Closing out 2013 with some picks and thoughts

Flipping through my wine journal (a birthday present given to me in 2004), I stumbled across several Virginia wine entries revealing interesting trends.

• Petit Verdots and Cabernet Francs were clear winners. Especially those by Horton Vineyards and Pearmund Cellars (just down the road from my childhood home).

• Petit Verdots/Cabernet Francs outside of Virginia did not rate as high as Virginia.

• I consumed various Latours, German Auslese, even tried pinning down a Chardonnay – Burnley Vineyards' Virginia Barrel Select Chardonnay was on top. It kept coming back to Virginia.

• The Williamsburg Winery's 2009 Hening's Statute Virginia Barrel-Aged Claret rated the same as it's 2004 Barrel Aged Virginia Claret. 7 out of 10.

• As a primarily red drinker, I was pleasantly surprised at the Williamsburg Winery's 2011 Virginia Traminette. We discovered the Traminette on a tasting at the Winery. Rarely do I ever find a new favorite during a winery tasting. We left with a case.

• Maybe a little Lisa Vanderpump rubbed off on me this year, but I'm really enjoying exploring rosés. I'm sipping on a new favorite as I write this – the Williamsburg Winery's 2011 Virginia Dry Rosé. Very elegant and great alternative to the mediocre Plantation Blush.

We vacationed over 5 times in the Williamsburg area in 2013. We might even squeeze in another before the year is out. I am a huge fan of the Williamsburg Winery and even stayed as a guest of the Duffeler family.

I look to 2014 as being a year of enjoying new vintages not just from the Williamsburg Winery but from the new wineries that seem to pop up every time I venture into Virginia.

Happy Holidays!

Spring clean your wine rack. No, seriously.

We are already at 75% full bloom of the Washington cherry blossoms and daffodils are in full bloom. Before you know it, the lingering surprise snow showers will be no longer. Spring is finally here. As I write this, much of Virginia is experiencing substantial snowfall – schools already closing Monday. As we endure our Spring rituals – whether it's preparing for relatives for Easter weekend, cleaning out the garage, straightening up the attic (that's on my to-do list), or putting away the winter clothes for the warmer weather ones, there is an important task waiting for those who have a wine rack. Drink your wine. While we hope that most of our wine will age gracefully, most of it doesn't. Most wine labels will indicate whether or not your bottle will age. My bottle of 2007 Virginia Trianon Cabernet Franc (Williamsburg Winery) indicates on the label that it "will age gracefully for 5-10 years and will soften with time." Easy enough. But what about that bottle of 2011 Vidal Blanc from Horton Vineyards your aunt gave you for Christmas? My advice. Call the winery. Give them the year and the varietal. Gather all your bottles from that winery so that one phone call is needed. Don't guess if it's a good bottle. Because a bottle opened too soon is a bottle not given the opportunity to reach its potential. A bottle opened too late, yup, you got it. I tend to put my most drinkable wines at the top, wines still aging towards the bottom. Happy Spring!

In search of the perfect bubbly? It's right here in Virginia.

Christmas rolls past and we're still digesting the rich food and the Beaujolais Noveau that we've gorged ourselves with since Thanksgiving. Did we pick up any bubbly? That is the question for that awkward stretch of time between Christmas Day and New Year's Eve.

Our first instinct is to check the wine racks in our homes and most certainly, as in my case, panic because Two Buck Chuck hardly counts as a New Year's elixir. Champagne? Sparkling wine? Let's just classify it as "bubbly" before we get all technical and start talking about how Champagne ONLY comes from the Champagne region in France. Or better yet, let's boycott French wines for our New Year's celebrations altogether. Maybe revisit them on Bastille Day.

Virginia seems like the last place that would produce a suitable sparkling wine. But there are a number of them and any one of these would be welcome additions to my New Year's Eve celebrations or wine rack for 2013.

Barboursville Brut, Barboursville Vineyards: I haven't seen this in stores but it is quite nice. Great soft mouthfeel. A blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir with moderate acidity. If you live in the vicinity of beautiful Barboursville (lucky you, by the way), pick some up for your celebrations. At $17.99 a bottle you might even want to pick up a couple more for 2013.

NV Sparkling Viognier, Horton Vineyards: Nicknamed "Dom Virginion" this bubbly is made Méthode Champenoise (like they do it in France). This dry white sparkler has personality – as if Voignier from Virginia doesn't already. At $25 a bottle, this will certainly be a crowd-pleaser.

Tête de Cuvée, Afton Mountain Vineyards: We are still in Virginia, I promise. With a name like that there is sure to be a story with this one, and there is. A blend of Estate Pinot Noir and Chardonnay and bottle aged on lees for 2 years. This citrusy one is also made Méthode Champenoise. Tête de Cuvée means produced from the first pressing of the grapes giving it a superior quality.

Prince Michel Sparking Wine, Prince Michel Vineyard: This one is sold out for the rest of the year but you may come across a lone ranger before 2013 in wine specialty shop or your neighbor's wine rack. This one too utilizes Méthode Champenoise to give it crisp dry, but delicate, feel.

Other wineries that have sparklings/sparklers that I have yet to taste: Trump Winery: I personally choose to not shop or drink Trump's products so I cannot attest to the quality of its Sparkling Rosé. But it's there.

Aprés Sparkling Viognier, Paradise Springs Winery

Thibaut-Jannison

Old House Vineyards

Here's to Virginia and 2013! Happy New Year!

Review: Horton Vineyards' "The Tower Series" Norton 2007 (to appear in upcoming Virginia Wine Lover Magazine)

I will post more information about publication date. Virginia Wine Lover Magazine can be picked up at Kroger or viewed online at http://www.vawinelover.com.

The baked garlicky penne was the perfect companion to Horton’s "The Tower Series" Norton 2007. My meal concluded with a delicate fruit-topped panna cotta that played very nicely together. I was first introduced to Horton's Norton during my visit to Horton Vineyards years ago on a Saturday wine excursion with friends. While blazing through the extensive wine list, I concluded it was robust red (Virginia) wines I preferred most, characteristics I cherish in Horton's Norton. Native to Virginia since the 1820s, owner Dennis Horton reintroduced Norton to a skeptical wine market in the early 1990s. This masterpiece is a regular visitor (that doesn't stay long) in my wine rack.

On pour, Horton's Norton is a deep rich maroon purple with a thin ruby red halo on the brim that remains opaque even when a couple of sips remain in the glass. A swirl and sniff, after properly decanting, gives an accurate preview of what you're about to experience – spicy with dark fruit aromas and oak. Sipping reveals further notes of blackcurrants, tart cherries with the spicy, dry oak finish that has a tendency to gently tickle the nose only when sipped too fast. Red wine drinkers should rejoice while strict white wine drinkers would find it intimidating.

Not only does Norton pair well with Italian dishes, its spicy character would pair beautifully with rabbit, venison, making it ideal for post-Thanksgiving meals. By itself, very apropos to savor next to the fire after a busy day of holiday shopping and festivities. Here's to Virginia! Enjoy!

Virginia Tourism Campaign Highlights Virginia Wine

Now that I'm a North Carolina resident (yes, I will still blog about Virginia wine since I'm just an hour from the VA border) it's nice to see Virginia is embracing its wine culture in its tourism campaigns.

Reviews: Jefferson Vineyards / Burnley Vineyards / Barboursville Vineyards

First of all, let's get this straight. I'm no stranger to Jefferson, Burnley or Barboursville. One of the tasting room employees at Burnley recognized my partner and I even before the first pour. Although, it had been a while since I've visited any of the Charlottesville area wineries. We set out on Saturday, August 7, to visit our old favorites.

Overall, I was impressed with all three. The day began picking peaches on nearby Carter Mountain. I highly recommend this to anyone visiting Monticello. It's quite a climb (even for a Jeep) but it is definitely worth it. Also, Prince Michel has a tasting room there. We didn't stop in.

The day itself was bittersweet as I'm finally relocating to North Carolina permanently. I never knew I was this proud of Virginia until I moved to another state, especially North Carolina where I'm finding it difficult to take the wine produced in this state seriously.

As a matter of fact, North Carolina has a lot to learn from Jefferson, Burnley and Barboursville. These wineries are very distinct but consistently produce exceptional wine. Jefferson Vineyards can be a little stuffy (the woman beside us tasting asked us if the wine pourer was "a dick.") but is very committed to Virginia wine history and Mr. Jefferson's vision. Burnley is very family-owned (the tasting room makes you feel as if you are back in 1984 which is not a bad thing). They put their emphasis on making quality products and honestly, it was the only winery where I bought "souvenir" wine. Barboursville is very popular and has an extensive list. The wines here seem more premium, mainly because of their price points. However, the scenery is breathtaking even on a hot day as the Barboursville ruins stand in a ghostly haze and orchestra of cicadas just down the road. It's very evident the Italian owners, the Zonins, have quite an influence on the winery culture and its products.

JEFFERSON VINEYARDS


As I mentioned, Jefferson Vineyards can be stuffy, especially to newbie wine drinkers. An older gentleman, very well-versed in viti/viniculture but a little grumpy, attended to my partner and I as well as another young couple. Shaking my head and smiling, he was explaining how the Chardonnay is made WITHOUT malolactic fermentation. Immediately I was quizzed on just what malolactic fermentation is - I passed to his surprise. Though I did not know that malolactic fermentation is responsible for the buttery flavors in Chardonnay. Jefferson Vineyards not relying on malolactic fermentation was what set it apart from its competitors on the Chardonnay pedestal. However, some prefer the buttery and wine pourers at other wineries proudly point it out to their guests. As soon as the wine pourer ventured away to grab another bottle of Rosé, the young couple turned to us. "Is it just me, or is he a total dick?" asked the woman. "He's been here a while. He knows his stuff. But yeah, he's a dick," I replied. The woman giggled and explained that she wanted to leave him a nasty note on the wine dossier. The douchebag attitude in wine tasting rooms is not typical behavior of the winery staff (you'll see why in my account of Barboursville Vineyards).
In the end, there were some notable wines. Although it was crowded in the tasting room and our wine pourer was "a dick," it was still an enjoyable experience.
Wines I recommend: Chardonnay Reserve '09, Rosé '09, and Petit Verdot '08.
Overall: 7.5/10

BURNLEY VINEYARDS


I like everything about Burnley. Okay, maybe not the Dog Gone Red, which smelled like wet dog but tasted slightly better. Actually, as you enter the tasting room, chances are you'll be greeted by Cooper, the uber-friendly German Shepard that Dog Gone Red is created for. Dog Gone Red is more fun than it is tasteful. However, Burnley has a wine list chock full of awesome products. Like Jefferson Vineyards, Burnley's tasting room was very crowded. After several minutes of petting Cooper we found a niche at the bar. "You look familiar." The wine pourer examined us as we waited for the first pour. Burnley is one of our favorite wineries in Virginia. The Reeder family has really put gloss and glamor aside and concentrated on making damn good Virginia wine. And they've been doing it for a while. Their wine list is very diverse. One minute you'll be tasting a perfectly crafted Norton and then Aurora, a sweet red wine that has natural flavorings of chocolate and raspberries. I applaud wineries that take a risk and appeal to people other than wine lovers, but chocolate lovers. Having fun every now and then is important.
In the end, I went home with a bottle of Aurora and Norton Vintage 2007. Most importantly, I still hold Burnley Vineyards in the highest regard (despite the Dog Gone Red). They have never let me down.
Wines I recommend: Norton Vintage 2007, Spicy Rivanna, Peach Fuzz, Rivanna White
Overall: 9.5/10

BARBOURSVILLE VINEYARDS


My partner, Jason, doesn't care for Barboursville Vineyards, but I think this day changed all that. He doesn't like how you must wiggle your way up to the white wine pourer and then proceed to the other side of the room to the red wine pourer. I just love Barboursville Vineyards through and through. It's usually our last stop on our winery expedition in the Charlottesville area. Though in my 10 years of wine tasting, I've never bought a single bottle directly from the winery. Price is a main factor but worth every penny. Barboursville wine is premium. Bottom line. You'd think that the price would increase the stuffiness and attitude of tasting room culture, actually it's quite relaxed. During our visit, a large (but well-behaved) bachelorette party visited the winery during our visit. We had to rely on the wine list descriptions for an actual explanation - as there was no real interaction with the wine pourers except reminding them what we needed to taste next. We went through the whites so quickly that I noticed I had penciled in stars next to almost every single one. Not a bad white, but none that really caught my attention. By the time we got to the reds, the crowds started to linger and mingle as if it were happy hour. The wine pourer, a very charming gentleman, started us out of order with Nebbiolo Reserve 2007, one of the most premium red wines. My tongue and heart melted. 2007 was one of the best vintages of red wines for Barboursville. The Nebbiolo Reserve 2007 captures that magic and will age well. A very complex red with berry and tobacco notes. A cigar with the wine would be very apropos. The $30+ price tag is also very appropriate for such a well-crafted, though comparatively small production, Nebbiolo. I wasn't the only one who recognized the greatness of this wine. While the wine pourer wasn't looking (and attending to the bachelorette party), a woman who obviously thought wine tasting meant happy hour snatched the bottle and poured the Nebbiolo in her girlfriends' glasses. The wine pourer returned and noticed that only a dribble of Nebbiolo was left. The women rested their full wine glasses back on the bar. The wine pourer snatched all 4 or 5 glasses and dumped the wine onto the floor. "Where is our wine?" Minutes later, the wine pourer explained to us that it is better to make them feel as if they wasted great wine than point out that they were wrong to help themselves. To know that Nebbiolo went to waste because of a few misfit wine-illiterate women makes me cringe. I turned my attention to the wine dossier and tried not to think about wasted Nebbiolo. In the end, it's obvious that Barboursville knows wine and knows how to tame Virginia soil into making superb wine that I'm sure would rival vintages in their home country of Italy. If Virginia were to declare war with France and Italy viticulturally, I'd want to have Barboursville Vineyards as a general.
Wines I recommend: Philéo N.V., Viognier Reserve, Barbera Reserve 2007, Cabarnet Franc Reserve 2007, Nebbiolo Reserve 2007 (*****), and Octagon 2006.
Overall: 8.5/10



Virginia history is just as rich. The Barboursville ruins are truly one of my favorite places in Virginia. The overgrown boxwood encapsulate what was once a Neo-Palladin style structure built by Mr. Jefferson (we in Virginia refer to Thomas Jefferson as Mr. Jefferson). It was originally built in 1822 and destroyed in a Christmas Day fire in 1884.

North Carolina vs. Virginia

I have two homes - Virginia and North Carolina. It amazes me how much these two states are alike and so different. When it comes to wine, no doubt Virginia is the up-and-comer in the United States. Just today, a posting on www.virginiawine.com lists DuCard Vineyards for its new winery sneak peek. Virginia will never overcome its mysterious wine aura that so many California wineries don't have to worry about as they chuck out fruit bombs left and right for the mass market. "Wine from Virginia?! Who ever heard of such a thing. California? Okay."

On a tour of Chatham Hill Winery located outside of Cary, North Carolina, our guide not once mentioned Virginia. Instead, we were told North Carolina was the up-and-comer, just shy of 100 wineries. As a new resident of North Carolina, I find this fascinating though I must say I tend to scoff at North Carolina wine. The other night I had Scuppernong and was put into a sugar shock (literally I fell asleep for several minutes). Scuppernong is a native grape found in the Eastern parts, specifically Roanoke Island where the colonists discovered it in the 1500s. Virginia has its Norton (later post about that to come), North Carolina has its Scuppernong (the official fruit of North Carolina, by the way). The fact that Virginia and North Carolina have native grapes that can be turned into wine is amazing. California can't claim that.

North Carolina wineries offer up a lot of fruit-based wines, which appeals to the mass market. It works. People buy it. But for these two states to be taken seriously as wine-producing states, a hit-em-dead Merlot or Voignier is needed. Virginia has already achieved this to some degree (though more work is needed). North Carolina not so much. Now that the vines are ready in the Yadkin Valley of North Carolina, I think we will see some sensational varietals and blends in the future. North Carolina has a lot of catching up to do, but just like a good bottle of wine, give it time. Give it time.