
Enjoy The Holiday!
Weekend Pour
Buy Clonazepam Online Overnight This past weekend, I had friends over for dinner and on the menu was pork roulade with a side of cranberry chutney. Of course, the big decision was what wine to pour. The pork was stuffed with corn bread stuffing that included smoked sausage and dried fruit. I opted for a French burgundy, the 2003 Chateau Germain Bourgogne. Pinot noir can usually compliment a wide variety of foods including pork and can stand up to a number of spices, herbs, and other bridge ingredients like onions, shallots, garlic and mushrooms. Given my menu with its varied ingredients, the 2003 Chateau Germain seemed like a natural pairing.
So how to describe this lovely wine? The eyes observed the rich, dark garnet color, and from there, it’s on to the nose. Aromas of plum, anise, cedar and smoke suggested a complex wine. The mouth confirmed this promise—opulent cherry and earthy flavors with hints of pepper toward the end gave way to a nice, lengthy finish. As the bottle floated around the table, it proved to be a crowd pleaser and the ultimate compliment to the meal.
Buy Prednisone Online Without Prescription Cold winter nights are usually a good time to serve up roasted meats paired with red wines. When not considering a Virginia wine, try a rich Pinot Noir from Burgundy such as the 2003 offering from Chateau Germain!
Holiday Wines
Ingleside Vineyards
https://acupuncturespace.com/acupuncture-general-health/ We recently visited friends who lived in the Northern Neck of Virginia, and we used the occasion to visit some wineries in the area. (Would we pass up the opportunity? Of course not !) In fact, our friends, Bob and Jackie joined us on the wine trail. They prepared a lovely picnic lunch to bring along, and we headed off to Ingleside Vineyards for our first stop. We’ve been to Ingleside on several occasions, and we were anxious to try newer releases. Bob and Jackie were also eager to sample Ingleside’s numerous offerings, and we were all on a quest to find a wine that would pair with lunch!
https://www.centroindependencia.com/comercios/alzero/ We sampled several selections from three tasting menus—the Premium Wines, the Chesapeake Wines, and the Black Label Wines. Each menu offered something for everybody. The Premium and Black Label wines might be featured at dinner parties or black tie affairs; the Chesapeake Wines lend themselves to picnics, sunsets on the balcony, or summer concerts. With four different palates at the tasting bar, sampling from all three menus proved to be interesting.
Buy Valium Online Without Prescription

Order Zopiclone Online Jackie tended to favor drier white wines and dinner-friendly reds. For her, the premium Chardonnay and the Black Label Sangiovese topped the charts. Warren concurred with these ratings. The Sangiovese presented notes of violet and plum with subtle smoky aromas. Cherry/berry flavors with a rustic, earthy charm made this one irresistible. Herb-crusted beef tenderloins would simply moo with delight when paired with this Sangiovese. And what if seafood is on the menu? Jackie’s preferred Premium Chardonnay would be just fine. Done in the classic French style, the Premium Chardonnay has a gentle toasty finish that suggests an appropriate oak treatment..
Jackie’s husband, Bob, likes his wines on the sweeter side. Two Chesapeake Wines struck his fancy—the Blue Crab Blush and the Sweet Virginia Rose. Both wines are done in the rose style and possessed bright strawberry flavors; pinkish colors suggest a sweeter style appropriate for the picnic table, poolside, or dessert! One Chesapeake Wine that did earn unanimous approval was the Blue Crab Blanc. The Blue Crab Blanc is a blend of white wine grapes, and the final product is not as sweet as its pinkish siblings. In fact, this off-dry selection would be quite lovely as a partner to light fare such as salads topped with crabmeat.
Order Klonopin Online So what about Paul’s favorites? Surprisingly, the Black Label Syrah finished ahead of the Merlot! Paul was enticed by the leathery/spicy aromas and was then hooked with its dry fruit and peppery flavors. Warren detected more black cherry on the palate, but each palate is different, and no one argued with Paul’s gold star selection.

After our tasting, lunch was calling us from the trunk of the car. Jackie and Bob prepared sandwiches that included chicken salad, cheese and pimento, salad. and ham/cheese. Paul brought along various cheeses and nuts. Now our task was to find the right wine, and we actually selected two wines from our tasting options. One wine, the Rosato di Sangiovese, satisfied the dry wine lovers; the other, the Blue Crab Blush, pleased the sweet wine lovers. (Of course, we did not finish both bottles of wines, and leftovers came home with us!) At a loss for a wine for to serve with baked ham for the holidays? Try either of these wines.
We enjoyed food, wine and conversation amidst fall colors and crisp breezes that made us forget about the global warming autumn that characterized most of October. We all purchased bottles of favorite Ingleside wines and we bid our farewells. For those who plan a trip to the Northern Neck, do stop by Ingleside Vineyards and tell the tasting room staff that Virginia Wine sent you!
Thanksgiving Dinner Suggestions
https://www.centroindependencia.com/servicios/

What wine to serve with Thanksgiving dinner? The options are limitless, but several factors must be considered. Assuming that turkey will be the star of the show, then sides dishes might have to be considered when selecting wines. Seasonings and spices may also be a factor. Sauces may also complicate things. However, probably the most important factor to consider are the guests since Thanksgiving Dinner usually brings together many people with different palates. If unsure, ask a knowledgeable assistant at any wine shop. In the meantime, here are some possibilities:
https://maderasgamez.com/gama-fundermax-hosteleria/ Whites: Chardonnay Riesling Gerwurztraminer
Order Xanax No Prescription Red: Pinot Noir Beaujolais (a classic) Cabernet Franc
At larger gatherings, it might even be a good idea to have two or three options and then have guests decide which wine they’d like to enjoy. Do you have any favorite pairings to share? Let us know!
Recommendations from Recent Travels
We recently visited some old favorites while on a trip to Charlottesville. Here is a roundup of some favorite pours:
Horton Cellars—2006 Viognier; Sparkling Viognier—this one is a sure-fire hit for New Years’ Eve
Barboursville Vineyards—lots to recommend here, but new faves included: 2006 Rose, 2006 Pinto Grigio, and 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve.
Oakencroft Winery—Warren’s favorite: 2006 Viognier; Paul’s favorite: 2006 Seyval Blanc and 2006 Merlot
Jefferson Vineyards—2006 Viognier, and 2006 Cabernet Franc
Kluge Estate Winery and Vineyard—Kluge Estate SP Blanc de Blanc; for the price, Albemarle Simply Red cannot be beat.
We did also visit Keswick Vineyards and we ran into our friends, John and Megan Witherspoon. We also got to meet Megan’s Mom! They all own and operate Woodland Farm Winery and Vineyard, a very small winery near Richmond. We were able to compare notes on wines being sampled at Keswick, and though we all had different favorites, the Viognier was the group favorite. In fact, John and Megan kindly sprung for a bottle of the Viognier, and we enjoyed wine and conversation out on the tasting room’s front porch.
If you visit any of the above including Woodland Farm Winery and Vineyard, be sure to mention that Virginia Wine Time sent you.
Gray Ghost Reserve Cabernet Release
This past weekend we joined friends and other wine enthusiasts at Gray Ghost Winery to celebrate the release of their acclaimed 2004 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon. An elegant evening of wine, fine cuisine and music was held at the winery, and attendees were presented with their own keepsake glass, a lovely crystal red wine glass inscribed in gold ink with the Gray Ghost logo. Of course, the glass was filled with the 2004 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon!

And what an elegant pour it was—deep garnet in color, a bold bouquet that featured tobacco and dried currants, and a complex flavor profile rich in deep cherry/plum flavors with some spice toward the end. We all noted a lengthy finish . Our friend, Jason, remarked that it seemed to be a perfect cigar wine. However, all of us preferred the 2004 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon with the evening’s menu. This included prime rib with gorgonzola sauce, salmon filets, roasted vegetables, and potatoes. A richer experience was enjoyed with the Cabernet and dark chocolate desserts offered at the end of the meal.
Time did seem to fly, but we made certain to purchase bottles of the 2004 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon. Warren’s bottle is destined for the wine rack as this one will only get better with age. This is a limited production wine, so be sure to make it out to Gray Ghost to purchase a bottle of this special offering–and be sure to mention that Virginia Wine Time sent you.
Michael Tyler Returns
Our friend and wine enthusiast, Michael Tyler, joined us for wine and lunch at Winery at La Grange. It had been a while since we last visited Winery at La Grange; of course, it’s enough to visit the facility just to tour the historic home and lovely grounds. On this crisp fall afternoon, though, we were also interested in Michael’s impressions of Winery at La Grange’s wines.

The tasting menu featured six wines to sample, and our associate, dressed in her finest Halloween fashion, guided us through our tasting. Of the dry whites, the unanimous favorite was the 2006 Fletcher’s Chardonnay with its apple flavors and buttery finish. Michael tends to appreciated off-dry white wines, and the Cuvee Blanc was made just for him. In fact, Michael placed a check mark next to this one, and we knew that he would be contributing comments on this selection. Done in stainless steel, the 2006 Cuvee Blanc features three varietals that include Pinot Grigio, Viognier and Rousanne. The 1.5 residual sugar makes it slightly sweet but not cloyingly so. More on this from Michael later!

Six reds were next up for a taste, and the first three were lighter-bodied reds. The team favorite here was the 2006 Cabernet Franc. In fact, Michael placed another check mark next to this one, and we’ll let Michael do the commentaries on this one. Three bolder reds were also presented, and Warren’s own favorite was the 2005 Meritage. The 2005 Meritage blends Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot; it was the most complex of its “red” siblings with darker fruit aromas and flavors with an earthy undertone. Done in American and French oak, this Meritage leaves a lengthier finish and destined for a favorite beef dish. We were also treated to a sample of the Reserve Cabernet Franc; aged in American oak for 20 months, the Reserve Cabernet Franc was surprisingly smooth and sophisticated.
So on to lunch. We brought along herbed chicken, pasta salad with chopped ham and parmesan cheese, and a wedge of cranberry cheese. Our selection for lunch was Michael Tyler’s favorite, the 2006 Cabernet Franc. Michael noted woodsy/herby characteristics on the nose with bright berry flavors. He appreciated its lighter body and smoother finish and suggested that the 2006 Cabernet Franc might please those who would ordinarily drink a white wine. In fact, Michael stated that he would even sip a glass of the 2006 Cabernet Franc on the deck after work. Of course, Michael “check-marked” another wine that he sampled at the tasting bar, and he graciously jotted down his comments on the 2006 Cuvee Blanc.

Michael really enjoyed this one. He appreciated its pear and light citrus bouquet and “sparkling” color; Light and crisp, Michael commented that its melon flavors made this one a crowd-pleaser; if cerviche is on the menu, Michael would opt to pour the 2006 Cuvee Blanc.
As we finished our lunch and then toured the grounds, we enjoyed the pleasant breezes and mountain views. With fall finally in the air, it was a relief to even see some autumn colors. We know that we will return to Winery at La Grange, and we may even have Michael along with us. In the meantime, pay a visit to the Winery at La Grange and let them know that Virginia Wine Time sent you.
Whole Foods Celebrates Virginia Wine Month
We recently stopped by the Whole Foods market in Falls Church and were surprised to see that they were conducting food and wine pairings that featured Virginia Wines. We both were hungry, so the food samples came in handy. However, we were interested in the suggested pairings, and by the time we finished our tour of the tasting tables, we wholeheartedly concurred. Here were the food samples with their wine pairings:
1. Italian vegetable medley paired with Horton Viognier
2. Herb-crusted Haddock paired with Willowcroft’s Cold Steel Chardonnay (Paul’s favorite pairing)
3. Brie with fruit topping paired with Breaux’s Vidal Blanc
4. Asian Beef and pasta paired with Veritas Claret (Warren’s favorite pairing)
Looking for a favorite Virginia wine? A Whole Foods in your area may have it in stock. If not, ask the the wine manager to stock Virginia wines.
And while you are there, check out the Fall issue of Edible Chesapeake—it is now available at most Whole Food markets, and be sure to read the article on page six. You may just recognize the author and the photographer! Edible Chesapeake promotes the “eat locally” concept, and this area does have much to offer in that regard; in addition, this informative magazine raises awareness of sustainable foods and organic products. And it’s priced to be affordable to everyone—it’s FREE!
Have you had a Virginia Wine that you’d like to recommend to others? In the spirit of the Virginia Wine Month, leave a comment and let us know!
