Author: Warren

Congratulations to Jeff White!

/ Warren / Leave a comment

We salute Virginia Governor’s Cup winner, Jeff White, for winning the coveted award with his 2009 Hodder Hill, a meritage blend. This year’s competition marked a return to judging both white and red wines in a single event. Furthermore, wineries had to acknowledge that any wine submitted for judging was the product of 100% Virginia fruit. The panel of judges was an honor roll of wine experts and included Master of Wine and competition director, Jay Youmans. Therefore, this year’s award winners were those that met more rigorous standards than in previous years. Kudos, then, to all medal winners especially to the ultimate champ, Jeff White.

We decided to mark Jeff’s achievement by paying a visit to Glen Manor Vineyards this past Sunday. Our motive, of course, was to sample the award-winning 2009 Hodder Hill as well as other current releases. Jeff was not in the tasting room, but his wife Kelly was on hand to guide us through our tasting. The 2011 Sauvignon Blanc began our tasting experience, and what a lovely way to start the afternoon. Rich with characteristic grassy and citrus notes, it was offered a refreshing minerality and crisp, clean finish. Jeff White may well be setting the standard for Sauvignon Blanc produced in Virginia as this vintage continues the tradition of quality wine from this varietal at Glen Manor Vineyards.

From there we proceeded to the award-winning 2009 Hodder Hill. The color and aromas suggested Old World complexity and elegance with aromas of cherry, raspberry, coffee, and mint. Similar flavors were noted in the mouth with soft tannins and a lengthier finish. The 2009 Hodder Hill is a blend of 63% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc, and 6% Petit Verdot. Kelly explained to us that in contrast to the 2010 season, the 2009 growing season more characteristic of Virginia—warm days, cooler nights, and the right amount of rainfall that fell prior to harvest time. The harvest months, which typically run from August to October, were dry in 2009. These factors allowed for gradual, even ripening of the grapes to produce a complex wine that also expresses the terrior of the vineyards.

Kelly also shared with us that Jeff really had no inkling that he was going to win the competition. In fact, Jeff never enters his wines into judging contests; however, he did enter only the 2009 Hodder Hill in order to receive critical feedback from the judges. Given the elite panel of this year’s judges, this was certainly understandable. When informed that he had indeed won the Governor’s Cup, Jeff was truly surprised.

We finished our tasting with the excellent 2009 Petit Verdot, a wine that we have written about in the past. It continues to progress quite nicely with dark plum flavors and nuances of spice and mocha.

While at the tasting bar, we ran into blogger Dezel Quillen of My Vine Spot and his friend, Michael Ching who is the assistant winemaker at Paradise Springs. Like us, they were on the trail that day to sample the wines at Glen Manor Vineyards. After our tasting, we shared wine and conversation; we also made certain to purchase several bottles of our favorites including the 2009 Hodder Hill.

Be sure to visit Glen Manor Vineyards to taste the excellent wines created by Jeff White, and please mention that Virginia Wine Time sent you.

Rose Tasting at Philip Carter Winery

/ Warren / Leave a comment

Valentine’s Day is now a fading memory, but we hope that love for Virginia is still in the air as we head toward spring. A recent visit to Philip Carter Winery found us participating in a blind tasting of roses from Virginia. The event was held on the snowy weekend before Valentine’s Day, and it featured four rose wines from across Virginia including Philip Carter’s 2011 Rose.

Tasters were asked to evaluate the wines based on color, aroma and taste. The blind tasting included the following wines: 2011 Danielle’s Rose from Philip Carter Winery, 2010 Make Me Blush from Naked Mountain Winery, 2010 Rose from Veritas Vineyards, and the 2010 Fiore from CrossKeys Vineyards. (For novices, blind means that although we knew which wines were being poured, we did not know one wine from the other when they were poured into our glasses. The labels were hidden from view.) Our panel of four tasters judged wine #4 to be the best in all categories. Its salmon-pink hue and strawberry/melon aromas were classic characteristics of Old World rose wines. In the taste category, it again earned the unanimous “best in show” award. Crisp and bone dry, it presented flavors that mirrored the enticing aromas that wowed the small group of tasters. Wine #3 likewise earned praise from the group with some banter between Paul and another taster about the possibility of Wine @2 scoring higher in the aroma category. In the end, though, it was #3 that won second place. Like wine #4, it was crisp and dry, but its tone was a much fainter pink; the aromas and flavors were likewise quite similar but less vibrant.

Wine #2 did induce conversation. Paul and another taster really liked the more fruit forward aromas with this one; however, a sip revealed a sweeter wine that, while refreshing, put it at odds with Wines #3 and #4. Its color was also the darkest of the four wines and on par with some Spanish roses that are popular during the summer. However, I do tend to tire of these sweeter rose wines rather quickly unless paired with really hot, 5-alarm barbeque sauces served with grilled fare on a 105-degree day in August. After some discussion, we all concurred that while wine #2 had its place, a winter’s afternoon (though a warm one by Virginia standards) was not one of them. That meant wine #2 placed third in the pecking order. Unfortunately, one of the rose wines had to finish last, and that was wine #1. Its color was somewhat similar to wine #3, but its nose suggested very sweet. And a taste revealed that it was sweetest of the contenders. I jotted down, “strawberry short cake in a glass.” Paul drew a frown face next to it. I do believe that this rose wine can be best appreciated in the summer and like wine #3 is best suited for a hot day; in fact, I’d serve this as a dessert wine with cheesecake. However, next to the drier rose wines that were poured, it did seem less elegant and sophisticated.

Okay—so which wines were which? Here they are:

1. Wine #4—2010 Rose from Veritas Vineyards
2. Wine #3—2011 Danielle’s Rose from Philip Carter Winery
3. Wine #2—2010 Fiore from CrossKeys Vineyards
4. Wine #1—2010 Make Me Blush from Naked Mountain Winery

Rose wines have made a comeback in recent years, and we hope that the sickly sweet White Zinfandel craze that tarnished the reputation of rose is well behind us. As this tasting proved, Virginia wineries can produce some excellent rose wines. Before we left Philip Carter Winery, we made sure to purchase a bottle of the 2011 Danielle’s Rose made from the Tinta Cao grape. I also made a note to procure a bottle (or two) of the 2010 Rose from Veritas Vineyards.

Whether your tastes for rose wines are dry or sweet, Virginia wineries are certain to have a rose or blush wine to please. Of course, you need to get on the wine trails to find out where your favorites are being produced. Visit the wineries mentioned in the post to conduct your own comparison but mention that Virginia Wine Time sent you.

Loudoun Sweep

/ Warren / Leave a comment

Our crazy winter weather continues to unfold; last week, I was able to jog outdoors wearing shorts and a t-shirt. However, a colder weekend at the end of January did bring the threat of snow and ice. The snow event never happened, and that gave us the chance to visit Swedenburg Estate Vineyard and Chrysalis Vineyards without worries about slick roads. (It also gave me a chance to wear my new sweater!)

Swedenburg Estate Vineyard: Curtis Vincent has assumed command of the winemaking at Swedenburg, and the white wines that we tasted were of his creation. The 2010 Chantilly made from Seyval Blanc was very crisp with citrus and mineral characteristics. Lean and clean indeed! This one should pair quite nicely with shellfish. I also enjoyed the 2010 Chardonnay that was fermented in French oak barrels. A fuller mouth feel and creamier texture suggested some malolactic fermentation. It presented pear and apple notes with hints of cedar to boot.

Although we missed Curtis on the particular visit, we did note improvements in the quality of the wines under his craftsmanship. We also learned that winery is up for sale, and we hope that any potential buyer will continue Swedenburg’s winemaking legacy that began with Wayne and Juanita Swedenburg over 25 years ago.

Chrysalis Vineyards: Our visit here was actually part of a VIP pick up party that featured wine tastings and food. Chrysalis fans may know that renowned chef Hump Astorga has left Chrysalis; however, there is no need to despair. VIP events will still include gourmet treats that will be prepared by guest chefs.

Of course, wine was our primary interest, and the current offerings were the creations of winemaker Alan Kinne. “Elegant” and “polished” were the words that I used to describe Kinne’s wines. The 2010 Chardonnay, done in stainless steel, was crisp and lean with apple notes and a no-holds-barred minerality. Of course, Viognier is the flagship white wine here, and the 2010 bottling presented the rich stone fruit flavors and luxurious mouth feel that defines Chrysalis’ Viognier. Kinne’s expertise, though, shined brightly with the 2009 Norton Estate Bottled and the complex 2009 Norton Locksley Reserve. Norton and its acidic nature can be difficult to tame, but Kinne accomplished the task and more with these world-class wines. The former was blended with some Petit Verdot while the latter usually includes Petit Verdot and other varietals; however, both were rich with dark fruit and spicy aromas and flavors. In the end, I leaned heavily toward the 2009 Locksley Reserve; earthy elements and a lengthier finish complemented a full-fruit presence in the mouth. Both are sitting on my wine rack, but I think the Locksley Reserve will be napping for quite a while.

We ran in to owner Jenni McCloud, and she updated us on her renovation plans. The new tasting room is on target to proceed, and current plans will provide for a versatile, taster-friendly facility. Tasters can opt for either a personally guided tasting of wines with a tasting associate or conduct a self-guided tour at a tasting station. The self-guided tastings will resemble the enomatic stations at a tasting bar, and tasters would use debit-type cards to sample Chrysalis wines. We will be sure to chart the progress of this development!

And so food and wine—Asparagus tarts and clam chowder were served at the tasting event, and I enjoyed both with the 2010 Chardonnay. In fact, I pleaded for a second serving of the clam chowder; it was the perfect comfort food on a very cold day.

Whether it’s warm or cold outside, a visit to Virginia wineries is sure to please. Visit Swedenburg Estate Vineyard and Chrysalis Vineyards to sample their latest pours. Be sure to mention that Virginia Wine Time sent you.

Fox Meadow Barrel Tasting

/ Warren / Leave a comment

Fox Meadow Vineyards and earned a gleaming place in the spotlight last year when its 2008 Le Renard Rouge won the coveted Virginia Governor’s Cup. However, we had not been to Fox Meadow Vineyards since that well deserved victory; so, we returned to Fox Meadow Vineyards a couple of weeks ago to participate in a vertical tasting to see how upcoming releases were progressing.

Owner Bob Mortland conducted the tasting which included a very young 2011 Merlot and four Cabernet Francs from the 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010 vintages. The Merlot and the 2010 Cabernet Franc were sampled from the barrel. Bob took a risk in starting the event with the 2011 Merlot, a product of a very tricky harvest, and he acknowledged that the rollercoaster ride of a growing season made for some pretty serious headaches. The Merlot was obviously still young but was lighter in color with cherry and pepper notes. It will spend 15 months on oak and should produce a lighter-bodied wine.

Of the Cabernet Francs that we sampled, I concluded that the winner was the yet-to-be bottled 2010 Reserve Cabernet Franc. I noted aromas of raspberry, cherry and forest floor; similar fruit flavors plus a subtle chocolate component were evident in the mouth along with a “dusty” tannic presence. I should not have been surprised since the 2010 growing season in Virginia was stellar. Paul favored the 2007 Reserve Cabernet Franc with its smoky nose and notes of cumin and dried herbs. Mixed berry flavors and oak nuances were also present.

Paul is a big fan of the 2008 Virginia reds, and the 2008 Reserve Cabernet Franc was his second choice. He jotted down “fresh fruit” to suggest riper fruit flavors on the palate along with dried herb and a bit of caramel toward the finish. I noted a whiff of cedar to suggest shades of oak and spice. The 2009 Reserve Cabernet Franc is the current release and available for sale. Young and still tannic, it presented smoke and pepper on the nose and cherry flavors in the mouth.

We chatted for a bit with Bob after the tasting, and he was certainly relieved that the 2011 growing season was behind him. Bob was optimistic that quality will ultimately prevail even from a troublesome growing season, especially with winemaker Tom Payette in his corner. After all, it was Payette who crafted the award-winning Le Renard Rouge.

With our tasting finished, we lingered for a bit in the tasting room and shared a glass of the fruity 2010 Le Renard Gris, a blend of Chardonnay and Vidal Blanc. After sampling tannic red wines, it proved to be a refreshing way to conclude our visit at Fox Meadow Vineyards.

At this time of the year, visiting wineries that are in higher elevations such as Fox Meadow Vineyards can be impossible. However, our mild weather seems almost spring-like with clear roads and early blossoms in view. Why not plan a visit to Fox Meadow Vineyards to sample their latest releases? Remember to mention that Virginia Wine Time sent you.