Even though we had been to Piedmont Vineyards in recent months, we thought we’d bring a friend to experience the wines there. Our friend Michael Tyler had been to Piedmont before, and he was eager to return for a tasting. We goaded Michael into reviewing his own favorites at Piedmont, and we’ve posted the results for all to read.
We began our tasting with the whites, and these included the Hunt Country Chardonnay Lot 5 and the Special Reserve Chardonnay 2001. The full-bodied Special Reserve Chardonnay was Warren’s favorite; given its body and nutty/vanilla finish, the Special Reserve would accompany lobster bisque, fettucine al fredo, or any dish with a cream sauce.
Piedmont’s Little Rive Rose was next up for tasting, and we all appreciated its bright strawberry and melon flavors. Michael noted a dry, tart finish and concluded that the Little River Rose could be an “all purpose wine.” Michael placed a star by this rose, and we moved on to the reds.
Next we tasted the reds. We tried the 2004 Merlot, the 2005 Merlot, the 2005 Cabernet Franc, and the 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon. All of these reds have continued to evolve in the bottle. Michael’s personal fave was the 2004 Merlot; he appreciated the smooth tannins and cherry flavors. Michael found this Merlot to be accessible for a fuller bodied red.
Michael was anxious to sample the fruit wines as these tend to be personal favorites. His three-star favorite was the Little River Red; Piedmont makes this one with raspberries. Michael was surprised that the Little River Red was dry with a pleasant tartness; he anticipated sweetness from a fruit wine. Sweeter was to be found in the Little River Peach, another of Michael’s favorites. Michael liked the texture with this peach wine and found it to be a contrast to the Little River Red. Nice with brunch, pleasant to sip on the deck—another multi-purpose wine! As we closed our tasting with the Little River White and the dessert wine, Felicita, we began to gather a consensus for a wine to enjoy with lunch. As we compared notes and discussed our lunch menu, we took a hand count and voted for the 2005 Little River Rose.
And what was on the lunch menu? Remember, Michael concluded that the Rose was an all-purpose wine, and that was exactly what was needed. Lunch offerings proved to be diverse with breaded chicken filets, hard Italian cheeses, candied nuts, and seasoned crackers. The Rose was able to match all of the above. We also had our eyes on the chocolate fondue with fruit and cream puffs available for dunking in the decadent melted chocolate. We made our way to the chocolate delights which we enjoyed with a glass of the 2005 Merlot. What a way to end our visit to Piedmont!
Our outing to Piedmont proved to be perfect way to spend a very cold afternoon. The week’s snow and freezing rain created a romantic winter landscape that provided a dreamy setting for a cozy afternoon with food and wine. We thanked Michael for providing us with his tasting expertise, and we bid our farewells. Next time you go to Piedmont, mention that you read about their wines on Virginia Wine Time.