Tag Archives: Philip Carter

Thanksgiving Weekend and Virginia Wine

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So the turkey has been eaten, and the pumpkin pie has been devoured. However, we know that leftovers are in the fridge. What to do with them? We like to make a picnic lunch with the turkey legs, cranberry sauce, and roasted veggies and head out to a local winery. We recommend Naked Mountain Winery and Vineyards and Philip Carter Winery as possible destinations.

Naked Mountain Winery and Vineyards: It’s hard to compete with the views here especially during the fall. Though the fall colors may be fading, enough of them remain to provide an artistic contrast to stark branches which herald the onset of winter. Such is the current scenery at Naked Mountain Winery and Vineyards. If leftover turkey and trimmings are in the picnic basket, consider the aromatic 2011 Viognier with its flavors of pineapple, peach and citrus. Our tasting associate, Kim, recommended the 2011 Make Me Blush, a rose-style wine with full fruit flavors of strawberry and cherry. At 2% residual sugar, it’s a bit sweet but should complement a slice of herbed-turkey that is coated with a dab of cranberry compote. Paul prefers a red wine with leftovers and scenic autumn landscapes, and he recommends the smoky 2008 Scarlet Oak Red with its tobacco notes and flavors of cranberry and cherry.


Philip Carter Winery: A glass of history is always poured at Philip Carter Winery, and it’s even better paired with turkey leftovers and a favorite wine. I’m always a fan of the Chardonnays at Philip Carter Winery, and the 2011 vintage is quite good. This one is a blend of oak barrels and stainless steel to present notes of ripe pear with a twist of citrus. A nice acidity should help to cut through a creamy sauce that might be served with the turkey. Cranberry chutney in the picnic basket? Consider the 2011 Danielle’s Rose made from Tinta Cao. This rose is dry with elements of strawberry and fresh mint; it’s vibrant acidity makes for a refreshing wine to boot. Bring along a hunk of blue cheese and roasted nuts to pair with the 2010 1762, a port-style wine made from the Chambourcin grape. It is aged in bourbon whiskey barrels and presents characteristic elements of raisin-like fruits with a toasted edge.



Savor that Thanksgiving feast for one more day and plan a visit to a favorite Virginia winery to enhance the experience. Consider a visit to either Naked Mountain Winery and Vineyards or Philip Carter Winery. Please mention that Virginia Wine Time sent you.

Friday Pours

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The holidays are such a busy time of year. On Friday evening we were able to sit down, relax and have dinner at home. We decided to have dinner at my house and decorate my Christmas tree.

We began the evening with the 2010 Pinot Gris from Pollak Vineyards. We had this with some sliced swiss cheese and water crackers. Right away on the nose we noted lemon-lime. On the palate we noted citrus as well. One thing we noticed was lacking was acidity. This pinot gris wasn’t nearly as crisp as we remember others being in the past. This made us wonder of this was a symptom of the 2010 growing season for whites. Have you noticed any 2010 Virginia whites lacking acidity?

For dinner we had ham steaks and scalloped potatoes. We selected the 2009 Cabernet Franc from Philip Carter Winery. We have enjoyed this one in the past and knew it would pair well with our meal. We noted violets, dried herbs, raspberry and cherry. We noted very similar characteristics in the mouth. The woodsy, herby, berry fruit really stood out. And yes, it paired well with our meal.

If you visit Pollak Vineyards or Philip Carter Winery anytime soon, tell them Virginia Wine Time sent you!

Virginia Wines Before Dinner

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We had friends over for dinner this past Saturday, and we decided to pour Virginia wines as aperitifs.  After all, it is Virginia Wine month!  Guests were greeted with the Governor Fauquier from Philip Carter Winery and Sarah’s Patio White from Chrysalis Vineyards.  Both were off-dry wines and produced from the Vidal Blanc grape, a Riesling-like hybrid that grows very well in Virginia.  Like Riesling, Vidal Blanc is very fruity and refreshing, so some of the appetizers that I served with these wines were a bit spicy. Some of these dishes were captured by Paul, the cameraman.

Cheeses: Brie topped with hot peach chutney, or for the faint of stomach, plain brie and red grapes.
Nuts: Chili-lime flavored almonds; plain almonds for the wimps.  Not sure if olives pair with these wines, but the gourmet olives were stuffed with sun-dried tomatoes and were absolutely delicious! 
Meats: Smoked salmon

So what was on tap for the rest of the evening? I did splice in a couple of Napa wines from Clos Pegase winery; one was a Sauvignon Blanc that I sampled at a wine tasting and thought it was unique—tropical fruit flavors (as opposed to cat pee/grapefruit) with a refreshing acidity that seemed a perfect match with an acidic tomato dish.  The other was a Cabernet Sauvignon that has been resting on the wine rack for several years, but according to the wine mags, needed to be appreciated now.  And indeed it was appreciated!  It was quite good with the beef; however, the fruitier Virginia offering was very well-received by my dinner guests. A number of Virginia meritage blends would have paired quite nicely with my beef dish; however, I went with the Gray Ghost option based on my experience at the Gadsby’s Tavern winemaker dinner which featured the Ranger Reserve with a very similar beef dish.  Empty wine bottles indicated that the Virginia option was as popular as the California one. 

Anyway, here was the menu:

Fresh tomato soup paired with Clos Pegase Sauvignon Blanc 2009 
Garlic-herb crusted beef tenderloin with roasted potatoes and squash paired with Clos Pegase Cabernet Sauvignon 2005; Gray Ghost Ranger Reserve 2008
Pumpkin bundt cake served with Gray Ghost Adieu 2006
Community Brand Coffee and Chicory (found only in New Orleans)