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!