This past weekend we took advantage of a long weekend to visit Oakencroft Winery. As readers may know, Oakencroft Winery will close its doors on December 31, and the Virginia wine community will lose yet another pioneer in the Virginia wine making industry. For us, Oakencroft was always on the “must visit” list while visiting the Charlottesville area. In fact, Oakencroft was our “eat lunch” winery, and we looked forward to sharing a bottle of award-wining wine and relaxing beside the pond filled with ducks and geese. We repeated this ritual one last time.

With gold stars in hand, we entered the busy tasting room to sample the current releases. Of the whites, Paul favored the 2006 Seyval Blanc with its citrusy nose and flavors. I detected a subtle flinty characteristic too. Crisp with a bright acidity, the 2006 Seyval Blanc is always an Oakencroft favorite and wines numerous awards. My own gold-star favorite was the 2007 Viognier with its floral and peach notes; I noted some toasted nuts on the nose as well. Fuller bodied, this one offered rewards of tropical fruit flavors with some mineral on the finish. Not to be outdone was the 2007 Chardonnay—aged mostly in stainless steel, this crisp wine delivers a vibrant acidity that would pair quite well with cheese, picnic fare, a simple chicken dinner but can also be appreciated on its own.

Of the reds, the 2006 Petit Verdot still earns gold for me. Dark fruit and violets on the nose with plum and spice in the mouth make this one a natural with a favorite meat dish but be sure to add a side of roasted veggies! Paul’s own favorite was the 2006 Merlot Reserve. Dense color suggested a full-bodied wine. Paul, ever the Merlot fan, noted that the 2006 Merlot Reserve favored plum and raspberry characteristics.

So for lunch we decided to share a bottle of the 2007 Viognier with honey ham and soft cheeses. We lingered over the pond teeming with friendly ducks and geese, and we toasted Felicia Rogan who, as Virginia first female winery owner, produced memorable wines and moments at Oakencroft.

We will fondly remember Oakencroft Winery, and we made sure to purchase several age-worthy wines so that we can enjoy Oakencroft’s wines long after their doors close. Be sure to visit Oakencroft Winery before the end of the year, and do mention that Virginia Wine Time sent you.

This past weekend, we took advantage of a lovely early autumn weekend to visit Bluemont Vineyard. Located in Loudon County and at an elevation of 1000 feet on an eastern slope of the Blue Ridge Mountains, the winery offers one of the grandest views of mountains and sunny horizons. The facility itself is quite expansive and designed to optimize appreciation of these breathtaking landscapes. However, wine is why we decided to visit Bluemont Vineyard, and our discerning palates made their way to the tasting room for a sample of Bluemont’s current releases.

On tap for tasting were five wines including two white wines, two red wines, and one dessert wine. My immediate favorite was the 2007 Viognier dubbed, “the Goat”. (I’m not quite sure why these wines are given animal names.) This was a very nice dry wine fermented mostly in stainless steel with some time on oak. Crisp and clean, this Viognier would pair quite nicely with any seafood or poultry dishes. Paul favored the 2007 Merlot, (or The Ram) and he likened this one to a lighter-style Chianti destined for a pizza or pasta dish. However, our gold star was reserved for both the 2006 and 2007 Norton (the Pig). We were treated to a personal tasting of these releases by owner and winemaker, Bob Rupy. Like Jenni McCloud of Chrysalis, Bob is truly excited about Norton’s future as a flagship varietal for Virginia, and these offerings certainly support his cause. In particular, the 2006 Norton offered a fruity nose with lots of juicy berry fruit in the mouth. Fuller bodied than the Merlot, the 2006 Norton should pair quite well with Bambi or Lambchop. Though the 2007 offered similar characteristics, the 2006 had the benefit of an extra year in bottle and thus maturity.

After our tasting, we opted to sip a glass of the 2007 Viognier, and this we did as we enjoyed the sounds of a live band and panoramic mountain views. We also chatted further with Bob Rupy who is excited about Bluemont Vineyard’s future. Weekend entertainment, nice wine, and an eclectic offering of meats and cheeses bring in local crowds that fill the ample facility decorated in a cozy country motif. We look forward to a return to Bluemont Vineyard to sample upcoming releases. Consider a visit to Bluemont Vineyard during Virginia Wine Month, and mention that Virginia Wine Time sent you.

So here are our assessments of more California wine country experiences:

Best Big Reds: Not difficult to find monster reds in California, but here were a couple of faves:

Goosecross Cellars 2005 Syrah:  Dense, inky color with dark currant and berry flavor with dark chocolate and earth for good measure; smoke on the nose, too!  Heavy meats with this one. Not a deck sipper by any means.

Twomey Cellars 2002 Napa Valley Merlot:  Our tasting associate made us aware of the optimal weather conditions for the merlot harvested from the Soda Canyon Ranch vineyards.  Concentrated is the word here with a dense color and jammy berry flavors.  Mocha appears at the end.  Very, very long finish. Paul loves merlot, but he had to admit that this one was too big to just sip.  We love steaks, so that’s not a problem!  However, this one will be for a special occasion; at $75.00 it was my splurge purchase!

Best Approachable Reds:

A tall order in this neck of the woods; however, there were a couple of reds that I thought were ready to drink now.  (These can also be kept on the wine rack for a bit longer).

Christopher Creek 2005 Zinfandel: This winery was the closest comparison to an experience in a Virginia winery’s tasting room.  Several wines to tastes including a Viognier and a Chardonnay.  Very friendly tasting associate and a very unpretentious tasting room made us feel right at home.  The Zinfandel exhibited bright berry flavors—I noted strawberry and red currants; Paul jotted down cranberry and red currants.  We both noted spice, too.  More medium bodied than other California Zins.

Limerick Lane 2005 Pinot Noir:  Already described in the last post.  Just divine.

Summers 2006 Zinfandel:  The most full bodied of the wines in this category, but I really liked sipping this one in the tasting room.  More extracted flavors than the Christopher Creek with vanilla on the finish and a nice acidity.  I guess my thoughts were barbeque sauce and steaks on the grill or even a pasta with tomato sauce.  The alcohol content was 14%—a bit more manageable than the 15% firewater we experienced at other wineries.

Vincent Arroyo Winery 2005 Nameless:  A real gem of a winery that does tastings in its barrel room.  Only three wines to taste, but by far the easiest drinker was the Nameless.  So called because it really has no name and is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Merlot.  Garnet color with bright red cherry flavors and spice.  Drink now—and a true sipping red from California.  However, don’t miss the 2006 Petite Sirah, my own personal favorite.  This one had much in common with a Virginia favorite, Norton.  I note d some of the grapey characteristics of the Norton grapes here with perhaps a bit more depth.  (I  have a feeling Jenni McCloud would have like this one!)

Clos Pegase Winery

Best Wines for the Price:Clos Pegase Vin Gris:  A vibrant rose made from merlot grapes.  Strawberry and watermelon characteristics makes this one a crowd pleaser.  Versatile pour.  At $14, this was a real bargain.

Clos Pegase 2004 Merlot:  From Mitsuko’s Vineyard, this was Paul’s easy drinking merlot.  Big cherry nose and flavors with some spice.  This is actually blended with  small amounts of cabernet franc and malbec.  Ready to drink now, and at $24 a bottle a good deal.  Paul made off with two bottles!

Cali 351 2006 Chardonnay:  For those who like the buttery Chardonnays but don’t like the sticker price, this Chardonnay is a winner.  Bolder bodied chardonnay here with buttery characteristics but still delivers nice pear flavors.  Visitors to the Napa area may remember this winery as Silver Rose; Silver Rose was recently sold to new managers and the wines now bear the Cali 351 label. At $27, a lovely Chardonnay without the big price tag.

We’ll post maybe two more California entries, and then it’s back to Virginia wines—we promise!  Until then, visit Virginia wineries while summer warmth still has its arms wrapped around us, and mention that Virginia Wine Time sent you!

This past weekend we decided to get back on the wine trail and taste some new finds. We made a trip to Gadino Cellars to find out what was new on the tasting menu.

Bill and Aleta conducted our tasting. We enjoyed catching up with them and talking about what’s new in the Virginia wine business. On the tasting menu we found two wines we had not tried before. The first was the 2007 Pinot Grigio. The grapes for this wine come from Tollgate farms, a local vineyard that provides the Gadino’s with quality grapes. The 2007 Pinot Grigio has a light floral nose with subtle orange notes. As the tasting notes describe, the pinot grigio has a “luscious mouth-feel” and we agree with this statement. The pinot grigio also has a nice grapefruit finish. Warren noted melon on the palette. This one would be great for sipping on a warm afternoon.

The second new wine we had not tried before was the 2007 Dolce Sofia. Named for Bill and Aleta’s granddaughter, the Dolce Sofia is a sweet desert wine created by blending late harvest petit manseng and vidal grapes. This wine has 11% residual sugar but isn’t syrupy sweet like many others. It has a light mouth feel with peaches and honey on the palate. The finish is described as macadamia nut. We noted a nutty finish but could not place the nut. We guessed maybe almond on the finish. This one would be perfect with pound cake.

Plan on visiting Gadino Cellars soon and be sure to check out the new releases and tell them Virginia Wine Time sent you. And when you visit your local wine shop and you don’t see Gadino wines on the shelves, ask for them!

We’ll be posting a couple of entries about our experiences in the Napa Valley region.  We tasted lots of wine, but we tended to stay away from the big guys like Coppola, Berenger, Sterling, etc.,  Not that we had anything against these wines, but Coppola wines can be sampled and/or purchased at any wine shop and supermarket in the country.  We decided to optimize our stay in Napa and opted to focus on small, boutique wineries that offered limited-production, quality wines (and knowledgeable staff!)  Most of the wineries that we visited tended to produce less than 5000 cases of wine; needless to say, these were not wines that could be purchased at the local wine shop or Safeway!

I’ll break up my experiences into “favorite” or “best” categories, and today I’ll feature our tasting room experiences:

Best Tasting Room Experiences:

Envy Wines: Comfortable tasting counter complete with bar stools.  Michael, our tasting assistant, expertly guided us through the full range of wine offered on the Vine Haven, Envy, and Carter labels.  The Carter wines are considered premium wines and routinely score in the 90s in Wine Spectator; they are also quite expensive so if you consider a splurge here, have a special occasion in mind.  We even got a barrel tasting of the upcoming Merlot.  The wines were also excellent.  My own favorites were the 06 Sauvignon Blanc, 05 Chardonnay, and the 06 Petit Sirah.  Paul also favored the 06 Petit Sirah as well as the 05 Merlot.

Limerick Lane:  Located in Sonoma, this winery is a must try for anyone looking for California wines that are more balanced than some of the bigger fruit/oak bombs found at other California wineries.  Only four wines on the tasting menu, but all were exceptional.  The 06 Orsi Vineyard Pinot Noir is done in a classic Burgundian style—soft, approachable and nuanced with strawberry/cherry flavors and velvety tannins.  It was my immediate favorite until I tried the 05 Zinfandel.  Lots of fruit and spice here without  a punch in the mouth—well balanced that could be sipped or enjoyed with food.  Paul starred the 06 1023, a blended red wine that offers a denser color and intensity with a long finish.  Our tasting was also accompanied by expert commentary from the associate who conducted our tasting.  We learned that the secret to Limerick Lane’s award winning wines is the complexity and intensity provided by grapes grown in various Sonoma vineyards.

Sawyer Cellars: This was actually the first winery that we visited and is located in the vaunted Rutherford Appellation.  Sawyer is a family owned operation, and we even got to meet owner Charles Sawyer.  Though three wines were listed for tasting, our tasting assistant offered two extras—a vibrant Rose and a very complex 04 Cabernet Sauvignon.   Sawyer Cellars grows all of its own grapes on 50 acres of land.  It only produces 4200 cases of wine.  Paul’s faves were the classic 06 Sauvignon Blanc with its citrus and flinty flavors and the 04 Estate merlot.  Though young, it exhibited big cherry and earthy flavors.  I tended to favor the complex 04 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon.  Dark currants and berries here with nice tannins. We learned that its complexity was the result of cabernet grapes picked from four different lots on the property.  It also earned 90 points in Wine Enthusiast and is considered a classic.

We recently visited Ingleside Vineyards to sample their latest offerings with an eye on wines more appropriate for summer menus.  These would include picnics, barbeques, deck parties, luaus—you get the idea.  Anyway, our visit was also an opportunity to visit with Bill Swain, winemaker at Ingleside Vineyards.  We did an interview with Bill a while ago, and we were looking forward to chatting with Bill about the newest and upcoming releases at Ingleside.

Actually, our visit began with a tour of the Ingleside facility by our gracious hostess, Amy Otis.  Amy is the public relations coordinator for Ingleside, and she guided us through a tour of the tasting rooms and barrel room.  Along the way, we did run into Bill Swain and his wife and assistant winemaker, Maria.  Amy and Bill allowed us sneak barrel samples of the upcoming Petit Verdot from the 2007 vintage—knock-out was my reaction!  Keep an eye out for the release of the Reserve which should satisfy any big-red wine lover.

However, our quest was for summer sippers, and Amy coordinated a tasting of Ingleside’s wines for us including some Black Label wines!  Several offerings fit the bill for special summer wines.  The peachy 2007 Pinot Grigio was fruity yet dry and should complement salads and seafood.  Another versatile pour and my gold star winner was the Rosato di Sangiovese.  The heady bright berry nose and vibrant strawberry and cranberry flavors should make this one a perfect partner for almost any meal that would range from a picnic at a Wolf Trap concert to a dinner party that featured grilled meats flavored with an herb marinade.  This stainless-steel fermented rose is made from 100% Sangiovese grapes.

Now summer wines usually mean sweeter wines, and I always have my friend a guest blogger Michael Tyler in mind when sampling wines with a bit of residual sugar.  The Blue Crab Blanc with its citrus flavors would certainly have a place on Michael’s wine rack.  Yet another seafood friendly wine, I pictured Michael on his deck while enjoying a glass of the Blue Crab Blanc with a crab cake dinner.  Paul tended to favor the Blue Crab Red, a blend of various red varietals that include chambourcin, merlot, cabernet sauvignon, sangiovese, and petit verdot.  At 1.5% residual sugar, it is a bit sweeter and should be chilled.

Of course, some folks might want a drier red wine with their barbeque or romantic sunset on the balcony.  The lighter-bodied Chesapeake Cabernet Merlot should certainly serve the purpose with its cherry/spicy flavors.  The fruity 2005 Merlot should also be considered for any grilled meat affair but can also be appreciated on its own.  Merlot fan Paul placed a star next to this one, and he jotted down “very cherry” on his tasting sheet.  Nice, soft tannins make the 2005 Merlot food and sipping friendly.

Now it’s not too early to think about fall and winter menus when wine tasting, and the 2005 Syrah could easily rest on the wine rack while waiting for a feast of herb-crusted beef tenderloin; likewise, the 2002 Virginia Gold seems destined for a hearty prime rib dinner on a chilly night.

As we swirled and sipped, Bill informed us that Ingleside is currently producing about 15,000 cases of wine.  A rare production of Pinot Noir is in the pipeline, and he was very excited about upcoming releases of the 2007 vintages especially the reds.

On another note, summer vacationers looking for things to do in Virginia may want to check out Virginia Cruises.  These cruises feature tours of Tangier island, the Rappahannock River, and Fredericksburg.  The Rappahanock River tour includes a stop at Ingleside Vineyards for a tour, tasting, and lunch in a specially appointed tasting room.

With our tasting and tour completed and several bottles of wine purchased, we bid adieus to Amy and Bill.  Of course, we will be back to Ingleside Vineyards, and do place a visit to Ingleside Vineyards on your list of wineries to visit in Virginia.  Be sure to mention that Virginia Wine Time sent you.