When it comes to spirits made in Virginia there is one undisputed king – bourbon. It gets all the press. Some even argue that the sweet brown liquor was born here. But the truth is fruit brandy has a longer, and possibly grander, history in the commonwealth.

Sometimes names fail us.

While those upstarts from Brunswick, Georgia, may beg to differ, the eponymous stew that carries their name – a favorite of civic fundraisers – actually hails from Virginia.

Most amateurs pop the cork on a Champagne bottle the same way – eyes closed, bottle pointed in the other direction, grimace of anticipation on their face. Half the time they end up popping someone in the head with the cork as the drink spills out on the table.

The cows stare curiously at their early morning guest but soon recognize the familiar face trekking along the farm’s dirt pathway. At a time when most of us are just waking up, Louella Hill has already greeted the sunrise and is busy collecting enough milk to begin her day making cheese.

“Raspberries?” I said, puzzling over a pour of lightly-blushed rosé at a recent wine tasting. “I get strawberries,” my friend replied, her head tilted as if letting the wine speak to her. “It’s strawberries,” the wine rep said, pointing down at his tasting sheet.