Tag: Gray Ghost Vineyards
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.
October Is Virginia Wine Month
Happy Virginia Wine Month!
We started Virginia wine month with a harvesting experience at Gray Ghost Vineyards. Besides COVID 2020, we have harvested grapes at Gray Ghost for 15 (Paul) and 20 (Warren) years. It’s always great fun! We usually harvest the chardonnay grapes but this year we decided to harvest the Cabernet Sauvignon grapes. Here are some pictures from the day.
What a great way to start off Virginia Wine Month. Please catch up with our social media to see what we are pouring and enjoying throughout the month. Are you planning on visiting any Virginia wineries this month? If so, tell them Virginia Wine Time sent you!
Gray Ghost Vineyards
Warren’s parents are visiting us from New Orleans for Mother’s Day. Today we took them to Gray Ghost Vineyards for a tasting and to enjoy some lunch.
We were lucky to have Amy Payette conduct our tasting. Since our last visit the 2020 Riesling was released. And this Mother’s Day weekend they are releasing the 2020 Gewürztraminer. We were able to taste both during our tasting. We noted tropical fruit and bright citrus flavors from the 2020 Riesling. It’s perfect for some spicy foods. The 2020 Gewürztraminer presented tropical notes and some spice with a touch of sweetness on the end. But it must be noted that this is fruit sweet and not sugar sweet. This one would also pair well with spicy foods or by itself!
Just when you thought there weren’t many decent reds coming from the 2018 vintage, Gray Ghost presents their 2018 Petit Verdot. This Petit Verdot has a beautiful color and notes of plum, blackberry and currants with accessible tannins. This one quickly became our favorite red of the day. After our lunch we enjoyed a glass of the Petit Verdot with some dark chocolate for dessert.
If you haven’t been to Gray Ghost lately, it’s time visit them again. Be sure to taste the wines mentioned here. And when you do visit them, tell them Virginia Wine Time sent you!