Month: February 2012

Fox Meadow Barrel Tasting

/ Warren / Leave a comment

Fox Meadow Vineyards and earned a gleaming place in the spotlight last year when its 2008 Le Renard Rouge won the coveted Virginia Governor’s Cup. However, we had not been to Fox Meadow Vineyards since that well deserved victory; so, we returned to Fox Meadow Vineyards a couple of weeks ago to participate in a vertical tasting to see how upcoming releases were progressing.

Owner Bob Mortland conducted the tasting which included a very young 2011 Merlot and four Cabernet Francs from the 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010 vintages. The Merlot and the 2010 Cabernet Franc were sampled from the barrel. Bob took a risk in starting the event with the 2011 Merlot, a product of a very tricky harvest, and he acknowledged that the rollercoaster ride of a growing season made for some pretty serious headaches. The Merlot was obviously still young but was lighter in color with cherry and pepper notes. It will spend 15 months on oak and should produce a lighter-bodied wine.

Of the Cabernet Francs that we sampled, I concluded that the winner was the yet-to-be bottled 2010 Reserve Cabernet Franc. I noted aromas of raspberry, cherry and forest floor; similar fruit flavors plus a subtle chocolate component were evident in the mouth along with a “dusty” tannic presence. I should not have been surprised since the 2010 growing season in Virginia was stellar. Paul favored the 2007 Reserve Cabernet Franc with its smoky nose and notes of cumin and dried herbs. Mixed berry flavors and oak nuances were also present.

Paul is a big fan of the 2008 Virginia reds, and the 2008 Reserve Cabernet Franc was his second choice. He jotted down “fresh fruit” to suggest riper fruit flavors on the palate along with dried herb and a bit of caramel toward the finish. I noted a whiff of cedar to suggest shades of oak and spice. The 2009 Reserve Cabernet Franc is the current release and available for sale. Young and still tannic, it presented smoke and pepper on the nose and cherry flavors in the mouth.

We chatted for a bit with Bob after the tasting, and he was certainly relieved that the 2011 growing season was behind him. Bob was optimistic that quality will ultimately prevail even from a troublesome growing season, especially with winemaker Tom Payette in his corner. After all, it was Payette who crafted the award-winning Le Renard Rouge.

With our tasting finished, we lingered for a bit in the tasting room and shared a glass of the fruity 2010 Le Renard Gris, a blend of Chardonnay and Vidal Blanc. After sampling tannic red wines, it proved to be a refreshing way to conclude our visit at Fox Meadow Vineyards.

At this time of the year, visiting wineries that are in higher elevations such as Fox Meadow Vineyards can be impossible. However, our mild weather seems almost spring-like with clear roads and early blossoms in view. Why not plan a visit to Fox Meadow Vineyards to sample their latest releases? Remember to mention that Virginia Wine Time sent you.

Two New and One Revisit

/ Paul / Leave a comment

In recent weeks we’ve visited two new wineries and re-visited another one. We’re always open to visiting new wineries and revisiting others to experience improvements. If I counted correctly the two new wineries are number 139 and 140. About 60 more to go!

Cobbler Mountain Cellars opened in June. Jeff and Laura McCarthy Louden have three acres of vines planted. They have cabernet sauvignon, chardonnay, and cabernet franc in the vineyards. They make about 600 cases a year. On the day we visited they had seven wines to taste. One of these was a unique hard apple cider produced from apples grown on the property. Of the wines we tasted I thought the 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon showed promise. I noted dark cherry flavors, soft tannins, and a smooth ending. I even bought a bottle to enjoy later. Cobbler Mountain Cellars will be participating in the Virginia Wine Showcase on February 18 and 19 at the Crystal Gateway Marriott in Arlington. Plan to visit them at the showcase and taste their wines. I’ll be looking for them there because Jeff told me he’ll be releasing his Petit Verdot. I look forward to tasting it!



Little Washington Winery is located in Washington Virginia and is owned and operated by Donna and Carl Henrickson. They have 25 acres of land with a beautiful view of the mountains. Currently there are two acres of Viognier planted with plans to plant an additional four acres of Bordeaux varietals will be planted this year. Currently they have three wines on the tasting menu. The first wine we tasted was the Mesmerized which is Viognier with 8% vidal. The Solstice which is a blend of Sauvignon Blanc, Vidal Blanc, Chardonnay, and Viognier was our second wine. This one has 1.5 residual sugar. This one became our favorite. We noted lemon and apricot and enjoyed the crisp edge. The final wine was the George which is a 50/50 blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Donna and Carl are interested in producing small lot wines. They are also conducting “Dirt Road Wines” from all over Virginia and the world. These are small lot wines that tasters wouldn’t normally be introduced to. Winemaker and sommelier Andrew Stover helps select the Dirt Road Wine selections. Little Washington Winery’s winemaker is Simone who you might know from Potomac Point. We think Little Washington Winery has a unique idea with the Dirt Road Wines. We look forward to returning and checking out the latest wines on the menu.



Imagine our surprise when we recently walked into Narmada Winery for a tasting and saw Lori Corcoran behind the tasting bar. We hadn’t been to Narmada for quite awhile and it was time to see what had changed. Lori is now the tasting room consultant. We were lucky to have her conduct our tasting. Most of the wines on the list were new to us. Of the wines we tasted there were some that stood out for their improvement since our last visit. Of the white wines I enjoyed the 2009 Chardonnay and Warren enjoyed the 2010 Viognier. The 2009 Melange is a blend of 40% Cabernet Franc, 40% Merlot, 10% Tannat, and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon. We noted the fruit up front and a smooth, earthy finish. We consider this one a light bodied wine. A new wine to us was the 2009 Yash-Vir. It’s a blend of 40% Merlot, 30% Petit Verdot, 20% Cabernet Franc, and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon. This Bordeaux style wine presented earthy, herbal notes with a lighter finish. I think the petit verdot brings complexity to this wine.


If you haven’t been to Cobbler Mountain Cellars or Little Washington Winery yet, give them a try. We’re sure you’ll find something you enjoy. And if you haven’t been to Narmada recently, return for another try. Maybe you’ll see Lori! And if you visit any of these wineries, be sure to tell them Virginia Wine Time sent you!

Linden Cellar Tasting

/ Warren / Leave a comment

We always look forward to an afternoon at Linden, and we make certain to sign up for the cellar tasting. Linden fans know that these tasting are verticals of white, red and dessert wines, and they allow tasters to compare vineyard-specific wines from the Boisseau, Avenius, and Hardscrabble sites. On a recent occasion, we were able to sample three 2009 Chardonnays, three 2008 red blends, and one dessert wine. Our favorites are presented here.

Readers already know the differences between the three sites and the wines that they produce, so no need to repeat that information here. (See previous posts to find out more about them.) A brief summary, though, might provide some review and perspective. The Boisseau Vineyard is the warmest site with more vigorous soils; they tend to produce the most accessible wines. Avenius Vineyards are on higher elevations and features very rocky, flinty soils while the Hardscrabble site is located on rocky slopes that contain granite and clay soils. Hardscrabble wines tend to be more complex.

With that review in mind, I’ll present our favorites at the cellar tasting. Our first vertical presented three 2009 Chardonnays, one from each site. We both concurred on the 2009 Hardscrabble Chardonnay. A true Burgundian-style wine, this complex Chardonnay was truly exquisite with floral, citrus and pear aromas; a tart apple flavor component suggested a crisper wine. My second choice was the rounder Boisseau Chardonnay that seemed more New World compared to the Hardscrabble. A creamier texture and toastier edge suggested a more food-friendly wine, but I’d sip it on its own.

We reached a split decision on the red wines. I favored the complex 2008 Hardscrabble Red with its dried berry and cocoa flavors. I underlined the words firm and dusty on the tasting sheet, so I concurred with those notes. I’m a big Hardscrabble Red fan anyway, so my decision may have already been made before I tasted the 2008 vintage. Paul preferred the more fruit-forward Boisseau Red; Petit Verdot prevails here and may explain the darker fruit and spice components that he noted on the tasting sheet.

The 2006 Late Harvest Vidal concluded our tasting, and it was paired with a Gorgonzola cheese. Lovely apricot, citrus and honey elements prevailed here, and it was a decadent way to end the experience.

With our tasting done, we opted to enjoy summer sausage and cheddar cheese on the veranda while gazing upon Linden’s gorgeous mountain views. Jim Law promises a Zen experience, and he does indeed deliver. We enjoyed a glass of the featured library wine, the earthy 2003 Claret with our lunch. 2003? The year of Hurricane Isabel? Yes, it offered proof that experienced and diligent wine makers can make quality wines even in off years. Smoky aromas with dried fruit and tobacco notes were observed, and tannins were velvety smooth. It proved to be the perfect local wine to enjoy with local foods and local landscapes.

Plan a trip to Linden and be sure to participate in the cellar tasting. A knowledgeable staff member conducts these sessions, and you are sure to get an education in micro-climates, vineyard-specific sites, and the wines that are produced by the premier winemaker in Virginia. Be sure to mention that Virginia Wine Time sent you.