There's no doubt about it, the popularity of Virginia wines has skyrocketed at least over the past year. More than 130 wineries (and counting) occupy the state, and instead of traveling all the way to France, we've now got our very own wine country right in our backyard.

And while it's the smooth flavor and bold fullness of red wine that is meant to be enjoyed in the winter and the clean, crisp, acidic taste of white wine that cools the palette on a hot summer's night, the great thing about a wine festival is that they don't distinguish between the seasons.

Meaning that at any time, whether in spring, summer, winter or fall, the creation of this "elixir of the gods" can and will be celebrated.

This weekend, Richmonders living within the city limits are invited to take a day trip to neighboring Chesterfield County on the Southside for the second annual "A Celebration of the Vine" Wine Festival.

Although last year's festival received much acclaim from attendees, wineries and crafters alike and although they expect much of the same this year, festival chair Carl Duffey has hinted at possibly moving the festival to some time in May, providing a cooler climate for attendees to enjoy the wine at its proper temperature.

Nevertheless -- this will be a wine event you won't want to miss.

"We started the festival as a way to give our Virginia wineries an opportunity to market their product to a broader audience," said Lenita Gilreath, president of the Chesterfield Chamber of Commerce, who is hosting the event.

"We feel it's a great economic development tool for the county and it's a way to tie the county together and give residents something to be proud of."

Sixteen of Virginia's wineries will be attending, situating themselves under giant white tents with tasting booths and wine description sheets available. Of Virginia's many wineries those attending include Belle Mount Vineyards, James River Cellars, Cooper Vineyards, Grayhaven Winery and Lake Anna Winery among others.

Festival attendees are invited to sit back and relax on their own blankets and chairs if they so desire and enjoy the festival in a picnic like fashion. Coolers and pets however, are asked to be left at home.

Besides the wineries, a variety of local food vendors will offer tasty treats to cleanse your palette and crafters and artisans alike will be onsite with original art, stained glass, jewelry, photography, ciders, herbs and much more available for purchase.

Local favorite and Richmond-based Casper will take the stage at 1 p.m., keeping the atmosphere fresh, light and fun with hits across the board ranging from swing and Motown to funky rock-and-roll.

"I came [to Chesterfield County] about three years ago from a small community just outside of Raleigh and we were very Mayberry-esque," Gilreath laughs, "and Chesterfield county, because we're so large and spread out people, tend to identify more with their neighborhood than they do with the fact that they are a resident of the county."

"So I hope that this is just one of the events that happens in the county that residents are happy to invite their coworkers from downtown or from the West End to come on down to Chesterfield and see the great things that we have here."

• The second annual "A Celebration of the Vine" Wine Festival will be held from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, June 28, rain or shine, at Boulevard Flower Gardens located at 2100 Ruffin Mill Road in Colonial Heights. Tickets for the event are $15 in advance, $20 at the gate for tasters, $8 for non-tasters and may be purchased online at chesterfieldchamber.com/winefestival, at the gate, or at various locations also listed on the website. Photo ID will be checked at the gate.