Fletcher Henderson, The Winery at La Grange On-Site Manager and author of Fletcher's Twist!

Fletcher's Twist!

"Summertime, and the livin' is easy. Fish are jumpin' and the cotton is high."

Well, all of us ‘fish' working on La Grange are certainly jumpin' these days and it shows! The manor house is barreling toward completion of its' restoration. Electric wires have been successfully embedded into the walls and ceilings and the holes are being patched in preparation for primer and finish paint. The third floor has received its' final coats of paint. The wall on the first floor has been removed to open-up the tasting room area (thanks Neil). So far we have installed over 7800 feet of electrical wire, and shed enough sweat to extinguish Dante's inferno. 

Last week La Grange received 30 tons of flagstone to restore walkways, including the one through the old Boxwood canopy leading from the manor house to the winery, and to create patio areas around the property, including the tranquil spring house. 

The 1000 gallon propane tank to feed the seven open-flame gas lights outside the manor house and gas-fire logs in the seven fireplaces will be buried this month. Meanwhile, ditches have been dug and backfilled for electric lines to light the La Grange sign (that is being made) and the front entry stone walls, future gazebos, lighting for the boxwood canopy, and other outside applications. And the recent torrential rains promulgated us to quickly bury drain pipes to carry future rain waters away from the winery building's downspouts. 

Two brick masons, friends of John Catterson our HVAC engineer, who specialize in restoring historic brickwork are currently applying their skills to the exterior of the manor house. Landscaping is in the ruff stage of moving massive amounts of dirt around to re-create the terraces in front of the manor house and parking areas.

NOVEC is finally processing all of the paperwork and should be "plugging" us in sometime in July. Just in case they delay us further and we aren't plugged-in soon, I bought a doll and some needles to apply pressure on them from every angle.

George Wilson, La Grange's Vigneron

"Vigneron Visions"

Rain - what rain?  It didn't rain at La Grange - yeah, right.  La Grange's Vigneron George Wilson reports that about 150 of the newly planted vines were washed out from the heavy downpours, but were successfully replanted.  Additionally, there was some erosion in the vineyard and has been repaired.  George added that a deer fence on the northern end of the 20 acres has closed the "open buffet."    George mentioned a couple of changes to the grounds around the Harrison Manor House at the La Grange estate to include the parking lot, and that more fill dirt will arrive to spread around the area.  The time and efforts of the many volunteers who have come out to help is also appreciated and wanted to mention Carmello Ruiz-Gomez Family and Steve Ozel, Jr. for all the work they have been doing on the grounds. 

A recent update indicates the stone work leading from the Manor House to the Winery is completed and the new entrance off Antioch Road to the La Grange estate is near completion.  The entrance has some paving and there is more to come.  

A bottle of Sciutto's Freisa wine now held at the Manassas Museum in Manassas, VA.

A Taste of Prince William County Wine History:  Who Knew? is the name of the article soon to be published by the Ruth E. Lloyd Information Center (RELIC) located at the Bull Run Regional Library in Manassas.  RELIC publishes a quarterly journal called Reliquary which features in-depth historical and genealogical articles related to Prince William County. 

Next month's opening of The Winery at La Grange should be viewed as a very significant and historical event as it is the first winery to open in the County since the Virginia Farm Winery Act was passed in 1975.  The article reveals that prior to La Grange, the first winery to open since Prohibition was the Sciutto Winery which operated during the 50s on land which is now part of the Manassas Battlefield National Park.  Additionally, a short distance away from La Grange The Mill Park Wine Company owned and operated by C.A. Heineken on Route 15 near Haymarket, VA made and sold wine.  Heineken was in business with Franz Peters who owned nearby "Batavia" and had a vineyard which supplied the grapes for the wine.  Another historic distinction the County's past reveals is that grapes grown by Robert Portner who built Annaburg in Manassas were responsible for making a "Pride of Virginia Port" wine which won a bronze medal during the 1900 Paris Exposition.