We’ve been waiting for Fall for quite some time now, and this past weekend gave us what we wanted—cool temperatures, pleasant breezes, and even hints of autumn colors. We decided to take advantage of the Fall-like weekend and visited Hillsborough Winery to sample the latest offerings. Of course, the scenery there is just magnificent, and we expected the wines to match the lovely views. We were not disappointed!

The view from Hillsborough.

Hillsborough has a penchant for naming their wines after precious gems. Our tasting revealed why—these were certainly gems worth discovering. Of note were both white wines, Carnelian and Opal. Carnelian was the latest white wine released, and this blend of Chardonnay and Roussanne was crisp and dry with a nice acidity that would complement most white meat dishes. Opal was a blend of Chardonnay and Viognier; several Virginia wineries have mastered this blend, and Hillsborough’s version tops the list. Warren described Chardonnay as the backbone of Opal while Viognier provided the support. Opal proved to be an elegant wine with a honeyed texture that revealed lush fruit. Opal will also be quite versatile on the dinner table as well; rich cuisine as well as herb-crusted poultry should pair up quite nicely.

Warren at the tasting bar.

Other gems included the reds; in particular, the 2003 Ruby Reserve was bolder and definitely age-worthy. Tannat gives the Ruby Reserve a bit of a chewy texture; Petit Verdot, its deep color. Ruby Reserve is certainly a big steak wine, but chocolate desserts scream for this one. In fact, we enjoyed a glass of the Ruby Reserve with dark chocolates after our tasting! Of course, we brought lunch, and we were in the mood for a lighter bodied red that would partner well with roasted pork loins. Our choice was the Garnet; this one was Paul’s personal favorite. A softer version of its red siblings, Garnet possessed a deep garnet (surprised?) color. Black cherry and plum flavors accompanied a scent of red berries and violets; some herby characteristics could be detected as well. Garnet typifies a true Bourdeaux-style wine and thus a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, and Petit Verdot.

Warren enjoying lunch.

We’ll be reporting from Hillborough again very soon.—we signed up to attend the Halloween party! In the meantime, we will enjoy our purchases which included Carnelian, Opal, and Ruby Reserve! If you visit Hillsborough, tell them you read about them on the Virginia Wine Time blog.

Molly the winery dog.

Before going to Tarara for Saturday’s jazz concert, we stopped at Village Winery to accomplish two tasks: a) to complete our Loudoun Wine Trail passport, and b) to sample Village Winery’s latest releases. Of course, we also enjoy catching up with Kent Mars, owner and winemaker.

The busy tasting room was a good indication that Village Winery’s popularity continues to increase. Once the room cleared a bit we were able to do a tasting and to talk with Kent about the new and upcoming wines at Village. New on the list was the Apple wine, and this unique fruit wine has a distinct chardonnay nose. While tempted to believe that this would be a sweeter wine, Village’s Apple wine was actually dry. Another unique fruit wine was the Elderberry wine with its enticing honeysuckle aroma. Warren commented that this wine would complement roasted poultry; Kent suggested a pairing with chocolate desserts. Paul was eager to sample the 2004 Merlot, and we were both pleased at how well this Merlot evolved since the last time we tasted it. Nice, dark cherry flavors now reveal themselves in the mouth, and we enjoyed a glass of the Merlot as we chatted with Kent. (Don’t miss the 2005 Cabernet Franc and the Cabernet Franc Merlot blend!)

Kent apprised us of this year’s developments, and he was very enthusiastic about the 2006 crop. Drought-like conditions produced bountiful fruit this summer; in fact, we were able to observe the rich crop of red wine grapes as we drove up to the tasting room. Kent will also be harvesting Petit Verdot this year, and Viognier will also be a future offering at Village Winery. Though currently producing about 1000 cases of wine, a tour of the barrel room revealed more barrels in anticipation of increased production in coming years. We cannot wait to report on these exciting developments at Village Winery.

Before leaving we turned in our Loudoun Wine Trail books and Kent presented us with signature Loudon County Wine Trail corkscrews. We also purchased a bottle of the Elderberry Wine and the 2004 Merlot.. We promised Kent that we’d return to tour the vineyards, and Kent promised to give us a taste of the grapes right off the vine. We can’t wait! And a big THANK YOU to Kent for the bottle of 2004 Cabernet Franc.

If you haven’t had a chance to visit Village Winery, you simply must. Kent is very friendly and more then willing to talk about the wines and the wine industry. We always enjoy our visits to Village Winery. And of course if you do visit Village Winery, tell them you read about them on the Virginia Wine Time blog.

While returning home from our trip to Woodland Vineyard we decided to stop at James River Cellars. We visited James River last fall, and we were anxious to check out new releases there.

James River is located in Hanover County just north of Richmond. They have one acre of grapes on the property and another 22 acres planted in Montpelier. James River Cellars hosts several events during the year and can accommodate group events up to 50 people. They have their next wine maker’s dinner planned for February 10, 2007.

On the day we visited James River, we had the pleasure of meeting the Dastardly Duo, Doug and Dennis. They treated us to many stories and lots of information about James River Cellars as we sampled nine wines. Noteworthy wines included the crisp 2004 Chardonnay, the refreshing 2005 Vidal Blanc, and the 2003 Merlot; all three are medal winners. We also enjoyed the 2005 Divino, a dessert wine made with the Chardonnel grape. Chardonnel is a Chardonnay-Seyval Blanc hybrid, and this ice-style wine earned the coveted Governor’s Cup.

After our humorous tasting with the Dastardly Duo, we decided to enjoy a glass of the 2004 Reserve Chardonnay while enjoying the view on the veranda. This Chardonnay imparts apple aromas and flavors, and a vibrant acidity gives it a nice structure. Warren always has food on the mind, and he thought that the 2004 Reserve Chardonnay would pair nicely with crab cakes; chicken with a light sauce and toasted almonds would be another possibility.

James River is just one of five wineries on the Heart of Virginia Wine Trail. If you find yourself in the Richmond area, take time to visit James River Wine Cellars. You just might get the chance to enjoy a wine tasting with the Dastardly Duo.

And of course if you visit James River, tell the Dastardly Duo that you read about them on The Virginia Wine Time blog.

There are a less than a handful of Virginia Wine bloggers. Dezel of Virginia Wine Spot blog is one of them. We enjoy reading his blog, and we always exchange wine information with him via e-mail. It was our pleasure to finally meet up with Dezel at Pearmund Cellars for wine tasting and lunch!

Niki, Dezel, Paul, and Warren at the tasting bar.
We met Dezel and Niki at noon and exchanged hello greetings; of course, we were eager to begin our tasting. Warren and Paul brought along white-wine friendly foods for lunch and were on the lookout for the appropriate white wine for a pairing. The gold-star went to the stainless-steel fermented 2005 Viognier; its tropical flavors were a perfect match for the honeyed-ham basted with apricot spread, herbed chicken strips, and sliced peaches. Dezel and Niki’s mission was to select a red wine that would accompany the pork tenderloin and spiced rice that they brought for our picnic lunch. The ultimate winner was the medium-bodied 2004 Lisa’s Merlot with its deep cherry flavors. While at the tasting counter, we all ended up doing as much chatting as sipping, and we were getting hungrier by the minute. With our decisions made, we opted for lunch on the patio. Throughout our lunch we continued to talk about wine and we got to know our new friends.

Enjoying our lunch.
As we finished our lunch Chris Pearmund began loading palates of wine into a truck for his new winery, La Grange. La Grange’s grand opening is scheduled for Labor Day weekend. We informed Chris that we were bloggers and planned on visiting La Grange soon. La Grange is the first winery to open in William County. It’s also the closest winery to the DC area. We look forward to our visit to La Grange; of course, we’ll report about it here!

Chris Pearmund
To finish our lunch experience, Dezel and Niki treated us to a bottle of the 2003 Late Harvest Vidal to enjoy with desserts that they brought along.

As with most enjoyable experiences, our time with Dezel and Niki had to end. We cleaned up our lunch, exchanged ideas for future visits, and said our goodbyes. We really enjoyed spending time with Dezel and Niki, and we look forward to our next “meeting of the bloggers” soon!

If you visit Pearmund please tell Chris we said hello and that you read about Pearmund on the Virginia Wine Time blog!

On our final day of the Monticello Wine Trail we headed north. We were eager to visit Oakencroft Vineyard and Winery, King Family Vineyards, and White Hall Vineyards.

On our first stop, we visited King Family Vineyards. We’ve commented before on the beautiful mountain scenery that we repeatedly viewed while on the Monticello Wine Trail, and the view offered as King Family was no exception; however, here we also beheld a polo field! On Sundays, King Family Vineyards hosts polo matches that can be viewed from the tasting room and surrounding seating areas. Our tasting associate, Andrew, was very knowledgeable and guided us through our tasting of the King Family wines.

The King Family Tasting Room
Michael Shaps has been hailed as one of the most gifted winemakers in Virginia, and a sampling of his wines revealed why. The 2005 Chardonnay and 2005 Viognier were both delightful; however, the gold star had to go to the 2005 Cabernet Franc. The King Family Cabernet Franc offered surprising aromas of cherries as opposed to the usual raspberry aromas and flavors. We suspected some blending with small amounts of Merlot, and we were correct! Hints of spice and a smooth, velvety finish were evident, too. In fact, we enjoyed the 2005 Michael Shaps Cabernet Franc so much during our tasting that we decided to purchase a bottle and stay for lunch. This proved to be a nice partner with our smoked gouda and spicy salami served on a baguette with sun-dried tomato tapenade. From the veranda, we enjoyed our lunch and soaked up the breath-taking views. Warren even daydreamed about playing a few chukkers on the polo field with a glass of wine as refreshment. We purchased several bottles of King Family wine before hitting the trail once again; our next stop, White Hall Vineyards.

Warren at the tasting bar.
White Hall Vineyards began with 6 acres of grapes in 1991 and now has 25 acres of planted grapes. Tony and Edith Champ were influenced by California’s wine-making success to produce award winning Virginia wines. As with many other wineries in the Charlottesville area, White Hall sits at the foot of the Blue Ridge Mountains. In the tasting room our tasting associate guided us through the ten wines offered to taste. Of particular note was the 2003 Chardonnay Reserve, the 2004 Touriga, and the 2004 Petit Verdot. All three were award-winners, and we decided to enjoy a glass of the ’03 Chadonnay Reserve. Apples, pears, and toast were evident on the nose; pineapple and citrus flavors greeted the palate and ended with a lingering vanilla/nut finish. The ’03 Chardonnay Reserve would be divine with corn chowder or crab cakes! Warren left with a bottle each of the Touriga and the Petit Verdot. For those who enjoy port-style wines, do try the Edichi; crafted from Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc, the Edichi would complement a cheese platter served after a meal.

White Hall tasting room.

Warren at the tasting bar.
Back on the trail, our final stop was to Oakencroft Vineyard and Winery. Oakencroft is one of our personal favorites, and we consider our visits there to be a highlight of any visit to Charlottesville. Oakencroft was founded in 1983 by Felicia Warburg Rogan. She has been praised by former Virginia governors for her strong support of the Virginia wine industry, and Oakencroft wines are consistent medal winners. Located in Albermarle County, Oakencroft also offers views of rolling hills, and wines can be enjoyed with a picnic beside a large pond that attracts ducks and geese. Of course, we wanted to sample wine, and we made our way to the tasting room.

The Oakencroft tasting room.
The tasting room was busy, but we received expert attention from the staff. We enjoyed all wines that we tasted; the 2005 Seyval Blanc was described as “vibrant”, and it certainly was alive with citrus characters. Think “crisp” as well; this gold medal winner would pair well with seafood. Another noteworthy white was the 2005 Chardonnay which was fermented in stainless steel. Paul favored this crisp, elegant wine. We were both eager to sample the reds; in particular, we wanted to taste the 2003 Petit Verdot. Warren is a big fan of Virginia’s Petit Verdot, and Oakencroft produces excellent wines with this varietal. Deep amethyst colors suggest a fuller-bodied wine, and it presents dark fruit flavors and subtle mocha in the mouth. This 2003 Petit Verdot has a long yet smooth finish. What to serve with Petit Verdot? Leg of lamb with roasted vegetables would be a perfect match!

Warren at the tasting bar.
After our tasting we decided to enjoy a glass of Petit Verdot with chocolates. While nibbling and sipping, Felicia Warburg Rogan walked by our table, and we briefly chatted with her. Feleicia said that she recognized us, and Paul refreshed her memory that we were from the Virginia Wine Time blog. At that point she remembered reading our blog since she had bookmarked our site on her computer. We were very pleased to hear this! Before leaving Oakencroft, we purchased a few bottles of wine to bring home including the 2003 Petit Verdot. This ended our wonderful trip on the Monticello Wine Trail.

The Charlottesville area plays host to some of the best wineries in Virginia and the East Coast. If you are a Virginia wine lover, you simply must plan a trip to this historic area of Virginia and enjoy the wines. We cannot wait to return!

If you do visit any of these wineries, please tell them you read about them on the Virginia Wine Time blog.

On the third day of our trek on the Monticello Wine Trail we made it to three wineries in the Trail’s western region, and these included Afton Mountain Vineyards, Veritas Winery, and Cardinal Point Vineyard and Winery. This was one of the hottest days of our trip; needless to say, we were hot on the trail in search of well-crafted wines!

Our first stop this day was at Afton Mountain Vineyards. Afton Mountain was established by Shinko and Tom Corpora in 1978 and sits at the edge of the Blue Ridge Mountains. The mountain setting and vineyards views provided a beautiful (and somewhat cooler) setting for wine tasting.

Our tasting room associate, Brian treated us to an introduction to Afton Mountain’s wines and provided informative descriptions as the tasting progressed. Notable white wines included the 2005 Gewurztraminer with its unique, aromatic qualities and the 2005 Un wooded Chardonnay, Paul’s favorite, provided nice pectin flavors that would refresh any palate on a warm day. The reds were equally enjoyable; try the 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon—dark fruit but medium-bodied makes it accessible and easy to pair with food. However, we decided to linger at Afton Mountain over a glass of the 2005 Virginia Clairet. The Virginia Clairet bears a remarkable resemblance to a Beaujolais; clear ruby in color, strawberry scents and flavors with a slight hint of spice charm the palate. If readers are looking for a light-bodied red that is destined to be a crowd pleaser at Thanksgiving dinner, give this one a try! We enjoyed our time at Afton Mountain, but it was time to move on to the next winery on our agenda—Veritas Vineyards and Winery.

Veritas Vineyards & Winery is a family-owned business operated by Andrew and Patricia Hodson. The winery opened in 2002 when Andrew began the craft of winemaking with his daughter, Emily. Amazing is the term to describe the elegant facility with its high ceilings and expansive mountain views. Future plans include a restaurant; however, Veritas does currently host and cater events such as weddings.

Veritas had ten wines to sample, and by this time we were also hungry; of course, lunch was waiting in the trunk of the car. Naturally, we were in quest of an appropriate pairing for the herb-spiced chicken that we brought along. The winner was the 2005 Viognier with its lush fruit and floral characteristics and subtle honey texture. Of course, we tasted the nine other wines offered on the tasting sheet, and other shining stars included the Chardonnay-Viognier blend known as the 2004 Harlequin, the 2004 Chardonnay, and the 2004 Claret. Give the 2003 Mousseux a try, too! This is a unique champagne-style wine made from Cabernet Franc.

With a bottle of the 2005 Viognier in tow and hunger pangs getting louder by the second, we selected a picnic table that allowed us to dine and enjoy the Mountain views. During our lunch we received a visit from the winery cat and the winery dog. They were both very friendly, but the cat was interested in joining us for lunch! The dog had strict instrucions on his collar: “Do not feed me.”

Our appetites satisfied, we made our way to the final stop of the day at Cardinal Point Vineyard & Winery. Cardinal Point is another family- run business and each family member contributes to the success of the winery. In fact, when we entered the tasting room, Sarah Gorman instantly recognized us as those guys from VirginiaWineTime! We were so amazed to be recognized from our blog, and we briefly felt like celebrities. However, Sarah made us feel like old friends and chatted with us about the winery, their own micro-climate, and the dreaded distribution laws.

Sarah also led us through tasting the fine wines at Cardinal Point. Standouts included the 2005 A6, a blend of Chardonnay and Viognier, the award-wining 2005 Quattro, and medal-winner 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon. The Quattro was particularly intriguing; the blend of Riesling, Gewurztraminer, Viognier, and Traminette impart lovely apple and pear notes. Looking for an appertif? Sample this one!

After our tasting we decided to enjoy a glass of their 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon. Sarah suggested we sip our Cabernet in the barrel/tank room, which also included a cozy seating area; as we relaxed, we also watched a DVD produced by a local film artist. Featured was the wine making process at Cardinal Point. The video footage was beautiful and captured the process in detail. Of course, enjoying a glass of their Cabernet during the DVD enhanced the show! This complex wine exhibits dark fruit characters that would accompany beef; however, Warren, ever the chocoholic, had visions of dark chocolates!

We are determined to return to Cardinal Point for a future visit, and we thank Sarah for the time that she spent with us. Our trip to Cardinal Point also signaled the end of our travels on the western portion of the Monticello Trail. Curious about the last leg of our trip? Tune in next time, and we’ll tell you all about it!

If you visit any of these wineries, please tell them you read about them on the Virginia Wine Time blog!