It’s always a pleasure to visit Kent Marrs at Village Winery. We’ve been following Kent’s progress as a winemaker since Village opened, and we recently paid a visit to Village Winery to sample the newest releases. Of course, we also got to chat with Kent about the 2007 vintages, the upcoming 2008 harvest, and other new developments.

Kent graciously greeted us as we entered the tasting room, and before long we were tasting away. In fact, Kent treated us to a barrel tasting of his ‘07 releases, and this included the 2007 Merlot. Needless to say, Paul’s taste buds were anxious to sample this one; in fact, he wrote the notes for 2007 Merlot. “Amazing” was the adjective that he jotted down, and other descriptors included “lush” and “intense”. Paul noted big cherry notes and flavors with some mocha to boot. It earned his gold star for favorite red wine! My own favorite was the sneak sample of the 2007 Petit Verdot. This will be a second bottling of Petit Verdot for Village Winery, and the result is exemplary. A dense, inky color suggests a bolder-bodied wine. I also noted dark berry/currant and leather aromas that suggested a nice cigar wine. Blackberry and spice were characteristics observed in the mouth with a lengthier finish. This one is destined to age well and should be considered for robust meat dishes—leg of lamb came to mind. Not to be outdone was the 2007 Viognier. We were treated to a sneak preview of this upcoming release, and it should be quite the crowd pleaser for summer.

Kent also guided us through the regular bar tasting. Topping Paul’s list of favorites was the 2006 Merlot (or course). Paul appreciated the mixed berry flavors and smoother finish of this merlot, and decided that two bottles of this one needed a new home. My own personal fave was the 2006 Petit Verdot. The 2006 offering shares characteristics similar to its younger sibling, the 2007 vintage; however, the 2007 promises to be bolder and more complex with a notable spiciness reminiscent of a Rhone-style wine. I did indeed make room on the wine rack for a bottle of the 2006 Petit Verdot as well as the cabernet franc-based Rose which also earned a gold-star.

As we sipped away at the tasting bar, Kent also filled us in on new products which he developed with elderberries. Village Winery is known for its Elderberry wine, and Kent is now offering an elderberry syrup. Known for its health benefits, elderberry is also packed with flavor. The elderberry syrup could be used for breakfast foods or desserts—I added a bottle of this to my tab! Coming up in the fall will be a sparkling elderberry soft drink.

With our purchases secured, we bid our farewells to Kent Marrs, and we know that we will return soon. In the meantime, visit Kent Marrs at Village Winery and mention that Virginia Wine Time sent you.

May 3rd was the grand opening of Hiddencroft Vineyards, Loudoun County’s northern most winery. We decided to visit Hiddencroft on their opening weekend to see what they have to offer and experience the new facility. Clyde and Terry Housel have been growing grapes since 2001;currently, they have six acres of vines planted, and these include cabernet franc, chambourcin, and traminette planted. We also got to chat with Clyde and Terry about their experience as vineyard managers and winemakers, and they also shared with us their dreams for the future of Hiddencroft.

As is the case with many Virginia wineries, Hiddencroft is a family operation, and our tasting was conducting by Clyde and Terry’s daughter. She skillfully introduced us to all four of their wines offered on the tasting menu. We began with the aromatic Traminette which is blende with a touch of Vidal Blanc. Nice floral and fruity notes make this Traminette a hit for the summer but could also be considered with Thanksgiving dinner. We then moved on to the youthful and light-bodied Chambourcin, and here again was another versatile pour that could grace a picnic or feel at home with a pizza. “Juicy” might best describe the Chambourcin. The final red was the Cabernet Franc, and Hiddencroft’s version is also blended with Cabernet Franc grown and finished from another vineyard. A bolder red wine was revealed here with a denser color and darker berry flavors. We did detect slight caramel on the finish. Consider this one with pasta, beef, or grilled fare.

Currently Hiddencroft is offering one sweet wine, the Sweet Cherry. Warren found this one to be rather intriguing. It is produced from montmorecy cherries grown on the Hiddencroft estate. Do try this one with the samplings of dark chocolate—simply divine. The Housels do have plans to release a sweet Blackberry and a sweet Apple wine later this year.

After our tasting we decided to sit on their patio and have some lunch. We selected the Cabernet Franc to go with our chicken parmesan and pasta. While enjoying our wine and food, Terry and Clyde paid us a visit. We ended up talked to both of them for more than an hour finding out all about the winery, the fruit, and their passion for growing grapes. We also got to meet Terry’s Mom who has also lent a hand in the vineyards. The hard efforts seem to have paid off, and the Housel, like other new wine artisans, have benefited from expertise offered from the close-knit winemaking community in Loudon County. The Housels gave credit to Doug Fabbioli, renowned winemaker, for helping them to craft quality wines, and we know that this collaboration will continue to pay dividends for Hiddencroft Vineyards.

If you are looking for a new winery to visit, check out Hiddencroft Vineyards. And when you do, tell them Virginia Wine Time sent you.