Where Royalty meets the Berkshires

Geez I sound like a cheezy travel writer.  Furthest from it.

It was a father/son weekend.  Fall chill in the air.  Scary pumpkin carvings.  Expansive grounds with a gorgeous mansion reminiscent of Irish Castles.  And wine.   Lots of wine.  Chateau Haut-Brion to be exact.

The setting: Blantyre.  A story-book country estate in historic Lenox, MA.  The main event: A dinner/wine pairing featuring Chateau Haut-Brion Bordeaux wines.  This wine is amazing.  It’s rich history is amazing.  What touched me was that this wine was the first “First Growth” Bordeaux wine imported into the United States, and that none other than Thomas Jefferson bought six cases of the stuff during his French travels and had it imported back to the states (source: Wikipedia).

Since then it has seen many owners, it’s latest being the Dillon Family, thus making it the only first-growth Bordeaux to be American-owned. 

See photos below – and you’ll want to get yourself a bottle of Chateau Haut-Brion (try the 1981 vintage, if you can find it).  You’ll also want to visit Blantyre’s website and book yourself and romantic winter weekend trip.  You may just well see me up there again very soon.  I’m already dreaming of lounging by the fireplace, enjoying a cocktail, and looking forward to the bountiful breakfast that lies ahead for me the following morning. 

We stayed in a suite in the Carriage House.  Highly recommended.  I hear the rooms in the main house are equally as luxurious.

Okay, enough talk.  Here are the goods:

Dad looks nice and relaxed, don’t he?

The grounds at Blantyre, and the wonderfully appointed rooms.  Look at those goodies that were left for us!

The Krug was flowing during cocktail hour, and the table was set for dinner. 

Pumpkins galore!

Thanks to Ann FitzPatrick for having the most amazing place in the Berkshires, and perhaps the entire East coast.  Go there, would ‘ya?

 

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