🌟 Round Trip VIP Transportation
After a tasty, relaxing breakfast (included in the package), your excursion starts with a luxury sedan that is waiting for you at the front entrance of the hotel. As you climb into the comfort of the car, you sit back, relax, and enjoy the beautiful countryside as you drive to the winery.
🌟 RdV Winery Tour
“Everything we do at RdV is in pursuit of creating the next great American wine — a wine that is the most complete and compelling embodiment of our Virginia terroir.”
Rutger de Vink – Vigneron/Owner
(Picture was taken in the beginning of March – note that there is still a little snow)
The simple design of the outside of the building does not give away the beauty of the interior. The interior design is contemporary, creative, innovative, and yet exudes farmhouse warmth and coziness. One may not initially imagine these design elements together, but the decor works very well as you can see.
A fireplace to enjoy while sipping and tasting your wine.
“We raise our vegetables, honeybees, and animals as we do our vines, with an appreciation for the complex and cyclical relationships between the land, climate, and living organisms. Our goal is to tend this land and leave it in a better place than it was when we found it. In a beautiful symbiosis, we give to our farm and know that it will continue to return the generosity for generations.”
Once you have taken all the views in and find yourself a comfy seat by the fire, you are provided a glass of bubbly to enjoy before you begin your tour and learn more about the winery and the wines.
On the tour, you will first learn about the owner, Vigneron, Rutger de Vink. It is interesting to know that he was a US Marine turned office worker who discovered that he had a deep passion for being a winemaker. With this epiphany, he started down a path to realize his dream of making a name in the wine world. Rutger set out to accomplish this goal by searching for the perfect piece of land in Virginia. Through intensive research, hard work, and apprenticing and learning from notable winemakers, he began his quest to create a wine that rivals the best wines in the world.
The interior showcases a minimalist artistic flair.
The winery utilizes the latest in state of the art equipment!
“I think at the end of the day, it’s all about maximizing the land and the goodness of the earth through farming in order to extract the impossible.”
José Andrés – Chef/Owner, ThinkFoodGroup
You will be excited to discover the renowned Eric Boissenot, wine consultant, choose to work with RdV vineyards. He was drawn in by Rutger’s passion for creating an exclusive wine and his team’s attention for polishing the details and complexity of the wine. He recognized Rutger’s innate abilities for building a family atmosphere that permeates throughout the whole organization.
Wine Tasting Package
The first part of this tour entails an overview of the history and lasts about 30-45 minutes. You will be with a small group during this section of the tour. Once completed, you will be separated from the group for your private VIP tasting. The group package will continue to a long table in which the group tour will have an opportunity to taste several of the wines. However, as part of the Ritz-Carlton VIP package, my hubby and I were led into a separate room where we would experience the one-on-one “Blind Taste Testing.”
Here you have an opportunity to test your skills. You are told that two of the wines are from the vineyard and two are from other wineries. A fun challenge, as you need to channel your inner Master Sommelier skills…lol!
The bottles are kept covered until you are ready for the grand reveal. How well do you think you will score?
I can honestly answer you that I was able to identify the RdV wines, but was not able to classify the two other wines. However, this was an exciting game of comparing the wines against other robust wines. RdV wines, in my estimation, were equal to, and maybe even a bit better, than the Caymus Vineyards and Château Cos d’Estournel.
What made this tasting even more special was that we were lead and educated by Connie Fowler (Hospitality Director), who we discovered also happens to be Rutger’s mother-in-law. Her enthusiasm and love for the vineyard were contagious.
To our great pleasure, Rutger came out to introduce himself to us, a kind and humble man who has an incredible gift for bringing us a quintessential wine from Virginia.
5StarTip🌟: The wine’s label design is a nod to Rutger’s Dutch roots and his last name – de Vink. His name means finch in Dutch, and he chose this label design to represent three finches. Two birds look forward to the future, and the last one looks back and honors the past.
“Rendezvous is another expression of our magical hillside, created with the same attention to terroir and craft that distinguishes an RdV wine. The blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and a touch of Petit Verdot displays a rich, round, fruit-driven style with generosity and accessibility that makes it perfect to enjoy right away.”
– RdV Vineyard
I can say that all the wines were exceptional. However, I have a couple of favorites: the Rendezvous 2012 and the Rendezvous 2015.
Rendezvous 2012
- Merlot 57%
- Cabernet Sauvignon 22%
- Cabernet Franc 12%
- Petit Verdot 9%
“The 2012 Rendezvous showcases the refinement and finesse characteristic of the vintage. Aromas are suggestive of forest fruits, patisserie, and hints of earthiness. The wine is supple, round and framed by sweet tannins that provide a vibrant, harmonious finish. Immensely enjoyable now, it will continue to improve.” – RdV vineyard
Rendezvous 2015
- Merlot 45%
- Cabernet Sauvignon 23%
- Cabernet Franc 11%
- Petit Verdot 21%
“The 2015 Rendezvous is generous and fully ripe, yet crisp cassis and blueberry fruits fill the entry that follows with subtle notes of vanilla and graphite minerality. the overall rounded and quaffable style encourages immediate enjoyment while the refined backbone will support cellaring for many years to come.”
– RdV vineyard
Location:
2550 Delaplane Grade Rd, Delaplane, Virginia
Final Thoughts
On this day I discovered a new wine that I truly enjoyed. So much so I purchased a couple of bottles and will be buying more in the future. I am grateful to the Ritz-Carlton Tysons Corner for curating this partnership with RdV and exposing its customers to not only an excellent wine but a package that truly immerses you into understanding and knowing the history behind these wines. Cheers to RdV Vineyard! May you all experience this fantastic wine tasting experience in Virginia. I feel confident that you will find this an Always5Star experience and enhancement to your stay!
Please note that this was a sponsored opportunity to enjoy this wine tasting experience. However, I was not compensated for this post or the opinions expressed.
About Pamela Rossi
I am passionate about travel and taking each moment and making it a five star experience. My goal is to create those experiences for YOU!
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