Stay Connected with Virtual Chats During the CV Lockdown

We are living in interesting times, unable to frequent our favorite craft beverage establishments or explore various regions.  Fortunately, wine, beer, and liquor stores are considered essential services and combined with discounted shipping rates are supplying our beverage needs. In order to stay connected with existing customers and to seek new consumers, craft beverage producers, importers, and retail shops are conducting virtual tastings.  The chats that I have participated in have been extremely informative, even when not indulging in the targeted beverage. And if you cannot participate live, most of these tastings are available via playback - so enjoy at your leisure. Here is a short list of sessions where I have either participated or received an email notification. Cheers.

On Tuesday nights at 8pm EST, Mirena and Win Burke have been hosting a Croatian Wine Chat at Croatian Premium Wine Imports which feature wines from the Komarna Appellation. In the first two episodes, they have interviewed Decanter judge and Croatian sommelier Siniša Lasan as well as winemakers Josip Volarević and Marko Suman. Each week they will focus on one or two wines in their portfolio available at their Online Store.

Similarly, Taste Hungary, which normally provides a quarterly wine club, has augmented that service with weekly virtual chats on Saturday evenings at 7pm EST. This coming Saturday, April 4th owner Gábor Bánfalvi is presenting Wines from Tokaj with future chats featuring Wines from Eger and Wines from the Heumann Winery in Villány. The wines for these tastings are available as part of various mixed 6-Packs, with free delivery on purchases of 6 bottles or more in the DC metro area, within 40 miles of DC (use promo code: DMV-FREE). They are also providing free delivery on the first shipment of a Wine Club subscription (use promo code: DMV-FREE1) and $10 shipping to all other states (except Alaska), for purchases of 6 bottles or more.

Several wine producers are also conducting virtual chats. In Virginia, Early Mountain Vineyards hosts several virtual presentations such as Friday, April 3rds Vineyard Tour with Dustin Wade, Vineyard Manager at 3:30pm EST.  Through their online store, they are offering free shipping for any orders of 3+ bottles -- combined with a 10% discount for any 6+ bottle order.  In Santa Barbara County, California, Solminer Wine Company is hosting weekly Saturday afternoon Taste Together virtual chats (3:30pm EST). Also in California, on Sunday afternoons (4pm PST) Kendall-Jackson's Winemaster Randy Ullom leads a tasting and discussion of their wines alongside various culinary pairings.

For distilleries, Seattle's Westland Distillery is hosting a tasting experience featuring their core whiskeys (American Oak, Sherry Wood, and Peated) starting Friday, April 3rd at 4pm PST. In Iowa, Mississippi River Distilling Co. is allowing consumers to plan their own virtual tasting with the distillery offering cocktail recipes and on the night of the tasting, they’ll walk the guests through the distillery.

For cideries, Richmond's Blue Bee Cider hosts their FireCider Chat Virtual Tastings on Thursday evenings at 7pm EST which should be very engaging to consumers not familiar with the cider industry or heirloom cider apples.

And continuing with the Commonwealth, let's not forget Frank Morgan's Virtual Virginia Wine Chats which we mentioned in Open That Bottle of Virginia (or Local) Wine Night. The Open That Bottle of Virginia Wine Night on March 28th received more than 4,000 views.

Retail outlets are also using the virtual mode of communication. In DC, the popular wine store DCanter - A Wine Boutique is hosting Friday evening Sips -- virtual wine classes at 6pm EST that "tackle a different wine topic that you can easily follow along at home with or without wine".

Update (4/2/2020) - Paso Robles Wine Country has compiled a list of twenty Virtual Experiences within their appellation. The same is true for the Idaho Wine Commission (pdf).

Virginia Wine Chat - Virginia Governor's Case Wines - Part 1

The 2020 Virginia Governor's Cup Competition is currently being judged and the results will be released next month, so the 2019 Case Club Awardees are taking a final victory lap appearing in Frank Morgan's Virginia Wine Chat.  The specific chat actually involves two sessions with the first held January 12th at Horton Vineyards, the reigning Governor's Cup winner for their 2016 Petit Manseng. Shannon Horton, daughter of founder Dennis Horton, represented the winery and was joined by two winemakers - Ben Jordan of Early Mountain Vineyards and Matthieu Finot of King Family Vineyards.  Their presence provided participants the opportunity to present questions on a range of topics particularly on the nature of Virginia Petit Manseng and the methodology behind blending trials.

The three presenters described the merits of Petit Manseng with Shannon Horton describing her loose clusters which provide an easier opportunity for the grapes to dry during humid weather. Horton also mentioned the grape's versatility with the inherent acids allowing a multitude of styles along the sweetness scale. And Ben Jordan mentioned how Petit Manseng is not a thirsty grape with respect to late-season rains. Growers do not need to fear grape degradation with Petit Manseng as she won't quaff the late summer or autumn rains and become bloated. According to Jordan, that is useful since other grapes could be harvested before the rains and Petit Mansen left for afterward.

As a response to my question regarding the methodology behind blending trials, the Early Mountain team responded via twitter.   To paraphrase, they develop ideas during fermentation and in January assemble trial blends (w/o actually blending). In the spring, they revisit the original ideas and blend again (different varieties, oak treatments). The goal is to finish the trials by the next harvest. I hope consumers appreciate the time and methodological nature involved when crafting your favorite blended wines.

The second session of the 2019 Virginia Case Club Wines continues on #WineChat this Thursday,  January 16th at 7:30pm ET. Hope to see you online. Cheers

Horton Vineyards Petit Manseng 2016 ($25)
The wine maintains the grape's inherent bright tropical characters and provides a newly discovered depth and weight.

Glen Manor Vineyards 2015 Cabernet Franc ($31.99)
Luscious, full-bodied, velvety, finishing with lifting acids and firm tannins. The wine is also devoid of the inherent green vegetal character and while receiving some oak, not overly so.

King Family Vineyards 2016 Mountain Plain ($69.95)
Beautiful wine, fresh and velvety red fruit, mint and leather, and integrated tannins.

King Family Vineyards 2016 Meritage ($36)
Big chewy wine, dark fruit, some tobacco, solid acids, and firm tannins.

Early Mountain Vineyards 2016 Eluvium ($39.99)
Great mouthfeel, dark bold fruit with some spice, leading to a light and dusty tannins. Thank you acids.

Paradise Springs Winery 2015 Meritage ($49)
Gripping leather surrounded by blackberries and baking spices. Long, lingering finish.