Great Grapes Wine, Arts & Food Festival

Its not often that a wine festival pops up in virtually your back yard, but that is the case next weekend when the Great Grapes Wine, Arts & Food Festival pops the cork in the Reston Town Center. There will be over 200 Virginia wines being poured, representing each region of the commonwealth:

• Willowcroft Farm Vineyards
• Williamsburg Winery
• Unicorn Winery
• Stone Mountain Vineyards
• Rosemont Vineyards and Winery
• Rebec Vineyards
• Prince Michel Winery
• Potomac Point Winery
• Philip Carter Winery of Virginia
• Montdomaine
• Mattaponi Winery
• Loudoun Valley Vineyards
• Lake Anna Winery
• James River Cellars
• Horton Vineyards
• First Colony Winery
• Fabbioli Cellars
• Democracy Vineyards
• Davis Valley Winery and Vineyard
• Cooper Vineyards
• Chateau Morrisette
• Belle Mount Vineyards

There will also be plenty of music and live food demonstrations. Music will be provided by The School of Rock,Junkyard Saints, The Jack Diamond - Jim Steed Band, & The Broadcast on Saturday and The School of Rock (again), 8 Ohms Band, & Bull City Syndicate on Sunday. Need culinary help? Come see Chef Bo Palker, Diane Eblin, Maria Liberati, Lauren DeSantis, Laurie Bell, and Jim Benson.

Capital Vineyards - The Youth Movement Continues

While in Delaplane filming some live music for Virginia Wine TV, we stopped into the grand opening of yet another new northern Virginia winery, Capitol Vineyards. This winery is significant for two reasons. First, it is owned and operated by a pair contributing to the Youth Movement in Virginia Wines. Lauren Shrem and Matthew Noland are both in their twenties and juggle professional jobs in D.C. while starting a winery in the country. Second, the winery, like many others are contributing to retain the commonwealth's heritage. The winery itself is off the beaten path - at the base of Red Oak Mountain along a gravel road off Route 55, but like many other less traveled roads, this one leads to history. Their tasting room is housed in a structure built in the 1800's that was once the home of the first black-owned Postmaster General in Virginia. Later the building was converted into a general store, but became vacant in 1950. Shrem and Noland must have needed many a weekend to renovate it into their new tasting facility and they did an outstanding job - particularly by retaining the wood counter tops and flooring. It feels like walking into history when entering.

While their vines are being planted and maturing, Capital Vineyards crafts their wines with Michael Shaps at his facility south of Charlottesville. The grapes are from the Monticello AVA and are your traditional Bordeaux varieties: Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Cabernet Sauvignon. While bottling single varietals of each of these, they also blend a Meritage. And for white wine they produce a Traminette - a hybrid that doesn't get enough love. In fact, this was probably my favorite, as it exhibited the aroma and flavor of a dry Gewürztraminer (one of its parents).

Eventually Shrem and Noland plan on opening a Bed and Breakfast on the property making this a unique weekend destination. For now though, put Capital Vineyards on your list of northern Virginia wine destinations.

A Tale of Two Wine Regions - Languedoc & Ribera del Duero

Last week we were invited to two wine tasting events scheduled for the same day, the 2011 Les AOC du Languedoc Ambassador Tour and Drink Ribera. Drink Spain. These two wine regions may be in two different countries, but are not terribly far apart. Yet the wines crafted in each region differ remarkably.

Languedoc is located in the south of France adjacent to the Mediterranean sea. Wine has been produced in the region for two and a half millenia - starting with the Greeks, then the Phoenicians and Romans. In fact, the Roman historian Titus Livius was lauding "wines of light" from Limoux two thousand years ago. And sparkling wines from Limoux were the first wines we had tasting from the region. Based on the Mauzac grape, these are some of the best sparklers we have ever tasted. Getting back to Languedoc, the region is divided into many AOCs, with almost a dozen represented on the Ambassador Tour. And as expected, the wines differ by AOC because of terrior and the grapes planted. Besides some indigenous grapes, the most popular grape varieties are Rhone varieties: Syrah, Cinsault, Carignan, Grenache, and Mourvedre for reds and Rousanne, Grenache Blamc, Marsanne, and Muscat for whites. Not too surpising since Languedoc and Rhone border each other.

The Ambassador Tour was comprised of 31 wines selected in a blind tasting by American panelists from over 120 wines submitted. Most of the wines should retail between $15 and $25, although there were a few higher end wines that were priced closer to Grand Cru Bordeaux. And almost all the wines were were made from hand picked grapes, grown in small lots, using organic farming practices, and by family estates that span generations.

The best part of the tasting was listening to the winemakers or their representatives discuss their passion for wines made in the region. The region's history, the AOCs, the grapes, food pairings - all contributed to fabulous discussions.

• The region's popular wine grape, Carignan, has the second largest planting in France. Can you guess the first?
  
• The traditional method of sparkling wine production, "méthode champenoise", where the bubbles are produced by a second fermentation in the bottles, may have originated in Limoux before it was utilized in Champagne.
  
• The La Clape AOC was once an island - now connected to the mainland by the runoff of sediment. And the Château des Karantes Grand Crus Rose and Rouge from La Clape are quite good. These wines as well as the Château des Karantes Blanc, based on Bourboulenc grape, are available locally at Cobblestone Cellars.
  
• The vines used by the Domaine la Croix Chaptal, a small winery in the Terrasses du Larzac - an AOC, have been tended by Monks for over 12 centuries. The vines were ravished by the Phylloxera epidemic almost 150 years ago; thank God for American rootstock. The present owners restored the original cellar from the Abbey and are now making very good wine - as evident by the Les Terrasses Rouge and Cuvee Charles - each differing blends of Grenache, Syrah, and Carignan.
  
• Château la Dournie is owned and operated by one of the oldest families in the region - going back almost 140 years of continual production. What's even more interesting is that the gender relationships are reversed and the winemaking has been handed down from mother to daughter for 6 generations, with the males acting as hunters and gatherers. Oh yea, there Syrah based wines are quite good.
  
• The oldest continually owned property was Château du Donjon, which has stayed in the same family for 500 years. For Americans, this length of time is unimaginable. When Columbus was sailing the seas, this family was plowing the same soil they do today. And not to be outdone, wine has been made at the estate of Chateau de Lancyre going back to 1550. These wines as well as the highly recommended Château Saint Baulery Rouge are available from Hand Picked Selections out of Warrenton VA.
  
• Organic farming -Agriculture Biologique (AB) - was proudly on display at Gilles Louvet Vineyards. They are the largest AB producer in France and the second largest in Europe. What differs from most organic wines made in the States is the price, $15 for the Vignobles Gilles Louvet Rouge. This blend of Syrah, Grenache, and Carignan is not only excellent but priced in our ballpark. Their Esprit de Sud is a sparkling wine from the Blanquette de Limoux that also fits our budget. A perfect expression of Languedoc sparklers - dry, aromatic, and flavorful.
  
• Still wines are also crafted in Limoux by the Château Rives Blanques using Chenin Blanc, Chardonnay and Mauzac. Whereas they produce 100% varietal wines from the first two grapes, my favorite was the La Trilogie a blend of the three with 50% Mauzac.
  
• The most interesting white wine was the Domaine Félines Jourdan Blanc made from 100% Piquepoul in the Picpoul de Pinet AOC. I know, Piquepoul - never heard of that grape - but it makes a good wine in this case.
  
• And the one person you would want to spend time with the most is the unofficial Ambassador for the Languedoc region, Gerard Bertrand. Besides making excellent wines, he's a professional rugby player. Most of his wines are made in Corbières but he owns or sources from vineyards in other AOCs including Monervois la Liviniere - the source for the Gerard Bertrand La Viala Rouge. Along with the Gerard Bertrand La Forge Rouge from Corbières Boutenac, these wines are made from old, low yield vines. The La Viala is a blend of Syrah, Grenache, and Carignan whereas the La Forge is a 50/50 blend of Carignan and Syrah. Interestingly we learned that Carignan is the second largest planting in France. Can you guess the first? These wines are outstanding, full bodied - balanced between tannins and acidity. And they are priced for the quality - $75.

There you have it, a short guide to Languedoc. No longer just a source for sparkling wine; this region will provide us with plenty of excellent red and white still wines.

Live Music on the Virginia Wine Trail

This past Saturday we visited three Virginia wineries that host live music for a feature on Virginia Wine TV. We've been to wineries when they hosted live music before, but like many clubs, the music was an added attraction to a social engagement. Today we focused entirely on the music and really appreciated the talent of these musicians. The videos are available at the MyJoogTV YouTube channel and this week at MyJoogTV. The day started at Delaplane Cellars where Gary Smallwood was performing. Smallwood combines a clear acoustic picking with a soulful voice. After a few songs we had to move on, and the next stop was Aspen Dale Winery at the Barn, which had booked Mike Bowers. And Bowers was the biggest surprise. The background noise is atrocious, but listen to his voice in these videos. Unbelievable. And like Smallwood, Bowers regularly performs at several Virginia wineries. There is no excuse not seeing him. The final stop was at Quattro Goomba’s Winery where Andre Fox was playing the "party" room. Fox is more engaging with the audience and had groups of people dancing around the fermenting tanks. Besides being charismatic, Fox has another beautiful soulful voice, from Percy Sledge to Otis Redding. You get the idea. As you can hear, another reason to visit your local winery - support local music.

Rockin' Out at Wineries

As the weather warms, it's time for our annual sermon on hidden gems that host live music - our ever expanding collection of wineries. Farm wineries are unique in that they perform three different types of economic activity. They are agricultural entities, growing and harvesting grapes and other fruit. They engage in manufacturing by turning the juice from these fruit into wine and bottling the fermented beverage. And finally, farm wineries participate in the service economy, by hosting events in their tasting rooms in order to attract consumers. And it seems one of the most popular events is hosting live music.

The style and facilities differ among region and winery. Some may offer local musicians; other regional artists or national touring acts. Right here in Northern Virginia it seems that almost every winery in Loudoun County and along the Route 66 corridor provide regular live music. Last year we filmed our inaugural episode of MyJoogTV at the summer concert series at Tarara Vineyard & Winery and filmed more sessions at three other wineries that host local and regional acts: Adams County Winery, Black Ankle Vineyards, and Veritas Vineyards. But basically, for those living near Washington D.C. and Baltimore, there is a plethora of musical opportunities within a short drive in Maryland, Virginia, and Pennsylvania.

This phenomenon is not limited to the Mid-Atlantic. Wineries exist in every state of this country, and the same holds for live music hosted at these establishments. Some are full fledged concert halls such as Mountain Winery or Wente Vineyards in California. Others, such as Pend d'Oreille Winery, La Vina Winery, Schnebly Redland's Winery, and McLaughlin Vineyards may seem remote - but they provide plenty of music. And as expected, wineries near music meccas like Nashville and Austin, leverage those musical communities. Check out Arrington Vineyards, Pedernales Cellars, and Landon Winery as examples.

We and the wineries are constantly adding these events to the Wine-Compass and MyJoog event listings - with the later providing more information on the musicians. Regardless on how you find these events; go out and support local wine and local music. That's a great combination.

Virginia Wine Week Kickoff with Virginia First Lady Maureen McDonnell

This episode features First Lady Maureen McDonnell and several media guests at a Kickoff Celebration for the 2nd Annual Virginia Wine Week at The Wine Loft in Glen Allen Virginia. Virginia Wine Week is a government imitative to encourage retailers, restaurants, and consumers to support Virginia wine, obviously by selling and purchasing the many excellent wines crafted in the commonwealth. The music is provided by Charlottesville based Sons of Bill; if you like Americana - Rock, then you will like this band.

Peruvian Pisco – A Proud Tradition

You never know when the opportunity presents itself to learn more about wine. A month ago, while in Las Vegas, I asked our Peruvian driver about wines in his country. Fifteen minutes later I was a certified expert on the Peruvian national spirit, Pisco, and its companion drink the Pisco Sour. When the Spaniards conquered South American, they carried with them Quebranta grape vines and found a suitable climate to plant these in the Ica Valley. Eventually, the recently fermented grape juice or musts from these grapes were distilled into a clear brandy: Pisco. The name “Pisco” most likely derives from the port city of Pisco, 250 km south of Lima.

There are 4 recognized types of Pisco:

· Pure: distilled only from Quebranta grapes. Other non-aromatic varieties are officially accepted (non-aromatic Normal Black and the Mollar), but our driver warned, only Pisco from Quebranta grapes can be called Pure. It’s easy to see why the Quebranta grape is beloved by the Peruvian people. Its vine is so hardy that, today, the stocks are used as graft bearers for other grape varieties.

· Aromatic: distilled from aromatic grapes derived from the family of muscatels.

· Green Must: originated from the distillation of grape musts in fermentation process (this refers to the musts in which sugar has not been transformed into alcohol)

· Acholado: results from the distillation of musts of different grape varieties.

Our driver also warned us about Piscos made from outside of Peru. He informed us of five main features which distinguish true Peruvian Pisco from those distilled outside the country. For this list, he recommended an article in which I am quoting directly: “Peruvian Gastronomy - The Pisco - Differences between Pisco and other grape “aguardientes” made outside Peru” made available by the Peruvian Embassy.

1. The grape variety: One of the most important differences between the genuine Pisco and foreign aguardientes is that the grape used for its preparation –artisan and industrial- is not limited to the aromatic grape “Moscatel”. Actually, the emphasis is put on the flavor or in the aroma. This is why the most common grape types are “Quebranta” (a typically Peruvian mutation) and, in less percentage, the Normal Black and the Mollar, which are non-aromatic varieties.

2. Non-rectification of steams: The distillation process used for preparing Pisco is carried out in distilleries or small stills of non-continuous operation, not in continuous distilleries. Thus, the constituting elements of the genuine Pisco will not be removed at the time of rectifying steams produced at its distillation.

3. Time between fermentation of musts and distillation process: According to the definition of Pisco, this beverage is obtained from the distillation of recently fermented “fresh” musts. This type of process avoids recently fermented musts to remain stagnant for several months before being distilled or used for mature wines. Nowadays, distilleries for preparing Pisco should meet the requirements required by the Committee of Supervision of Technical Regulations, Metrology, Quality Control and Tariff restrictions of the National Institute for the Protection of Intellectual Property and Free Competition (INDECOPI).

4. No aggregate is included: In Peru, the distillation process is not suspended until obtaining the alcoholic Pisco at levels of 42° - 43° degrees Gay-Lusac. No distilled or treated water is added with the purpose of changing its consistency, color and other features that make it a distinctive product.

5. Process to obtain the established alcoholic content: When distillation of fresh musts starts, the alcoholic contents of the distilled product is high, reaching 75° degrees Gay-Lusac approximately. As the process continues, the alcoholic content decreases, thus, allowing other constituting elements of Pisco to make up the brandy. According to the skills and tradition of the Peruvian “pisquero”, this process lasts until the alcoholic content decreases to about 42° or 43°, sometimes decreasing to 38° degrees Gay-Lusac.

They obviously take their Pisco seriously in Peru. In fact, our trip to Las Vegas coincided with a special Peruvian holiday, National Pisco Sour day, which occurs annually the first Saturday in February. So, the moral of this article is to engage your driver in a conversation on drinks from their homeland and to raise a glass to a Pisco Sour. You will not be disappointed. Below is a simple recipe.

Pisco Sour recipe
3 parts pisco brandy
1 1/2 parts lemon juice
1 - 2 tbsp sugar

The Discover Virginia Food and Wine Festival

The Discover Virginia Food and Wine Festival is Greene County’s spring party and kick off of the Virginia Wine Festival season. The 6th annual festival will offer its unique atmosphere of family friendly festival entertainment, food vendors and wine tastings. For the first time, the Discover Virginia Wine festival will partner with Buy Fresh, Buy Local which helps consumers find local products while building relationships between growers, food artisans, farmers’ markets retailers, restaurants, and institutions. The festival will spotlight Virginia Wineries as well as many local restaurants and artisans. Whether you are there to taste wine, enjoy the bounty or fresh food, purchase unique local merchandise – the Virginia Food and Wine festival is a fun family environment – including the family dog!

Aside from raising money for Greene Co. public schools, there will also be a donation to the nursing scholarship fund of Adriane Neumeister, widow of Dan Neumeister, former winemaker at Sugar Leaf Vineyards who was tragically killed last fall by a drunk driver, and had no life insurance.

The event will feature wine and food matching seminars as well as bands and a variety of food vendors, as well as children-dedicated activities.

Blackwater Distilling Releases Eastern Shore's First Vodka Since Prohibition

Maryland’s first distillery in nearly 40 years set to contribute to explosive growth of super-premium spirits market

Stevensville, Md. – March 28, 2011 – Blackwater Distilling™, Inc. today announced the launch of its flagship spirit, Sloop Betty vodka, a wheat- and sugar cane-based craft product. Part of an elite group of just 200 craft distilleries in the entire country, Blackwater Distilling is Maryland’s first federally and state-licensed beverage alcohol distillery in more than three decades. The initial distribution area for its spirits covers Maryland, Delaware and the District of Columbia.

Sloop Betty, the fictional pinup character that graces every bottle, is a hot addition to the local distilled spirits scene. Crafted on Maryland’s Eastern Shore, Sloop Betty’s got the goods…in more ways than one.

“Betty is more than a pretty face,” said Christopher Cook, CEO of Blackwater Distilling. “In 2005, after coming across an archive of long-forgotten spirits, my brother, Jon, and I have made it our passion to hand craft spirits made from Maryland-sourced and other select ingredients.”

Though widespread distribution is set to launch April 1, Sloop Betty vodka has already been spotted on select restaurant and store shelves, such as Baltimore’s Woodberry Kitchen and Kooper’s Tavern. Initial supplies are limited; remember to ask for Sloop Betty by name at bars, restaurants and stores offering fine spirits. Though price will vary at individual retail outlets, Sloop Betty will be available for around $32.

“Over the past five years, we’ve perfected the recipe for a smooth and balanced wheat- and sugar cane-based vodka,” said Jon Cook, Blackwater Distilling’s COO, who developed the company’s production and quality assurance process. “We use exceptional raw sources of wheat and sugar cane to craft Sloop Betty because that combination yields the cleanest, balanced spirit of the highest quality. Our proprietary process weeds out undesirable elements, such as burn from the wheat and excess sweetness from the cane.”

Superior taste is just one factor that distinguishes Sloop Betty. Maintaining the integrity of the land from which products are crafted is a cornerstone of Blackwater Distilling’s values. Dubbed the “Everglades of the North,” the Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge that is the distilling company’s namesake will receive a percentage of proceeds through the organization Friends of Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge.

Vodka, the nation’s most popular spirit, makes up more than 24 percent of sales volume in Maryland and Washington, D.C., or approximately 1.2 million 9-liter cases. About 300,000 of those cases are super-premium, and sales of such quality spirits grew an impressive 90% from 2003 to 2009, according to data from the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States (DISCUS). Statistics from the Beverage Journal show that vodka overall grew by nearly 5 percent last year, and premium vodkas, like Sloop Betty, grew 12 percent.
# # #
Based on Maryland’s Eastern Shore, Blackwater DistillingÔ, Inc. handcrafts super-premium spirits, such as its flagship product, Sloop Betty vodka. Made of the finest ingredients, Sloop Betty is best served over ice or in a glass neat. Any way she’s poured, we encourage adults to savor Sloop Betty and enjoy our products responsibly. Learn more about the company at www.SloopBetty.com and follow us on Facebook and Twitter (@sloopbetty).

Stacey Viera
for Blackwater Distilling
press@sloopbetty.com
(202) 905-2430

Virginia Wine TV - Talking Norton and DLW with Jennifer McCloud

To celebrate this year's DrinkLocalWine.com conference - scheduled for St. Louis, Missouri April 2nd-3rd - ourselves, Virginia Wine TV, and My Vine Spot organized a couple sessions tasting Kansas and Missouri Norton wines along with Jennifer McCloud from Chrysalis Vineyards. The first session was a filming of a Virginia Wine TV episode released today showing McCloud and Ms. Ballard discussing the history of the grape as well as its migration west and then its return to Virginia via Dennis Horton. During the episode they sampled wines from several highly regarded wineries in the Midwest. You have to watch the video to see their thoughts.

A week later Dezel and I organized a bloggers tasting of Norton wines at Chrysalis Vineyards with Jennifer McCloud leading the tasting once again. Along with several that I had accumulated while traveling to Kansas City, McCloud pulled a couple from her cellar as well as several older Chrysalis wines. The result of the tasting shows that, handled with care and aged, Norton wines are very drinkable and can exhibit the same complexity as wines made from viniferia grapes. We also found that the wines needed to be decanted before tasting as many had some reductive characteristics - but after several violent shakes of the glass - the aromas and flavors were properly released. Each of us had our favorites, and with McCloud's dedication to the grape there was no surprise that her wines were very good - whether the high end Locksley Reserve, the Estate Bottled Norton, or the fruity Sarah's Patio Red. The Westphalia Vineyards Norton was my favorite from the Midwest - this was a full bodied where the acids had been tamed and the wine mellowed to a smooth and very drinkable wine. And as expected the Stone Hill Winery Norton was quite nice. In neighboring Kansas, the grape is often referred to as Cynthiana and Holy-Field Vineyard & Winery releases a version that stands up to both time and being opened for over a week. The flavor profile from this wine most closely resembles those from Chrysalis - bigger than many of the Missouri wines but tame in its acidity.

During this tasting, Hump Astorga, Director of Culinary Operations at Chrysalis, showed how Norton is also a very food friendly wine. We set aside our favorites and paired them with two
of his creations: Bouches with Thyme-scented Goat Cheese and Applewood Smoked Bacon and Garlic Crostini, Locksley Estate Venison Pate and Norton-laced Cranberry Chutney. He explained how to pair wine and food and the idea to balance the acidity in the wine with the flavor and acidity in the food. Obviously us mortals don't have the culinary skills to craft these items, but the idea is the same: wine is meant to be to enjoyed with food - Norton included.

Take a peak at the DrinkLocalWine.com website and think about heading to St. Louis this weekend. You will earn why Norton is truly the "Great American" grape - the only indigenous grape variety that can be vinified into a full bodied comparable to the noble European grapes.

Thanks to Jennifer McCloud for hosting these events; Hump Astorga; and all the participants; included Michael, Dezel of My Vine Spot, Chris Parker from New Horizon Wines, Raelinn from Wine Ophelia, and Alleigh from A Glass After Work.

Wines we tasted from:

• Chrysalis Vineyards
• Adam Puchta Winery
• Stone Hill Winery
• St. James Winery
• Holy-Field Vineyard & Winery
• Stonehaus Farms Winery
• Les Bourgeois Vineyards
• Davenport Winery
• Kugler's Vineyard
• Westphalia Vineyards

Keeping up the Kluge winery

Here's the latest happenings going on at Kluge via c-ville.com.

By BRENDAN FITZGERALD
Mere weeks before the auction that will convey Patricia Kluge’s wine empire to the highest bidders, 20 former employees of the Kluge Estate Winery & Vineyard continue to maintain the foreclosed property’s vines and facilities. The workers, says winery employee Tim Rausse, are touching up everything from a 34,000-square-foot carriage house to an unglamorous “modular office” before the auction. The hum of a pressure washer is audible; Rausse explains that an employee is cleaning the winery production building.

The Kluge Estate Winery & Vineyard, divided into six tracts totaling roughly 900 acres, will be sold at absolute auction on April 7—an event that may attract business tycoon and potential bidder Donald Trump, reportedly a friend of the Kluge family.

When a winery doesn’t make bank, then the bank takes back the winery. However, after Farm Credit of the Virginias foreclosed on the Kluge operation, the subject of a $34.8 million lien, a December foreclosure auction failed to attract a sufficient bid. The bank bought the winery back for $19 million and plans to offer the business and property in six separate tracts, totaling more than 900 acres, at an April 7 absolute auction. The farm and winery equipment will be auctioned the following day.

Gregory Brun, former director of winery and vineyard operations at Kluge Estate, now serves as Chief Operating Officer for Grand Cru Properties, a limited liability company launched by Farm Credit to manage the property until its sale. “Right now, Farm Credit is not making wine,” says Brun. However, he says, the current staff is “doing what needs to be done at the winery.”

Read more...

Stop HR 1161 - The Odyssey Continues

HR5034; which would have drastically threatened the direct shipping of wine, beer & spirits; died in the last session of Congress. But like the Phoenix it has risen anew in the current Congressional session as HR1161. The Terroirist blog has the links you need to stay informed and to help stop the Wholesalers from restricting consumer choice and the ability of small wineries, breweries, and distillers to sell their products out of state.

Virginia Wine TV Covers the Virginia Wine Expo 2011

Here's our companion blog covering the Virginia Wine Expo.

Norton virtual tasting for DLW 2011: Missouri

With the assistance of Dezel from My Vine Spot and Jenny McCloud, proprietor of Chrysalis Vineyards, we will be hosting a virtual tasting of various Midwestern Norton wines on Wednesday March 23rd in anticipation for DLW 2011: Missouri. Even though Chrysalis possesses the world's largest planting of Norton grapes in their Virginia estates, Norton is most popular in the Midwest and Plains states with the largest plantings in Kansas, Missouri, and Illinois. Norton is best served aged, so we will be opening 8-10 year old wines from Chrysalis as well as the wineries listed below. We encourage everyone to open a bottle of Midwestern wine on the 23rd, whether Norton\Cynthania or St. Vincent, Chardonel, Vignoles; or any other grape variety. Just use the #DLWMO hash tag to share your thoughts. Cheers.

Kansas
Holy-Field Vineyard & Winery
Davenport Winery
Kugler's Vineyard

Missouri
Stone Hill Winery
Stonehaus Farms Winery
Les Bourgeois Vineyards
Adam Puchta Winery
Bethlehem Valley Vineyards
Röbller Vineyard Winery
St. James Winery

Virginia Wine TV Celebrates Virginia Wine Week

Check out this video promoting Virginia Wine TV and Virginia Wine Week. On a fairly regular basis they will be releasing videos covering many facets of the industry; interviews with winemakers, the Virginia First Lady, and critics; discussions about grape varieties; as well as short entertaining segments such as this video and soon, on dog friendly wineries. Plus each video will contain a musical theme performed by a Virginia born or based musician. In this case, Larry Keel & Natural Bridge provide the score. Check back often for new video releases.

Where in the World is Slovenia?

I've always had a fascination for Slovenia, not sure why, maybe its history of being swallowed by various empires - Austria to the north, Italy to the west, and of course, the old Yugoslavia. This attraction lead us to visit Ljubljanica and Lake Bled, taste some local beer and wine, and enjoy the country. However, the wine never really registered until we sampled them again at the Washington D.C. International Wine & Food Festival and then a week ago at a special trade tasting held at the Slovenian Embassy. The truth is that they are crafting excellent wines in this hidden region.

Slovenian vineyards are primarily situated in two regions, the Podravje Region (Stajerska Slovenia) in the northeast and the Primorska Region (Brda-Collio and Vipava) in the southwest. The Podravje Region is the largest "appellation" and is more mountainous with plenty of southern exposure for the vineyards. The gravel and clay soils drain well and the hot summers and cool evenings provide an ideal climate for Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio, Traminer, Yellow Muscat, Pinot Noir, Zweigelt and Blaufränkisch. In fact this region is the source of German Lemberger. On the other hand, the Primorska Region borders Italy and consists of gently rolling hills and a micro-climate produced by the Adriatic Sea. Traditional Bordeaux and indigenous varieties are planted here - both made in the earthy European style.

The Slovenian white wines were extremely impressive. We first re-tasted the Pullus Sauvignon Blanc and Pullus Pinot Grigio, which attracted our attention (and others) at the D.C. festival. These wines are crafted by the oldest winery in Slovenia, Ptujska Klet and are flavorful with balanced acidity - very nice everyday wines. The winery also offers a Pullus G collection crafted for the restaurant market that are fuller from extended lees aging and partial malolatic fermentation. Besides the Sauvignon Blanc, the Pullus G Traminer was very good. Another excellent white wine from Stajerska was the Sanctum Chardonnay. This is the low alcohol Burgundy style - not the California fruit bombs. It is barrel fermented and aged on lees, but doesn't retain much oakiness since its aged in steel. Our type of Chardonnay. Yet, the most interesting white wine was the Mansas Klarnica, an indigenous grape grown on only 15 acres in the Vipava Valley. This rare treat is supposedly off-dry, but is much drier on the palette. Very interesting.

There were several good red wines, although they seemed to be over shadowed by the white selections. Pullus and Sanctum both had very drinkable Pinot Noirs - nice and gentle. The Bordeaux blend Klinec Quela bio-dynamic wine was easily the most noticeable - red fruit flavors, strong tannins, and a long tail.

We highly recommend researching and sampling Slovenian wines. They are both affordable and delicious. To find these wines in your area check out Fine Croatian Wines and Vinum USA.

Third annual DrinkLocalWine.com Conference - St. Louis

"We don't need no stinkin' vinifera: The grapes of Missouri" - now that's a seminar I'd like to witness. And you can too by attending the Third annual DrinkLocalWine.com Conference, held at the Doubletree Westport - St. Louis on April 2nd-3rd. Yes, there are a few vinifera wines crafted in the midwest, but local wine drinkers imbibe in plenty of Norton\Cynthania, St. Vincent, Chardonel, Vignoles, and several other labrusca and hybrids. Having traveled to the area for the better part of a year, the wines are very good. Tickets to the conference start at a very reasonable $35 per session, with discounts for multiple sessions. Don't miss Doug Frost moderating the Grapes of Missouri session - he will make it entertaining; and plus there's the standard twitter taste-off and winery tours. Cheers.

MyJoogTV Brings Local Drinks and Music Together in Perfect Harmony

On Tap Magazine features our companion site at MyJoogTV with this piece in the March issue. The article, written by Jessica Strelitz, mentions the episodes featuring Tarara Winery and Black Ankle Vineyards.

Fox Meadow Winery "Le Renard Rouge" Honored with 2011 Virginia Governor's Cup Award

Out of hundreds of wines entered and six finalists, the Fox Meadow Winery Meritage "Le Renard Rouge" was awarded 2011 Virginia Governor's Cup Award. First Lady Maureen McDonnell presented the cup to Cheryl and Dan Mortland, who along with their son Robert, own and operate the Linden Virginia up in the Blue Ridge Mountains. The winning wine is a 50-50 blend Cabernet Franc and Merlot crafted from estate grown grapes and aged 20 months in French oak barrels.

“3” - A Monticello Wine Trail Collaboration

“Three winemakers, three vineyards, three varietals, one wine” is the unique tagline for a unique Virginia wine named “3”. A triumvirate effort from winemakers Emily Pelton, Jake Busching and Matthieu Finot was born over a friendly beer and a what-if statement. ‘”Wouldn’t it be fun if…’”.

The three winemakers decided that this would be an opportunity not only to work together and show the collaborative nature of the industry, but also to highlight the creative process of sharing and learning from one another. The winemaking industry is distinctive, in that it is a wonderful combination of artistry, science and vintage expression. Each of the three winemakers’ personal style joins forces in a product that reflects the blending of terroirs and personalities.

“3” is a Bordeaux blend of three varietals in equal one-third portions from the 2009 vintage.

The Merlot was crafted by Matthieu Finot from King Family Vineyards, the Petit Verdot by Emily Pelton from Veritas Winery, and the Cabernet Franc by Jake Busching from Pollak Vineyards.

With more than 30 years of combined winemaking experience, these 3 winemakers carefully selected two barrels from their cellars that they felt would highlight their colleagues’ wine. The resulting product is a wine with perfect proportion and balance. This wine is a limited edition crafted in friendship and bottled to show the unity of the industry. The expansion and quality of Virginia wine is mirrored in the growth of these three young winemakers’ careers.

The premiere introduction of “3” will be at Pollak Vineyards on Thursday, March 3 from 3:33 p.m. to 5.30 p.m. Tastings of this limited production will only be available at this release event and at the three participating wineries all day the following Sunday, March 6. Each winery will have 45 cases for sale at $33.33 per bottle.

Team 3
Matthieu Finot was born in Crozes Hermitage in the Rhone Valley. From a family of viticulturists and wine lovers, Matthieu was predisposed to continue his family's pursuit of winemaking and enjoying. He first studied viticulture and oenology at Beaune, in the heart of Burgundy. After graduating in 1995, Matthieu worked in many different wine regions around France including Rhone Valley, Bordeaux, Burgundy, Provence, and Jura. Matthieu then wanted to gain world-wide experience. He worked in Italy and South Africa before settling in Virginia. Since arriving in 2003, Matthieu has worked with wineries throughout the state. He enjoys working in the Monticello Appellation most because he likes the excitement of the region’s growth and being close to Charlottesville. When not at the winery, or with his brand new son, Matthieu likes to play rugby, snow board, rock climb, cook, and drink wine with his friends.

Emily Pelton graduated from Emory University with a B.S. in Neuroscience and Behavioral Biology, and a focus in Infectious Diseases. She happily moved to Virginia from Atlanta in 1999 to take a year off, and work alongside her parents in the development of Veritas Vineyard and Winery. It didn't take long for her to realize that she was not going back to her original field of study. After completing her Masters in Oenology at Virginia Tech, Emily joined the family venture full-time. Focusing primarily on allowing the Virginia terroir to show through in her wines, Emily is emphatic about being true to the grape. Elevated by a strong family business, Emily has grown up making wine solely for Veritas Vineyard and Winery. Outside of wine she has an extensive orchid collection and two beautiful girls.

Jake Busching began growing wine grapes in the Monticello region in 1997. Having grown up as a cattle farmer, the transition into winegrowing was a natural step. Pollak Vineyards has been his home as winemaker and general manager since 2003. Having learned viticulture and winemaking through mentors and hands on application, Jake believes that wine is an expression of the soil on which it is grown. Beyond the world of wine Jake plays bass guitar, thinks about playing golf, and has 2 sons that keep him very busy. In 2011 Jake will release a very limited amount of his own wine under the label Pythias.

Photographs, Courtesy of Jack Looney
www.kingfamilyvineyards.com
www.pollakvineyards.com
www.veritaswines.com