Andrea Palladio was a 16th century Italian architect who was “highly original and much imitated.” He “developed a style based on the classicism of ancient Rome, breaking with the ornate conventions of the Italian Renaissance,” meaning that he initiated a return to simplicity.
Why on earth are we telling you this, and what does it have to do with the Iris Inn and/or wine tasting road trips? The key is the word “Palladio.” The Barboursville Vineyard in Barboursville, VA boasts a wonderful restaurant known as the Palladio: “The restaurant’s name is no accident, given Andrea Palladio’s influence on the Jeffersonian mansion here, and the presence of his masterpieces throughout the Veneto, home to Gianni and Silvana Zonin, founders of this vineyard estate.
Northern Italian in inspiration, yet creatively indebted to the most seasonal and local resources of the earth and sea, Palladio offers the handsomest gastronomic redemption there can be, of the promise only the finest food and wine can extend — recalling one, recurringly, to the beauty of this world” (Barboursville Wine).
The most popular wines at Barboursville Vineyard are big, bold reds that, while good, do not reveal their full potential at the tasting bar. These reds are entirely fulfilled when tasted with food, and that’s where the Palladio Restaurant comes into play. Make your reservation now at the Palladio, and enjoy some of the finest wine and cuisine that Virginia has to offer.
One more quick thing: Are you fond of history? While you’re in Orange County on your Barboursville wine excursion, consider dropping by Montpelier, the home of James Madison. Then, enjoy the back roads filled with horse farms and rolling hills to Keswick Vineyard and their beautiful wood-focused tasting room. Then pick up I64 in Keswick, and head back to the Iris Inn to relax after your day.
View Wine Tasting Road Trips: Barboursville and the Palladio in a larger map