Williamsburg Winery Wine Club: “Everybody is a Big Family and You’re a Part of It.”
The Williamsburg Winery’s most intimate connection with customers is through its Wine Club, which provides members with the ultimate experience in world-class wine and food. Meet Kimberly Riley, a longtime Club member with her husband, Brian.
Joining the Club: “When I moved to Virginia Beach, a friend mentioned the Wine Club and cruises with the Williamsburg Winery and said they were really fun and the wines are good. Brian and I decided to try it out. He went with a friend and loved it, and I went with a girlfriend. We bought the wine and loved it. We joined on the spot.”
Enjoying Club benefits: “I like the access to all the great wines. A lot of people in the area who aren’t familiar with the actual winery only see what they have at the grocery store. When you’re a club member, you get to be one of the first people to try new wines. You get to try all of the wines — the reserves, the really special wines, the Adagio. You get special access to the winery, where you learn everybody is a big family and you’re a part of it.”
Kim’s favorite Williamsburg Winery wine is . . . “the Gabriel Archer Reserve (GAR). The 2014 was my absolute favorite, however, I have a love affair with quite a few of the wines. The GAR is my favorite of the reds. We all have this one wine where we say, ‘What is this? I want more of this!” For me it’s the Gabriel Archer Reserve.”
A fun pair: “When my husband and I are running around and we’re busy, instead of having dinner, we’ll just have charcuterie and a bottle of wine. I like to do their reds with short ribs when I have time to cook, an Adagio or something.”
Her favorite spot at Wessex Hundred: “I like to sit by the water (the duck pond). We like to get a whole bunch of chairs and sit near the water. If you go out to the right, there’s a bunch of trees and you can get umbrella coverage. Whenever they have events, you usually find us tucked in over there.”
A really good time: “Barrel tastings with Matthew (Meyer) are really nice. Another favorite thing is going to the actual Barrel Room. You get that wine room smell. It’s amazing to taste wine from the barrel once in a while. The tastings are always fun in the Wine Library. We just did a GAR tasting that was really fun, and it was only open to members.”
Surprise find: “They recently released a Cognac Barrel Petit Fleur. It’s dessert wine, and it’s delicious. I don’t tend to drink a lot of dessert wines. This one is so flavorful and to have a glass after dinner is really delicious. It takes you on a bit of a ride.”
Something fun she learned: “Most wines in Virginia, because of the climate, are vegan.”
A special Club: “Over the years, my husband and I have joined a few wine clubs throughout the country. Williamsburg is the one we’ve stuck with, not just because it’s close. They have so much to offer, like being able to volunteer and go to festivals, trying different wines and meeting and getting to know everyone at the Winery. It’s a really good experience, all the wine club events. It’s a club we would never leave.”
Coming up: Brian and I volunteer a lot at wine festivals; we’ll be at the Yorktown one coming up on Oct. 2. The next day, we’re volunteering at the Winery, on Oct. 3. We travel around the state with the Winery doing festivals, and it’s really fun. We talk about wine all day and of course, drink wine.”
Find out information on how to join the Williamsburg Winery Wine Club online or call the Wine Club team at 757-229-0999, ext. 144.