Tag: Lost Creek

Wineries That Keep Us Blogging

/ Warren / 1 Comment

The tenth year of Virginia Wine Time has given us cause to celebrate, and our visits with the wonderful winemakers who inspired us to blog has been a pleasure. We will also take time to honor wineries and winemakers who inspire us to continue blogging, and these will be either newer wineries that have recently opened or wineries that have experienced a renaissance due to a new direction and renewed purpose. The two wineries featured in this post belong in the latter category, and they are Casanel Vineyards & Winery and The Vineyards and Winery at Lost Creek.

Casanel Vineyards & Winery: There is no doubt in our minds that Katie de Souza has a passion for winemaking, and the wines there have taken a profound turn for the wonderful under her leadership. We visited with Katie last fall, and we were very impressed with the line up of premiere wines. In addition, the new tasting room offers a more accessible yet elegant tasting experience. I was most impressed with the Chardonnay; Paul favored the Petit Verdot, and we both fell in love with the limited edition Carmenere. Pay attention to this winery; we plan to visit very soon to sample the latest releases.

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The Vineyards and Winery at Lost Creek: We remembered the old Lost Creek Winery as a place to go to enjoy picnic wines that tended to be on the sweeter side. We also admired the landscaping! However, the new and improved Lost Creek Winery under the direction of Aimee and Todd Henkle features more serious wines. Dry, complex, nuanced—-these are the descriptors that can now be used in association with these wines. Aimee Henkle conducted our tasting when we visited the winery in January, and I was a fan of the 2014 Reserve Chardonnay with its pear notes and buttery finish. The Genesis, a red blend, was rich and complex with a smoky nose and dark fruit flavors. Drink now or age for later; I have opted to age for a while. We were also treated to a barrel sample of the 2014 Provenance which spent 26 months in oak barrels. Bramble berry notes with a whiff of cedar were quite evident; we intend to return upon release of this one.

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We plan to visit these wineries very soon and know that they continue to strive for excellence. Plan to visit Casanel Vineyards & Winery and The Vineyards and Winery at Lost Creek too; mention that Virginia Wine Time sent you.

Saturday Winery Visits

/ Paul / Leave a comment

On Saturday we visited three wineries. We visited Fabbioli Cellars, Lost Creek Winery, and Creek’s Edge Winery. Creek’s Edge added to our total number of wineries visited. We have now visited 169 Virginia wineries.

At Fabbioli we enjoyed the food pairing wine tasting. Of the wines tasted our favorites were the recently released 2012 Tre Sorelle and the Governor’s Cup Gold winner 2011 Tannat. The Tre Sorelle presented violet, cherry, and dried herb notes while the bigger Tannat showed smoke, plum, and clove flavors. We can see why it won a gold.

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After our tasting we got a chance to chat with Doug Fabbioli about his new plantings and other things wine. He informed us that he had just recently planted sangiovese in the vineyard closest to the road that leads to the winery. We also enjoyed the views and the new pergola while enjoying a glass of the 2013 Something White and the 2012 Tre Sorelle.

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Next we visited The Vineyards and Winery at Lost Creek. Here we enjoyed the 2012 Reserve Chardonnay and the 2011 Genesis. The 2012 Reserve Chardonnay gave us notes of pear, citrus, and honey. It had a nice mouth feel with a fuller body. We noted tobacco and earthy notes on the 2011 Genesis. We enjoyed a glass of the 2012 Reserve Chardonnay after our tasting. We also had the chance to taste the new 2012 Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Both show promise but could use a little more time on your wine rack.

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Our final visit was to Creek’s Edge Winery. This one was new to us so we were curious to see what they had on the tasting menu. Creek’s Edge Winery has a gorgeous new building atop a sloped hill with a vineyard that sits right in front of the building. It was obvious to us the building was built with group events in mind. When we arrived we were the only ones in the tasting room so we got all the attention from new winemaker Melanie Natoli. Her volunteer wine pourer walked us through the current release of wines. There were five wines on the tasting menu. We found out that Ben Renshaw made these five wines but Melanie would be taking on the next vintage of wines released. Of the wines tasted we enjoyed the 2011 Cabernet Franc with its raspberry, cherry, and spice notes. We also enjoyed the 2009 Chambourcin. This one presented smoke, ripe berry, anise, and a smooth oak finish. Creek’s Edge is heading in the right direction and we’ll plan to visit them again in the future.

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If you visit any of the wineries mentioned, please tell them Virginia Wine Time sent you!

Lost Creek Reserve Chardonnay

/ Paul / 1 Comment

Last week Lost Creek Vineyard and Winery released their 2012 Reserve Chardonnay. We thought this would be a good time to return to Lost Creek and taste the new release.

Lost Creek has become a popular place. As we entered the tasting room it was a buzz with tasters. We found a spot at the tasting bar and began a tasting. We had tasted all the wines when we visited in June but it was nice to see how the wines were developing in the bottle. The wines are developing nicely. The Genesis particularly has changed and we liked it even more this time than we did in June. It’s developing into a red that should be enjoyed with a thick juicy steak. During our tasting we had a chance to chat and catch up with owners Aimee and Todd Henkle. It was good to hear how things are progressing nicely at Lost Creek. Positive changes continue to happen at Lost Creek.
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We returned to Lost Creek specifically to try the 2012 Reserve Chardonnay, and its Burgundian style reflects the expert craftsmanship of French winemaker Sébastien Marquet. After our wine tasting, we enjoyed a glass of this one with a nice brie and a fresh baguette.

Before leaving we were sure to secure a bottle of the Reserve Chardonnay for our wine rack. Check out the newest release at Lost Creek and when you do, tell them Virginia Wine Time sent you.

Genesis

/ Warren / 1 Comment

Lost Creek Vineyards and Winery is experiencing a rebirth under new ownership, and the winery’s fliers declare a “new look, new wines, new style.” We met co-owner Aimee Henckle at the winery to receive a tour and tasting of the new Lost Creek Vineyards and Winery to determine if indeed a new direction was taking place. At the end, we concluded that indeed a new Lost Creek Vineyards and Winery was born.
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We met Aimee at the Harvest House, the facility that once served as the home for the previous owners but now re-purposed for club members and events. Aimee and her husband Todd bought Lost Creek last year; they got the wine bug several years ago while visiting the wine regions of Bordeaux and Napa. They also explored wineries in Oregon and contemplated a go at winemaking in the Portland area. However, the couple eventually wanted to part of an emerging wine region with all of its challenges, and Virginia seemed to fit the bill. Aimee and Todd visited Virginia wineries and were particularly inspired by Jordan Harris, winemaker at Tarara. In fact, their experiences with Harris’ wines encouraged them to pursue the purchase of Lost Creek Winery.
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There is no doubt that the Harvest House will provide club members with an comfy yet elegant environment in which to appreciate the new wines at Lost Creek Vineyards and Winery. An open floor plan, earth-toned walls and gleaming hard wood floors highlight the well-appointed facility. Aimee shared with us that the new focus at Lost Creek will be on Bordeaux-style dry wines, and these will be sampled at the Harvest House’s all-wood bar. An open indoor kitchen and outdoor grill complete with brick oven will allow for cooking classes and other culinary events to be held at the House.
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From the Harvest House, Aimee led us to the tasting room for a sample of current releases at the new Lost Creek Vineyards and Winery. New wines and new style were not understatements. Readers may recall that the old Lost Creek produced mostly sweet wines made in stainless steel tanks. The sugar bowl has been put away, and French oak barrels can now be found in barrel room. Furthermore, Doukenie winemaker Sebastien Marquet serves as the consulting winemaker, and he brings to the new Lost Creek not only a background in French winemaking but also experience with the challenges of winemaking in Virginia. The results of these changes spoke for themselves. A new dry Vidal Blanc 2012 was made from estate- grown grapes and fermented in stainless steel tanks. Melon notes and a refreshing minerality made for a perfect summer wine. Our favorite white, though, was the Chardonnay 2012 that was also done in stainless steel tanks. Honey, pear and citrus notes were evident; yes, we noted a nice minerality here too. And yes, no sugar added! Sweet wine lovers need not despair as the Serenity (made from Vidal Blanc) boasts 1.5% residual sugar and its bright fruity characteristics are destined to please sippers with a sweeter palate.
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On to the reds, and the first one was our favorite, the 2011 Cabernet Franc. Aged 14 months in French oak barrels, it presented a smoky nose with cherry notes and tobacco aromas; spice elements reminded us that indeed we tasted Cabernet Franc. The final red wine was likewise well made, and that was the Genesis 2011, a blend of Tannat, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot. Aged 18 months in French oak barrels, we detected a whiff of violet with dark plum flavors and earthy/spicy aromas.
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And so the Genesis 2011 ended our tasting, and it confirmed for us that this is indeed a reborn Lost Creek Vineyards and Winery. Aimee shared with us that future plans include the release of a barrel-aged Chardonnay; in fact, we got to sample this one, and it will be quite good upon release. Expanded wine production is also on the agenda, and more planting in the vineyard will boost acres planted in vines from 16 to 21. Also, Lost Creek is now part of a new Potomac cluster that includes Tarara and Fabbioli Cellars—good company to keep!

With our tour and tasting done, we decided to each enjoy a glass of our favorites, the Chardonnay and the Cabernet Franc; guitarist Nate Davis provided soothing entertainment on a gorgeous late spring afternoon. We plan to visit Lost Creek very soon, and we encourage readers to experience the “new look, new wines, and new style” at Lost Creek Vineyards and Winery. Mention that Virginia Wine Time sent you.