We have gathered together some wine recommendations for your Thanksgiving meal. Watch the video to see the recommendations.
Category: Wines
Virginia Wine Month at the Bishops Garden
New (To Us) Wineries
https://dentalprovidence.com/career/ As summer finally gives way to autumn, we reflect on wineries that, while open for a while, are new to our palates. Here we give brief reflections on those visits.
Effingham Manor Winery: This is a Pearmund operation and the tasting room is actually a historic home. We heard that it is haunted, but any ghosts and goblins were well behaved while we were there. We enjoyed the medium-bodied 2016 Chardonnay with its notes of pear and apple. For hearty beef dishes, try the 2016 Meritage—-blackberry and cherry elements were accompanied by tobacco and spice notes. The 2018 Rose is crafted from the Chambourcin grape, and this off-dry offering should please any palate.
Septenary – The Winery at Seven Oaks Farm: We were impressed with this winery. A start with the Sparkling NV had us hooked, and then led to the elegant, creamy Chardonnay 2017 with its pear notes and vanilla finish. Of the red wines, we favored the complex Carriage House 2016 and the fuller-bodied Coleman 2015 with its ripe berry nose and flavors of blackberry, plum and dried herbs. Enjoy a glass of a favorite wine while taking in the lovely grounds—-we will return to this winery!
Walsh Family Wine: Nate Walsh continues to produce quality wines, and this time he is doing so from the former North Gate Winery. Walsh purchased the facility and vineyards from former owners and winemakers of North Gate Winery, Mark and Vicki Fedor. Friend and fellow blogger Kurt Jensen (Wine About Virginia) joined us for a tasting of Walsh’s latest releases. We enjoyed the crisp 2018 Sauvignon Blanc but saved our accolades for the 2017 Merlot with its dark cherry elements and fruity palate. The 2017 Staggerwing Tannat was surprisingly accessible; buy now and enjoy now! Serve with braised meats and a crusty baguette on a chilly night.
Plan to visit these wineries if you have not already done so. Please mention that Virginia Wine Time sent you!
Veritas, The Farmhouse, and a Flying Fox
We reflect on summer’s passing with a feature on another experience from our Charlottesville vacation in July. Our trip included a tasting at Veritas, a Virginia Wine Time favorite; however, winemaker Emily Pelton and Elliot Watkins have also taken on the winemaking duties at Flying Fox. Of course, we had to sample the releases there. The Farmhouse? Read on to find out more.
Tasters who visit Veritas are offered a choice of the regular wine tasting or the reserve tasting. Guess which one we selected? The Sauvignon Blanc 2018 was presented for tasting on both menus, and we appreciated its citrus notes and zesty finish; however, the Harlequin 2017 was the reserve list standout. Chardonnay lovers who appreciate an oaky style will be wowed with this one. Its ripe pear note and creamy palate seemed destined to partner well with any dish that includes a cream sauce atop poultry, pork or fish. I already looked forward to autumn and heartier dishes, and the Vintner’s Reserve 2016 captured my palate. This blend of Petit Verdot, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc featured flavors of dark cherry, blackberry, and dark plum with smoky notes and a kiss of mocha. Braised meats, roasted veggies, game meats—-the pairing options seemed endless.
The team behind Flying Fox Vineyard consists of Emily Pelton, Elliot and Chloe Watkins and George and Traylyn Hodson. Emily and Elliot serve as the winemakers. The tasting facility appeared unremarkable from the street—until we walked through the door. The decor recalled a 1920s parlor to suggest that we had entered a speakeasy. Small touches such as a period Smith-Corona manual typewriter completed the impression, and we expected flappers to suddenly appear while dancing the Charleston! However, we were also impressed with the wines especially the Rose 2018 and the more complex Trio 2015, a blend driven by Cabernet Franc. Elements of blackberry, tobacco and pepper converged to create a more complex yet accessible blend.
Need a place to stay while visiting the Charlottesville area? The Farmhouse might be the perfect place. This bed and breakfast is located on the Veritas property. It consists of 8 luxury rooms with many options for wining and dining. For more information, check out their website.
We say farewell to summer as we welcome autumn and its crisp air and lovely colors. Plan a fall visit to Veritas Vineyards and Winery; you can even book a place to stay there at The Farmhouse. Include a tasting to Flying Fox to complete the experience. Be sure to mention that Virginia Wine Time sent you!
The Last Cellar Tasting
Last week when we got our Linden Vineyards newsletter in our email, we read that the cellar tastings were ending this past weekend until the new year. We decided we had to attend the last one of the year. On Saturday we headed to Linden to participate in the last cellar tasting of the year.
We arrived just in time for the cellar tasting to begin. The tasting started with the 2016 and 2017 Avenius Sauvignon Blancs. While we enjoyed them both, Warren and I preferred the 2017. Warren jotted down grassy, petrol, boxwood, mineral/graphite and lemon lime notes. Perfect for the end of summer.
We then compared the 2015 Hardscrabble Chardonnay with the 2015 Boisseau Chardonnay. Both of these wines are beautiful and have their place with different types of meals. Warren and I split on our favorite here. We may have been thinking of foods when making our decisions. Warren preferred the 2015 Hardscrabble. He described it as lush with pear notes, lean mid palate, fruit and spice on the finish. I preferred the 2015 Boisseau for it’s toasted ripe pear notes with a more rounded mouth feel. I thought you could have this one with food or just as a sipper.
The final comparison was between the 2014 and 2015 Hardscrabble Reds. The blends are different with the 2014 being mostly Cab Sauv and the 2015 including a good bit of Cab Franc. Both Warren and I preferred the 2015 blend. Lots of cherry and spice with a more rounded mouth feel made Warren think of several dishes he could pair this with.
The cellar tasting ended with a taste of the 2012 Late Harvest Vidal. A delicious way to end the tasting. It’s aging well and can be enjoyed for many years into the future.
If you missed the last cellar tasting for the year, be sure to return to Linden in the new year when the cellar tastings begin again. And when you do, tell them Virginia Wine Time sent you!
Visiting Old Favorites
A recent visit to the Monticello area offered us the opportunity to sample releases from favorite wineries. Here we present wines (and the wineries) that we enjoyed most:
Barboursville Vineyards: I always pay attention to the reserve wines at Barboursville, and this time was no exception. The Sauvignon Blanc Reserve 2016, Vermentino Reserve 2016, Viognier Reserve 2017 and the Cabernet Franc Reserve 2017 all earned my top scores. Perhaps it was due to the hot day, but I particularly enjoyed the Vermentino Reserve 2016 with its floral notes and nice mouth feel. I did, however, leave with a bottle of the Octagon 2015 to add to our collection of the Octagon line on our wine rack.
https://castlehomecomfort.com/humidifiers/ Blenheim Vineyards: We always hope to run into winemaker Kirsty Harmon when we visit Blenheim Vineyards, and we were in luck this time around. The Albarino 2018 was my favorite; faintly floral with orchard fruit on the palate, it should complement light fare, shell fish, and fresh fruit. The light-bodied Cabernet Franc 2017 with its cherry notes is destined to please with grilled fare, comfort foods or on its own with sliced deli meats and cheeses.
Cardinal Point Vineyard and Winery: On a hot day, it was hard to not appreciate the 2018 Quattro, a blend of Riesling, Gerwurztraminer, Vidal Blanc, and Viognier; however, this fruity blend should also come in handy during the upcoming Thanksgiving or Christmas holidays—-never to early to think about future menus! Be sure to sample the 2017 Clay Hill Cabernet Franc—-red berry notes and a bit of spice on the finish reminded us why Cabernet Franc is one of Virginia’s signature grape varieties.
https://alpineinterface.com/swiss-mountain-huts/ Gabrielle Rausse Winery: We continue to be impressed with this winery, and I always seem to leave with a bottle (or two) of the Vin Gris de Pinot Noir, and this time from the 2018 vintage. The Rose 2018 produced from Cabernet Sauvignon was another favorite; strawberry flavors were noted with a dry, crisp finish. The non-vintage Cabernet Franc can be described as very berry; a light-bodied, fruity palate make this one delicious to sip on its own or with food.
Order Klonopin Online King Family Vineyards: We expect to see lots of rose produced from the 2018 growing season, and were not disappointed to see the Crose 2018 on the tasting menu here. This is always one of our favorite roses, and we stock up whenever to visit King Family Vineyards. Loads of bright red berry notes and flavors with a crisp finish aptly describe the Crose 2018; buy to enjoy now or throughout the year—-rose is versatile! I made certain to purchase the complex Meritage 2017; it presented dark fruit aromas and flavors with a note of tobacco and cedar. It is still young and a bit tannic—-buy now and decant or store and enjoy later.
https://prosthodontistlasvegas.com/about-us/ Pollak Vineyards: Yay for Chardonnay and the 2017 Chardonnay from Pollak Vineyards; tropical fruit notes and a crisp finish make for a lovely representation of this grape without the oaky presence. And yes, Rose 2018—-this one driven by Cabernet Franc, I noted flavors of strawberry and watermelon and appreciated its crisp acidity. The 2015 Meritage showed quite well; expect dark plum, black cherry and currant characteristics with spice on the finish and a bit of a tannic “chew.”
Our next post will feature new favorites (or at least new to us.). In the meantime, visit these excellent wineries while in the Monticello area. Please mention that Virginia Wine Time sent you!
Stay
And we did just that during a recent summer getaway to the Charlottesville area. We rented a cottage on a vineyard site managed by Stay Charlottesville, and the cottage named Coop Billon was located on the property associated with Afton Mountain Vineyards. Of course, we visited several wineries during our stay!
For readers looking for a local weekend getaway or longer vacation in the historic Charlottesville area, consider booking accommodations through Stay Charlottesville. We booked a cottage located on a vineyard because we are wine geeks; however, other Stay sites include Charlottesville estates, rustic Virginia countryside, and University of Virginia. The Coop Billon is one of four cottages that offer guests views of Afton Mountain’s vineyards, a tasting in the tasting room, a gorgeous views of Virginia mountainsides. The cottage itself can be described as country quaint with a complete kitchen, spacious bathroom, and a back porch that included rocking chairs. Paul and I enjoyed simple meals each night paired with a favorite Virginia wine while dining al fresco on the porch. Each meal was partnered with lovely skies, and on one evening, music from the winery.
A stay at the cottages includes a free tasting at the winery; of course, we took advantage of the opportunity to sample the latest releases from Afton Mountain Vineyards. Owner Elizabeth Smith greeted us warmly, and it was she who conducted our tasting. I already had dinner on my mind even though it was 11 AM—-it’s never too early to think about dinner; anyway, I knew that we were going to enjoy crab cakes that evening. The first pour on the tasting list was also my choice to pair with dinner, and it was the 2018 Albarino. It presented floral notes with peach aromas and a crisp, refreshing feel in the mouth. Be on the look out for lots of rose from the 2018 vintage due to the heavy rainfall during that growing season, and the 2018 Rose from Afton Mountain Vineyards offered bright red berry notes and fruity palate that demanded to be enjoyed on a hot summer day.
Speaking of the 2018 vintage, readers may know that some winemakers have opted not to produce red wines from that growing season; however, remember that microclimates matter. While some vineyard sites got soaked, others were more fortunate to receive a break from the constant rainfall and were able to produce red wines. The 2018 Cabernet Franc from Afton Mountain Vineyards was quite enjoyable. It was lighter bodied with lots of red raspberry and cherry notes; it also presented a fruity palate that makes it an easy pairing with lighter fare now or in the fall. If in doubt about which winemaker is doing what with the 2018 vintage, ask the particular winemaker at a specific winery——don’t assume everyone has decided not to produce red wines.
Of course, summer will not last forever and fall/winter fare will grace the dinner tables. Consider Afton Mountain’s Bacco 2016 which is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Sangiovese, Petit Verdot and Tannat. This one featured a profile of ripe dark berries and currants with a chewy/tannic presence that plays well with heavier beef dishes and game meats. Look out for a white port-style wine crafted from the floral muscat grape; we were treated to a sneak preview; however, we are not sure when it will be released.
And so our day ended just as we had planned—-crab cakes with the 2018 Albarino from Afton Mountains. We dined outdoors and were entertained by the band playing at the winery; a cool breeze greeted a colorful sky made brighter by fire flies flitting above the meadow. Consider a Stay at the vineyard cottages while visiting the Charlottesville area, and enjoy the lovely wines at Afton Mountain Vineyards. Please mention that Virginia Wine Time sent you!
25th Anniversary
On Saturday I attended the 25th Anniversary celebration at Gray Ghost Vineyards. Twenty five years ago on July 9th Al and Cheryl Kellert opened the doors to Gray Ghost Vineyards. They were only tasting one wine on that day, a Vidal.
The day began with an opening reception. Amy Payette, Virginia House of Delegates from the 18th district Michael Webert, Richard Leahy and Al Kellert all spoke during the reception.
Following the reception there were events that took place all day. You could enjoy a tasting of their current release of wines (even the limited release 2017 Merlot). The wine library was open tasting four vintages of library wines. The barrel room was also open for tasting of the 2016 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon (first time a reserve barrel as been opened!). There was also beautiful music in the barrel room from harpist Tess Miller. If that wasn’t enough, you could also take a vineyard tour, winery tour and enjoy live music around the grounds at Gray Ghost. And if you got hungry Talk of the Mountain Seafood was on hand to fill that hunger.
It was an amazing day. The events continued again on Sunday. We have been part of the Gray Ghost family for many years. We want to congratulate them on reaching their 25th year. We know they will continue on into the future with great success. And we of course will continue to visit Gray Ghost, help in harvesting and enjoying their wines for years to come. Congratulations Gray Ghost!
Before I left, I bought a case of the limited release 2017 Merlot. If you haven’t been to Gray Ghost Vineyards, it’s one winery in Virginia that you must visit. And when you do, tell them Virginia Wine Time sent you!
Napa Cabernet from Virginia?
So I have been recovering from a dental procedure that required me to eat soft foods for two weeks. Poached chicken, mashed potatoes, and smoothies had been my go to menu items; so, I decided to munch on a juicy steak once I got the all clear to eat something more substantial. My wine of choice was the 2013 Home Town Red from Abingdon Vineyards.
We visited Abingdon Vineyards at least seven years ago, and we were mesmerized by the lovely mountain views and well-crafted wines while on a tour through that section of south western Virginia. In 2018, the winery was purchased by Loren and Elizabeth Gardner both of whom are native to California wine country. The 2013 Home Town Red was produced from Cabernet Sauvignon grown in Napa, California, and it presented the hallmark characteristics of a Napa Cab—-jammy dark fruit that lingered through the palate and finished with a leathery/cedar note. It struck a perfect chord with my filet mignon topped with mushrooms and partnered with sautéed potatoes a la Julia Child.
Abingdon Vineyards sent us several wines to try. We’ve enjoyed them all. If you follow us on Twitter or Facebook or Instagram, you will have seen our impressions of the wines we’ve tried so far. A big THANK YOU to Abingdon Vineyards for sharing some of their wines with us.
Getting a chance to taste some new wines. On this one we note roasted pear, green apple, fall spices, faint oak note. #wine #vawine #whitewine #chardonel pic.twitter.com/Pvszhf8SrV
— Virginia Wine Time (@vawinetime) June 22, 2019
Enjoying another new one to us. The 2018 Riverside Rose from Abingdon Vineyards. Very fruity with bright red berry fruit. A slight peach note. Nice for a summer evening. #rose #wine #vawine #summerwine pic.twitter.com/truNeWB85M
— Virginia Wine Time (@vawinetime) June 25, 2019
A chance to try another rose’ from Abingdon Vineyards. We note cherry and raspberry with a bit of tartness on the palate. Another nice example of a summer rose’! #wine #rose #vawine pic.twitter.com/xcecmQJQnE
— Virginia Wine Time (@vawinetime) June 28, 2019
Whether you are on a steak break due to dental issues or at a loss as to what to serve with a favorite beef dish, consider the 2013 Home Town Red from Abingdon Vineyards. If you are at the winery, please mention that Virginia Wine Time sent you!
Oregon Chardonnay For Chardonnay Lovers
Today we wander off of the Virginia Wine path and consider a Chardonnay from Oregon, the Marshall Davis 2017 Estate Chardonnay. The Marshall Davis Vineyard is located in the Yamhill-Carlton AVA of the Willamette Valley, and the vineyard itself is tended by the Marshall family. The vineyard includes “eight acres of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir vines surrounding their home near Carlton.” The vineyard site boasts an elevation of 450 feet with volcanic topsoil and superior drainage.
This particular Chardonnay is barrel fermented and aged for 16 months in French oak barrels, 15% of which are new. It presented notes of pear and tropical fruit followed by roasted pear and lush tropical fruit flavors that finished with a caramel kiss. Fruit flavors extended and then lingered through the palate. We enjoyed this Marshall Davis 2017 Estate Chardonnay with crab cakes topped with a corn relish; on a warm summer night, it proved to be a perfect pairing.
I have never been a a member of the “ABC” ( Order Clonazepam Online Anything https://raceflowdevelopment.com/gallery/ But Tramadol For Sale Online Chardonnay) club, and my motto is “Yay for Chardonnay!” The Marshall Davis 2017 Estate Chardonnay get two thumbs up from me. Be sure to seek this gem out at your local wine shop or purchase on line by visiting the vineyard’s website. Mention that you read about it on Virginia Wine Time!