The Buzz
Fall 2016
Published by the Middleburg Business and Professional Association
Delightful Ways to Enjoy
Fall in Middleburg
Calendar of Events
Oct. 11 | 5:30-7:30 pm
Biz Buzz at Washington Fine
Properties
Oct. 15
Aldie Harvest Festival
Oct. 15 | 10 am-2 pm
Fall Fox Faire at Middleburg
Community Center (MCC)
Looking for something fun to do this fall in
Middleburg? Here’s a quick look at a few of our
favorite fall activities:
1. Travel through the treetops: Head to
Empower Adventures this fall to get a bird’s-eye
view as you zip and rappel your way through their
20-acre course at Salamander Resort.
2. Take a wine tour: Start at Greenhill Winery
& Vineyards, then make your way to Boxwood
Winery to taste their blended Bordeaux-style
wines. Next, explore the countryside by stopping
at The Local Taste in Upperville and Three Fox
Vineyards in Delaplane.
3. Explore Middleburg’s Art Scene: Swing
into the National Sporting Library & Museum
to check out their latest exhibits, including
art by Greg Montgomery (until Nov. 27),
British sporting prints (until Jan. 15, 2017)
and “The Chronicle of the Horse in Art”
(until March 26, 2017).
Oct. 20-23
Middleburg Film Festival
Oct. 22
International Gold Cup
Oct. 28 | 5:30-7:30 pm
“Concert on the Steps” at MCC
Oct. 31 | 5:30-7:30 pm
“Hot Dog, It’s Halloween!” at
MCC
Nov. 3-5 | 9:30 am-5 pm
Christmas Shop at Emmanuel
Episcopal Church
Nov. 5 | 5-7 pm
Block Party on S. Madison St.
Nov. 8 | 5:30-7:30 pm
Biz Buzz at Middleburg Bank
Dec. 2-3
Christmas in Middleburg
Dec. 13| 5:30-7:30 pm
Biz Buzz at Emmanuel Episcopal
Church
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For Greenhill’s Sébastien Marquet,
Winemaking Comes Naturally
It’s no wonder that Sébastien
Marquet became a winemaker. After all,
he was born in Burgundy, France, and
some of his earliest memories consist
of harvest season at his grandfather’s
vineyard.
Watching his grandfather work at the
vineyard all day long with his dog at his
side made Marquet realize the benefits of
living life at a slower pace.
“We don’t have to run all the time.
... We just have to take the quality time
that people need to have peace with
themselves,” Marquet said. “For me, that
was really the key to say, ‘I really want to
have a life like that. I really want to go
with my dog and work the vineyard and
walk the vineyard and produce highquality wine.’”
Marquet decided to pursue
winemaking at age 12, started studying
at the Lycée Viticole et Oenologue de
Beaune in Burgundy the following year,
and produced his first wines in 1989.
After three years as a winemaker in
Burgundy, he managed vineyards and
produced wine in Languedoc-Roussillon
in southern France, expanding upon his
Burgundy techniques with the Bordeaux
and Cotes du Rhones varietals.
His next challenge was winemaking
in Martinique, where he launched
the first Caribbean vineyard. Later, he
moved to California, where he worked
at wineries throughout Sonoma and the
Napa Valley.
Today, he works as a winemaker
for Greenhill Winery & Vineyards,
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where he’s in charge of ensuring wine
quality remains consistent vintage after
vintage. As a “hands-on” winemaker,
Marquet prides himself in conducting
and coordinating every aspect of the
winemaking process, so you will often
find him on-site, whether he’s in the
vineyards overseeing the harvest or
conducting berry and wine analyses.
The fruit of his efforts can be seen in
the many awards that Greenhill Winery
has already accumulated, despite only
being open for three years., including a
Double Gold medal at the San Francisco
Chronicle competition for their 2014
Chardonnay. Greenhill wines were also
included in last year’s Oscar swag bags.
Though Marquet’s adventurous spirit
and love of great wine has brought him
all over the world, it’s clear that he has
found a good home in Middleburg.
Middleburg Businesses Branch Out
If things seem a little different when
you’re walking around town, it’s not just
our new crosswalks and sidewalks.
MBPA’s record-breaking membership
this year, now at 119 members.
And, of course, Middleburg’s biggest
Several Middleburg businesses have
annual event is already just around the
including the Bank of Charles Town
dleburg will feature food trucks in the
opened up in new locations recently,
(BCT) and Wiseman & Associates,
both at 115 The Plains Rd., and Pop-
corn Monkey, now at 101 W. Federal St.
BCT’s ribbon-cutting was held Sept.
13 as part of Biz Buzz, the Middleburg
Business and Professional Association’s
monthly networking event. It was a time
for celebration, not just for BCT, but for
the town as a whole as well.
“Now that we have survived 25-plus
consecutive days of over 90, the construction, one-way traffic, no parking
spaces and so much more, it’s time to
get back into the swing of normal and
better business as usual,” said MBPA
President Punkin Lee.
To celebrate the return to normal-
cy, MBPA is sponsoring a Block Party
on S. Madison St. on Nov. 5 from 5-7
p.m. that will include music and refreshments. “We want to bring the joy back
to what we’re trying to do in town,” said
MBPA Board Member Bob Ball, owner
of Middleburg Millwork.
There is much to celebrate, including
corner. This year’s Christmas in Midparking lots of the Middleburg Community Center and BB&T (including
Hammerdown BBQ and Black Fig
Pizza) as well as parking at three lots:
across from Greenhill Winery & Vineyards east of town, near Zulla Rd. to the
west and at Salamander Resort & Spa
on the north end of town. We hope to
see you there!
Will You Be Next?
If you’re ready to follow your
dream and open up a business
of your own, be sure to check
out these prime retail spots
in the heart of Middleburg
available for rent:
1 E. Washington St.
7 W. Washington St.
101 W. Washington St.
108 W. Washington St.
3 & 5 S. Madison St.
15 S. Madison St.
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Fall Events in Middleburg You Can’t Miss
Whether you’re planning a fall
getaway or just looking for something
close-by to do this fall, Middleburg has
plenty to offer. So share your memories
with us using #MiddleburgMoment
and be sure to mark your calendars!
When it comes to festivals, October
has three great ones that you won’t want
to miss: the Aldie Harvest Festival
(Oct. 15), featuring antique and
craft vendors, kids’ games, music and
their famous duck race; the Fall Fox
Faire at the Middleburg Community
Center (Oct. 15 from 10 a.m.-2 p.m.),
featuring home-based businesses and
nonprofits, animals, music, games and
a bouncy house; and the Middleburg
Film Festival (Oct. 20-23), which
features 25 films including the muchanticipated “La La Land,” a symphony
concert and talks by special guests.
If you want to watch horse races,
head to Great Meadow for the
International Gold Cup (Oct. 22),
which has some of the best steeplechase
racing you’ll find anywhere, plus terrier
races and hat and tailgate contests.
This Halloween, be sure to join
us for “Hot Dog, It’s Halloween!” at
the Middleburg Community Center
(Oct. 31 from 5:30-7:30 p.m.) before
you go trick-or-treating. And, you can
welcome fall by building a scarecrow
and making s’mores during the
“Concert on the Steps” at MCC on
Oct. 28 from 5:30-7:30 p.m.
To get into the Christmas spirit,
you’ll want to go to the Christmas
Shop at Emmanuel Episcopal Church
(Nov. 3-5 from 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m.) to do
some early holiday shopping and spend
the weekend with us during Christmas
in Middleburg (Dec. 2-3), which
includes the tree lighting at the Pink
Box at 5 p.m. on Dec. 2 and, on Dec.
3, the Middleburg Hunt and Hounds
Review at 11 a.m. and the Christmas
Parade at 2 p.m.
Also not to be missed is the
Middleburg Business and Professional
Association’s Block Party on S.
Madison St. on Nov. 5 from 5-7 p.m.,
featuring food, music and more. Come
celebrate with us this fall!
Board Members:
Punkin Lee (President), Ken Reid (Vice President), Alex Fleming
(Treasurer), Bob Ball, Pat Horvath, Melanie Mathewes, Tone Moore,
Cindy Pearson (Ex-Officio)
Middleburg Business and Professional Association
P.O. Box 1384, Middleburg, VA 20118 | [email protected]
The Buzz Editor: Eryn Gable
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