Early Mountain Oyster Festival Spring 2019

Here is an event that didn’t let down! I packed husband in the car and picked up dad and wine friend 1 and off we went to Madison. We actually got there right after 11 when the doors opened, and we weren’t the first in line.

We checked in and got a hand stamp and a ticket. The ticket was good for one free glass at the bar. There was no tasting menu because of the festival.

I went straight to the 2015 Novum red blend, a darker blend. Wine friend 1 sampled my glass and went for the same. Husband actually tasted rose, but didnt care for it. I recommended the Five Forks white blend and he tasted and liked it. Dad stuck with his favorite, the pinot gris.

We went to a table near the fire and ordered cheese and meat plates, as the oysters weren’t ready until noon.

We ended up with two dozen raw oysters, a half dozen fried, two mac and cheese and a crabcake with salad. I opened a bottle of 2016 Eluvium to sip with our food. I thought everything tasted great, and the Eluvium was a really solid red blend.

While the sock-buying friend from a few posts back mocked me for pairing raw oysters with red wine, it was great. We all enjoyed the food and wine. The place got auper-crowded too, with hip young folks hanging around outside on the patio (letting in cold air every time they opened the door).

All things considered, the festival was nice, although not quite what I expected.

I picked up the club package with the 2018 rose, 2016 Elevation red blend, and 2017 Madison County Cab Franc, and my extra order of 16 Eluvium to bring home. Dad grabbed a bottle of Five Forks, and I was tempted to also, but I decided I wanted to stay married to Husband so I didn’t.

Now I have a 15 and a 16 Eluvium and we can do a vertical! Come on over!