Loudoun's Creek's Edge Winery - A Relaxing Destination

Question? Which community holds the two oldest standing houses in Loudoun County, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and is home to a new farm winery? The answer is Taylorstown, a small village two miles south of the Potomac River that was first settled in 1734 by Richard Brown who build a mill over the Catoctin Creek. The two oldest standing houses are "Hunting Hill" and "Foxton Cottage" - both located directly across the Catoctin Creek from each other.

The new farm winery is Creek's Edge Winery, which was established by Tedd Durden in 2010. The estate vineyard consists of 4.5 acres of vines such as Chambourcin, Chardonnay, Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon. The Amish structure housing the winery and tasting room is magnificent, even at night when we ventured over.  Although we missed the views of the estate, nighttime has another advantage, particularly Sunday night when the remain open until 7PM and occasionally live music. The winery charges $8 for a standard tasting and $15 for an expanded menu. I chose the standard and learned that most of the wine is Virginia grown except for the Riesling and Sangiovese which are sourced from Washington state.  The Virginia fruit is sourced from a neighboring Lovettsville vineyard as well as southern Virginia. The wines for the standard tasting are listed below (with my immediate thoughts) and the prices were pretty consistent within the Loudoun community.  Overall the wines were solid; I enjoyed the Pinot Gris the most . Add in the ambiance and Creek's Edge Winery is a relaxing destination in the Loudoun County Wine Trail. And theCompass Winery, Brewery, Distillery Locator Mobile App will guide you to historic Taylorstown.

• 2014 Pinot Gris ($26) - peaches
• 2014 Stainless Chardonnay ($26) - green apple
• 2012 Chardonnay ($28) - lots of butter
• 2014 Riesling ($25) - 2.5RS a solid wine
• 2014 Rosé of Sangiovese ($25) - strawberry acids
• NV Chambourcin ($24) nice fruit, slight pepper
• 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon ($30) - very smooth, light green pepper
• 2012 Merlot ($30) - slight earthiness, low fruit, black pepper

#UncorkColorado 2015 Governor’s Cup Case Rhone Styled Wines

The Colorado Wine Board wants you, the wine consumer, to know that the Centennial State produces quality wine. One marketing platform they are utilizing is an #UncorkColorado Wine Virtual Tasting Series which featured the twelve wines in the 2015 Governor’s Cup Case.  Seems that Colorado is a good fit for Rhone styled wines as five of these wines were included in the case with two Syrah wines tying for Best in Show.

For those unfamiliar with Colorado wine, almost all are gown in the western part of the state with the Grand Valley AVA accounting for 80% of the grapes are grown. The next largest region is neighboring Delta & Montrose Counties which include Colorado's other American Viticultural Area, the West Elks AVA. That being said, over half of the wineries are located in Colorado's Front Range, the longitudinal area where the plains meets the Rocky's in the eastern part of the state. These eastern wineries source most of their fruit from the western region and have the grapes picked in the morning and then transferred overnight in a refrigerator truck. Also known as the Mile High State, Colorado is home to the highest vineyard elevations in America. On the positive side this altitude enhances a grape's acidity; one the negative side crop loss from frost and freezes are common.

According to the Colorado Wine Board, planting records indicate that Bordeaux varieties are the most common grapes planted in Colorado, but Rhone varieties certainly stands out. And we are referring to Northern Rhone with Syrah and Viognier. Of the two, Syrah  dominates with 1,000 acres planted compared to just 30 acres for Viognier. During out tasting we sampled one Viognier, three single varietal Syrah wines and one Rhone blend. These wines were more than solid, very tasting and structurally sound - proving that Colorado is wine country.


BookCliff Vineyards 2014 Viognier ($16, 14.8%) - BookCliff  accounts for two of the 30 acres of Viognier that were originally planted in 1997. Yields in the 2014 harvest were low, still being affected by an early freeze in 2013 that damaged most vines.  This had the beneficial result of concentrating the flavors and with the vineyard's high elevation of  4,600 feet, enhanced acidity.  The wine starts with a unique lemongrass aroma followed by apricot flavors, with some levels of cream, and refreshing acids. 

Turquoise Mesa Winery 2013 Colorado Crimson ($28, 13.5%) - blend of Syrah, Mourvedre, and Viognier sourced from the Grand Valley. After fermentation the wine was aged in three American (Minnesota) oak barrels, one new, and two multi-year barrels. There is notable spice on the wine a mix of pepper and baking spices - most likely a result of the oak. Once the spices blow off, the dark fruit flavors appear and with the soft tannins a very approachable wine.

Boulder Creek Winery 2012 Syrah (14.4%) - sourced form Talbott Farms/Diers Vineyard, Grand Valley AVA and aged 14 months in 2-year old Hungarian oak barrels. Sadly this winery closed down this month after 13 years in the industry after losing their lease. It appears the a side affect of the marijuana industry is escalating rents and the cost-benefit analysis for continuing just didn't add up. That's doubly sad because this is an excellent wine, a healthy wine was my initial exclamation, with big flavors and tannic structure yet finishing softly.

These last two Syrahs were tied as co-Best of Show in the 2015 Governor’s Cup

Turquoise Mesa Winery 2013 Syrah ($35, 13.5%) - sourced from Talbot’s Mountain Gold Block 19 Vineyard, Grand Valley AVA and aged in three American (Minnesota) oak barrels, one new, and two multi-year barrels. Like the Colorado Crimson this wine starts with plenty of pepper and spice which eventually subsides to reveal very dark fruit, some chocolate, earthy tannins, and decent texture.

Canyon Wind Cellars Anemoi 2013 Lips ($35, 14.4%) - Syrah; 100% Cliffside Vineyard, Grand Valley AVA; aged in all new American oak for ten months. The name refers to the Anemoi who were the four wind gods in Greek mythology and acknowledges the winds that regularly flow through Canyon Wind's vineyards. This was my favorite wine of the evening, simply delicious dark plummy fruit, a slight cola flavor mixing with tea and wood, then some velvety cream, finishing with acids and backbone. One complex and tasty wine. 

#WineChat Delivers Left Coast Cellars Pinot Gris & Pinot Noir

Last week winemaker Luke McCollom of Oregon's Left Coast Cellars appeared on #WineChat in order to present two new offerings from the winery, 2014 The Orchards Pinot Gris and the 2013 Cali's Cuvee Pinot Noir. This presented a ideal opportunity to continue learning about the Willamette Valley and specifically Left Coast Cellars. The winery was founded by Suzanne and Robert Pfaff in 2003 and market themselves as "one family, one vineyard, one brand." And the vineyard is quite unique in that it is the largest contiguous estate in the Willamette Valley covering 350 acres with approximately 150 planted with vines. Since the estate is so large it spans several micro-climates and allows the winery to showcase the diverse climates of the valley. One common aspect is the Van Duzer Corridor, the main passage of air from the Pacific into the Willamette Valley. And Left Coast Cellars feels the full affect (enhanced acidity) of the cool ocean breezes and fog as the estate sits at the head of the corridor. The Estate's soil is a refection of the entire valley as it consists of the three major soil types: marine sediment, volcanic sediment at higher altitudes, and loess from the Missoula Floods.

Luke McCollom joined Left Coast Cellars at it's inception after previously working at Harlan Estate Winery in Napa and at Meridian Vineyards in Paso Robles. Although he received abundant experience at both establishments, McCollom readily acknowledged that neither provided adequate incite in the fickle Pinot Noir.  And probably the most interesting conversation during #winechat was his discussion of the soils and the preponderance of marine fossils from sea shells and snails, but also a Mastodon fossil.

2014 The Orchards Pinot Gris ($18, 14.2%) - 146 & 152 clones harvested from The Orchards vineyard, an estate block that was originally planted with pear and cherry orchards. The wine showcases citrus and green apple flavors, a creamy center, and plenty of refreshing acids at the tail.  A perfect example why Oregon Pinot Gris forced me to rediscover this grape.

2013 Cali's Cuvee Pinot Noir ($24, 13.5%) - named after the family's left handed daughter Cali this wine is a blend of the Dijon, Pommard and Wädenswil clones. Loads of plum and red cherry mingle with subtle wood spices and easy, easy tannins. Simply delicious.

#VABreweryChallenge - Loudoun Brewing Company (#26)

The #VABreweryChallenge gets more complicated as Loudoun Brewing Company opened it's doors recently. Located in downtown Leesburg, the nano-brewery augments the Loudoun County Beer & Wine Trail with a diverse portfolio of rather tasty beers.  The brewery is generous in its hours by opening at 11am on weekends which presented an opportunity to visit before preceding to Corcoran Vineyards & Cider. Owner-brewer Patrick Steffens lead me though a tasting of the seven beers on-tap as well as beers on deck. The healthy menu ranged from a standard Loud and Brewing IPA,  The Dogs Bullocks Dry Stout, and Blind Squirrel Brown Ale to the creative Thankful Belgium Cranberry Stout, The Bee's Knees Honey Wheat Ale, Jalapeno Business Jalapeno Saison, and Orange You Glad I Didn't Say Banana Belgium Quad. The Jalapeno Saison is a nice representation of a pepper beer as the heat comes early but does burn at the finish. My favorite two were the Dry Stout and Brown Ale, the later because it tasted more like a Porter than a brown ale, the former because of it's simplicity. It tasted just as expected. There's more good beer in the pipeline as Patrick hopes to release a Milk Stout on nitro as well as a Cinnamon Porter perhaps this week. Cheers to that.

The United Grapes of America - Ohio's Firelands Winery 2012 Isle St. George Pinot Noir

This The United Grapes of America feature focuses on an excellent wine from Ohio, the Firelands Winery 2012 Isle St. George Pinot Noir ($16). Firelands is currently the largest winery in Ohio and is located in the northeast part of the state almost at the midpoint between Toledo and Cleveland.  Firelands refers to the "region of north central Ohio which was allotted to Connecticut citizens whose homes were burned by the British during the Revolutionary War. As they resettled, they brought with them their wine making heritage, and a love for fine wines."

StarChefs.com: The United Grapes of America

The Isle St. George AVA is the only island appellation in North America and is located on North Bass Island in western Lake Erie. The island is quite remote as it requires two ferry crossings to reach from the mainland and has only a dozen full time residents. The location is ideal for red vinifera which are unable to ripen on the mainland as Lake Erie warms the island in the fall - prolonging the growing season. It also contains limestone - perfect for Pinot Noir.

As mentioned early, this wine is excellent, light bodied with raspberry-cherry flavors, some silk and a smooth herbaceous finish. And at the price, and exceptional value. Thanks to Dave Nershi from Toledo Wines and Vines for trading this wine.

Les Brasseries de Montreal

Did you know that Montreal, the "The City of Saints", is home to dozens of breweries (brasseries).   During a recent visit I was able to sample from several of these and in general, the beers were solid with a wide choice in styles.  Les 3 Brasseurs is probably the most noticeable establishment with six brew pubs located though out the area. We had lunch at the Brossard restaurant and was quite pleased with the food (first dapple with Poutine) and their beer menu -- consisting of five staple beers (Blonde • Amber • White • Brown • IPA), two neighborhood beers, and a guest cider. It became clear immediately that Montreal brewers have conquered the Blonde style as every version I drank was solid. Les 3 Brasseurs White was also spot on the style.


From that lunch, theCompass Winery, Brewery, Distillery app guided us to the production facility for Les Trois Mousquetaires.  The three owners opened this brasserie in 2004 and focus on Germany styled beers and they utilize Quebec grain malted in the Province's Frontenac and Maltbroue malt houses. Truly a local product.  There is no tasting room at their facility, but you can purchase any of the beer so we went home with their Noire, Blonde, Berliner Weisse, Gose, Oud Bruin - an oak aged Belgium inspired brown ale laced with brett.  The Gose was a little off kilter for me, having a stronger Coriander profile than salt, but I regret not buying more of the other four - particularly the Noire Schwarzbier.

I had received several recommendations to visit Brasserie Dieu Du Ciel (translates to Good Lord or God of Heaven) and the beer did not disappoint as I drooled over the beer menu. They produce a wide ranging portfolio from the delicate Rosée d’hibiscus to the Immoralité  Imperial American IPA. Once again the lighter style beers were rock solid such as the L’Été Aborigène Golden Ale and Corpus Christi Pale Ale. And believe me, a Pale Ale is on the lighter spectrum at this brasserie. The Résurrection Porter was quite delicious as was the Aphrodisiaque Chocolate & Vanilla Stout.


The final brewery we visited was the soon to open Mabrasserie coop de solidarité brassicole, a joint venture between Isle de Garde, Noire et Blanche Microbrasserie, Broue Pub Brouhaha, and Brasserie artisanale La Succursale. This will be a huge facility not only crafting and canning beer, but also a  a beer and brewing interpretive center targeted to home brewers. The facility will also house a large tasting area, both inside and on a terrace. We were able to purchase two future products, a growler full of Porter and the canned Tribale Pale Ale. The Porter was sold, but the Pale Ale was exceptional. Just enough hops to balance the malt for a clean finish. The outlook looks good for this startup.


Les Brasseries de Montreal

Bedondaine & Bedons Ronds
Benelux Brewpub
Bierbrier Brewing Inc.
Bistro Le Reservoir
Bistro-Brasserie Les Soeurs Grises
Brasserie Artisanale Albion
Brasserie artisanale La Succursale
Brasserie Dieu Du Ciel - Montreal
Brasserie Dieu Du Ciel - St-Jérôme
Brasseurs Illimités
Brasserie McAuslan Brewery
Brasseur de Montreal
Broue Pub Brouhaha
Brutopia
Ferme Brasserie Schoune
HELM Brasseur Gourmand
Isle de Garde
L'Amère à Boire
Le Cheval Blanc
L'Espace Public
Le Saint-Bock Brasserie Artisanale
Le Saint Graal
Les 3 Brasseurs - Brossard
Les 3 Brasseurs - Crescent
Les 3 Brasseurs - Laval 
Les 3 Brasseurs - Montreal
Les 3 Brasseurs - St-Denis
Les 3 Brasseurs - St-Paul
Les Trois Mousquetaires
Mabrasserie coop de solidarité brassicole
McAuslan Brewing
Microbrasserie Goudale
Microbrasserie L'Alchimiste
Microbrasserie Le Bilboquet
Microbrasserie Maltéus
Noire et Blanche Microbrasserie

Wine Trails: New York's Adirondack Coast Wine Trail

Last month I had a chance to drive through the Adirondack Coast Wine Trail, located in extreme northern New York along Route I87. The wine trail consists of seven wineries and cideries centered around scenic Plattsburgh.  The wineries specialize in very cold climate hybrid and labrusca grapes such as Vignoles, Catawba, Niagara, Steuben, Frontenac, Marquette, and Leon Millot. These and other grapes are also sourced from other New York AVAs with most wines labeled as New York wine.

During my drive I only had time for one spot and chose the Adirondack Cider Company housed in ELFS Farm Winery. I chose cider because I was already close to the Canadian limit for bringing alcohol into the country (basically one bottle of wine) and thought I could add a few bottles of cider without complaint. The Adirondack Cider Company produces hard cider completely from local Champlain Valley apples and their Mac cider is evidently a nice expression of these apples. This cider is off-dry with plenty of acids. I was all over the Two Heros Bourbon Barrel Hard Cider which was "crafted in honor of the great heroes of the Battle of Plattsburgh. On September 11, 1814 Brigadier General Alexander Macomb and Master Commandant Thomas Macdonough defeated the British Armies attack on Plattsburgh both earning them Congressional Gold Medals". This cider also celebrates the resurrection of ELFS Winery after a devastating fire a few years before. This cider is made dry and then aged in Kentucky bourbon barrels. The vanilla blends seamlessly with the tart apple flavors retaining both acids and flavors. Nicely done. Hid-In-Pines Vineyard was strongly recommended so that will be the first stop on my next visit. Cheers.


Wineries & Cideries

• Adirondack Cider Company
• Amazing Grace Vineyard and Winery
• The Champlain Wine Company
• ELFS Farm Winery & Cider Mill
• Everett Orchards
• Hid-In-Pines Vineyard
• Vesco Ridge Vineyards

Breweries

• Adirondack Pub and Brewery
• Ausable Brewing Company
• Great Adirondack Brewing Company
• The Lake Placid Pub and Brewery
• Livingood's Restaurant & Brewery
• Paradox Brewery
• Plattsburgh Brewing Co.
• Valcour Brewing Company

Paradox Brewery - Another Beauty Among the Adirondacks

Before beginning the ascent into the Adirondack Mountains, theCompass Winery Brewery Distiller Locator alerted us to a small brewery off Schroon Lake (northeast of Lake George): Paradox Brewery. And after visiting I strongly recommend their beers; they were fantastic - starting with the Paradox Fest Lager. This version of an Oktoberfest is drier than most while still retaining malty flavor and an even keel of hops. I think my favorite Oktoberfest beer ever. Their Paradox Pumpkin Lager was similar, dry with subtle pumpkin and spices - not a sweet pie bomb. The Black Fly Porter was a solid porter with toasted chocolate and a rather bigger hoppy finish. And finally their Beaver Bite IPA is a dry hopped IPA with big citrus aromas and a delicious pale malt profile. Less than two years old, this microbrewery is making some beers to rival more established operations. Nicely done.

Cider Week Virginia, Tasting Through the Commonwealth's Dozen Cideries

As my friend Dezel likes to remind me, John Adams drank a tankard of cider every morning as the cider industry was a major feature of the colonial landscape. And in Virginia other presidents like Washington and Jefferson produced cider on their plantations with Jefferson known for his champagne-like cider produced using Virginia Hewe’s Crab. Cider was big business. Obviously the industry slowly dwindled to outright cessation during Prohibition; but in recent times cider has begun to rebound. It is the fastest growing segment of the alcohol industry. There have been many catalysts for this resurrection nationwide, but in Virginia I believe the primary spark was ignited by Diane Flynt and Foggy Ridge Cider. She introduced the concept of Virginia cider to many of us bloggers and was instrumental in creating Cider Week Virginia in order to showcase the rising industry. The first Virginia cidery procured their license in 2004 and today there are 18 cider producers in the Commonwealth with a dozen currently operating. The largest winery in the state is a cidery and Virginia cider is distributed from New York to New Orleans and west to California. And here's what to expect if you purchase or visit a Virginia cidery (theCompass can assist in that regard).



Winchester Ciderworks, Winchester
Located in prime apple country in northeast Virginia, this operation is based out of co-owner Diane Kearns' Fruit Hill Orchard and specializes in English style ciders from cider maker\co-owner Stephen Schuurman's native country.  Their canned Malice is representative of an East English cider and is unfiltered, juicy, and acidic. Nicely done. The cider in the Wicked Wiles brand is based off a West English recipe which is then aged in either used Rye or Bourbon barrels. Malo-lactic fermentation softens the acids which allow the cider to blend more easily with the spirit flavors. The spirits still shine through so expect a much richer cider.

Wild Hare Cider, Bluemont
Located in western Loudoun County this is a new operation where the apples are harvested from the owner's orchard in the Shenandoah Valley. Currently they produce three ciders, the Hatch (a traditional dry cider), Windrush (cider aged in oak and chestnut staves), and Hopscotch (a dry hopped cider).

Potter's Craft Cider, Free Union
Located west of Charlottesville this is the only cider house not open to the public, although look for their 1965 Airstream Trailer mobile tasting room. This cider house specializes in American farmhouse cider and was founded by college friends Tim Edmond and Dan Potter. And these guys like to experiment. Besides the everyday Farmhouse Dry, they produce a Hop Cider (Citra and Amarillo), Oak Barrel Reserve (aged in used Laird & Company's Apple Brandy Barrels), a Grapefruit Hibiscus cider, and a Raspberries & Brett lambic styled cider. These were all unique and delicious; the latter three cocktails on their own.



Old Hill Cider, Timberville
Located near Harrisonburg, Old Hill is based out of Showalter's Orchard in the Shenandoah Valley. They produce a range of styles from dry to off-dry to ice-styled. These are Yesteryear (dry), Heritage (dry), Cidermaker's Barrel (wild yeast and barrel fermented), Betwixt (off-dry), and Season's Finish (ice-styled). The Cidermaker's Barrel was fabulous, both smokey and vanilla - but clear apple flavor and acidity. Their dry offerings are also solid and who can resist a nice dessert cider.

Mt. Defiance Cidery, Middleburg
Located in an old service station on the west side of town, this facility produces both ciders and spirits.  They specialize in very dry Virginia Farmhouse style ciders, and I mean dry. The tart apple flavors, tannins, and acids dominate. Their General's Reserve Barrel Aged is cider aged in used Wild Turkey bourbon barrels. And they offer a few infused ciders: Honey Hard Cider, Ginger Hard Cider, and Blueberry Hard Cider.  I've tasted the Ginger, it's not over the top in spices so I would expect the other two to be subtle as well.




Foggy Ridge Cider, Dugspur
Located in southwest Virginia off the Blue Ridge Parkway, ciders from Foggy Ridge are abundantly available despite their isolated geography.  The Serious Cider is a take on English ciders using mostly English apples. On the other hand, First Fruit portrays an American style and Stayman Winesap perhaps a more Virginia style.  This cider carries a heavy dose of apple flavors, tannins, and acids. Foggy Ridge also creates two Port styled ciders fortified with Apple Brandy from Laird & Company. These are lovely ciders.


Cobbler Mountain Cellars, Delaplane
Located off Route 66, this operation produces both ciders and wine with your choice of a wine bar or cider pub when you visit. Many of their ciders are flavored ciders like the Pumpkin Spice, Kicken' Cinnamon, Maple Stout, and Ginger Peach and made with traditional consumption apples like Red Delicious, Golden Delicious, and Fuji. Their Traditional Jeffersonian is a very nice dry cider and with a little more sweetness, the Original Honey blends acids and sweet apple flavors.



Corcoran Vineyards & Cider, Waterford
Located near Loudoun County, the Corcorans added cider to their repertoire last year. I visited a couple weeks back and tasted through several of their ciders. Their off-dry Sinful was a big hit.

Castle Hill Cider, Keswick
Located east of Charlottesville on a large historic estate, Castle Hill hosts a one of kind cider, the Levity, fermented and aged in kvevri buried in the ground. This technique is based on an 8,000 year old process originating in what is today the Republic of Georgia to produce wine. Castle Hill incorporated the approach to produce a fantastic cider. Their Terrestrial dry cider is also a clean fresh cider.

Bold Rock Cidery, Nellysford
Located in beautiful Nelson County near Devils Backbone Brewing Company this is the largest winery in Virginia. They also have a satellite tasting facility on top of Carter's Mountain in Charlottesville which I visited this summer. Their ciders are sweeter than most in order to be attractive to the broadest audience and you have probably seen their Virginia Apple, Virginia Draft, and Bold Rock Pear in stores. Less available is the Bold Rock IPA (I believe the Virginia Apple recipe dry hopped) and the Vintage Dry.


Blue Bee Cider, Richmond
After apprenticing at Albemarle CiderWorks Courtney Mailey headed to the city to open her own cider operation and plant an urban orchard. From that orchard and another in nelson County she creates some of the most delicious ciders in the Commonwealth. Start with the Aragon 1904 - a cider reaping with tart flavors and acids. I never heard of cider referred to as a blush or rose, but that's how she describes her Fanfare, an off dry cider infused with wild mulberries. Loads of plum flavors in this cider. Blue Bee also offers a hopped cider, the Hopsap Shandy with the Citra hops giving a shandy-ish lemon profile.


Albemarle CiderWorks, North Garden
Located south of Charlottesville this operation produces a dozen ciders, mostly single varietals. Whereas my ciders are blends, the single varietal ciders allow you to appreciate the individual variety such as Albermarle Pippen, Goldrush, Black Twig, Arkansas Black, and Winesap. Most of these apples are historically significant and have clear differences in flavor profiles. For the blends, the Red Hill and Jupiter's Legacy have traditionally been my favorites.

Touring Metro's Red Line Beer Trail

The land along Washington DC's red Metro line is being revitalized - or if you prefer - gentrified and one benefit is the rise of local breweries in these neighborhoods. Silver Spring, Maryland is unrecognizable now from the days when I commuted through that metro stop. And Denizens Brewing Co. has leveraged the new community by opening a brewery\restaurant last year. This Sunday I returned to the brewery and see that they no longer rely on other breweries for stock - there's a wide selection of everyday and seasonal beers. Knowing it was the first stop in the day, I started with a low abv Born Bohemian Pilsner which is characterized by a tasteful hoppy and salty finish. The brewery also was pouring two sours, the Low Country Common and Bocho Bandido.  Both with different levels of tartness and sourness. Give them a try. I also look forward to trying a local winery that just opened close by, The Urban Winery.  The winery\restaurant carries local beer, wine, cider, and mead as well as their own wine produced from American and Maryland grapes. 

Denizen's is adjacent to the DC line and a few miles down the red line sits 3 Stars Brewing Company and Hellbender Brewing Company. I've tasted the former's over the last couple of years at the stadium or other venues. However this was my first visit to the brewery and I arrived on infant day - as there were at least half dozen families with small children playing or sleeping quietly. The facility was also unusually busy for a Sunday with employees cleaning tanks and hoses. And I can see why, there's a large inventory to fulfill. A went with a sampler of Peppercorn Saison, Southern Belle Imperial Brown Ale, Pandemic Imperial Porter, and Madness Old Ale. To be blunt, these beers were phenomenal, especially the Madness. This is a big beer, sweet like chewy dates, but completely dry and smooth at the finish. The Pandemic was next, a bigger more chocolaty beer than your average Porter. Next time I'll stay longer with the help of Uber and also visit on a Saturday so that I can segue a trip to nearby Don Ciccio & Figli and their artisanal liqueurs. Glad to see another DC distillery open.


Hellbender was my final destination and the most fun as I was drafted into an hour long UNO game in a company of strangers. This is a neighborhood brewery and it shows as everyone seems more inclined to talk to whomever is sitting nearby. The beer is attractive as well and the brewery had extra on hand after celebrating their one year anniversary the night before my visit. I went with another sampling ranging from a Kolsch to a Stout with the Compass Coffee Stout being spot on the style. Nice name too. The Paw Paw Wit was also representative of it's style, whereas the Bare Bones Kolsch was a little on the maltier side. Like I said, this is a place to just hangout whether watching a game on TV, playing card or board games, or just talking to strangers. Cheers to that. And theCompass Winery, Brewery, Distillery Locator Mobile App will guide you to these locations. 

#FCWinterWines with Ferrari-Carano Vineyards & Winery

This time of year wineries across the country market selected seasonal wines ready to be uncorked for Thanksgiving and Christmas. Last week Ferrari-Carano Vineyards & Winery participated in this trend by hosting a #FCWinterWines Twitter tasting.  Executive Winemaker Sarah Quider lead this event  focusing on three wines they feel fit into this category.A little about Ferrari-Carano first. Don and Rhonda Carano started the winery in 1981 with the initial release in 1987 with a Fumé Blanc and an Alexander Valley Chardonnay. Both Quider and Steve Domenichelli, Director of Vineyard Operations, have worked for the winery for over 25 years which speaks for itself. From those first two wines, the winery now produces dozens of wines sourced from 24 vineyards located in five different appellations.


2012 Ferrari-Carano Reserve Chardonnay Napa Valley Carneros ($38) - produced from Wente clones grown primarily from their Carneros vineyard. The wine is heavily oaked, from primary fermentation, to malolactic fermentation, and aging sur lie (on lees) for eight months.  The individual casks are then blended together and the wine is aged an additional five months in neutral French oak. Thus, this is one oaked wine where the spice and malo creaminess are dominant. Initially the Chardonnay flavor gets lost among the oak, but resurfaces near the finish as the acids transport the flavor forward. There is plenty going on within this wine; maybe too much. The winery suggests pairing with shellfish, poultry and richer foods that "enhance this fuller bodied and deliciously creamy wine".

2013 Ferrari-Carano Anderson Valley Pinot Noir ($36) - produced from three ranches in Anderson Valley and processed in a FC owned facility dedicated to solely to Pinot Noir. Why Anderson Valley? Quider mentioned that this region provides more tannins and denser fruit than in Russian River Valley- thus a bigger wine. After primary fermentation, using multiple yeast strains, the blended wine is treated 10 months in new and neutral French oak barrels. The result is an excellent wine starting with the dusty tobacco nose and moving to the creamy red cherry-currant center. The wine finishes rather long, with light tannins and some baking spice. This is a wine well worth sipping on its own, but the winery suggest "salmon, fowl and meat entrees such as beef bourguignon or rack of lamb".

2012 Ferrari-Carano Sonoma County Trésor ($52) - five grape Bordeaux blend (71% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Petit Verdot, 7% Malbec, 7% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc) harvested from the best lots in the winery's Alexander and Dry Creek Valleys vineyards. After primary and malo fermenting the wine is aged 21 months in various types of French Oak. And the wine stands tall with this oak treatment as the dark fruit is prevalent on the nose and in the palate. There's also plenty of chewy tannins that linger with the acids. Another fabulous wine. If only I could afford it more often.CF suggests that the "Trésor complements lamb, beef and duck dishes that are roasted or braised. Try Trésor with strong-flavored cheeses such as Gorgonzola and sharp Cheddar". I'm thinking brisket.

#NZPinot “First Taste of Fall” with Villa Maria Winery

Villa Maria, the New Zealand winery located in Marlborough, introduced their latest release of Pinot Noir by hosting a “First Taste of Fall” #NZPinot twitter tasting.  Senior Marlborough Winemaker Helen Morrison and Marlborough Winemaker Josh Hammond participated in order to answer any questions regarding the two wines. These were the Villa Maria 2014 Private Bin Pinot Noir, Marlborough ($17, 13.5) and Villa Maria 2013 Cellar Selection Pinot Noir, Marlborough ($25, 13.5). Villa Maria is an iconic brand as evident by Drinks International naming the winery the most admired wine brand in New Zealand. And since it's 1961 founding, the winery is still family owned.

Courtesy of Villa Maria

Courtesy of Villa Maria

As for the wines, they shared a similar fermentation and region (Wairau & Awatere Valleys) with the main difference between the two based on plot selection and barrique seasoning. The 2014 Private Bin was aged in a mixture of stainless steel and seasoned French barriques for 10 months. The result is a very approachable, easy drinking wine. It carries some herbaceous and spicy traits which mingle with the red cherry flavors, then finishes with smooth tannins. On the other hand, the 2013 Cellar Selection was aged solely in new and seasoned French barriques for 10 months. This wine starts smoky and fruity with red cherries and raspberries on the soft, creamy palate, then finishes smooth w/subtle tannins and spice.  Both ready for the “First Taste of Fall”. Cheers.