Virginia Wine Time Goes To Maryland

This post should have posted a couple of weeks ago, but out of respect for Virginia Wine month we waited until November to write it.  On our way back home from the bloggers meet up on the Eastern Shore, we decided to follow the grape signs along the highway to Bordeleau Vineyards and Winery. Our experiences with Maryland wines are very limited so we were anxious to see what Bordeleau Vineyards and Winery had to offer.

I must say that the grounds are stunning and offer a breathtaking view of Chesapeake Bay.  We made a decision to spend time appreciating the bay vista regardless of the winery experience, but we were also eager to sample the wines.  The white wine offerings were the strongest with the Chardonnays topping the list.  The crisp 2008 Unoaked Chardonnay was Paul’s immediate favorite, and it offered a pleasant nose of citrus and pear. An easy sipper, it could also pear well with salads and light cheeses.  The 2007 Chardonnay Reserve provided a more food friendly option.  Aged in French barrels for twenty-one months, it presented pear aromas and flavors with some hazelnuts on the nose.  With the oak-aging, a creamier, honeyed texture was inevitable.  Serve with any dish that includes a cream sauce!

Of the red wines, the Meritage NV held the greatest potential.  Dark cherry and brambleberry characteristics led to a spicy, tannic finish.  This one could age for a couple of years and should pair well with beef, lamb or game meats.

As we tasted away, we learned that owner and winemaker Tom Shelton planted the property’s twelve acres of vines in 1999.  In 2008, the winery became the first to open in Wicomico County.  Tom is dedicated to producing small quantities of quality wines, and plantings include Pinot Gris,Sauvignon Blanc, Charonnay, and most of the red  Bordeaux varieties.

With our tasting done, we opted to share a glass of the 2007 Chardonnay Reserve, and we made good on our promise to explore the grounds.  We walked down the pier and spotted water fowl as they enjoyed a crisp autumn swim in the Bay.  It was a sunny but brisk afternoon, and we made sure to take in every inch of scenery.  

We hope to continue our forays into Maryland wine country, and readers should do the same.  Planning a visit to the Eastern Shore? Stop by Bordeleau Vineyards and Winery for a tasting, and mention that Virginia Wine Time sent you.

Chatting With Winemakers

On Saturday we joined Frank from DrinkWhatYouLike to visit some winemakers in Loudoun County. We began the day at Tarara Winery. We had the chance to taste wine and chat with winemaker Jordan Harris. He let us taste several wines including some that are no longer available for sale and some that aren’t even for sale yet. Warren favored the no-longer-for-sale 2008 Viognier while I really enjoyed the yet-to-be-released Nevaeh White. After our time at the tasting bar, we went to the cave to taste a few barrel samples. Jordan has some amazing wines developing in the barrels. We look forward to seeing how they turn out. Here are some pictures from our visit with Jordan.

We then traveled to 8 Chains North and had the chance to speak with winemaker Ben Renshaw. He conducted our tasting and guided us through the current selections. Warren and I both favored the 2008 Furnace Mountain Red Reserve. Once we finished at the tasting bar Ben showed us to the barrel room and let us taste several wines in the making. All are promising. During our time in the barrel room we had a great discussion about screw caps and corks. We began this discussion with Jordan but continued with Ben. It’s interesting how many different opinions there are on the screw cap vs cork debate. After our time with Ben we had some lunch and enjoyed a glass of the Furnace Mountain Red Reserve.

Our final stop of the day was at North Gate Vineyard. This is our 112th Virginia winery. We spoke with Mark and Vicki Fedor. They showed us around their garage winery as well as the new winery and tasting room under construction. The new winery will be a green building and have solar panels on the roof. They have been growing grapes since 2001 and have been making wine for several years. They were the winemakers at Corcoran at one point. We then had a chance to talk and taste their current offerings. They have a nice lineup of wines. However, we were really impressed when the brought out the 2008 Petit Verdot. This one really stood out. Here are some pictures from our visit to North Gate.

We ended our day at Tuscarora Mill restaurant. We met up with Allan from Cellarblog. We enjoyed some Virginia wine and some wonderful food. What a great way to end Virginia Wine Month!

Dinner Wines

To begin our evening we had the 2009 Blenheim Chardonnay. While dinner was being created we enjoyed this chardonnay with crackers and white cheese. On the nose we noted pear, melon, and citrus. It was very crisp. In the mouth we noted pear, citrus, and a hint of minerality. It complimented our cheese and crackers quite well.

For dinner we had the 2008 Malbec from Corcoran Vineyards. I always enjoy this one. We had it with pasta and red meat sauce. We must say we ran this one through the Soiree to help decant it immediately. On the nose we noted dark cherry, and spice. In the mouth we noted similar jammy characteristics with a spicy edge. It proved to be the perfect pairing with our meal. We understand DrinkWhatULike had the same wine for dinner this evening.