Happy Pride Month!

https://musiciselementary.com/2024/03/07/4jy4mklg22n Readers know that Virginia Wine Time is the work of a gay couple, and it has been distressing for Paul and me to watch the LGBTQ+ community become fodder in the culture war currently plaguing the country. Pride Month seems more necessary than ever now, and we applaud Virginia wineries that have decided to honor it.

https://giannifava.org/tfouvf5 Please read Matthew Fitzsimmons’ recent well-written article on Pride Month featured in this month’s Town Crier. Also, know that certain Loudoun County wineries will be honoring Pride Month through the Pride in the Vines passport program. We plan to visit some of these wineries this month, starting with Williams’ Gap winery next weekend. Other wineries include:

Tramadol Online Cod 180 8 Chains North Winery
868 Estate Vineyards
Bleu Frog Vineyards
Bozzo Family Vineyard
Carriage House Wineworks
Fabbioli Cellars
Forever Farm & Vineyard
Good Spirit Farm
Hillsborough Winery
October One Tasting Room
Two Twisted Posts Winery
Walsh Family Wine
Wine Reserve at Waterford
Zephaniah Farm Vineyard

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https://worthcompare.com/zicvj45h Plan to visit some of these wineries and others that honor Pride Month, and when you do tell them Virginia Wine Time sent you!

Solstice Paired With Virginia Wines

https://www.jamesramsden.com/2024/03/07/ay7smqs Paul and I made our annual summer trek to the Charlottesville area, and this year it coincided with summer solstice, the official start of the summer season. These longer days allowed us to enjoy late dinners and wine on the porch at our favorite Stay cottage located on the Afton Mountain Vineyards property. In this post, I offer a review of favored wine varieties, blends, and sparkling wines that we sampled from various wineries in the Charlottesville area. Notice a special focus on summer wines since stocking up on these was our mission; however, any wine can be enjoyed in all seasons, and we do note some wines that some may find to be more appropriate for cooler weather.

Online Tramadol Cod Overnight White Wines/Rose/ White Blends/Sparkling:
Albarino: Pay attention to this grape in Virginia because it shows promise. Afton Mountain’s 2021 release features classic citrus notes and a leaner palate. A different twist will be offered by Jake Bushing’s 2021 Albarino that saw some time in oak barrels and thus presents a fuller-bodied palate.

Chardonnay: Always my favorite. Full-bodied treatments of this grape can be enjoyed at Septenary (2019), King Family Vineyards (2020) and Hazy Mountain (2019). Sippers who prefer a medium to lighter-bodied style may want to consider the releases from Pollak (2019) and Keswick (LVA 2021).

https://www.goedkoopvliegen.nl/uncategorized/8fdjad7 Sauvignon Blanc: This is another grape that has potential in Virginia. The 2021 offering from Septenary captures classic notes of boxwood and citrus with a refreshing acidity. Similar characteristics were noted in the current 2021 release from Jake Busching Wines. Sauvignon Blanc is also the key component in two white blends from Blenheim Vineyards. 2020 On The Line also includes Rkatsiteli, Chardonnay, and Petit Manseng while the 2018 Painted White incorporates Chardonnay and Petit Manseng. I will add that these two blends convinced me that Petit Manseng with its tropical fruit notes, acidity and texture brings much more to the table (or the bottle) as a blender than a stand alone.

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Rose: Dry rose for us, please. Thankfully, Virginia wineries can deliver here too. We can recommend current releases now offered at Blenheim Vineyards (2020) King Family Vineyards (2021), Hark Vineyards (2021) and Septenary (2020). While rose conjures images of beaches or picnics, be sure to have Rose on hand for all seasons—-rose is versatile and can pair with almost anything.

Sparkling Wine: Any occasion or no occasion at all calls for sparkling wine. Try the 2018 Brut from King Family Vineyards produced from 100% Chardonnay, the Sparkling Amelie Blanc de Noir from Keswick Vineyards and/or the Sparkling Rose from Septenary.

Vidal Blanc: Once a driver at most Virginia wineries, Vidal Blanc seems be less common these days. Fortunately, the 2020 Virginia Verde from Hark Vineyards keeps Vidal Blanc alive, and it screams summer.

Red Wines: Cabernet Franc: This is probably the one red wine that is another all season gift. Enjoy it with light grilled fare in summer or with Thanksgiving turkey in the fall. I tend to prefer lighter style Cabernet Franc that presents juicy red berries with little interference from extensive use of oak or blends with other varieties. Blenheim’s 2020 release fits that bill. Pollak Vineyards’ 2019 bottling sees a bit more time on oak with a noted presence of black pepper; however, it too can be served on its own or with food. Septenary’s Cloverplains 2017 is a blend that leads with Cabernet France but includes Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Petit Verdot. Bright seed berries, sweet tobacco and subtle black pepper nuances offers a complex wine that can be enjoyed now or later.

Petit Verdot: This is another winning grape for Virginia. However, there are those who prefer this one on its own, while others would rather enjoy it as part of a blend. (Review my Petit Manseng comment). The 2018 vintage from Pollak Vineyards was surprisingly juicy and rich given the rather wet 2018 growing season. Hark Vineyards’ 2017 release is dark and brooding—-decant now or hold for a bit longer. Don’t ignore the 2019 vintage from DuCard Vineyards, especially if you are tracking down the gold medal winners from 2022 Virginia Governor’s Cup. Looking for a Petit Verdot-dominant blend? Give 2018 Blended Red from Blenheim Vineyards a try. It includes an equal part of Merlot followed by Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon.

Others: We always grab a bottle (or two, three) of Bacco from Afton Mountain Vineyards. This one always includes Sangiovese, and the 2017 is delicious. If your library includes the 2016 Meritage from Pollak Vineyards, it is still showing quite well. Drink or hold. I bought a bottle to join its sibling on our wine rack. One will be enjoyed soon and the other will be poured in another year or so. Our 2013 Merlot from King Family Vineyards has definitely gathered dust, so it was a treat to try a sample of this one at the winery. I would put this one in the drink now category but made sure to purchase another one. Can it hold on for another year or two? We’ll find out.

Our front porch dinners paired with a perfect Virginia wine were lit with late sunsets followed by starry skies and dancing fireflies. Another treat was the cooler than usual night temperatures that allowed us to open the windows to enjoy cool nighttime breezes. If Mother Nature was treating us to a solstice concert, then she put on a stellar performance.

Plan to visit the wineries mentioned in this post to sample these well-crafted wines for yourself this summer. Let us know if you find others that you enjoyed but not described here. Of course, please mention that Virginia Wine Time sent you!

Virginia Wines Shine on a Rainy Day

We braved a recent chilly weekend to join wine friends for wine tasting and lunch at Stone Tower Winery and Fleetwood Farms Winery. Read on to learn more about our experiences.

Our first stop at Stone Tower Winery required us to brave pelting rain drops and gusty winds. It did not seem like a spring afternoon despite what the calendar told us, and we were fooled into thinking that it was early May. However, our tasting at Stone Tower Winery was worth braving the elements. Our wine friends are members at Stone Tower, and we were treated to an estate wine tasting experience that was expertly guided by the sharp-witted Joe. Of course, white wines were tasted first, and the 2019 Chardonnays hit all the right notes. The 2019 Chardonnay Reserve presented notes of wet stone and fresh pear; its acidity made for an elegant wine that would pair well with poultry or seafood dishes. The 2019 Kristi Chardonnay was crafted from a designated lots on the vineyard site and is named after founder Kristi Huber. Thirty percent of the Kristi Chardonnay is done in concrete eggs to allow for micro-oxygenation of the wine without the impact on its flavors and aromas that would be expected from an oak barrel. The result is a fuller bodied wine that is better able to express terroir.

We transitioned to red wines, and Joe treated us to a comparative tasting of the 2015 Hogback Mountain and the 2015 Wind Swept Hill; the former is a left bank Bordeaux-style blend with Cabernet Sauvignon taking the lead, and the latter is a right bank blend spearheaded by Merlot. The 2015 Hogback has transitioned to more savory elements associated with an aging red, so collectors with this one on the wine rack may want to consider drinking it soon. However, its right bank sibling still held on top its fruitier profile to suggest further aging potential. The 2019 Cabernet Franc was also excellent with dark berry notes and a juicy palate. Our tasting experience ended with the 2021 Rose that was crafted from all Merlot grapes. Bright strawberry notes and a fruity yet dry palate made for a versatile wine that plays well in all seasons.

We lunched on handmade pizzas, olives and cheeses while sipping a bottle of the 2019 Hogback Mountain. The comfy members tasting room allowed us to enjoy our food and wine experience as the weather continued its tantrum!

A subsequent tasting at Fleetwood Farm Winery signaled an upcoming milestone for Virginia Wine Time—-it was winery number 199 on our list of Virginia wineries visited. The 2019 Tempete Blanche, a blend of Sauvignon Blanc, Semillion, and Muscadelle grown by Chateau Kalian in France, should prove to be popular in the summer with its fresh floral aromas and refreshing palate. Tasters looking for an easy summer sipper to pair with grilled fare should be please with the fruity 2019 Ellzey Red, a juicy blend that fills the palate with fresh berry flavors. Virginia wine aficionados may recognize the mention of Chateau Kalian—-it is the home of co-winemaker at Fleetwood Farms, Katell Griaud. Katell is also the winemaker of Slater Run Vineyards. It is she, along with Ashton Lew, who craft the wines at Fleetwood Farm Winery.

We look forward to winery number 200, wherever it may be. Summer warmth seems to be upon us now, so we are certain that our goal will be met sooner rather than later. In the meantime, visit the Virginia wineries mentioned in this post; of course, please mention that Virginia Wine Time sent you!

Celebrating Spring With Virginia Wines!

Winter is slowly losing its seasonal grip as spring flowers begin to bloom in the area. We recently treated ourselves to a long weekend visiting Virginia wineries while taking in the beauty of spring flora!

Our scenic trek through Virginia landscapes allowed us to take in lovely cherry trees, blooming Bradford pears (not my favorite but they do herald spring in their own way), and dazzling bulbs that included daffodils. We brought along sliced deli meats and cheeses to enjoy a tasting and lunch at Gray Ghost Vineyards, a favorite winery of ours. The newly released 2021 Riesling announced spring in all its glory—aromas of white blossoms were followed by stone fruit flavors on the palate suggested a perfect pairing with ham or shellfish. We opted to enjoy lunch with my favorite 2018 Reserve Chardonnay with its pear notes and fuller mouth feel. A warm breeze and fluttering birds joined us for wine and snacks.

Quievremont Vineyard and Winery was next on our tasting agenda, and we were glad that we included this winery on our weekend trip. It had been quite a while since our last tasting at Quievremont Vineyard and Winery, and winemaker Karl Selzer treated us to a wonderful tasting experience. The 2019 Q Table Red reminded us that we needed a lighter-bodied red wine on the rack that can be enjoyed either on its own or with simple fare. This blend included Petit Verdot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot, but light aging in neutral oak barrels made for a fruity quaffer. The 2019 Vin de Maison was more complex, and this blend included Merlot, Petit Verdot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec. Aged for a year in both American and French oak barrels, this one exhibited notes of dark cherry, blackberry, and plums. Oakier nuances suggested a pairing with a beef dish sided with roasted veggies. Watch out for a release of a 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon; although quite young, it presented blackberry and cherry notes along with a whiff of licorice. Aged in 100% French oak barrels, we look forward to tasting this one again once it is released. Our outdoor tasting allowed us to take in mountain views decorated with trees waiting to burst with a splash of fresh green leaves as temperatures warm.

We always look forward to dinner at Claires at the Depot whenever we stay in Warrenton, and we nursed a glass of the 2018 Reserve Chardonnay from Gray Ghost Vineyards while gazing upon a sunset layered with tones of pink, periwinkle and cobalt.

Our final winery tasting included a self-guided flight at Pearmund Cellars. My favorite is always the Old Vines Chardonnay, and the 2017 vintage did not disappoint me. I enjoyed the lush aromas of grilled pineapple and pear, and its rich palate finished with a generous kiss of oak. Our outdoor tasting proved to be a chillier experience since the sun decided to take a nap that day; however, a sturdier breeze toyed with wind chimes to provide music for our tasting experience.

We encourage readers to plan their own spring outing to these and other Virginia wineries. Of course, please mention that Virginia Wine Time sent you.