Acorn
AFTON, VIRGINIA | OCTOBER 2025
Veritas Vineyards is a beautiful 120-acre winery in Virginia’s hidden wine country just outside of Charlottesville. The Afton family have become pioneers of this budding American wine region, from parents Andrew and Patricia, who took a chance on buying this land, to their children, who now lead both winemaking and business operations.
We arrived to the rolling hills of Veritas on a warm, sunny autumn day. The trees were touched with rust and gold, while the rows of wine grapes were just starting to turn with the seasons. The sun was high, so we started the afternoon in shady grove carpeted in fallen acorns. While we felt cozy and sheltered amongst the stately oaks, stepping to the edge of the grove revealed sweeping views of the vineyards all around.
After some initial bites and pairings, we officially welcomed everyone and walked to the table, which was hidden in a hollow of a service road next to one of those vineyards, rich in fall colors. We lined that table with sunflowers and set each place setting with an acorn, balancing the burst of end of summer sunshine with the oncoming contraction of fall.
At Supper, everyone was treated to a true taste of Virginia terroir. Chef Andy Shipman created a meal full of perfectly cooked local vegetables and unexpected ingredient combinations, all of which paired perfectly with Veritas Vineyards wines specially selected to accompany each course. As the warm sun set and temperatures dropped, we moved to the tasting room for dessert, where everyone gathered around fire pits for a final bite, paired with Veritas-created amaro. It was a day of many chapters, with many different flavors to enjoy, both on the plate and of the place we shared for the evening.
WELCOME
Upon arrival, guests gathered in the shade of a grove of oak trees, where we had stations set with perfectly paired bites. Each of the three chef-crafted canapés were designed to pair with a Flying Fox wine or vermouth. This label is a bit more playful than its refined big sister, Veritas, which we served at dinner. The irreverent label gives Afton family a chance to play with Virginia’s terroir outside of convention, incorporating flavors beyond the grape to create vermouth, amaro, and more.
A MENU BY ANDY SHIPMAN
Veritas Vineyards’ Chef and native Virginian Andy Shipman celebrated his home region, the Blue Ridge Mountains, with beautiful Appalachian ingredients, showing off the height of harvest season. The cuisine was the perfect balance of bright and light enough to show off Veritas wines, while cozy touches (like perfectly creamy grits) warmed up anyone feeling a hint of Autumn chill.
MENU
WELCOME
Roasted Dates goat cheese, basil
Paired with: Flying Fox Fall Vermouth
Dry Aged Beef Tartare sourdough cracker, onion ash
Paired with: Day Fox Cabernet Franc 2023
Sweet Potato Beignet trout roe, dilly crème fraîche
Paired with: Sly Fox Sauvignon Gris 2023
TO START
Chesapeake Crab Ravigote spiced cracker, celery root remoulade
FIRST
Black Fig Salad baby kale, country ham, Appalachian cheese, hickory vinaigrette
Wine: Veritas Monticello White Blend 2023
SECOND
Popcorn Grits grilled chanterelles, blackberry bordelaise
Wine: Veritas Cabernet Franc 2023
MAIN
Grilled Ribeye red pepper rouille, herb pistou
Swiss Chard + New Potatoes Taggiasca olive vinaigrette
Wine: Veritas Petit Verdot 2022
DESSERT
Valrhona Dulcey Verrine black walnut milk crumble, spiced apples, peach cider caramel
Sly Fox Vamaro
WINE PAIRINGS
Each course of food paired perfectly with wine made from grapes grown on the rolling hills all around us. This is a newer wine region, but (with the help of Veritas Head Winemaker Emily Hodson) it’s beginning to build a great reputation for American wine. For many guests around the table, this was their first time trying Virginia wine — dare we say, it wont be the last.
NIGHTCAP
As the sun set and the table fell into the shadow of nearby oak trees, we retreated from the evening chill into the winery’s tasting room for dessert. A fall-flavored verrine offered a sweet ending to an incredible meal, with a splash of Sly Fox Vamaro to round out the experience. This herbal-sweet vermouth-based amaro isn’t usually available for sale, so it was a wonderful treat for our guests; a sippable postcard from this beautiful corner of the world.
SECRET LOCATION: VERITAS VINEYARDS
Andrew and Patricia Afton bought Saddleback Farm in 1991, and took a risk by trying to plant some wine grapes on their property. As their business has grown over the past 20 years, their kids have taken over; their daughter Emily is now Head Winemaker, showcasing the unique terroir of the Blue Ridge Mountains with traditional winemaking practices. Their rolling hills of vineyards offered so many amazing places to set the table, so we decided to gather in a few different places across the property to show off its varied beauty.
