New to rose-style wines? Then try Gradino’s Moonrise Red. We’ve written about the resurgence of Rose-style wines, and Virginia wineries produce some excellent wines in this category. Our recent trip to Gadino allowed us to sample the Moonrise Red, and we even brought along a friend from Arizona. It was this friend who described the Moonrise Red as a Bohemian Red, and as we enjoyed a glass of the Moonrise Red, images of summer concerts and moonlit summer evenings with BBQ or rustic fare came to mind. We concluded that Bohemian was an apt descriptor!
The Moonrise Red is actually a blend that includes Cabernet Franc, one of the premier Virginia varietals. We enlisted our friend, Homer, to describe the sensory experiences that he enjoyed; we concurred with his conclusions. Homer detected a woodsy/spicy aroma, and he observed cranberry and strawberry flavors in the mouth. Homer found the Moonrise Red to be on the drier side, and he was correct. The Moonrise Red contains less that 1% residual sugar and would be classified as a semi-dry wine. The clear red color enchanted our friend; its lively, mystical character led him to conclude that it was “Bohemian” in nature. We also sensed a fun-loving, devil-may-care quality to the Moonrise Red and determined that the Homer’s descriptor was indeed appropriate!
We have been encouraged with the recent samplings of Virginia’s Rose-style wines, and Gadino’s Moonrise Red certainly provides an example of what Virginia has to offer to this genre. Keep this in mind when deciding what to bring to the Wolftrap concert or the neighbor’s BBQ. However, the Moonrise Red would also accompany a summer salad or even a roasted beet soup.
Our friend, Homer, enjoyed his visit at Gadino. He was a novice at wine-tasting, and we appreciated his contributions to our review of the Gadino wines. Also sample Gadino’s Viognier, Sunset White, and Cabernet Franc, and enjoy the mountain views from their outdoor deck! In the meantime, we eagerly anticipate the latest offerings from this new winery!
If you visit Gadino Cellars, please tell them you read about them on the Virginia Wine Time blog.