Labor day weekend traditionally marks the end of the summer, and this past weekend gave us clues that autumn was on the way. After Ernesto’s wind and rain, a cool evening breeze suggested fall’s inevitable arrival. We wanted to savor summer’s last throes, and what better way to cling to summer’s warm memories than an outdoor concert with a nice bottle of wine. Tarara Winery hosts its Sounds of Summer concert series, and the series continues into September. On tap for September 2 was the smooth jazz sound of Tyris, a jazz band from Chicago. We arranged to meet friends at the concert including our fellow wine bloggers, Dezel and Niki (from Virginia Vine Spot), and a trip to Whole Foods filled our picnic basket with wine-friendly goodies. We could not think of a better way to say goody-bye to summer!

We were all fortunate to meet with John, a sales consultant at Tarara, before we began our tasting. John seemed very excited to meet four wine bloggers at one event; of course, we were very excited to sample Tarara’s latest releases. Keri allowed us to sample all of Tarara’s offerings that included their reserve wines. In the meantime, we were joined by two more friends, Michael and David. The six of us compared notes and selected three of our favorite wines to enjoy with dinner and jazz. These included the 2003 Meritage, the 2004 Cabernet Franc, and the 2005 Charval.

So what foods did we all bring along? Well, lots of food! The Meritage, a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc, paired quite well with muffaletta-style sandwiches, cocoa cardona cheese, and blackberries. Barbeque ribs and beans married Cabernet Franc, and we swore it was a match made in heaven. Refreshing Charval seemed more comfortable with spicy grilled chicken and fruit. The time seemed to fly, and before we knew it the stars were out and the crickets began to accompany the easy-listening sounds of Tyris.

Friends, food, and wine–the best way to say farewell to summer! We had a great time and look forward to returning to Tarara soon.

If you visit Tarara Winery in the future, be sure to tell them you read about them on The Virginia Wine Time Blog.

This past weekend marked the twelfth anniversary for Gray Ghost Winery. As our readers already know, we wrote a series on the winemaking process based on our experiences at Gray Ghost, and we could not resist returning to Gray Ghost to congratulate Al, Cheryl and Amy. Therefore, on July 8 we decided to attend the anniversary event held at the winery, and we had a wonderful time.

For a nominal fee we received a special logo glass and full wine tasting; we also witnessed civil war re-enactments complete with exploding cannons! It was a lovely day with warm temperatures and low humidity, and our picnic lunch was accompanied by jazz performed by a trio of musicians. We were able to visit with Al while we tasted the full line of Gray Ghost wines, and to our surprise the 2005 Cabernet Franc was released just that day. We had already tasted the Cabernet Franc at the March barrel tasting; so, we were anxious to taste it out of the bottle. The 2005 Cabernet Franc at Gray Ghost is not blended, and this was evident when we brought our sample to the nose. It possessed a strong raspberry aroma with a bit of herb and spice, and these are the characteristics that are unique to Cabernet Franc. We savored the Franc’s raspberry flavors and then opted to purchase a bottle for lunch.

Of course, we always bring food with us when we visit wineries, and on this day, we brought along spicy deli meats served on a baguette seasoned with olive oil and cracked pepper. An assortment of salty nuts, cheeses, and fruit also came along for lunch, and we enjoyed our wine and food while listening to the cool sounds of the jazz.

After lunch we decided to check out the civil war re-enactors. A John Mosby look-a-like provided the presence of the Gray Ghost, and he directed a small contingent of civil war soldiers/re-enactors to give demonstrations of Civil War era cannons and guns. Also lending an air of authenticity to the occasion were several women dressed in fashions of the era. They seemed immune to the deafening roar of the cannons, but we covered our ears when warned to do so by Colonel Mosby!

We concluded our day by wishing our best to the Kellerts; they will be busy planning the wedding for their son, Al, Jr. while also gearing up for another harvest season. Amy advised that we practice our bending exercises in preparation for this year’s harvest, and we eagerly anticipate our opportunity to harvest again this fall.

On Wednesday, June 21 we went to Wolf Trap to see Los Lonely Boys. We brought a nice picnic dinner that included barbeque chicken and Mexican bean salad; of course, we wanted to bring along a bottle of Virginia wine. To accompany our picnic and to provide refreshment on a very warm and humid evening, we decided to bring along a bottle of the Oasis Dogwood Blush; incidentally, Oasis sells its wines at Wolftrap events. The concert was great, and we thoroughly enjoyed the Dogwood Blush; in fact, we wondered about Oasis’ latest releases, and we decided to pay the winery a visit.

We went to Oasis to sample their new releases, and to our surprise the 2003 Merlot and the 2005 Riesling had been released since our last visit. Due to limited supplies, Oasis poured only three wines in the tasting room. We were able to sample the 2003 Barrel Select Chardonnay, the 2005 Riesling, and the 2003 Merlot; moreover, we opted for the sparkling wine tasting and sampled the Brut and the Celebration Infinity. These sparkling wines were truly delightful pours. It must be noted that Oasis’ 2004 offerings will be limited due to hurricane damage inflicted upon the vineyard. However, future releases will include the highly-rated Meritage, and we anxiously await its release.

Needless to say, we brought food along with us, and we enjoyed our lunch with a bottle of the 2003 Merlot. The merlot is a blend of 86% merlot, 7% cabernet franc, and 7% cabernet sauvignon, and it is medium bodied with big cherry flavors that blossomed as the wine opened up. The Oasis 2003 Merlot paired well with our deli sandwiches prepared with black forest ham, salami, provolone cheese, and olive tapenade. For dessert we had cherries and strawberries, and these we enjoyed with the 2005 Riesling. What a treat! To heighten our experience, we decided to savor the Riesling out on the deck where wonderful mountain views delight the senses.

We were also delighted to see Michaele and Tariq who are both so friendly and welcoming, We chatted about the Saturday polo matches, and we hope to attend one soon. We also plan to attend other Wolftrap concerts and will bring along Oasis wines.

The Passport to Virginia wineries lists all the wine events that take place throughout the year. These events appeal to the wine aficiando of all levels from novice to expert; in fact, these events are fun for those who do not ordinarily drink wine but tag along with friends to enjoy food, music, and well-carted wine. One such event was Chrysalis’ 5th Annual Wine and Swine; we wanted to take advantage of the cool, late spring weather and decided to check in with the Virginia Passport to find a fun, outdoor event that provided food, music, and wine. The Chrysalis event fit the bill; it was held this past Saturday, we decided to attend. We had a blast!

For $50 ($35 for VIP members) we enjoyed southern BBQ provided by Red Hot and Blue, and the menu included beef brisket, baby back ribs, pulled pork, and grilled chicken. In addition, we received a souvenir glass to use for the Estate wine tasting. Now we should clarify the term, Estate—these were wines produced with the grapes grown and harvested on the Chrysalis properties. These wines included the award-winning Viognier, the newly released Verdejo, and the Chardonnay. Special attention must be paid to the Norton; Chrysalis considers the Norton to be the premier red wine of Virginia, and Chrysalis’ stated objective is to bring the Norton grape to a position of prominence enjoyed by te Norton arietal in the 19th century. In fact, in 1873, Norton wines produced in the United States received international acclaim in Vienna; however, with the prohibition movement in full swing not long afterward, Norton’s potential was never developed. Chrysalis has successfully returned Norton to it place of prominence, and we gladly tasted the results of this effort.

After the Estate tasting,we enjoyed the BBQ and listened to Billy Clement and The Pickups. Billy Clements and his Pickups returned us to the 1950s, and we heard classic tunes by Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, and Buddy Holly. Paul stopped himself from wildy dancing the watusi while Billy serenaded us with these rock classics. With our BBQ lunch, we both decided to pair the BBQ with the 2002 Estate Norton. The raspberry flavors and rustic characteristics of the Norton paired quite nicely with the BBQ; the slight sweetness accompanied the smoky flavors that dominate BBQ, Warren is not a huge fan of Norton, but he had to admit that the Norton was the perfect partner for the barbequed brisket, sausage, and ribs. Paul really enjoyed the Norton enough to have two glasses and even bought a bottle of the 2002 Norton to bring home. Warren opted to have a glass of Chardonnay after lunch, and we both enjoyed the rock-a-billy sounds of Billy Clement and the Pickups.

Ultimately, we decided to taste the Reseve wines. This tasting included all the wines we sampled in the Estate tasting as well as the Reserve wines; some Reserve wines were produced from grapes grown on other properties. The Lockseley-grown wines were featured, and we sampled the Lockseley Norton along with the Petit Verdot and the lovely Albarino, a white wine that will receive special attention in our feature article. Please indulge and taste these wines; Petit Verdot is fast becoming another Virginia specialty. Petit Verdot is used in France to blend their world-famous Bordeauxs, but Petit Verdot on its own can produce an excellent, medium-bodied wine that will conjure dreams of roasted leg of lamb or even veal chops.

Chrysalis’ Wine and Swine was well attended, and we encourage our readers to take advantage of winery events whenever possible. At these events, a full tasting of wines will be offered, and foods served will give even the food and wine pairing novice an idea of how to pair food and wines. If that’s not enough to entice, then at least attend with family/friends to enjoy a lovely late spring afternoon with nice wine and food. You won’t regret the experience.

On Saturday we were invited to attend the new tasting room ribbon cutting at Gray Ghost Winery. Many of Gray Ghost’s friends and customers attended the ceremony.

Speaking at the ceremony were Todd Gilbert from the Virginia House of Delegates, 15th District, Mark D. Obenshain from the Senate of Virginia, 26th District, and Gordon W. Murchie, President of the Vinifera Wine Growers Association. After the keynote by Gordon Murchie, the participants lined up at the door and cut the ribbon to officially open the new tasting room.

A wonderful reception followed the ceremony. They served the full line of Gray Ghost wines. We enjoyed the wines as well as the tasty horderves. After the ceremony we decided to have lunch in the garden. It was a beautiful day to enjoy a lunch and a bottle of the Gray Ghost Seyval Blanc.

After lunch we decided to go to Rappahannock Cellars for a tasting and to get a sticker for our Passport To Virginia Wineries 2006 book. Then we ended our day at Gadino Cellars for a tasting. We also enjoyed some conversation with Aleta Gadino.

The last time we visited Breaux Vineyards we heard about their Nebbiolo Vertical Tasting taking place this weekend. Being interested in Nebbiolo and not having much experience with it, we decided to sign up for the tasting.

The vertical tasting took place on Saturday. Breaux was a very popular place on Saturday. The tasting room was populated with patrons waiting to taste. Breaux had so many visitors they had to set up a tent outside for more tasting space. There were also lots of people having picnics on the grounds.

Breaux had set up long tables in their tank room for the Nebbiolo vertical tasting. It looked as though they could seat 30 to 40 people for each tasting. After being seated, David Collins, the winemaker, told us about the history of Nebbiolo at Breaux. Then the tasting began.

We began with the 2004 and 2003 Breaux Nebbiolos out of the barrel. Both will be spending a year or two more in the barrels before bottling. The 2004 was very earthy, and rustic, with a red brick color and hints of raisin flavors. The 2003 had the same color but was smoother with dark berry flavors.

Next up were the 2002 Breaux Nebbiolo and the 2001 Veraldo Barbaresco. The 2002 Nebbiolo was from the bottle. It was fruitier with pepper, spicy flavors. It was slightly lighter in color but not in body. The 2001 Veraldo Barbaresco was a deeper red with a long finish and gave the sensation of sweetness without the sweet taste. The sensation of sweet was noted by some and questioned by others. Everyone’s palate is different.

Finally we had the 2001 Breaux Nebbiolo (current release) and the 2000 Allesandra Montigliero (Barolo). These were very similar. Both had dark brick red colors, smooth on the tongue, with some cherry/dark berry flavors.

Of course the foods prepared by Grandale Farm were perfectly paired with the wines. We had braised duck confit, caponata with prosciutto, Maryland crab mousse, sauteed grandale mizuno and chicory, aged Italian asiago, and nut toffee with vanilla wafer crust. Outstanding tastes to compliment the wines.

After the nebbiolos, we were treated to a taste of the syrah in the barrel room. They provided some chocolates to go with the syrah. While the syrah was very nice (especially with the chocolates), Paul really enjoyed the merlot they poured before the Nebbiolo tasting began. But then again, he’s partial to merlots. From the Nebbiolo tasting, Warren found the 2001 Breaux Nebbiolo to be most interesting. Not being all that familiar with Nebbiolo, we enjoyed the opportunity to taste so many and compare the different vintages. It certainly was an interesting wine afternoon.

On Sunday we went to a once yearly barrel tasting at Linden Vineyards. We invited our friends Caroline and Kerry to join us at this event. We were so pleased they decided to join us.

Once we got to Linden we participated in their regular tasting and were able to taste their recently released 2004 Cabernet Franc and their 2005 Vidal Riesling as well as their current offerings. We could not find a bad thing to say about any of their wines. We enjoyed each one.

After our tasting we picked up our glass and our tasting sheet and went to the cellar to began the barrel tasting. The tasting sheet describes the event like this:

“Once a year we like to give you the opportunity to taste the new vintage. There is something magical about tasting a wine right from the barrel. The wines are young, unpolished, exuberant and full of fresh fruit flavors with a puckery dryness. We will tell you about the growing season, the logic behind the blends and how we think the wines will evolve.”

From the first barrel we were able to taste the 2005 Avenius. This wine is a blend of cabernet sauvignon and petit verdot. The grapes come from Shari Avenius’ vineyard which is close to Linden. She grows the grapes for Linden and Jim Law uses his skill to create the wines. Shari Avenius herself was using the wine theif to serve our taste of this developing wine. We would really enjoy having the chance to talk with her sometime about her vineyard.

The second barrel revealed the 2005 Hardscrabble which is a blend of cabernet sauvignon, petit verdot, merlot, and cabernet franc. This one became the favorite of Paul and Caroline. The man providing our taste explained that this wine would be staying the barrel for several more months. We look forward to it’s release.

Barrel three consisted of the 2005 Petit Verdot. This wine contained petit verdot and cabernet franc. Warren found this one to be his favorite. Kerry enjoyed this one as well.

The last barrel was the 2005 Boisseau which is a blend of cabernet franc, petit verdot, and merlot. Richard Boisseau has 3 arces of grapes that he sells to Jim Law for creating this wine. Richard explained to us that each wine takes the name of the vineyard from which the grapes come. Instead of naming the wine by the largest concentration of a certain grape, the wine takes the name from the vineyard’s owner. Interesting way to name wines.

After the barrel tasting we entered a different part of the cellar for a special release tasting. Over the weekend Linden released the 2005 Avenius Sauvignon Blanc, the 2002 Hardscrabble Red, and the 2004 Petit Manseng. All three were very good. With each wine they provided foods that paired well with each one. After this tasting we went back upstairs and enjoyed two bottles of wine and nibbles for lunch. While we were having our lunch, they sold out of the 2002 Hardscrabble Red. Paul was a bit upset because he was planning on buying a bottle or two because it was 100% merlot.

We have found that barrel tasting provide you insight to the upcoming wines. We thoroughly enjoyed this barrel tasting at Linden and can’t say enough about their wines. Here are some photos from our visit to Linden:

Caroline, Kerry, and Warren at the regular tasting.

Warren, Kerry, and Caroline enjoying the barrel tasting.

Richard Boisseau using the wine theif to provide Warren a taste of the 2005 Boisseau.

On Saturday we attended a vertical wine tasting dinner at Gray Ghost Winery. We were treated to 10 years of Cabernet Sauvignons from their wine library. None of these wines are available for sale. We enjoyed foods that paired well with the cabernets.

The first flight of wines was from 1998 to 2002. From that flight the 2002 stood out as an exceptional wine. Even though it is considered young for a cabernet, it was full of fruit flavor and exhibited signs of becoming even better in the future.

The second flight of wines was from 1993 to 1997. As you might guess, the 1993 was amazing. It’s holding up very well for its age. The tannins have smoothed over the years and the fruit flavors still shine.

We plan to write more about this event and others at Gray Ghost in a future article for the Daily News Record.

On a side note, we are off to New Orleans on Tuesday to visit Warren’s family. While in New Orleans we plan to visit Pontchartrain Vineyards. We will write about our visit there when we return.

On Saturday we attended the barrel tasting at Gray Ghost Vineyards. We enjoyed seeing how the wines are developing in the barrels. Amoung others we tasted the 2005 Merlot. It’s bursting with cherry! We can’t wait for it to be released later this year. Barrel tasting is always a treat. Below is a picture of wine maker Al Kellert filling Warren’s glass right from the barrel.