As we continued to progress into the southwest region of Virginia, our next stop was West Wind Farm Vineyard and Winery. This was actually our last stop after visiting Blue Ridge Vineyard, and we were fearful that we would not be able to complete our trip to West Wind before closing time. However, we were warmly welcomed by vintner David Manley who was eager to have us taste West Wind’s wines. We gladly joined him at the tasting bar!

We were immediately impressed with West Wind’s tasting room. Well-appointed would be the apt descriptor; in fact, we wondered if we had not been transported to Tuscany! Large windows, a fireplace, comfy yet tasteful couches and other fine furnishings complemented breathtaking views of rural landscapes with mountains on the horizon. Of course, we were interested in the wines, and several offerings were gold-star contenders. Of the whites, the Galena Creek White offered a dry, crisp offering of the Vidal Blanc varietal. The Vidal Blanc is often associated with a sweeter white wine, but this is not the case at West Wind. The Galena Creek White just might be the answer for those looking for an interesting wine to serve with shell fish.

The red wines were as well-crafted as the whites. Warren is not a big Chambourcin fan, yet he raved about the 2005 Chambourcin with its plum flavors and spicy finish; this one might be an alternative to Pinot Noir as it is versatile and a destined crowd pleaser. However, Warren’s gold star was placed next to the 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon. Elegant and velvety were adjectives jotted down on the notepad with this one. Deep berry flavors in the mouth were noted as well—dark cherries and blackberries with a hint of licorice to boot. A nice wine to serve with a well-prepared beef dish, this wine is one that will age quite well. Warren enjoyed a glass of this Cabernet after our tasting as we chatted more with David. Not to be outdone was Paul’s own favorite, the 2005 Heritage Reserve. This limited production blend includes Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot and aged in French oak. Buy now but drink later—here is another one that will only get better with aging. Paul sensed the smoothing effect of the Merlot with the color and character of Petit Verdot and gave it the gold-star treatment. He also called this one his “cigar” wine, and determined to bring a bottle home!

David was kind enough to show us around the facility, and we were given a tour of the barrel room. West Wind produces fine wines in small quantities, and they debuted their selections in 2006. West Wind Vineyard and Winery is a family venture, and David joined the enterprise in order to become a part of Virginia’s vibrant wine industry. In fact, West Wind ‘s 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon earned the winery its first gold medal! David also noted that West Wind offers food and wine events throughout the year, and we hope to be able to attend these events in the near future.

With several “gold-star” purchases in hand, we left West Wind Farm Vineyard and Winery. We know that we will return, but readers will want to visit even sooner. Please mention that Virginia Wine Time sent you!

Now determined to continue our trek down the Shenandoah region, we made two more visits and this time to Rockbridge Vineyard and Blue Ridge Vineyard. Actually, Rockbridge Vineyard is technically located in the central region of Virginia, but we won’t obsess over such things. We were anxious to try Rockbridge’s wines as we had heard so much about them, and Blue Ridge Vineyard was brand new to us. So, let’s move on to some serious tasting notes!

The tasting sheet at Rockbridge Vineyard can be a bit daunting, but rest assured that not everything is available for tasting. From there, the discriminating taster can decide which wines to select from tasting. In our case, we sampled everything offered to us; so, we tasted seven wines. Warren’s gold star in the white wine department was awarded to the DeChiel Chardonnay. Done in the classic French style, this reserve Chardonnay seemed to be the perfect marriage of fruit and oak. The DeChiel Chardonnay presented a lingering, vanilla/nut finish. Of course, we were out in summer’s elements—heat and humidity. St. Mary’s Blanc proved to be the remedy. Blended with Vidal Blanc, St. Mary’s Blanc offered more fruit done in a dry style.

Paul reserved his gold star for the red wines, and for good reason. We had previously enjoyed Rockbridge Vineyard’s Tuscarora Red, and Paul anticipated the 2005 bottling. He was not disappointed at the tasting bar. The Tuscarora Red is a blend of six varietals and prepared in the Tuscan style—rustic might be an appropriate word here. The Tuscarora presented a dense core yet proved to be an easy wine to drink. A food friendly red that can be enjoyed on its own—what more can a wine enthusiast ask for? Paul had a tough choice to make, but in the end the gold star went to the 2004 Cabernet Franc. Paul noted its smoothness with characteristic spiciness. (Warren added “herby” to the descriptors.) “Berry flavors” finished the tasting notes for Paul, and he suggested a pairing with lamb! (Note to self: next time Paul is over, serve leg of lamb with the 2004 Rockbridge Vineyard Cabernet Franc.)

Now for the ambrosia moment—the 2006 V d’Or. This product of late harvest Vidal Blanc was heavenly. Peachy/apricot notes and flavors were abundant, and a honeyed texture soothed the palate. This is a dessert wine, so expect a sweet experience. Try with cheesecake, but do explore with blue cheese and dry fruit!

Rockbridge Vineyard’s owner, Shep Rouse, began his mission to produce quality wines in 1988, and his V d’Or has won the Virginia Governor’s Cup in 1995 and 2001. However, Barbara Kolb and her husband, Jim Holaday, planted their vines in 1985. In 2006, they opened their own winery, Blue Ridge Vineyard. The focus for white wines is German varietals. Red wines include Pinot Noir and Cabernet Franc. So what were the gold star winners? Well, read on!

We were greeted by Barbara as we drove up to the tasting room; Barbara was atop her riding lawn mower in the deadliest heat, and we immediately deduced that Barbara took her wine making and vineyard maintenance very seriously. However, we quickly found her to be very friendly, and she eagerly took us to the country-quaint tasting room for our tasting. The Blue Ridge 2006 Riesling was first up and Warren’s gold star winner. Here was a dry Riesling that was dry and crisp with melon and mineral noted on the nose. Light peach flavors and an undertone of lime prevailed in the mouth, and the finish was dry and tart. To be enjoyed on its own, with fruit and cheese, or with a gumbo! The 2006 Riesling should pair quite nicely with any shellfish. In fact, Warren ended up enjoying a glass after the tasting was done! For those who prefer an off-dry Riesling, a slightly sweeter version of the 2006 Riesling is offered at Blue Ridge Vineyard. The off-dry version was Paul’s own gold-star favori te, and he brought a couple of bottles home to enjoy as an appertif.

Red were likewise enjoyable. These tended to be more fruit forward, and we particularly enjoyed the bolder Cabernet Franc with its blackberry flavors. Summer sausage and cheese or a favorite beef dish would pair well with this one. We wanted to sample the Pinot Noir, an oddity in Virginia, but it was not yet ready for tasting; however, we hope to be able to sample the Pinot Noir soon!

With our tasting concluded, we shared a glass of the 2006 Riesling (the dry version) out on the spacious pavilion adjacent to the tasting room. The cool shade and the well crafted Riesling made the summer heat seem distant. We were also visited by friendly canines who greeted us as we enjoyed our wine. In fact, Blue Ridge Vineyard will host an event to benefit the local SPCA on September 30th. Barbara Kolb was quite excited to share the detail of this event with us, and encourage animal/wine lovers who can attend this worthwhile event to do so! Barbara also chatted with us about her visions for Blue Ridge’s future, and we see continued success!

So we grabbed a few bottle of Blue Ridge Vineyard Riesling, said our good-byes to Barbara—we know that we will visit Blue Ridge Vineyard again. However, we know that readers will want to visit even sooner—be sure to mention that Virginia Wine Time sent you!. Where to next? Westwind Farm Vineyard and Winery. Stay tuned!

We know we’re in the middle of a series of posts about our winery visits in the southern part of the state, but this weekend we visited Gadino Cellars to find out what is new at the tasting bar. We were pleased with what we found.

Upon entering the tasting room it was good to see the familiar faces of Aleta and Bill Gadino, owners of Gadino Cellars. They recognized us and offered a tasting of their wines. We began with the whites and were curious to see what was new. First on the list was the 2006 Pinot Grigio. Paul gave this one a gold star right away. We then tasted the 2005 Premium Chardonnay, the 2005 Reserve Viognier, and the 2005 Viognier.

It’s always best to taste the reds after the whites so that’s what we did. We began with the Moonrise, which Bill told us is a new blend he’s trying. Next up was the 2004 Merlot, the 2005 Cabernet Franc, and finally the 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon. All lovely reds.

After chatting with Aleta and Bill while finishing our tasting, we decided to enjoy a glass of the 2006 Pinot Grigio on their deck with beautiful views of the vineyards. This was a wonderful glass of wine. It was a crisp, dry sipper with notes of grapefruit and just a hint of lemon. Before leaving Paul purchased two bottles for his wine rack. He also secured a bottle of the 2005 Reserve Viognier for his wine rack. Bill informed us they would be releasing a Reserve Merlot in a few weeks. We took this as a good reason to return to Gadino soon!

It’s always a pleasure to visit Gadino Cellars. If you visit, tell them Virginia Wine Time sent you!

With so many wineries to visit in Virginia, we realized that there were many wineries outside of our usual travel zone that deserved a try. With some extra time during the summer on our hands, we planned a trek to wineries in the Shenandoah and Southwest regions. First in our sights were North Mountain Vineyard and Winery and Shenandoah Vineyards.

North Mountain Vineyard and Winery offered seven wines for tasting on the day that we visited. As we walked into the tasting room, we observed a spacious yet cozy tasting room that included a piano. Paul and I were tempted to perform our version of chopsticks on the piano, but we did not want to scare off other customers. With our self control in check, we approached the tasting bar. The Vidal Blanc began our tasting, and it was also our favorite of the white wines. Done in a dry style, North Mountain’s Vidal Blanc offers a citrus bouquet with similar flavors and a crisp finish. The Vidal Blanc presents a pairing option with shellfish and poultry, but Warren found to be fine on its own.

Warren at the tasting bar at North Mountain.

The gold star winner, however, was the 2005 Claret. This Bordeaux blend includes Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, and Cabernet Sauvignon. Darker berry aromas were evident here with subtle spice/herb notes. Soft tannins made the 2005 Claret an accessible wine that should be enjoyed with meats and grilled veggies. North Mountain’s 2005 Claret was a silver medal winner in the Virginia’s Governor’s Cup, and the reason was quite clear to us as we sipped through this one.

For those who prefer slightly sweeter white wines, the Oktoberfest may the right fit. Peachy aromas with apricot flavors should prove to be a versatile crowd pleaser. Enjoy on the deck, serve before dinner, or include in the picnic basket!

We ended our tasting at North Mountain and made tracks to Shenandoah Vineyards. By this time, we were also getting quite hungry, and we knew that we were now on a mission to determine which glass of wine to enjoy with lunch. (Tough mission, right?) A canopy of grapevines shaded our climb up the stairs to the tasting room; by the way, these grapes are not used to make wine. Shenandoah Vineyards is the third oldest winery in the state of Virginia, and it would be fair to say that Shenandoah is one of the pioneers in Virginia’s wine making industry. Our tasting associate skillfully guided us through our tasting of 11 wines. For those looking for a refreshing summer wine especially in the midst of our heat wave, the fruity yet crisp 2006 Johannisberg Riesling might cool things off. Warren’s own favorite was the 2004 Chardonnay with its pear characteristics that is kissed by a bit of oak. This is a nicely integrated wine with a lingering finish.

Warren at the tasting bar at Shenandoah.

Now on to the reds. Paul had two favorites here, and they were the 2004 Merlot and the Lot 04 Cabernet Franc. Paul appreciated the bold cherry flavors of the 2004 Merlot and noted that the 2004 could get even better with a rest on the wine rack. However, his own gold star went to the Lot 04 Cabernet Franc. Deep garnet color was observed with dark berry and woodsy spice on the nose. Aged in American oak, the tannins seemed a bit more assertive but not unpleasantly so. Blackberry and currants prevailed in the mouth with hints of spice. (Warren detected a slight “grapiness” and wondered if something else was blended with the Lot 04 Cabernet Franc.)

Lunch? Simple summer fare—summer sausage, derby cheese, and crackers which we enjoyed with a glass of the Lot 04 Cabernet Franc. Paul also munched on Virginia-made peanut brittle, but this was not intended to be paired with wine—he simply had a sweet tooth!

With appetites satisfied, we resumed our trek. Next up? Cave Ridge Vineyard. For now, we’ll end things here. However, you know the routine. If you visit North Mountain Vineyard and Winery and/or Shenandoah Vineyards, let them know that Virginia Wine Time sent you.