Hill Top Berry Farm & Winery - Pounding Branch Persimmon Melomel

Looking to satisfy a sweet craving I opened our last remaining bottle of Virginia wine, the Hill Top Berry Farm & Winery Pounding Branch Persimmon Melomel. We had purchased the wine during a visit almost two years ago and stored away - forgetting the wine's profile. It's basically a 60-40 blend of honey wine and persimmon wine. Expecting a sweet honey wine, I was surprised to sip a dry wine and quickly swapped out the dessert vessel for a larger glass. Now I know why I purchased it. The wine has a nice fruit aroma and flavor up front and then a smooth dry honey finish. The honey remains basically from the mid-palette to the tail. Way to go Hill Top; I need to get back for more; although supplies are limited and depend on harvest of the persimmon crop on the mountain.

El Dorado 12 Year Old Rum

I always look forward to finishing a rum bottle because it means another trip to the liquor store and a chance to browse the large selection of rums. One that caught my eye was the El Dorado 12 Year Old distilled by Demerara Distillers Ltd in Georgetown, Guyana. Never had a Guyana made rum, probably because Demerara is that country's only rum distiller. The sugar cane is grown on the fertile banks of the Demerara River and was the original source of sugar used in making Pusser's Rum. Since those early years "Demerara" rum was sourced in bulk to other distillers which had the unintended consequence of losing its brand. Demerara Distillers is attempting to rectify that situation by discontinuing the practice of selling bulk rum and instead bottle all their rum under the Demerara Rum name. And "today all rum bottled under the Demerara Rum name must come from Demerara Distillers in Guyana". Another fact that I found interesting is that this distiller operates the last remaining wooden still in the Caribbean.

Demerara Distillers produces a wide range of rum products, but for our purposes we were only interested in their reserve line - the 12 and 15 year old rums. The 12-year old was priced with better value so it came home with us. It is a blend of selected aged rums, with the youngest being no less than 12 years old. The rum was distilled from one of three stills, including the double wooden pot still and then aged in used bourbon oak casks. The result is an incredibly smooth, smooth rum; I mean zero burn at the tail, with the finish lasting quite a while. I had to add a few drops of water to ignite the aromas which had more complexity than the flavor, which is sweet - almost like honey. In fact the rum was almost too sweet and mellow. I just didn't pick up many spice or fruit characteristics as my mind concentrates on its smoothness. That doesn't mean its not a good rum; it is extremely drinkable and affordable at $20. This is a good alternative to Ron Zacapa.

The Florida Brewing Company

The only local craft beers we can regularly find are those produced by the Florida Brewing Company, the state's largest craft brewer. The brewery reached that status through acquisition, by purchasing the assets of the Ybor City Brewing Company. These assets included Key West (Key West Brewery, originally of Key West, Florida), Ybor Gold (Ybor City Brewing Company originally of Tampa, Florida) and Hurricane Reef (Hurricane Reef Brewery originally of Miami, Florida). These brands, as well as several others, are crafted at the company's Melbourne brewery.

In the past I have sampled these brands, but its been a long time. I do remember enjoying the Ybor City products while visiting Tampa. During this trip, it appears that the Key West brands were the most accessible. In the Keys I drank the Key West Sunset Ale which is available in many restaurants and tiki bars. Its a red amber ale and its not bad - I think it may just be too malty for the Florida environment. Instead I really liked their Key West Southernmost Wheat. This is a Belgium styled Witbeer and for spices, it was brewed with two types of orange peel and Key Limes. The wheat and lime are prevalent in the nose and transition nicely to the mouth with the lime in full display at the tail. This is a complex beer, may not be preferable to some, but I found it very refreshing at the pool.

Big Bear Brewing Company; Coral Springs, Florida

While returning from the Keys we took a slight detour to Coral Springs in order to sample the many beers produced by the Big Bear Brewing Company. Greg Wentworth opened the brewpub almost fifteen years ago and named the facility after the dwindling Florida Black Bear population. In fact there was once 12,000 black bears living throughout Florida; but now the 1,500 remaining black bears are isolated in remote pockets. By using the Florida Black Bear as a mascot, the Big Bear Brewing Company hopes to raise awareness to this threatened animal.

During our visit we sampled seven brews, five standard beers and two seasonal. We dined outside so the samples warmed nicely to express their true aromas and flavors. The Polar Light is a golden lager and is targeted to consumers of the big brewery domestic beer market. And its quite refreshing - even marketed as "light" it had plenty of flavor - could of used this one in the Keys, would have been perfect after snorkeling. Next was the one I didn't care for, the Grizzly Red Ale. Its supposed to be an Irish Red Ale but I felt there was too much caramel and maltiness and not enough hops. It was just too sweat with no balance. The Hibernation Pale Ale is the American Pale Ale for hop lovers. Plenty of Cascade hops here - this is a beer that pairs well with food. Very palate cleansing. Not bad. It was nice to see A Belgium style beer on the menu and the Kodiac Belgian Dubbel does not disappoint. It provides a mouthful of flavor that you expect from an Abbey Ale; to me plenty of raisins. Nicely done. But my favorite was the Brown Bear Ale, and English style brown ale that has a nice balance between malt and hops. Its very smooth with just a hint of hops on the tail. Usually the brewery provides three seasonal beers, a seasonal fruit ale, a seasonal dark, and a seasonal brew - which was not available for our visit. The seasonal fruit was a Peach Ale which displayed a nice peach aroma, but the peach didn't overwhelm the palate. There is no doubt on a future visit that I would swallow my "manly" pride and order this beer - its good. But the real "manly" beer was the Mocha Stout, a silky smooth milk chocolate styled stout. Even with a 90+ degree day, this beer went down quickly and easily. Nice. Not only will these beers entice us to return, but the food was just as good. No fried pub food here - expect gourmet offerings, many using organic produce. The Turkey Meatloaf was awesome.

Schnebly Redland's Winery - Homestead, Florida

While planning a trip to the Keys, we noticed that one of our favorite south Florida blues bands, IKO-IKO, was scheduled at America's southernmost continental winery, Schnebly Redland's Winery. And with this being the only true opportunity to "drink local", we based our first day around visiting the winery. Located so far south, the winery owners, Peter and Denisse Schnebly, could have decided to source grapes from northern Florida or other states, but instead chose to make wines from tropical fruits which excel in the hot, humid environment. And why not; the same holds for vineyards in other environments - only grow grapes suitable for that region. Plus Schebley's supports the local Redland area by purchasing all fruit within a four mile radius.

Arriving at the winery, we were greeted by an impressive structure. The tasting room and grounds are surrounded by coral stone blocks and thatch roofs, enclosing the facility in a tropical village. Entering the grounds visitors pass an initial koi pond and then to a large covered pavilion. The band and early partiers were setting up shop as walked past heading straight for the waterfall and larger pond. Bring plenty of quarters if you want to feed the hundreds of fish waiting below. And walk along the elevated walkway to the back hut for another view of the fish. A very impressive landscaping feet. We finally entered the tasting room, which itself, is a large structure with a central circular tasting bar, boxes of wine ready to be purchased, and a nice video area of the Redland community. Basically, Schnebly Redland's Winery is geared for the consumer to stay put while visiting; and why not, not only is it an awesome setting, but since its so remote - why leave anytime soon.

The winery charges different tasting fees, $6.95 for 5 wines; $9.95 for all, and $7.95 for the sparkling and desert selections. Look for local coupons to help alleviate these fees. As mentioned earlier the wines are made from non-traditional fruits - guava, passion fruit, mango, lychee, carambola (star fruit), and avocado. Yes, avocado - apparently their was a field that was too overripe for resale, so they gave tested their ability to make wine out of the fruit. In fact they make three versions, dry, semi-dry, and sweet. And quite frankly, they are not that bad at all, I still feel the need for a salt shaker whenever I sip - but not bad. One of my favorites was the Carambola Oak, where their starfruit wine is aged 6 months with French oak chips. This process gives a much fuller profile than their regular Carambola which didn't have enough flavor for my taste. Their most popular wines are the sweeter varietals, but none of these were syrupy sweet or gritty. In fact, their best seller, the Cat 3 Hurricane, a blend of Carambola, Lychee, and Guava, is actually a refreshing wine. The Mango was another I liked; the Guava and Passion Fruit I thought different, but not disagreeable; but interestingly the Lychee is their most awarded wine; but I didn't care much for it. Shows that everyone has different tastes and opinions - so don't trust mine - go sample some local south Florida wine. Plus I didn't even get into their dessert and sparkling portfolio. And checkout their weekend music schedule. IKO-IKO is a rocking swamp blues band.

Barren Ridge Vineyards Traminette

While in Florida, I've been drinking beer and rum over wine, with anything from Brewery Ommegang, Kalik, Presidente, Żywiec, PBR, and Schlitz, and even some Narragansett Beer at Boston’s on the Beach. But the one wine that I was happy to bring with me was the Barren Ridge Vineyards Traminette. I picked up this wine while visiting the winery on the drive down. And it works well in the Florida heat. Its off-dry at 1% RS and has a lemon-grapefruit flavor that fits the climate. We drank it while having a picnic at the pool - perfect choice.

Virginia Norton, here we come (are you there?) . . . . . .

Guest post by The Norton Wine Travelers:

A couple of years ago we had the opportunity to visit eight Virginia Norton vineyards. It was time to return to as many of the remaining twenty-two Norton vineyards as possible to explore this great potential experience. Thanks go out to http://www.wine-compass.com for help in navigating the hills and dales needed to find these east coast Norton wineries.

On our first trip we began a Norton wine exploration by visiting Abingdon Vineyard & Winery, Bluemont Vineyards, Burnley Vineyards, Cooper Vineyards, Horton Vineyards, Keswick Vineyards, Rockbridge Vineyards, and The Winery at La Grange vineyards. We were particularly fond of the Norton wines found on that trip at Abingdon, Horton, Rockbridge and especially Cooper Vineyards. Some were better than others in 2008, but just like the grape in the fields, each year has new winners and sometimes, disappointments. Vintages vary within the course of nature’s flow and vintners’ intentions. It was time for us to return and see the changes and new approaches to Virginia’s Norton offerings.

In most vineyards we were served newly opened bottles making evaluation difficult of Norton wines needing to breathe extensively before enjoying. Also some tastings started as early as 10:00 am and others were enjoyed after a long day’s drive in the late evening. Many factors could have influenced our tasting reactions, but in the end we hope this will whet your appetite for visiting the following wineries and letting us know your reactions.

We started our most resent trip to Virginia visiting Peaks of Otter Winery and Orchards near the Blue Ridge Parkway. Upon finding the orchard, $3.00 can provide you with a small tasting glass which you can keep, or you can opt out for a free tasting using one of Peak’s little plastic dental sippy spit cups. Makes no difference what your preference, the tasting will be so small that only the bottom of the glass/sippy cup will be coated with the pour. The tasting sheet consists of a Mountain Sunrise Norton, a Sheep Creek Ruby Cab Franc and a plethora of Peach, Fig, Apple, Crabapple, Acia-apple, Tomato-apple, Blackberry, Pear, Plum, Mango, Blueberry, Strawberry, and Raspberry fruit bomb wines. If that is not enough fruits, how about trying their 30 variety peppers Kiss the Devil chili pepper wine. Some will really like these sweet fruit wines in wonderful variations of bottle designs and colors. As for their Norton wine, my wife thought it potable without sourness, but I thought the flavors were very acidic. Trust my wife or just go with my negative flow. Let’s come away with a positive note. Their Apple wine reminded us of a once purchased sweet “Cloudberry” wine. What’s easier for you, traveling to Virginia’s POW for apple wine or Newfoundland for Cloudberry wine?

Next was an evening run to Lexington Valley Vineyard. Here we found a delightful couple who returned east for “retirement” after working professionally in Missouri. You can call it retirement, but what we observed was a lot of hard work. With chemistry Professor Kelvin Hale and his wife, Janette, a real project is on tap working with grapes in the harsh environs of Lexington, VA. Not only will you find a delightful Chill Norton Rose, but a Southern treat white Traminette which had rhubarb overtones (yum). As for their Norton wines, they offered a 2006 Norton blend with 20% Cabernet Sauvignon. Good, but I found this silver award winner tainted with dark tar flavors. Their 100% Black Tie Norton is a younger 2007 murky brown wine which hasn’t matured into formal attire at this point. We picked up a couple bottles of their Norton wines for a later 2014 Virginia Norton wine comparison.

. . . . . . . . . ~ Driving along Virginia’s Northern Neck river coastal waterways a few days later, we found blue crab freshly steamed in heavily seasoned river brine. We instinctively went for our Lexington Valley Vineyard young with sharp tannins Norton and were pleased with the pairing of this wine and the incredible treat of spicy crabs. Good for this meal, but unfortunately the Black Tie Norton did not hold up the next day exhibiting cooked raisin flavors and unusually heavy sediments.

Finding Virginia’s oldest continuously operating vineyard, Mountain Cove Vineyards, was only part of the allure. Here we were greeted with not only a nice “folk” Norton blend (Norton, Chambourcin, Cab Franc), but wines made from fruit that was actually fun to taste. This is a place with charm that only a backwoods setting could conjure. Enjoy the wines, but as important, ~ enjoy the people you will meet here. Bring yourself a picnic lunch and find your own special spot to enjoy the day on the farm.

New Kent Winery is a new-fangled venture of homes, golf courses, soon-to-be built 5-star hotel and the like. Be aware that the $10 tasting fee does not apply to purchases. Hot looking facility using recycled woods from eras gone by, but unfortunately real cool taste reactions by us for all seven wines served. We found a brassy Chardonnay and reds that just missed the mark all together. The experience was as artificial as the Richmond, VA stamped heavy ceiling beams which had come from Connecticut. We had to buy their White Norton in the blind since they only had a few bottles left from an earlier vintage. Because of crop failure, another similar Norton will not be available until 2012. First of all, we tend to not find ourselves drinking Rose very often, but were willing to try the NKW White Norton. To make this more palatable, we tried to couple this with an appropriate occasion food pairing. Out came the freshly picked strawberries dipped in chocolate and smiles from dinner guest who finished the first bottle of NKW White Norton in quick order. Good experience and glad we made the effort to pick up bottles of NKW White Norton for this once in a lifetime experience. Until the next NKW White Norton will be available, they are substituting a White Merlot.

We were fortunate in finding the owner and vintner of Belle Mount Vineyards after our late arrival to his winery along the Chesapeake Bay Region. Obviously a big investment had gone into his vineyard venture which included recreational sites, camping area, permanent RV properties, and large banquet lodge facility. Unfortunately they had run out of Norton wine in the tasting room, but he knew of possibly one bottle left in town (which we picked up the next day). He did have a Merlot, Chambourcin, Norton blend created for the 40th anniversary of the Virginia is for Lovers tourism campaign which we found a bit tart and musty. Our host so overwhelmed us with the politics of Virginia wine laws, we were not able to focus on his wine offerings. His over confidence in his wines punched out at us, making it impossible to reflect on them. Returning home we gave this Norton wine time to settle from our travels. We uncorked the bottle and let it breathe for 40 minutes or so. During our pouring, we noticed the term “inky black” certainly applied to this Norton wine - the blackest wine I’ve encountered. This wine had a slight murky aroma and a taste that had minimal sour overtones with very little tannin interference. I had to close my eyes in tasting this wine because the color tainted my opinions. Not a bad Norton wine, but you will have to just take my word for this since he is completely sold out now of this undated Norton wine vintage. He did not give me a date of when he expected to bottle his next Norton grape harvest.

Driving along the Northern Neck peninsula of Virginia between the Rappahannock and Potomac River we arrived at Potomac Point Winery. This is a great setting for a presentation of wines. Their well scripted wine list included wine name, pictured labels, appellation (Virginia vineyard locations), varietal make up of each wine, aging (SS, French & American Oak), alcohol percentage, residual sugars, winemaker tasting notes, cost, and space for your own tasting notes. Wow, we wish other wineries would mimic this wine list layout. At Potomac Point Winery you get a choice of Classic or Reserve tastings ($5 / $10) which was suppose to include the cost of your glass, but alas they had run low on stemware and did not offer a discount or bottle applicable pricing for their retention of the advertised glasses. Lots to choose from, but again we were here for their Norton wine. An unusual cocoa bouquet 2008 wine made from Orange county grapes (leased land near Horton Vineyards) which I was not immediately enamored with, but will put up for a few years and try again in 2013 or later.

Though I did not personally visit Barrel Oak Winery along I-66, a short ride west of Washington, DC, my daughters were there and reported a beautiful new facility “packed house” that was noisy and incredibly hard to get service. It took them literally 20 minutes to buy us a gift case of Barrel Oak Winery 2009 Nortons, an Indy International Red Wine of the Year winner. They are usually pretty insightful about what we would enjoy or not, so we did not go to this vineyard. We did try the BOW Norton wine and decided that the wine would be greatly enhanced with a few years of resting quietly.

Sometimes you just get lucky when finding a small remote vineyard and this was the case at Castle Gruen Vineyards And Winery and its owner-vintner, Dean Gruenburg. We made a concerted effort to find this setting through recommendations made by several Virginia Internet wine bloggers. Usually only open on weekends, Dean was very gracious in meeting us one early weekday. Though only five offered wines from this small family vineyard, you are quickly introduced to a person who is truly in love with his grape works. You just cannot go wrong with any wines at Castle Gruen. From a truly well crafted “Southern” Gewurztraminer style Traminette produced in stainless steel to a drinkable now Merlot (75% Merlot, 10% Alicante Bouschet, 10% Concord, 5% Viognier). His CGVW 2007 Norton is described as ‘Deep, Dark, Vanilla, and Cherry, with Balanced Tannins’. Good description except we did not find this Norton “dark” in color or taste. Dean stated that “the issue is not always the flavors, but the aromas” and this is so true to the bouquet of his light bodied, yet complex California Pinot Noir style produced Norton wine. Sixteen vineyards later on this one trip, my wife found this the most drinkable now Norton, but we both are betting after holding for a few more years we might have one of the best Nortons to be found in Virginia. Don’t leave without considering also their King’s Red blend (Merlot-Cabernet Sauvignon-Cabernet Franc). Again, we will hold this wine royalty for a few more years. Dean’s experimentation with wine started at the age of eight (yes, 8) and today he is still looking forward to the latest and different with new grapes coming on line; as, Crimson Red in approximately three years. Thank you Castle Gruen for your time and pleasant wine and visit.

We are betting that DuCard Vineyards will become a Virginia Wines point-of-interest for many wine travelers in the years to come, tucked neatly in a scenic roads Shenandoah mountains valley 45 minutes off I-81. Though only a few offerings at this time selling out very quickly each year, we were so lucky to hook up with Scott Elliff in his busy schedule as he works to finish the new on-site tasting and sales facility scheduled to open in late May, 2010. How wonderful it was having him showing us variations of vine pruning in his vineyards. The ride into the beautiful Madison County area is a memorable part of the journey, followed by a superb drink now or hold 2007 Norton. DuCard’s description lists this wine as an ‘intense and inky-black wine with distinctive aromas’. This wording accurately describes a wonderful, newly discovered, Norton wine. Unique to this vineyard is Scott Elliff’s participation with a nearby technical college in which students “adopt” a row of grapes. What an experience he is presenting with his community viticulture teaching and work participation program.

Wisteria Farm and Vineyard: It has been noted that California often tries to recreate the European wine experience. In the town of Stanley, VA we found a lovely setting and charming Lebanese host doing the unusual in not duplicating someone’s wine, but rather creating his own unique style of wines, including our native Norton. Mousa has introduced to his small community a wealth of wines including Traminette, Seyval, Chardonnay, Viognier, Merlot, Norton, and in the future a Lebanese grape. This young Norton is not polished at this time, so we will hold our purchase for a few years to see what develops.

A flier from Rappahannock Cellars states: “Recognizing the promise in Virginia wines, we moved our family’s winery from California to the Blue Ridge Mountains in the heart of Virginia.” And with this move came the knowledge for preparing a wonderful assortment of wines produced from local Virginia grapes. Usually sticking mainly to Norton wines, we left Rappahannock with a case containing Claret, Meritage, Nortons, and a Port styled 100% Norton dessert wine. Some delightful white wines were available, but alas our case could only hold 12 bottles of reds and my wife had to lug the tote bag out with the four ports. The Norton was a 25% Cab Sauv blend which made this an easy to drink now Norton, but will be enhanced by putting away for a few years. Interestingly discounts applied only to Club Members, but a “Spring Special” applied to others in forms of free tasting fees / extra bottle (3 bottle purchase 1 free tasting; 4 bottle purchase 2 free tastings; & 12 bottle purchase 2 free wine tastings plus 1 extra bottle of your choice, ~ a Vintner’s Dozen). High praises go to Rappahannock Cellars for another reason, and that being their willingness to share facilities and insights with new area vintners. We visited several Virginia wineries freely stating their appreciation for all the help given to them by this Front Royal, VA area site.

In Casanel Vineyards we found a relative newcomer to the Norton world. What a pleasant setting using original structures dating back into the 1700s. The tasting room had been a small rock barn in which the proprietors had carefully recreated proudly the structure into an inviting venue for sharing wine with others. There is a sense of great pride with every project on the grounds. With the maturing of vineyard vines in the years to come, this location will become popular to visit and relax with Casanel’s wines. Though not to our taste, Casanel’s Rose Norton Batucada is a wine that I think would be perfect for preparing sangrias. You can already find here Chardonnay, Viognier, the mentioned Norton, Merlot, and a Cabernet. A $5 tasting fee does not apply to purchases. Good things will be coming from this family endeavor.

Dry Mill Vineyards & Winery is only a short drive from Casanel Vineyards. Basically the same location, but oh so different are the wines. You meet the proprietor, Dean Vanhuss, and you know that you are going to enjoy some of his wines. All wines are purposely different with an appreciated attitude. Take his spicy (my wife said “salty”) flavored Traminette which contrasts to previous tastings of this grape, but again unique to the fruit. The same can be said for his light, yet tasty Chambourcin. The attitude carries well over into his Nortons combined with 10% Mourvedre for this softened blend. Though Dry Mill’s 2007 Norton can be easily consumed now, we are going to put it through its paces for a couple more years and enjoy at a later date. It is refreshing at this site to compare Chardonnay wines prepared in stainless steel and with one oak barreled. What fun, it’s your choice.

We found generally Virginia’s gravel roads lead to good wineries, but add a single lane bridge into the picture and you get even finer wines. With this description your travels take you to Chrysalis Vineyards. Here you have a choice of a $5 Estate tasting or a $10 Reserve tasting. Let me implore you to treat yourself to the $10 Reserve tasting. As you ramble through the offerings, the variety and quality will soon be apparent for the additional pricing. I’m not a fan of tasting fees since I find so many good wineries do not need these, but there are those locations that possibly protect themselves from abusive curiosity wine seekers. In the case of Chrysalis Vineyards, you will get a more than reasonable taste and “seconds” are not turned down if requested in a polite and thoughtful manner for a particular reason. Here you will be treated to an array of non-viniferous wines broaching all that can be found well in Virginia. With the Reserve tasting, if you buy them or not, you will have experienced some of the best Norton wines that can be found on the East coast. What you experience two years ago will change today and two years from now since Chrysalis dramatically changes their blends annually. If you want to really learn more about the American wine industry which includes a fabled history of the Norton grape, search out the new book by Todd Kliman, The Wild Vine. This is a documentary about the characters, dead or alive, and the development of the American wine world, including the contributions of Chrysalis Vineyards and Jennifer McCloud. Learn the importance of wineries; as Chrysalis Vineyards in Virginia or Stone Hill Winery in Missouri, to the true development of a continuing story of American wines, - yesterday, today, and for sure, tomorrow.

Trying to catch Paradise Springs Winery open means making sure that you allocate time during your weekends for a visit. The ride through the elegant Clifton, VA home roadways will be rewarded by finding their small log cabin winery tasting room built in the early 1800s. Maybe as important as the wines you will encounter, is the story of bringing PSW to fruitation. A complex venture evolved to offer the community that PSW serves wines of amazing substance within the first year of its public operation. Grapes are brought in from other Virginia vineyards at this time, but with the gracious help of nearby wineries, Jane Kincheloe Wiles is producing wines quite successfully. Not only does her 2008 Norton, which is aged only six months in Hungarian oak, stand up well to established VA wineries, this wine took a 2010 Governor’s Cup Gold Medal. For me, I was equally impressed with their 2008 Cabernet Franc. Can you imagine Cab Franc as a soft tasting table wine with interesting character? Do yourself a favor, travel out to Paradise Springs Winery and enjoy a wonderful glass of wine.

Veramar Vineyards is a beautiful 100 acre setting surrounded by the Shenandoah hills where 5,000 gallons of wine are produced annually. There are 12 acres of vines at this site with other winery vine locations scattered nearby. A $5 tasting fee is charged, but dropped with purchases. Though nine wine selections are listed, be aware that their $50 Estate Norton is not offered for tasting and only available to Veramar Estate Club members (can you believe there is a Virginia Norton deserving this price?). Another thing that irked me a bit was that Reserve wines can only be tasted and purchased on weekends. I found it amusing that half of the wines had descriptions of pineapple or grapefruit. Sounded like we were getting ourselves into a fruit bar. Interesting was VV’s production of a 100% Mourvedre. We enjoyed the opportunity to try this Virginia grown Spanish wine, but left with only their Riesling/Vidal white and for a friend a Rooster Red blend (Cab Sauv, Cab Franc, Merlot). We are still curious about the almost non-purchasable $50 Norton one is not able to taste. If it follows in taste as the other rather middle-of-the-road Veramar offerings, we know that there are other good Virginia Nortons to be had (thank you Cooper, Chrysalis, DuCard, Castle Gruen, Rappahannock, Paradise, etc.). Hmmm, I wonder if I know someone who can help me on this tasting note at a later date? Has anyone else noticed at this location how many negative signs are posted around the grounds (Harley Parking Only, No Parking, Employees Only, Authorized Personnel Only, Private, Foods Only Purchased Here to be Consumed)?

- From Brian at The Other 46 blog comes the following about Veramar’s 2007 Norton: Retailing for $50, I wasn’t sure what to expect, as this was easily the most expensive wine I’ve tried from Virginia. Unfortunately, I was underwhelmed. A solid wine with nice black fruit and oak, the wine is far, far from a $50 wine. But then again, everyone’s palate is different, and I’m sure they sell the heck out of it.

After visiting Virginia vineyard farm settings that have been in the family for over 200 years, other winery acreage that have developed over the last 15-to-20 years, and wine locations built recently with millions of speculative dollars, it was fun finding a winery that measures how many pounds of grapes were accumulated from the number of vines rather than from how many acres (as little as one vine and as many as five) in his backyard. Welcome to MistyRay Winery in Phillip Kreider’s Harrisonburg, VA suburban back yard. Here is a hobby gone wild from a man who grew up with grapes on his boyhood Ohio farm. Grapes have always been a part of his life, and though alcohol was not condoned in his youth, he learned to appreciate the production of quality wines during his life’s work and travels. At this home backyard setting, Phillip has been amazing to plant over twenty-five unique grape varieties for his desired extremely limited creations; as, Chardonel, Arkansas Sunbelt hybrids, and of course Norton grapes. Each wine offered has a different shining quartz-soil story to tell. Few Virginia vintners can produce a tasty Cabernet Sauvignon, but Phillip can. Don’t pass up his light yet complex flavored Norton wine that truly can stand up to most Nortons produced in Virginia. Since he gets 10-to-15 pounds of Norton grapes per vine (75 lbs total last year), you still have to be quick in being able to purchase this limited production wine. You hear at other vineyards how their wines are produced in stainless steel or oak barrels, but here you taste wines produced in genuine American glass. Do yourself a favor and call for an appointment to visit Misty Ray Vineyards, and don’t forget to ask to taste his rhubarb wine.

We did not make it to Valhalla Vineyards, Byrd Cellars, Bright Meadows Farm Vineyard & Winery, Molliver Vineyards and Hummel Vineyards, so we have something to look forward to in the near future.

A fun eight days finding seventeen Norton grape wineries, plus others that had been highly recommended to us: Lovingston Winery (great 2007 Cabernet Frank and Reserve 2006 Merlot), Corcoran Vineyards (trust me, too many good things to say about this winery, ~ grand red wines), and Fabbioli Cellars (What Doug Fabbioli does with Virginia grapes boarders on the magical. Two exceptional Virginia wines can be found in their Chambourcin and Reserve Cabernet Franc).

Now it’s your turn to make comments on the vineyards I’ve listed or criticize what we found. I look forward to learning from you what takes you have on Virginia’s Norton offerings. Since Norton grapes acquire its own wine characteristics not found in other viniferous wines, this truly entails developed tastes that can be interpreted in so many fashions. Thank you for letting me share our personal experiences and we look forward to hearing more on what you have found in the world of Norton wines. And remember, as you read Todd Kliman’s The Wild Vine, have your selected Norton wine at hand that has had the opportunity to breathe for at least 30 minutes.


The Norton Wine Travelers

San Sebastian Winery Vintner's Red

I'll finally got a chance to drink local based on various definitions by opening a bottle of San Sebastian Winery Vintner's Red. I think we had picked up the bottle the least trip to St. Augustine and as I recall I generally prefer the Vintner's White over the Red. However, the red was all we had. And it is what it is; a slightly sweet muscadine wine made from the Noble grape. And served slightly chilled, it works in the south Florida heat. Its full of flavor; smooth and complements a burger nicely. Tomorrow the remainder will be used as a base for Sangria. And while headed home we are stopping by to load up on some Blanc Du Bois.

Doorly's XO Rum

On a recent visit to the Total Wine in Boynton Beach, I was wavering between several rums until a helpful staff member recommended Doorly's XO. The rum is crafted in Barbados by the famed R.L. Seale & Co. Ltd.; the distiller is wholly Bajan-owned and is the third largest bottler in that island nation. I am familiar with the distiller after purchasing a bottle of Old Brigand during a cruise stop, while others may be familiar due to their production of St. Nicholas Abbey Rum, Tommy Bahama White Sand Rum, and the Doorly's brand. There are four products using the Doorly's name Doorly's Fine Old Barbados 5 Year Old Rum, Doorly's Fine Old Barbados Rum XO, Doorly's Light Macaw, and Doorly's Macaw Dark. According to Edward Hamilton, Ministry of Rum, Doorly's 5 yo and ginger ale with a dash of bitters is a common Bajan drink.

But for our purposes, the Doorly's Fine Old Barbados Rum XO is your sipping rum. It is distilled from fermented molasses and then aged in used whisky barrels. The best rum is then selected for a second maturation in used Spanish Oloroso Sherry barrels. This second aging infuses the rum with certain flavors not found in other aged rums. While drinking neat, the rum exudes spicy aromas and a slight nutty flavor. However there is a noticeable burn on the tail that masks its finish. By merely adding a couple drops of water - the alcohol gets dampened so that the burn disappears, displaying an incredibly smooth finish. Wow. And priced at $17, this is a bargain.

Vote on 2011 Wine Bloggers Conference Location

We prefer you select Virginia, but vote for your favored destination for the 2011 Wine Bloggers Conference. Voting closes June 10th. The 2010 Wine Bloggers Conference is being held in Walla Walla from June 25-27th.

Ron Abuelo Añejo Rum

While being "stranded" in south Florida, the beverage of choice seems to always involve rum. Back home in Virginia, this spirit usually takes a backseat to single barrel bourbons and scotch; but in a more tropical climate - rum is King. I can't even imagine sipping an aged bourbon or scotch during the midday heat - but rum; no problemo. Whether aged or white - the taste of fermented molasses or sugar cane juice blends in with the environment . And one that I've really come to enjoy is the Añejo from Ron Abuelo.

The run is crafted by the Varela-Hermanos, a 3rd-generation Panamanian family distillery. This is one of only a few distilleries in the world which grows their own sugar cane. The Añejo is made from fermented sugarcane juice and then aged in white oak barrels. It is delicious and smooth - little to no burn - perfect neat. I look forward to one day graduating to the 7 year and 12 year old products.

Results from the 2010 International Eastern Wine Competition and Riesling Championship

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Richard Leahy (rleahy@vwm-online.com)

Results from the 2010 International Eastern Wine Competition and Riesling Championship

Santa Rosa, California (May 28, 2010) — Final results, including Best of Category winners and the Riesling Champion, were announced today for the 34th International Eastern Wine Competition (IEWC). The judging was held May 19–21 in Watkins Glen, New York. The IEWC is produced by Vineyard & Winery Management magazine, and is one of the oldest and largest professional wine competitions in the United States. Complete results with links to many winery web sites may be found at www.vwm-online.com (via Wine Competitions > International Eastern Wine Competition > Results).

Judges awarded 1,144 medals (44 Double Gold, 151 Gold, 399 Silver and 558 Bronze) from a field of 1,600 entries that were submitted by wineries in 37 American states and three Canadian provinces (British Columbia, Ontario and Quebec) as well as the countries of Argentina, Australia, Chile, Germany, Italy, New Zealand, South Africa and Spain.

Entries were evaluated by an experienced group of professional wine judges with backgrounds in wine marketing, education and media, enology, viticulture, food and beverage, hospitality and tourism.

"We're very pleased to have a record 37 states entering the competition this year,” said Richard Leahy, chairman of the IEWC and East Coast editor of Vineyard & Winery Management. “The top medal results were very eclectic, from natives to hybrids to regular and non-mainstream vinifera grapes, showing outstanding quality across Northern America.”

The four Best of Category winners were selected from the 44 Double Gold medalists that advanced to the final round after earning unanimous gold votes from judging panels in the previous “medal round”.

INTERNATIONAL EASTERN WINE COMPETITION
Sweepstakes Winners

Best of Varietal
Bogle, 08 Chardonnay, California (State Appellation), $9.00
Ferrante Winery, 08 Gewurztraminer, Grand River Valley (AVA), $15
Dr. Konstantin Frank, 08 Riesling, Finger Lakes (AVA), Bunch Select Late Harvest, $69.99
Oliver Winery, 09 Pinot Grigio, America (Lodi and Columbia Gorge AVAs) $12.50
Domaine Laurier Winery, 07 Cabernet Sauvignon, Sonoma County (County Appellation), Reserve, $9.99
Trecini Winery, 07 Merlot, Russian River Valley (AVA), $28.00
Cross Keys Vineyards, 08 Cabernet Franc, Shenandoah Valley (AVA), $21
Napa Ridge Winery, 07 Petite Sirah, Napa Valley (AVA), $12.99
Jeff Runquist Wines, 08 Primitivo, Amador County (County Appellation), Nostro Vino Vineyard, $26
Balistreri Vineyards, 08 Sangiovese, Grand Valley (AVA), Talbott Vineyard, $22.00
Lost Bars, 07 Icewine, Okanagan Valley (DVA), VQA, $38.00

Best of Category

Best White Wine
Chateau Ste Michelle and Dr. Loosen, 08 Eroica Riesling, Columbia Valley (AVA), $24.00

Best Red Wine
Napa Ridge Winery, 07 Petite Sirah, Napa Valley (AVA), $12.99

Best Dessert Wine
Dr. Konstantin Frank, 08 Riesling, Finger Lakes (AVA), Bunch Select Late Harvest, $69.99

Best Fruit Wine
Ackerman Winery, 09 Raspberry, Iowa (State Appellation), $9.95

The Riesling Championship is a subsidiary of the IEWC: all Rieslings entered in the IEWC are also judged in one of four sweetness grades from dry to sweet; Best of Class winners are determined in each sweetness grade; the four Best of Class winners compete for the Riesling Championship. There were 171 Rieslings entered in this year’s competition.

"Riesling Championship entries were up significantly this year,” said Leahy, “with finalists from Colorado, Michigan, New Mexico and Washington as well as the Finger Lakes of New York which won three of four Best of Class awards.

“Kudos to Dr. Frank Vineyards in the Finger Lakes for ‘triple crown’ victories with their bunch select late harvest riesling taking home Best of Class Sweet Riesling and overall champion in the Riesling Championship as well as Best Dessert Wine in the IEWC. This German trockenbeerenauslese style is more labor-intensive than the popular icewine style, and acknowledges Dr. Konstantin Frank's making of the first American riesling in this style in 1962."

RIESLING CHAMPIONSHIP

Riesling Champion
Dr. Konstantin Frank, 08 Riesling, Finger Lakes (AVA), Bunch Select Late Harvest, $69.99

Best of Class

Best Dry Riesling
Eagle Crest Vineyards, 09 Riesling - Dry, Finger Lakes (AVA), $12.99

Best Semi-Dry Riesling
Chateau Ste Michelle and Dr. Loosen, 08 Eroica Riesling, Columbia Valley (AVA), $24.00

Best Semi-Sweet Riesling
Chateau LaFayette Reneau, 09 Riesling Semi-Dry, Finger Lakes (AVA), Estate, $14.99

Best Sweet Riesling
Dr. Konstantin Frank, 08 Riesling, Finger Lakes (AVA), Bunch Select Late Harvest, $69.99

About the producer
Vineyard & Winery Services, Inc. publishes the leading independent wine trade publication Vineyard & Winery Management magazine (www.vwm-online.com) and Winedex (Wine Industry Index). Based in Santa Rosa, California, the multimedia corporation also produces seminars, conferences and trade shows (Wineries Unlimited, Midwest Grape and Wine Conference, Tasting Room Profitability, Wine Club Summit, and Managing the Winery Laboratory) as well as three wine competitions (Grand Harvest Awards, International Eastern Wine Competition, and West Coast Wine Competition).

Drink Local ??

There has been an evolving movement across America to "Drink Local" that has been advocated by several bloggers and wine writers for the past decade. Supporters of this movement have highlighted and advocated wine, beer, and spirits produced in local areas. For instance, wine is produced in all 50 states, whether its ChokeCherry wine in South Dakota, Elderberry wine in Kansas, Frontenac in Minnesota, Muscadine wine from the southeast or Guava wine from more tropical climates. More importantly world class wine is being produced outside of the big three (California, Oregon, and Washington) - particularly in pockets concentrating on specific varietal wines. I am referring to Riesling in New York's Finger Lakes along with Merlot from Long Island, Viognier from Virginia, and Norton from the Midwest. Other wine regions are catching up, including to the Yadkin Valley in North Carolina, the Grand Valley in Colorado, and the Texas Hill Country. Some may quibble with this list and there are probably other regions that should be included but the general point is that there is fine wine being produced throughout the United States - not just in California, Oregon, and Washington.

Currently, however, the use of the term "Drink Local" is becoming more ambiguous. I believe the term is still a general concept, where wine consumers should include wine, beer, and spirits made in all 50 states in their general beverage consumption. Yea, its not exactly drink local, but its supporting small family wineries. And as consumers and critics we shouldn't frown upon wine made from non-vinifera grapes. If a climate can only support hybrids, or labrusca, or muscadine, or berries, or tropical fruits; then so be it. Wineries should make wine from fruit that excels in that climate and as consumers we should support that concept.

Other wine writers have a slightly different definition of "Drink Local". The founders of DrinkLocalWine.com are determined to highlight the fact that world class wine is being produced outside of the big three and how this fact is generally overlooked by the national wine media as well as in restaurants. Some refer to "Drink Local" as wine produced from grapes grown within a particular state's boundary. Others prefer to use a regional model since a winery located in one state may be closer to a vineyard located in a neighboring state as compared to vineyards located in the extreme opposite corner of that state. I've even heard the term used to define wine produced from only estate grown grapes. Obviously the use of the term has become very arbitrary and subjective and we have no problems with its multi-use. It does seem to be in the Eye of the Beholder. We do however encourage wine writers and bloggers to actually define their definition of "Drink Local" in order to not confuse their readers - particularly when one claims to "just drink local".

There is one topic that I believe consumers, bloggers, and critics would agree upon and that is the honest labeling of wine. If a winery produces a wine from grapes grown just within its own state's borders, or within an AVA, or within the winery's estate vineyard; then that fact should be clearly illustrated on the label. Furthermore, we applaud efforts by Corcoran Vineyards, Delaplane Cellars and other wineries that place the name of the local vineyard directly on the label when that wine is produced solely from vineyard designate grapes. That's how a region gains respect. On the other hand, there are many instances when a winery produces wine from out of state grapes - particularly from inexpensive California juice. This could be a long term strategy or a temporary solution for new wineries waiting for their estate grapes to mature. Regardless, the wine's label should clearly reflect the area where the grapes were sourced - whether California, the Finger Lakes, or even abroad.

Now go out and drink your definition of "local" wine.

Barren Ridge Vineyards, Fishersville Virginia

We starting our summer travels by traveling down the Shenandoah Valley in order to visit a winery that has been in our radar for quite some time: Barren Ridge Vineyards. We were most familiar with the winery, not because of their wines, but because they offer live music the third Friday of every month and tonight Jimmy O was scheduled. That led to a visit.

Barren Ridge Vineyards is the result of John and Shelby Higgs salvaging the Higgs family apple orchard. While living in Switzerland, Mr. Higgs experienced the European wine tradition firsthand and wanted to translate that culture to Augusta County. In 2007 friends and family planted vinifera vines and local contractors restored the decaying apple barn into a modern winery and tasting facility. Currently their wines are being made from grapes grown in neighboring vineyards until the estate vines mature. But they provide quite a selection.

We started out with a dry Vidal which was quite frankly - a nice change from the usual semi-dry to sweet Vidal. It had a nice citrus flavor and decent acidity - this is probably a popular option. But what I liked best about their other single varietal wines is that they were exactly what you would expect from that grape variety. The Chardonnay, Traminette Viognier, Cabernet Franc were what one would expect from a Virginia version of these varietals. Really liked the cab franc. Same with their full bodied Petit Verdot - this is a big wine - maybe even bigger than their Meritage; but right on. Evidently the grapes benefited from a late frost and then an unusually dry, hot summer - resulting in lower yields and concentrated flavors. This is a nice wine. It was also a nice surprise that they craft a single varietal Touriga - we are always looking for something different - and if we weren't going to be in a car for a long period - this wine would have come along. Instead we choose the Traminette for our semi-dry loving relatives.

Besides these single varieties, the winery produces rather unique blends - actually one of each - a red, white and rosé. The Meritage is their most accomplished having received a Gold medal at the 2009 Virginia State Fair. It is a blend of the three traditional Bordeaux grapes and priced at $25 - a decent value. Another good value at $15 is the white Tinkling Spring, a blend of four grapes. It is made off-dry - but with plenty of acidity to offset that character. Finally we have to applaud their Dry Rosé - not only for the results, but for the effort involved in crafting this wine. Juice from 5 grapes (Touriga, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Cabernet Franc, Chambourcin) are bled from the skins - then fermented. The result is a strawberry flavored dry wine - perfect for summer nights listening to music on their patio. Well done. We will most definitely return to listen to good music and good wine.

More News on H.R. 5034

Here is more analysis and news on H.R. 5034; many courtesy of Stop H.R. 5034.

Rob McKenna of Washington and Vice President of the National Association of Attorneys General corrects the wholesalers' false claims of his views on H.R. 5034 here.

H.R. 5034 signed on 9 more Co-sponsors, bring the total to 94 Co-sponsors. Click to email them?

The Wine Institute and Wine America issued a joint statement today condemning H.R. 5034 as a “Wholesaler Monopoly Protection Bill”. The joint statement is written on behalf of 6,000 U.S. wineries.

The Associated Press examines H.R. 5034.

Detroit News explores how HR. 5034 will hurt Michigan Vintners and consumers

Charlotteville News & Arts calls alcohol wholesalers’ H.R. 5034 a “Naked attempt to protect their own monopoly”.

Spring Frost Hits Eastern Vineyards Again

Last night severe frost damaged grapevines across the eastern states. On Keuka Lake in New York, Azure Hill Winery lost 90% of their first shoots as did Fabbioli Cellars in Leesburg Virginia. Fabbioli estimates losses at $400,000. And neighboring Tarara Vineyard & Winery lost about 25% of their fruit. Even though a second shoot may develop, the first shoot produces the highest quality grapes; both in flavor and volume. These wineries will need to source fruit from other vineyards. I thought with global warming this was supposed to be a thing of the past. Here's a video from Woods Wine Backyard Vineyard and Home Winery:

A Day in Loudoun: Spirits and Wine

This past Saturday (May 8th) we visited Catoctin Creek Distilling Company, Loudoun County's first family-owned distillery since prohibition, to witness a bottling day. Becky and Scott Harris had recruited about a dozen volunteers to manage the bottler, cap, label, and stock cases of Catoctin Creek Organic Roundstone Rye. This whisky is made from 100% organically grown rye - no neutral spirits added - and aged in oak barrels. They also bottle the distilled rye without barrel aging under the Catoctin Creek Organic Mosby's Spirit label. This spirit was just awarded a bronze medal in the American Distilling Institute 2010 Whiskey Competition in Louisville, KY. Thus the underlying spirit in the Roundstone Rye has already proved itself - an oak aged version should only be better.

The bottling operation looked quite efficient - even for a 100% manual process. The assembly line was in full capacity - someone passing empty bottles to a filler, then to a capper, then to the labeling table. Here the batch number were written on the labels by hand and after applied to a bottle, inserted into a case - with its own label. Not bad for a group of volunteers.

After watching the process, we ventured to a few wineries outside of Purcellville on Route 9. Our first stop was Breaux Vineyards - which we haven't visited in a few years. Their 2002 Reserve Merlot was selected as the top overall wine poured at the DrinkLocalWine.com Twitter Taste-off last month - so why not a re-taste. Not so fast. This is a popular location - at noon the tasting room was packed - two to three people deep. Nice to see the traffic - but right now... Instead we walked around the vineyard and admired the vineyards against the mountains.

Our next stop was Hunter's Run in Hamilton, which is a joint operation with Corcoran Vineyards. Without having to wind through the gravel roads leading to the winery, the Hunter's Run Barn provides a location to taste the wines - right off of Route 9. Plus they host live music on weekends. Today Lenny Burridge was in the barn - wanted to see him for a long time. Hunter's Run is a great location for families bringing their kids along. The upstairs loft contains toys and games that will keep them entertained while parents frequent the tasting bar. The only downside; the Corcoran Viognier is out of stock. Need to find another outdoor alternative.

Our final stop was Village Winery in historic Waterford. For some reason I had a craving for their Apple Wine. I don't know why because in general I prefer their Viognier and Petit Verdot. But the Apple Wine is made dry and sometimes you just need something different. Plus they offer a non-alcoholic sparkling Elderberry which the little boy is now asking why we didn't bring home a case. Kent Marrs has really turned into one of our favorite winemakers - always crafting a consistent product. We need to return more often.

Stop H.R. 5034 Website Launched

A new website has launched to try and defeat H.R. 5034. For those who haven't heard of the bill the Stop H.R. 5034 Website explains it quite clearly:

House Resolution 5034 is a contemptible piece of special interest legislation that would harm small, family wineries, harm specialty wine stores, kill jobs and prevent consumers from legally accessing wines they can’t find locally by leading to bans on the legal, well regulated direct shipment of wine. Learn about the legislation, who supports it, who opposes it, and how it’s being covered in the media. GET EDUCATED and Help STOP HR 5034.

And over 10,000 people have become fans of STOPHR5034 on Facebook. Are you one?

RagApple Lassie

Its difficult spending three days in the Yadkin Valley without visiting a winery and that's usually the case during Merlefest. However, on Sunday morning I ventured only a half dozen miles from my hotel room to visit one of the most popular in the region: RagApple Lassie Vineyards. I first heard of the winery several years back when I read that their 2003 was awarded the Governor's Cup at the 2004 NC State Fair. I purchased a couple bottles of that wine as well as their Viognier and as I recall we enjoyed both wines. I'm also familiar with the winery through MyJoog.com since they host live music almost every weekend. I felt fortunate that Booneville was so close to Elkin.

RagApple Lassie is owned and operated by Lenna and Frank Hobson, who is the third generation of Hobsons to till the land - tobacco, corn, wheat, and soybeans. However, with the declining value in tobacco (the allotment for each farm has been reduced by 53 percent) he always feared that the land would lose its profitability and be sold and converted into a housing development. To avoid this scenario he planted a vineyard in 2000 - which lead the family to construct the winery two years later. They choose RagApple Lassie in honor of his pet Holstein, a calf that he received as a child and together they would later win the Grand Championship Trophy at the 1957 NC State Fair. I'm sure it never occurred to the family that 46 years later he would receive a wine award at the State Fair. Since the Hopsons were professional farmers and not winemakers, they prudently hired Linda King - already an award winning winemaker and internationally certified wine judge - who was seeking to relocate to the area. A nice coincidence. Thus a team evolved where Frank Hobson meticulously worked the vineyards, Linda King meticulously vinified these grapes, and Lenna Hobson used her marketing experience to sell the wine.

The most interesting aspect when visiting the winery is that you enter the winery on a catwalk overlooking the fermenting tanks. And to reach the tasting room, you must traverse the tank room - regardless what tasks are underway. They may be pumping wine or juice, crushing, pushing the fruit down, cleaning - yet that's where you travel to taste the wines. You basically start with a tour. Then to the wines. RagApple Lassie crafts a dozen different wines, all made from estate grown grapes. In fact they grow 15 varieties, many you wouldn't expect from a North Carolina grower: Marsanne, Semillion, and Zinfandel. But why not, when you have plenty of land and know how to grow anything. As expected their portfolio range from dry to sweet, but even the sweet wines were not syrupy and gritty - they were actually quite drinkable particularly the Rockford Red. This concoction is a blend of classic Bordeaux grapes plus Zinfandel sugar coated to 4% r.s. . Yet it has a nice acidity that works with blue cheese. Supposedly many dry wine drinkers add a bottle of Rockford Red during checkout, claiming to buy this for a friend.

Sticking to the sweeter wines, the "First Blush" is a popular wine in that market and has a very interesting makeup - Traminette, Marsanne, Semillon, and Malbec - who thought of that blend. The Boonville Blanc is 100% semi-dry Viognier that was basically a sweeter version of their dry version. But the one sweeter wine that I enjoyed was the off-dry Kaleidoscope Gold. The composition of this wine was a result of the Easter Freeze that left the winery short on several varieties. Thus they blended them together - Chardonnay, Traminette, Pinot Gris, Marsanne, Semillon, and Viognier. The danger of blending many varietals is that it could produce a big tank of nothing - flavors and aromas that counteract each other. But this blend works - and I came home with a bottle.

Staying with whites, I really enjoyed the Chardonnay and Viognier. Ms. King has really perfected this wine, barrel fermented sur lie - it is not over powering but has a nice mid-palette that slides into a soft tail. And for $16, this is a great value. The Viognier is not as big as the Virginia Viognier I'm used to, but this one has all the characteristics in aroma and flavor, plus a hint of spice at the finish. As the price of Virginia Viognier continue to skyrocket, this is a nice everyday alternative.

Moving to reds, the winery offers three 100% varietals (Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, and a Zinfandel) and one reserve blend, The Hobson's Choice. The varietals were all nice, smooth and very drinkable - but were easily overshadowed after tasting the reserve blend and hearing its story. In 2005 Mr. Hobson watched over a lot in the vineyard which was producing excellent fruit. He hectored Ms. King to allow him to pick the fruit because he felt they would produce an exceptional wine. The winemaker initially refused but Hobson's persistence eventually wore her down. The Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Pinot Gris grapes were harvested together, mixed into the same bins, pressed together, fermented together and aged together. They have no idea the ratios. After aging one year in barrel, Ms. King tasted and claimed that the wine would have to be dumped. After the second year, she said the wine was changing and after the third year she exclaimed it was special. Hobson's Choice - there really was no choice. The wine is special; its big, but silky smooth. Some cherry flavors, some chocolate and nicely balanced between fruit and oak. Just thinking about it made me realize I should have purchased another bottle. Particularly since this wine will never come again.

At some point I need to return to the Yadkin Valley during a non-Merlefest weekend. When that happens RagApple Lassie will be on the itinerary - this time in the evening to enjoy good music and good wine.

Crusing the Crooked Run Valley: Delaplane Cellars

After the 2010 DrinkLocalWine.com two fellow bloggers, MyVineSpot and Anything Wine visited Delaplane Cellars and enjoyed their stay. A few days later I had a chance to follow their footsteps and caught the winery just before closing. Fortunately the Jim and Betsy Dolphin were willingly to stay open a tad longer to accommodate my visit. Delaplane Cellars is an infant, having opened officially this year. However, Jim Dolphin has been making wine and studying viticulture and vinification for years, even studying under esteemed winemaker Jim Law of Linden Vineyards and taking oenology courses through U.C. Davis. Thus, he didn't have to rely on other winemakers to solely craft his initial batch - he was able to borrow different facilities to craft his wine style while the winery was being constructed. No slapping another wineries product with a different label here.

The winery and estate is located in the scenic Crooked Run Valley. The tasting room\winery building was constructed to match the Sporting Library in nearby Middleburg, but that fact is quickly forgotten once you witness the panoramic scenery from the tasting room. The view is simply amazing as the valley stretches out from their vineyards to the Cobbler Mountains in the distance. The winery's label characterizes that mountain range. And the Dolphin's never tire of that view. The estate is planted with traditional varieties that excel in the Commonwealth; Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Malbec, Tannat, Merlot; as well as Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Menseng. Until the vineyard comes of age, their fruit is sourced from several highly regarded vineyards. In fact, the winery is so proud to be associated with these vineyards, that the vineyard name is used in the wine's name whenever possible. We applaud this designation, great wine starts with good fruit, and vineyards that provide these should be getting the appropriate accolades.

Delaplane Cellars offers a solid portfolio of wines, yet one of my favorites wasn't even one of theirs. It was the Glen Manor Sauvignon Blanc which the winery provides to round out their portfolio. Winemaker Jeff White has crafted a winner here. Delaplane specializes in Viognier and I was able to sample three: 2008 Honah Lee Viognier, 2008 Maggies Vineyard Viognier, and the 2007 Emerald Lake Viognier. Each of the wines are aged in neutral French oak barrels which provide a fuller mouthful all the while trying to maintain a balance between the fruit and oak. These are all nice wines, but I am still not sold on oaked Viognier; for my palate, I enjoy those imprisoned in stainless steel.

On the other hand, I had no issues with their red portfolio, unless you include their Pink Rose, which is a 3% r.s. concocted for a particular audience. But their dry reds are memorable. Their 2007 Old World Cab Franc contains a small amount of Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon, but the fruitiness of the Cabernet Franc is prevalent - assisted by a nice acidic finish. This is a nice example of a medium bodied Cab Franc - typical cherry with some plum flavors and a smooth finish. Their 2007 Left Bank Bordeaux Blend is fuller and consists of 67% Cabernet Sauvignon (Tranquility Vineyards), 29% Merlot (Bella Luna Vineyard) and 4% Petit Verdot (Springlot Vineyard). The nose to this wine is almost overpowering; it then eases into a nice blackberry mid palette and then a pepper finish. Nice. During one conversation at the DrinkLocalWine.com we discussed how winemakers love Syrah, but in general, the public doesn't know enough about the varietal to constantly purchase it. Well, here's another worthy example made in the Northern Rhone style that includes a small dose of Viognier to soften the wine. This wine is toasty and earthy - an old world wine crafted in the new world. Yet the best was still to come in their 2007 Springlot Reserve Single Vineyard - a classic Bordeaux blend of CF, CS, Merlot, and Petit Verdot. The fruit comes from Springlot Vineyard, a two acre lot of granite based soil located at 1200 feet above sea level and meticulously maintained by John Everson. A perfect storm of soil, elevation, and vineyard management. Plus the grapes were harvested in 2007, the closest year that Virginia gets to the average California season. The result is a dark fruit flavor, velvet mid palette and smooth finish. This wine may be priced a little high for the average consumer ($40), but its worth every cent.

I wish I good of extended my stay and enjoyed a glass of one of these reds, but I had already overstayed my visit. Regardless of what brings me out Route 66, a visit to Delaplane Cellars is on the agenda. A fabulous view and nice wines, what more do you need?