For anyone looking for a unique food and wine experience, look no further than The Ritz-Carlton, Tysons Corner. We spent this past weekend participating in a cooking class hosed by executive chef Matthew Morrison, chatted about wine with heralded sommelier Vincent Feraud, and then had dinner paired with Virginia wines in the elegant yet unpretentious Entyse Wine Bar & Lounge. We felt very spoiled and pampered, and our only regret was that we could not stay longer.
Our day at The Ritz-Carlton, Tysons Corner began with a cooking class given by chef Matthew Morrison. The class was actually part of the Fall Epicurean Series, a weekly series of cooking demonstrations held at the hotel each week in October. The particular session was called Thanksgiving 101; Morrison and his talented culinary team guided participants through lessons on how to create a delicious Thanksgiving meal. The menu included brined turkey (including a unique tip on how to bake the bird in separate pieces), apple raisin stuffing with seasonal herbs, cranberry orange chutney (say good-bye to the gelled canned stuff), and a lush black pepper panna cotta for dessert. Mixologist Narath crafted signature cocktails to pair with each course. For starters, a crisp French 75 made with Champagne and a splash of gin and lemon made for a lemony aperitif. With the main meal, a French Martini was served and featured Chambord, pineapple juice, grand marnier, and vanilla vodka. Sommelier Vincent Feraud offered a wine alternative and poured a divine Stolpman Syrah 2009. Finally a decadent pumpkin spice martini made with pumpkin spice liquer and Godiva chocolate syrup was finished with a dollop of whipped cream, and this was served with the panna cotta. Rich textures, chocolate highlights, and fall spices played delightfully well with each other. The Ritz-Carlton, Tysons Corner has many Fall/Winter events lined up. Check out the events calendar and find one that interests you.
We walked away from the cooking class with tips to make our Thanksgiving meal even more memorable. We were also quite satisfied from Chef Morrison’s sample servings from the demonstration. However, we knew that more culinary treats were on the way, and we decided to rest for a bit in The Ritz-Carlton, Tysons Corner Club Room which offers guests a panoramic view of the Tysons area including the emerging fall colors from trees that are just now putting on quite a colorful show. Shima, the Club’s concierge, warmly greeted us and offered to pour for us a glass of wine, and offerings included the Barboursville Pinot Grigio. How could we resist? Lovely views of the Virginia landscape were appreciated from the Club Room while enjoying a glass of Virginia wine from Barboursville to continue our celebration of Virginia Wine Month.
We finished our evening at The Ritz-Carlton, Tysons Corner with dinner at Entyse Wine Bar & Lounge. Here we were greeted by sommelier Vincent Feraud who poured for us the Trump 2008 Blanc de Blanc. Vincent Feraud was the sommelier that helped to conduct the Judgment of Paris held in 2009; this contest featured a showdown between the best Virginia wines and wines from France, Chile and Austria. The outcome? Virginia wines either bested or equaled their foreign competitors. Vincent was more than willing to chat with us about Virginia wines, wines from around the world, and yes, custom motorcycles. If readers ever see us pull up at a winery on motorcycles, it was Vincent Feraud who influenced us! Anyway, we ordered dinner with a promise from Vincent that he would return with a Virginia wine to pair with our meal. Paul ordered roasted chicken with mashed potatoes; I could not resist the filet mignon with rosemary potatoes. And the wine? Vincent poured for us the 2009 Cabernet Merlot from Lovingston Vineyards. It was a “wow” experience. Our meal was perfectly prepared, and the Virginia wine selection proved to be the perfect match. I must add that our waiter, Simon, was very attentive and personable. After we finished our meal, we lingered for a while to finish our wine; as we did so, the Christopher Linman Jazz Ensemble entertained lounge guests with classics from such greats as Miles Davis and Duke Ellington.
Needless to say, our appetites were more than satisfied. We retired to our room where chocolate squares rested atop pulled down sheets. We had no trouble falling asleep! After a breakfast of French toast and fresh coffee, we took one final glance at the elegant lobby with its bouquet of fresh flowers and glittering chandeliers. We enjoyed our stay at The Ritz-Carlton, Tysons Corner. Great food, wonderful wines, and superb amenities await guests who will be pampered by a dedicated team that offers excellent service. We plan to visit The Ritz-Carlton, Tysons Corner again, and we recommend that readers do so too. Please mention that Virginia Wine Time sent you.
(A very special thank you to Chef Matthew and his talented culinary team, and Narath, Vincent, Shima, and Simon for making our stay super fantastic!)
We were invited to participate in The Ritz-Carlton, Tysons Corner: Stay, Play and Write Campaign. All opinions are our own.
Category: Wines
Celebrating Virginia Wine Month in the Monticello Area
We took advantage of the long weekend to visit with Paul’s family and to sample wines in the Monticello area. Here is a summary of our favorite pours:
Barboursville Vineyards: We are pleased to report that the tasting set up has changed since our last visit, and an additional tasting station has been added to ease the bottleneck that occurred during hectic times. Our tasting experience was much more enjoyable, and we hope that the management continues to explore efficient ways handle the growing crowds that visit the winery. Paul favored the crisp Pinot Grigio 2012; I preferred the more complex Chardonnay Reserve 2012—no surprises here, right. However, we did appreciate the Viognier Reserve that is aging quite nicely. Of the red wines, it was tough to beat the Nebbiolo Reserve 2010 with its smoky notes and aromas of violet, tobacco and black currants. Paul thought that the Cabernet Franc Reserve 2011 did just that and notes its nose of cedar, blackberries, and cherries. We agreed to disagree.
Jefferson Vineyards: This is our first visit here since winemaker Chris Ritzcovan has taken the helm. We enjoyed several wines here poured by one of our favorite tasting associates, Allison. Paul is not a Riesling fan, but he did enjoy the Johannisberg Riesling 2011 with its stone fruit aromas and subtle hay note. I preferred the 2011 Chardonnay Reserve 2011 and its weightier mouth feel. We reached another split decision on the red wines. Paul was most enthusiastic about the earthy Petit Verdot 2012 and its smoky nose and elements of dark berries, coffee, and dried herbs. My own favorite was the complex Meritage 2010. A whiff of violet led aromas of dark fruit, tobacco and anise. Components include Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, and Cabernet Sauvignon.
Keswick Vineyards: We always enjoy Stephen Benard’s wines and look forward to sampling his latest releases. We both appreciated the 2012 Viognier that was fermented in a combination of tank and French oak. Peach and tropical fruit notes with a bit of vanilla at the end made for a luscious wine; it had a nice length too. I was a bigger fan of the 2012 Chardonnay that I characterized as a classic Burgundy style wine. Lovely pear flavors accented by hints of oak and a long-lasting finish make for a food-friendly yet elegant wine. The 2012 Consensus is created by wine club members and is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Norton. We found this one to be an accessible wine with smoky notes and elements of tobacco, mixed berries, and black pepper. Stephan also treated us to several of the Signature line of wines available to club members. We really enjoyed the chardonnay and viognier. We also got to sample a few of the 2013s in the barrels. They will be quite nice! Stephan and I also posed for a silly picture that Paul posted on Twitter. We always have fun chatting about wine and catching up with Stephan. Thank you, Stephan!
Trump Winery: Hard to beat the Sparkling Blanc de Blanc with its nose of apples, pears, and toast. Paul enjoyed the crisp Chardonnay 2012 that was fermented 90% in stainless steel tank and 10% in French oak barrels. These leaner Chardonnays tend to be his style and are certainly easy to sip on their own. Fans of the simply red will be pleased to know that the 2008 vintage is still available and tasting quite nicely.
More on our visit to the Monticello area next time. Until then, plan your own visit to these wineries and mention that Virginia Wine Time sent you.
Celebrating Virginia Wine Month
How Are You Celebrating Virginia Wine Month?
October is Virginia Wine Month, and we are doing it right by enjoying Virginia wine with dinner, at restaurants, and at Virginia wineries. Here is how we kicked off Virginia Wine month:
Dinner at Al Dente in Washington DC: Pappardelle pasta with wild boar ragout braised in red wine paired with Breaux’s Nebbiolo 2007.
Harvest Salad as a first course at a dinner party: Crisp seasonal apples, chopped fennel, and slivered almonds tossed with a lemon vinaigrette then topped with crumbled blue cheese was served with Linden’s Riesling Vidal 2011
Steaks on Friday: We reserve Fridays as our red meat day. Filet Mignon topped with sautéed mushrooms was paired with Gray Ghost Vineyards’ Cabernet Sauvignon 2010.
Pumpkin Cake: My favorite seasonal dessert. Fall spices serve as supporting roles in this pumpkin-based delight. We enjoyed this with Naked Mountain’s Old Vine Riesling 2012 produced from the oldest Riesling vines on the property.
Need other suggestions to celebrate Virginia Wine Month? Hume Vineyards will release its 2012 Viognier; characteristic floral notes are accompanied by stone fruit elements and a white pepper undertone. This one should be perfect with poultry topped with a cream sauce. Planning to invite friends over for a hearty beef stew? We were impressed with the 2011 Petit Verdot with its whiff of violet as well as its brambleberry and dark fruit notes; it’s a bit chewy too!
So this is how we kicked off Virginia Wine Month. How are you celebrating Virginia Wine Month? We would like to know, so feel free to share with us. Visit the Virginia wineries mentioned in this post and mention that Virginia Wine Time sent you.
Two New Wineries
It seems like a new winery opens in Loudoun County every week. I know that’s not true but there are a lot of new wineries in Loudoun County. On Sunday after our trip to Breaux Vineyards, we decided to check out a few of the new wineries in the area. Just up the road from Breaux Vineyards two new wineries recently opened. Cardamon Family Vineyards and Maggie Malick Wine Caves are those two wineries.
Cardamon Family Vineyards is a family owned and operated micro winery that produces just about 200 cases of wine each year. Owners Chuck and Ana are committed to producing hand crafted wines from the 400 vines planted in their front yard. All of their wines are produced from their fruit or from locally grown fruit. The day we visited they were tasting five of their wines. They are currently conducting their tastings in a small out building. A new tasting room is currently under construction and will be open for tastings in the spring of 2014. We tasted the Vino di Mele, the Macha, the Myshells, the Nicolosanto, and the Batoria. Most of their wines are named after their children. That was a nice touch. Of the wines we tasted we really enjoyed the Vino di Mele. This is 100% apple juice. It was crisp and clean and had distinct golden apple flavors. As the tasting notes state, this would make a great BBQ wine. We were also intrigued with the Rkats (100% Rkatsitelli) wine but unfortunately they weren’t pouring that wine. We’ll have to be sure to return to get a taste of that one. Also they were sold out of their Cuvee Blanc. We’ve had several Rkats wines in the past and were curious to see how this one tasted. All of their wines are paired with salsas. We tasted the Ana’s Apple with the Vino di Mele. You can find the recipe below. If you are looking for more information about Cardamon Family Vineyards, check out their Facebook page. Their website is still under construction and lacks detail.
Ana’s Apple
1 c Cucumber, Peeled and Seeded and Chopped
1 c Apple, Honeycrisp, Chopped
1 c Apple, Yellow, Chopped
1 c Zucchini, Chopped
1 bu Onions, Green, Chopped
1 ea Chile, Serrano, Seeded and Chopped
¼ c Key Lime Juice, Fresh Squeezed
3 T Honey
1 T Basil, Chiffonade
Salt and Pepper to taste
Maggie Malick Wine Caves is right next door to Cardamon Family Vineyards. Its located on a 215 acre estate with 20 acres of grapes planted. They have been growing grapes for years and selling them to other wineries. They decided to begin producing their own wines under the Maggie Malick Wine Caves label. They grow several white and red varieties including viognier, chardonnay, albarino, petit manning, cabernet sauvignon, merlot, cabernet franc, petit verdot, tannat and garnacha tinto. The tastings take place in an actual man-made cave. They dug out the side of a hill and created a concrete and rebar cave. The cave helps maintain temperature and provides a cool place to conduct tastings. We tasted five white wines and six red wines. Of these we preferred the 2011 Albarino with its crisp, dry edge. As the tasting notes state it would pair well with seafood. We also thought it would make a good evening sipper. Warren also seemed to enjoy the 2012 Chardonnay. He noted apple and pear and a creamy mouth feel. He enjoyed it so much that he purchased a bottle to bring home. It will make a nice addition to his wine rack.
We certainly enjoyed our time at Cardamon Family Vineyards and Maggie Malick Wine Caves. Each winery has a unique quality that makes them wineries to visit. If you are looking for something different, plan to visit either one of these wineries and add them to your list of wineries visited. And when you do, tell them Virginia Wine Time sent you!
October is Virginia Wine Month!
We kicked off the celebrations a little early by attending the Club Appreciation and Pick Up Party at Breaux Vineyards on Sunday. Being a club member has it’s benefits. I have elected to pick up my bimonthly shipments at the winery. One of the benefits is being able to attend the Club Appreciation and Pick Up Parties each time the wines are ready. This time the party took place on the lawn right next to the vineyards. The views were beautiful and the weather was perfect.
The party was a chance to taste several different varieties from vine to glass. At each station they had grapes for us to taste before tasting the finished product in the bottle. At the first station we tasted the 2012 Vidal Blanc and the 2012 Barrel Select Chardonnay. One of our favorite Breaux wine associates, Bruce was pouring the wines. Warren and I were split on our favorite at this station. I preferred the 2012 Vidal Blanc and Warren enjoyed the 2012 Barrel Select Chardonnay. Luckily it was the 2012 Barrel Select Chardonnay in this months shipment. Warren will be able to enjoy more of it at a later date.
At the next station we tasted the 2009 Merlot and the 2010 Malbec. We couldn’t make up our minds on our favorites at this station. We enjoyed them both! At the final station another one of our favorite Breaux tasting associates, Silvia was pouring the wines. We tasted the 2010 Barrel Select Nebbiolo and the 2007 Cabernet Franc Reserve. WOW…both of these wines were wonderful. However, the Nebbiolo will need some time in the bottle before enjoying it with an amazing meal. The 2007 Cabernet Franc Reserve is ready to enjoy now. The tannins are still pretty tight but this wine would be perfect with a nice filet.
With our tastings complete we decided to enjoy some Asiago Mac N Cheese from the Roving Italian food truck. It was so good! After lunch I ended up buying a case of white wines to restock my wine rack. During the summer months we enjoyed many of the white wines on my rack so it is looking rather empty. With this in mind, I bought many of the white wines on the tasting menu and some from the cellar club selection. While we were at Breaux we were able to catch up with Jen Breaux Blosser. Its always good to see our friends at Breaux and catch up! Our wine friend Susan joined us in the days events. We had a great time at Breaux as we always do! Have you been to Breaux lately? If not, plan a trip soon and tell them Virginia Wine Time sent you!
#158, #159, & #160
Yes, we continue to visit new wineries and recently reached a milestone of #160. Here is a summary of the new wineries that we visited:
#158: Winding Road Cellars: When we went from Philip Carter to the Inn at Vineyard Crossing for the ribbon cutter ceremony, we saw a sign for a new winery called Winding Road Cellars. Once the ribbon cutting ceremony was over, we decided to stop in for a tasting. They are very new. The tasting room is wood paneled room with a big tasting bar in the middle. Owners Scott and Linda Culver have been working very hard to get things going at the winery. We tasted the 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2007 Cabernet Franc, the 2008 Chambourcin, and the 2010 Chardonnay. Our winner was the 2010 Chardonnay. It was a classic chardonnay with apple and pear notes. We will have to return soon when more wines are on the menu and we have more time to take thorough notes.
#159: Greenhill Winery and Vineyards: This winery was formerly known as Swedenburg. Things have changed quite a bit since businessman David Greenhill bought the Middleburg winery. Sebastien Marquet, winemaker at Doukenie Vineyards, is the consulting winemaker. The Swedenburg tasting room has been completely renovated and is now much more customer friendly and very inviting. Tasting are held either at the bar or at tables located both indoors and outdoors. There is also a focus on quality winemaking especially with Marquet at the helm. The four wines that we tasted were well crafted and included a 2009 Blanc de Blanc, 2011 Vidal Blanc, 2012 Syrah, and the 2009 Philosophy, a Bordeaux-style blend. Our favorites were the dry 2011 Vidal Blanc with its citrus and tropical fruit notes and the 2009 Philosophy with its earthy elements and dark berry aromas.
#160: Leaves of Grass Vineyards: Owner Michael Mazo named this winery after the Walt Whitman piece, Leave of Grass. The open design of the tasting room offers an airy feel to visitors; in fact, Whitman probably would feel right at home here! Contemporary furnishing adds a touch of hipster elegance to the back-to-nature ambiance. Our tasting came with a platter of cheeses and meats to complement the wines which included a pinot gris, a chardonnay, a cabernet sauvignon and a cabernet franc. The bottles sported designs that seemed like word/icon clouds, and the words and symbols were meant to conjure associations with wine such as love, adventure, and magic. The labels were even featured at a business/marketing expo in Shanghai! Karem Baki serves as consulting winemaker. Grapes are currently outsourced from local vineyards. Our favorite here was the Cabernet Franc 2010 with its earthy elements and palate of blackberries, dark raspberries, and spice.
Will we make it to #200? New wineries are opening all of the time in Virginia, so we will take things one winery at a time. Until then, visit these newbies and tell them that Virginia Wine Time sent you.
The 38th Annual Virginia Wine Festival
We rarely attend wine festivals, but the Virginia Wine Festival at Great Meadow in The Plains, Virginia is one that we do try to visit. Gorgeous weather and numerous wine, food and art vendors made this year’s festival especially appealing.
Wine festivals in Virginia have a reputation for attracting party crowds who prefer to get a buzz rather than appreciate wine. However, the Virginia Wine Festival seems to generate a different vibe. A number of seminars held at various times of the weekend that include food and wine pairing sessions, wine tasting 101, and a wine judging crash course. One session delved into wine glasses and the differences between the various types of glasses—perfect for wine geeks!
Of course, wine tasting is the ultimate reason to attend the Virginia Wine Festival. Over 40 Virginia wineries, cideries, and meaderies poured their wares at the festival. We did not get to sample all of the wines; after all, we did have to drive home. However, we did try to focus on wineries that we tend not to visit due to distance in addition to some well known favorites. Anyway, some standouts from our tastings included:
Barboursville Vermentino Reserve, Nebbiolo Reserve 2010, and the Octagon 2009
Ingleside 2009 Petit Verdot
Potomac Point Chardonnay 2012, Abbinato 2011 and Norton 2011
Rosemont Pinot Grigio and 2010 Merlot
Trump Sparkling Blanc de Blanc 2008
Food vendors offered a variety of offerings including barbeque, Thai, crab cakes, and Mediterranean. I never turn away from a crab cake, so I enjoyed a crab cake from Sherri and enjoyed it with a glass of the crisp Pinot Grigio from Rosemont Vineyards. Paul sunk his teeth into a burger with another sample of the 2009 Petit Verdot from Ingleside.
Live music filled the air, but we did keep track of the bands that performed during the course of our time at the festival. However, Paul did snap some photos of the live action, and I saw him snap his fingers to the beat of some cool jazz tunes.
We enjoyed our time at the Virginia Wine Festival and intend to visit next year; I did not get attend the session on wine glasses, but will do so in 2014! Make your plans to visit the 39th Annual Virginia Wine Festival in 2014; in the meantime, try to visit some of the wineries that we featured in this post. Mention that Virginia Wine Time sent you.
Ribbon Cutting at the Inn at Vineyard Crossing
The Inn at Vineyard Crossing, a bed and breakfast co-owned by Philip Carter Strother and Stephen Mills made its formal debut in Fauquier County with a ribbon cutting ceremony this past Saturday. Although Fauquier County boasts over 20 wineries, accommodations in the area were lacking; the Inn now fills that void.
Attendees gathered first at Philip Carter Winery and were shuttled over to the Inn for a tour. Of course, Philip Carter house wines were poured for guests who were allowed to freely walk about the Inn. The Inn itself is a renovated historic home that was built in 1787, and it includes five suites the largest of which is the Commonwealth suite. Luxurious best describes this suite; however, all of the suites were well appointed. For Virginia wine lover, the Virginia Viognier suite included a comfy king sized bed and as many pillows as one could ever need to take a snooze. All of the rooms include a private bath.
The kitchen caught my attention. It was roomy with all of the amenities needed for a truly gourmet experience. A chef-grade stove implied that delicious meals await Inn guests. These meals would be enjoyed in the elegant dining room with its master dining table; a contemporary yet style-appropriate chandelier lights the way for diners to enjoy a meal that we are certain will be paired with Philip Carter wines. We did not investigate the English garden and pool, but these were located directly behind the Inn.
After tours and wine, Philip Carter Strother gathered the guests to begin the ribbon cutting ceremony at the Inn’s entrance. On hand was Virginia delegate Webert who has made a commitment to promoting Fauquier County businesses including wineries and inns. The ribbon cutting signified a new dimension to Philip Carter Strothers’ devotion to the Virginia wine industry and what it can offer to customers who are now more likely to frequent local wine destinations especially if deluxe accommodations can be part of the plan.
So did we do a tasting at Philip Carter Winery? Of course we did. Favorites included the well-balanced 2012 Chardonnay that was not yet released; however, Dan Metzger, the operations manager, gave us a sneak preview. Its pear and apple characteristics gave way to a hint of toast and a lengthier finish. We also enjoyed the floral 2012 Sabine Hall Viognier with its peach notes and nice mouth feel. Fall is around the corner and time to consider bolder reds to pair with heartier fare. Consider the 2011 Corotoman, a Bordeaux-style blend. I first observed leather and tobacco notes and then plum and cherry elements; oak nuances were also noted.
If a trip to Fauquier County wineries is on your itinerary, consider a stay at The Inn at Vineyard Crossing. Needless to say, a tasting at Philip Carter Winery should be on the agenda. Be certain to mention that Virginia Wine Time sent you.
Virginia Wine Festival
The Virginia Wine Festival returns to Great Meadow Event Center in The Plains Virginia this coming weekend!
On September 14th and 15th, the 38th Annual Virginia Wine Festival will be held at Great Meadow in The Plains, Virginia. Festival-goers will be able to taste wine from more than 50 Virginia wineries, hear music from some great bands, and attend seminars to increase your knowledge of wine. There are several different ticket levels and festival goers can even purchase a ticket to catch a van from the Vienna Metro to the event. Many more details about the festival can be found at the website.
We are planning to attend the event on Sunday. We’ll be posting about our experience. If you don’t have any plans this weekend, consider visiting the Virginia Wine Festival at Great Meadow. And if you see us there, say hello!
Visiting Delaplane Cellars
On a gorgeous Sunday morning we headed out to Delaplane Cellars to pick up Warren’s club wines. We decided to taste the current line up of wines on the tasting menu.
We tasted the 2012 Rose before but this time it seemed to have developed nicely since our last taste. It’s a blend of merlot, cab franc, and cab sauv. It was crisp and clean with strawberry notes throughout.
The 2011 Merlot seems to be coming around as well. In the past it has not been our favorite but this time we noted flavors we had not savored before. Black cherry notes seem to prevail with a hint of minerality. We’re glad to see it’s coming together as time goes on.
After picking up Warren’s wine club wines we each enjoyed a glass of wine with a baguette and some cheese. Being a club member and being on the “pick up” option insures we visit Delaplane once a quarter. It’s nice to keep up with how the wines are developing and get to taste the current line up. If you haven’t been to Delaplane Cellars lately, plan a trip and we you do, tell them Virginia Wine Time sent you.