We received this press release last week about the new collaboration wine by the winemakers at Pollak Vineyards, King Family Vineyards, and Veritas Vineyards. We are looking forward to tasting this one!
Month: February 2011
Friday Pours
We started our evening with the 2009 Chardonnay from King Family. We paired it with some parrano cheese and a baguette. On the nose we noted pear and a twist a lemon. In the mouth we noted pear, a hint of granny smith apple, creme brulee, and a weightier mouth feel with a lengthier finish. We also noticed the clear straw color. It went well with our nibbles.
For dinner Warren selected the 2007 Petit Verdot from Gadino Cellars. I had a steak and Warren had herb crusted lamb chops. We also had roasted vegetables and pearl pasta. On the nose we got concentrated fruit, anise, and a streak of minerality. In the mouth we noted similar characteristics as well as a black pepper, longer finish with a vanilla ending. As with most 07 red vintages from Virginia decant first. And that’s exactly what we did. We thoroughly enjoyed it and Warren used the word “lovely” more than once.
What Virginia wines are you enjoying this weekend?
Wednesday Wine
Not to be outdone by Paul, I’ve decided to present my own favorite wine of the week, and that would be the Sunset Hills Cabernet Franc Reserve from the outstanding 2007 vintage. I last sampled this one back in March of 2010, and I can say that it has gotten even better over time. It presented a nice dense color in the glass and a smoky nose that included aromas of concentrated dark fruit and spice. Lush and complex, I noted flavors of dark plum, dark cherry and blackberry along with complements of tobacco and pepper. Aging in both French and American oak barrels for 18 months made for a lengthy finish. I nursed a glass for an entire evening and noticed that it softened considerably with some air time. If readers still have a bottle of this one on their wine racks, consider aging for a little longer; however, the enclosure is synthetic, and I’ve grown to distrust the ability of these to keep wines from spoiling or aging properly. Do enjoy with any braised meats, steaks or roasts; be sure to serve with roasted veggies, too.
We have not done a tasting of current releases at Sunset Hills since last fall, so we are certainly due for a visit. If you get there before we do, mention that Virginia Wine Time sent you.
Monday Sip
The temperature changed today back to a more wintery level. With wintery weather in the forecast, I was looking for a red to sip for the evening. I have lots of reds to choose from but most of them I would need to have food. I was just looking for a sipper. I picked the 2009 Cabernet Franc from Blenheim Vineyards. I know I just posted about them last week but I do enjoy their wines and have several of them on my rack. While the 2009 Cabernet Franc would go beautifully with food, it doesn’t have to. That’s one thing I like about it. You can just sip it.
After cracking open the screw cap and pouring a glass, I noticed smoke and some light fruit on the nose. The first sip revealed some green pepper, a very slight hint of cherry, herbs, and a tart finish. After a few swirls and a little air, I noticed a floral quality that I haven’t noticed before. This cab franc spent 6 months in French and Appalachian barrels. I’m not familiar with the characteristics that come from Appalachian barrels. Maybe some of the qualities I’m noticing come from these barrels. In any case, I enjoyed the 2009 Cabernet Franc from Blenheim Vineyards. Blenheim is one of my favorite wineries and really enjoy the direction Kirsty is going with her wines. Visit Blenheim soon and tell Kirsty Virginia Wine Time sent you!