Month: May 2012

May Events

/ Paul / Leave a comment

It’s that time of the month again….events! There are several Virginia wine events coming up soon. If you don’t have plans on any of the following dates, consider attending one of the events to enjoy some Virginia wine!

May 12 – Central Virginia Wine Festival – This event will feature 15 wineries from around the state as well as live music, food and beverage concessions, beer sales, and speciality-item arts and crafts vendors. It will be held from 12:00 to 6:00 rain or shine at the SnagAJob Pavilion located in Innsbrook. Visit the website for more information and tickets.

May 12 – Wine Festival at Monticello – The third annual Wine Festival at Monticello celebrates Thomas Jefferson’s lasting influence on the Virginia wine industry—and kicks off Saturday, May 12, 2012, 6-9 p.m., on the West Lawn of Monticello. During the Wine Festival at Monticello, visitors can enjoy the splendor of spring, taste Virginia’s best selection of wines and stroll through the restored vineyards at Monticello by twilight. The event also includes tours of Jefferson’s home, live music on the West Lawn and wine tastings from local Virginia vineyards. Virginia winemaker and Monticello’s Assistant Director of Gardens and Grounds Gabriele Rausse—often referred to as the “Father of Virginia Wine”—will be on hand to answer questions about our region’s finest wines and how they compare to the vintages that Jefferson enjoyed. There will be several Virginia wineries pouring wines at the event. Check out the website for more details and tickets.


May 24 thru 26 – The Philip Carter Winery of Virginia will host a series of events in celebration of the 250th Anniversary of American Wine. The Carter family, celebrated throughout the early colony and in Virginia history, made significant achievements in commerce and industry in the 1700’s. In 1762, Charles Carter was honored and celebrated for ‘the first spirited attempt at wine in America’, receiving a gold medal from the Royal Society of Arts in London. Since 2008, Philip Carter Strother has sought to re-establish the Carter legacy and make a connection to the burgeoning wine industry in Virginia.

Events to celebrate this significant historical occasion include a cultural evening, “Of Wine & Words…the Carter Wine Legacy” at the Historic Christ Church, Lancaster County, VA (founded by the Carters) on Thursday the 24th of May 2012. Following on Friday the 25th a colonial dinner paired with Philip Carter Wines will be held in Cleve Hall at the winery in Hume. On Saturday the 26th of May, a festive celebration will conclude the Anniversary events.

The 250th Anniversary of American Wine will be celebrated in Lancaster County, VA and in Hume VA between the 24th and 26th of May 2012. For more details, call (540) 364-1203. Some events are by invitation or reservation only. Check out the website for more details.

8 Chains North

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After a recent stop at Breaux Vineyards to pick up my cellar club selections, we decided to stop at 8 Chains North to check out the latest wines. We hadn’t been there in quite some time. We needed to see what Ben Renshaw had in bottle.

It’s nice to be remembered when we head to the tasting bar. Our tasting associate remembered conducting our tasting the last time we visited 8 Chains North. She began with the white wines of course. First up was the 2011 Sauvignon Blanc. This one quickly became our favorite white. We enjoyed the citrus, pear, and grapefruit notes as well as the well balanced acidity. We can see this one being part of our summer sippers.

Next we tasted the 2011 Pink Link. Now, this isn’t a rose or a blush. It’s made from merlot and is very light. It’s almost clear. We noted some strawberry on the nose. It’s crisp and dry and very light on the tongue. We then tasted the 2010 Loco Vino. This one has always been one of our favorites. We noted lemon and pear notes. It’s very lightly sweet. This will be another one on our summer sipper list.

The reds began with the 2009 Merlot. We noted smoke, dried herb, raspberry, and cherry. It was aged for 11 months in French and American oak. The 2009 Furnace Mountain Red was next. This is a true bordeaux blend. It’s a pretty big red with firm tannins. We thought of meat while tasting this one. The final red was the 2009 Furnace Mountain Red Reserve. Yet another big wine that could benefit from food. We noted chocolate, vanilla, and ripe black cherry. Just when we thought the reds were finished, we got a taste of the 2008 Furnace Mountain Red. As I was expecting, I enjoyed the fruity smooth nature of this wine. It reminded me slightly of the reserve version which is no longer for sale. However, our tasting associate gave Ben a call and I was able to secure a bottle of the 2008 Furnace Mountain Red Reserve! I felt so special! I really enjoyed this wine when it was released and wished I had more of it on my rack. Now I do! I’ll be holding on to this one awhile longer.

After our tasting we each enjoyed a glass. Warren had a glass of the 2011 Sauvignon Blanc and I enjoyed the 2009 Merlot. It’s always fun to see what Ben Renshaw has been working on and has in the bottle. We certainly enjoyed our time at 8 Chains North. If you haven’t been to 8 Chains North lately, consider planning a trip soon. And be sure to tell them Virginia Wine Time sent you!

Delaplane Barrel Tasting

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A few weekends ago we had the chance to attend the Delaplane Cellars Winemaker’s Dozen Club Spring Barrel Tasting. Barrel tastings are a great way to see how certain vintages are developing. You can often see how they’ll turn out when they are eventually bottled. We always enjoy the opportunity to see how the wines are developing in the barrel.

The barrel tasting began with a taste of the 2011 Rose. It was paired with several cheeses and crackers. We noted spicy characteristics. It paired well with the various cheeses. While tasting the Rose we ran into some of our wine trail buddies, Susci and Rick. We decided to follow them at the barrel tasting.

The first barrel was the 2010 Springlot. This taste was paired with chilled smoked bacon and potato bisque shooters. We noted smoke, raspberry, and blackberry on the nose. We noted a nice color, floral nuances, medium tannins and pepper on the finish.

The second barrel was the 2010 Delaplane. This one was paired with the world’s smallest filet mignon with horseradish cream. This is the first estate blend for Delaplane. It’s spending time in French and Virginian oak. It’s 50% merlot, 33% cabernet sauvignon, and 17% cabernet franc. We noted blackberry, raspberry, sweet tobacco, and a vanilla finish. This one quickly became our favorite. We were very impressed since this is Jim Dolphin’s first estate blend. Nice job!

Next up was the 2010 Williams Gap. It was paired with BBQ’d shrimp and grits. We noted mixed bramble berry, a smokey nose, tobacco, leather, anise, and a caramel finish.

The 2010 Syrah was the next barrel. It was paired with Delaplane risotto stuffed mushrooms. We noted coffee, vanilla, oak notes, dried herbs, a hint of sweetness, dark fruit and a caramel finish. There are six barrels of this that will be all blended together before bottling.

The final was the 2010 Tannat that was just recently bottled. This was paired with roasted Virginia lamb shoulder “Gyro” with Tzatziki. We noted smoke, anise, and dark berry fruit. It’s a bit young but it was just bottled in March. This one will benefit from some time on your rack before opening.

We thoroughly enjoyed the barrel tasting. And it was even more fun with our wine friends. The wines are developing nicely in the barrels at Delaplane. We are looking forward to the bottling of the 2010 Delaplane. It was our favorite and the one that impressed us the most. We’ll be picking up several bottles once it’s released. If you haven’t been to Delaplane lately, plane a trip and see what’s new. And tell the Virginia Wine Time sent you!

A rare treat…me in a picture on the blog! Don’t get used to it! 🙂