October has been Virginia Wine Month. It comes to an end today. We’ve enjoyed many Virginia wines this month. As a way to bring the month to a close, we had a Halloween party over the weekend. We poured only Virginia wines. You can see the wines we poured below. Among the guests at the party were Kim, Kirsten, and Erica from Cellarblog as well as Kurt and Carol from Wine About Virginia. Most guests wore costumes and Kirsten from Cellarblog won the prize for the best costume. Some of the wines mentioned as favorites of the evening include the Chrysalis Chardonnay and Viognier, the Linden Claret, the Jefferson Vin Rouge, and the Pollak Cabernet Franc. The party was a great way to showcase Virginia wines and have one more celebration of Virginia Wine Month!
Month: October 2012
One More
On our recent trip to Charlottesville we were able to visit one more winery. Our final stop was at Cardinal Point Vineyard and Winery. We hadn’t visited them in quite awhile. We were looking for some favorites to add to our wine racks. We were so pleased to see Sarah Gorman when we entered the tasting room. It’s always fun to see familiar faces at our favorite tasting rooms. It’s like seeing an old friend we don’t get to see very often. There were nine wines on the tasting menu and we enjoyed them all but here are a few of our favorites.
From the list of white wines, Warren selected the 2011 Viognier. This is an all stainless steel viognier with no malolactic fermentation. Warren noted a floral nose with peach notes with stone fruit and a mineral finish on the palate. I selected the 2011 Green. This is a blend of 50% chardonnay and 50% petit manseng. I noted tropical fruit, pear, green apple and a tart finish. This wine was inspired by Vinho Verde, hence the name Green. I could see enjoying this one on the balcony with some nice cheeses.
From the red wine tastings both Warren and I selected the 2010 Union. We really enjoyed this wine when we first tasted the 2009 vintage. This one is a blend of 75% petit verdot, 13% cabernet sauvignon, and 12% cabernet franc. I’m a big fan of petit verdot so the strong presence in this blend was a plus for me. We noted blackberry, plum, licorice, and tobacco. We noticed the deep, rich color and think this wine would pair perfectly with a nice thick filet mignon.
Before leaving we had a great time catching up with Sarah. We enjoyed a glass of the viognier while Warren warmed up to one of the winery dogs. We then purchased a few of our favorites and said our goodbyes. We always enjoy our visits to Cardinal Point. If you get a chance to visit them anytime soon, tell them Virginia Wine Time sent you!
Final Monticello Sweep
Yes, we close out our focus on the Monticello area with this post. Here we review our favorite wines at some oldies (but goodies):
Afton Mountain Vineyards: Gewurztraminer has been a solid grape for this winery, and the 2010 vintage continues to showcase this varietal at its best. Heady tropical fruit and orange peel aromas lead to similar flavors in the mouth perhaps with an extra splash of pineapple. Thanksgiving is not too far away, and this one will pair nicely with turkey and dressing. We also concurred on the favorite red wine, and this was the smoky 2010 Petit Verdot with its notes of dark plum, blackberry and vanilla; we noted caramel on the finish. The 2010 Petit Verdot was offered for club members, so we felt privileged to be given a sneak preview. I’d buy this one now and store on the rack for a couple of years. (In fact, Paul made off with a bottle or two himself.) Nice with hearty winter fare!
Blenheim Vineyards: We always enjoy tasting Kirsty Harmon’s wines, and this time was no exception. We both gave accolades to the crisp 201 Chardonnay with its pear and lime notes and a streak of mineral. Its nice acidity made for a refreshing finish, too. We reach a split verdict on the red wines. I preferred the Cabernet Franc 2011 and its cranberry nose; flavors of seed berries and black pepper presented a versatile, light bodied wine that should prove popular for holiday dinner parties that featured roasted chicken, turkey or pork. Paul was a fan of the Petit Verdot 2011 and noted aromas of cherry and pomegranate complimented by a palate of dark cherries, blackberries, black pepper, and a trace of mineral. For tasters in search of a bolder red wine, we both appreciated the complex Painted Red 2010 with its layers of dark cherries, blackberries, plum, tobacco, and then toffee at the finish.
DelFosse Vineyards: It had been two years since we visited the DelFosse Winery, so we were eager to sample the current releases here. There were 15 wines to try, so we made certain to hone in on certain favorites with careful note taking (and judicious use of the dump bucket). Of the white wines, my fave was the Reserve d’Oriane, a blend of Chardonnay, Viognier, and Petit Manseng. The blend is owner Claude DelFosse’s unique creation, and it is a heavenly cocktail of tropical fruit notes with just the faintest suggestion of vanilla. This is a dry, complex white wine with a fuller mouth feel that presents an alternative to a Chardonnay done in a similar style. And yes, another wine to consider with Mr. Turkey especially if served with a rich sauce. Paul’s preference was for the crisper 201 Sauvignon Blanc. He noted elements of citrus, mowed grass, and mineral. We did reach a joint decision on the red wine, and we gave the nod to the 2008 Grand Cru Olivier, a Merlot-based blend that includes all of the Bordeaux grapes. Elements of cherry, raspberry, licorice, sweet tobacco, and black pepper abounded with this one. Tired of turkey? Beef tenderloin with the Grand Cru Olivier might be an alternative. Our close second was the 2007 Merlot with its blackberry, cherry, and earthy characteristics. Paul likes Merlot, and you can be sure that a bottle of this one went home with him.
Fall is now in the air, and autumn hues fill the skylines. It’s time to consider wines appropriate for holiday menus, heartier meals, or a gathering of friends by the fireside. Consider some of these recommended wines or plan a visit to these wineries to find your own favorites. Please be certain to mention that Virginia Wine Time sent you.
Friday Wines
Our evening began with the 2011 Albarino from Willowcroft Farm Winery. We enjoyed it with manchego cheese and crackers. This wine had a predominately lemon presence. I really enjoyed the lemon nature of this wine and thought it paired nicely with our cheese and cracker selections.
For dinner we had the 2009 Meritage from Jefferson Vineyards. We enjoy this one with thick filets and herbed potatoes. This wine absolutely blew us away. We noted tobacco with a wiff of carmel/vanilla, blackberry, pencil shaving/cedar edge at the end. It paired absolutely beautifully with our filets. If you do not have this wine on your rack, you need to plan a trip to Jefferson and get a bottle before they run out. Have we ever mentioned that Andy Reagan is an awesome winemaker?
