Wine With TJ

I have, over the past couple months, the privilege and honor of hosting a series of wine suppers in the first person as Secretary Thomas Jefferson. The venue is the very dapper and historic Meander Inn in Locust Dale, VA just north of Orange on 15 just outside the original Civil War battlefield of Cedar Mountain. 

The reason that this house was visited by Jefferson is that it belonged to the Rev Henry Fry, the son of the famous Joshua Fry.  The Jefferson aficionados out there should recall that Jeffersons father, Peter, and Joshua Fry surveyed together, laying out for the first time the line betwixt NC and VA in what's now referred to colloquially as the Jefferson-Fry map. The land originally belonged to Lord Fairfax, for whom both Washington and Fry surveyed.  Fry got there first, liked it enough to lay his claim, and eventually passed it onto his eldest, the Rev. Fry who built the existing home starting in 1766.  So TJ and Henry grew up knowing each other probably as well as their fathers had, and would visit during trips northward. 

A banquet for Lafayette was also held there upon his return in 1825.  Amongst the other notable guests to this home are Mason, Washington, Madison, Monroe, and several others. The later victorian occupants were the first to introduce the whippet to America. It now operates as a B&B as well as a restaurant, and I can highly recommend it.

The guests were introduced to Jefferson with a sabrage in the spring of 1790 as he was on his way northward to take on the role of our first Secretary of State, but he just couldn't stop talking about his time in France, where where he had just returned the previous October. Each of the five courses were paired with a wine that accompanied various stories as Jefferson was reminded of his travels. He even read from his pocket sized copy of Sterne's  A Sentimental Journey. 

For booking, reservations, or to ask about when you might be able to dine with Jefferson himself, please contact https://innatmeander.com​
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