Sunny springtime afternoons are made for wine tasting. We hadn’t visited Waterford Vineyards for almost a year. It was time to head back out to Loudoun County and see what was new at Waterford. We always have a great time tasting the wines and talking with owner Lori Corcoran. We discovered that changes have indeed occurred—read on to find out more!
Our tasting was conducted in the renovated and restored old house on the property. The renovation produced a charming, cozy tasting room with outdoor accommodations for picnics and wine. We came prepared—breaded chicken filets with white cheeses, baguette, and almonds. Now we needed to pick the perfect wine—follow us to the tasting room.
We were lucky enough to have Lori conduct our tasting. Of course, we began with the whites. We tasted the 2005 Vintner’s Reserve Chardonnay, the 2005 Viognier, and the 2005 Barrel Select Chardonnay. Waterford’s Chardonnays receive local, national, and international accolades, and both offerings received star designations. Warren gravitated to the 2005 Barrel Select; oak-aged with a creamy texture, this full-bodied wine would complement a wide variety of foods including poultry and shellfish. It possesses a nice acidity with a longer finish, and cream-sauced dishes would pair quite well with the 2005 Barrel Select Chardonnay. Paul, on the other hand, prefers a lighter treatment for the Chardonnay. He enjoyed the Vintner’s Reserve Chardonnay, a stainless steel Chardonnay that clean and crisp. Don’t miss the 2005 Viognier—honeyed notes and flavors with melon to boot will be summer hit.
The reds were next and we tasted the 2005 Cabernet Franc, the 2002 Malbec, and the 2005 Meritage. Readers may recall that Waterford’s Cabernet Franc finished at the top of the list at a recent blind tasting. The 2005 vintage is blended with a splash of Chambourcin, and the result is a medium-bodied wine that presents berry flavors with a spicy finish. Paul placed a star next to this one. For a fuller-bodied wine, try the 2005 Meritage with its darker fruit characteristics and longer finish.
Last on the list was the 2005 Seyval Blanc, a the moderately sweet wine. Very lemony! With summer on the way, this is the perfect patio quaffer.
After our tasting we (well, Warren) decided on the 2005 Barrel Select Chardonnay to accompany our lunch. This traditional Chardonnay was hard to resist, and it was more than a perfect partner for our lunch. However, any of the whites would have been appropriate with our lunch menu. What about dessert? We always bring dark chocolates to accompany a red wine, and we shared a glass of the 2005 Cabernet Franc as we indulged in our sinful chocolates.
Before leaving Waterford we had a chance to talk with Jim Corcoran, Lori’s husband. He told us more about their wines, and explained that Waterford would soon be changing its—this is the change that we alluded to earlier in our article. Waterford Vineyards will change its name to to Corcoran Vineyards. This change bring more focus on its owners, Lori and Jim Corcoran. However, the wines will continue to be finely crafted by crafted Mark and Vicki Fedor. . At the end of our conversation with Jim, we purchased a few bottles to take home, and Jim offered us a bottle of 2002, 2003, and 2005 Cabernet Francs with the request to conduct our own vertical tasting. What was the verdict? Keep checking in to find out the results!
The next time you visit Waterford/Corcoran Vineyards, be sure to tell Lori and Jim Corcoran that Virginia Wine Time sent you.