Virginia Tech Grad Tahjere Lewis Launches Aunt Carol’s Sauce in 70 Food Lion Stores, While Local Wineries Reopen and Exceed Expectations

Virginia Tech graduate Tahjere Lewis’s family recipe has been transformed into a commercially available product, Aunt Carol’s Sauce, which will be carried by 70 Food Lion stores in Hampton Roads starting next month. The entrepreneurial spirit of Lewis has continued since he turned the sauce into a product. Food Lion is the largest retailer to agree to carry the item so far, according to spokeswoman Maddie Peters. Lewis is just 24 and resides in Hampton Roads.

Meanwhile, at least two area wineries have reopened their seasonal tasting rooms for the spring season. AmRhein’s Wine Cellars in Bent Mountain announced that its tasting room would open on April 6th. Villa Appalaccia Winery in Patrick County also opened its tasting room on March 15th and exceeded expectations, according to co-owner Julie Block. “We set records,” she said. “People are just itching to get back out.”

In other wine news, Stanburn Winery in Stuart announced that it would close after this upcoming season on social media March 18th.