When I was a child, my favorite family vacation was one we took to drive down the Blue Ridge Parkway. Driving with my parents and my sister through the park, stopping to see the attractions, occasionally hiking one of the park’s trails was easily better than Disney World to my young sense of adventure.
I remember the Mystery House where the center of gravity is
off (everything seems to flow uphill). I
think that might have been in an episode of Supernatural later in my life. Even more so, I remember the Old Mill where
they ground cornmeal and grits. There
was a restaurant there where I experienced Country Ham (ham that has been cured
in salt) for the first time. It wasn’t
what I was expecting and it’s something I’ve never forgotten.
My grandparents loved the Blue Ridge Parkway, too. When I was very young, we went on a trip
there with them. I barely remember that
adventure, but my Grandma kept a photograph of the Old Mill in her kitchen for
the rest of her life. The last
conversation I had with my Grandpa centered around what he wanted to do with
his summer. It was May and he had just
undergone a traumatic surgery to repair damage to his intestines. He said he’d like to drive down the Blue
Ridge Parkway. He passed two days later,
and I hope that’s what he and my Grandma spend the summer doing.
Needless to say, this old-timey family vacation is on my
list of things I hope to do with my husband one day. For now, caring for an elderly pet is keeping
us close to home. However, I suspect
that one day in the future we’ll be following in Grandma and Grandpa’s
footsteps along the parkway.
This wine, even though it’s a French Cotes du Rhone, reminds
me of the woods and earthiness of the parkway. It’s dominate flavors are plum,
oak, and earth. It’s heavier than most
Cotes du Rhone I’m used to drinking, yet still a good summer drink. It’s heavy enough for someone who likes a heavier
red without the weight of a Cab.
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