An Afternoon at Capstone Vineyards

Last week we spent an afternoon on the outskirts of the Shenandoah Valley escaping the heat and humidity and finally visited Capstone Vineyards. This fulfilled a desire from early March after meeting winemaker Theo Smith at the 2024 Virginia's Governor's Cup Gala. The winery was participating because of their Gold medal winning 2022 Vintner's Blend - a Bordeaux styled percentage of 42% Cabernet Franc, 31% Cabernet Sauvignon, 21% Merlot, and 6% Petit Verdot.

On this visit we started in the tasting room with a flight of the 2023 Sparkling C2, 2023 Sauvignon Blanc, 2023 Chardonnay, and 2016 Vintner's Blend. This last wine raised the property's viticulture status as it was made by Jim Law across Route 66 at Linden Vineyards. When Smith and his partners purchased the property there was an abundant supply of this blend (60% Cabernet Franc, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 10% Petit Verdot) which has aged masterfully in the bottle. The 2016 Vintner's Blend is still fresh with juicy dark fruit and noticeable tannins. The generous staff also allowed us to sample the 2022 Vintner's Blend which is normally off the tasting sheet because of its short supply. Definitely see the aging potential, but our group landed on the 2016 for drinking now. 

The three white wines were all worth noting but the Chardonnay held our fancy until Theo joined us with a glass of their 2023 Rousanne. He told us it was the last fruit picked that season and with smaller than usual berries - the fruit concentration was ideal. Over this glass, Theo also gave us his backstory from biochemistry at Franciscan University to witnessing his first harvest at an Ohio vineyard that peaked his interest that lead to a degree in Viticulture and Oenology at Brock University. He received excellent advice to start his career in a less well-known, but rising wine region which lead to a dozen years at Rappahannock Cellars. Then in late 2022, he and two friends purchased Capstone Vineyards. 

You will be seeing more upcoming content about Capstone Vineyards as we joined the wine club and will be visiting hopefully once a month. We plan on learning more about Theo's contract winemaking as well as his sacramental wine that isn't oxidized. 

Academy du Rhône Wine - Washington D.C. Edition

"Vinsobres or sober wine, drink it soberly".. Monseigneur Joseph Marie de Suarès (Bishop of Vaison-La-Romaine) in1633

The Rhône Valley is a diverse and complex wine region that I've been slowly trying to comprehend. In 2023 I started with a Côtes du Rhône Online Wine Academy course in April and attended the Academy du Rhône Wine this month in Washington D.C. The Academy was hosted by Master Sommelier David Keck and showcased 18 wines from various appellations within the Rhône Valley all the while discussing the grapes and terrior within each region. The Rhône Valley is located in southeast France between Lyon and Marseille and is sub-divided into Northern and Southern regions. Southern Rhône is sandwiched between Provence to the east and Languedoc-Roussillon to the west and is known for its Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvèdre (GSM) blends. On the other hand, Syrah is the champion of the Northern Rhône with  Marsanne, Roussanne and Viognier its white counterparts. Overall, the Rhône Valley accounts for 9% of all French vineyards and ranks 2nd by volume for all French AOC wine regions.

The Rhône Valley's wine history is quite fascinating and starts three hundred million years ago as the Massif Central clashed with the Alps creating the valley and then flooding from the Mediterranean populated the valley’s soils with four different types of rock: granite, sandy silica, limestone and clay. This created conditions for the Greeks & Romans to apply viticulture which continued through the Avignon Popes up to the 1930's when Baron Le Roy championed the creation of the Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée system. The Rhône Valley was granted AOC status in 1933. Read more of the Rhône Valley's entire history at the Vins Rhône website. 

In brief, there are 34 different grape varieties planted in the Rhône Valley and red wines account for 76% of production, rosé 13%, and whites 11%. The diverse landscape consists of five major soil types: clay, stony, limestone, granitic, and sandy soils. Again see Vins Rhône for a more detailed presentation. There are 31 appellations grouped within two major areas: Côtes du Rhône AOCs and Rhône Valley AOCs. The Côtes du Rhône AOC accounts for 75% of the overall production in the Rhône Valley and itself consists of a hierarchy starting with the  Côtes du Rhône Crus,  Côtes du Rhône Villages with a geographic name,  Côtes du Rhône Villages, and  Côtes du Rhône. Red wine accounts for 86% of overall Côtes du Rhône production,  rosé 8%, and whites 6%. The Rhône Valley AOCs are more prevalent in the Southern Rhône and are distributed in a wider area from the Rhone River. 

Whereas most of the 18 wines we sampled were from the Côtes du Rhône there were a handful from Rhône Valley AOCs with one I especially enjoyed, the M. Chapoutier La Ciboise Luberon 2022. This wine is a blend of Grenache Blanc, Roussanne, Ugni Blanc and Vermentino from the Luberon AOC. The vineyards for this appellation and high in elevation and surround the Luberon Natural Regional Park, part of UNESCO’s World Network of Biosphere Reserves. Luberon is dominated by small farmers and cooperatives and this region is one of France's sunniest with 320 sunny days each year. It also straddles Provence so the wines closely resemble that style in the sense of easy-drinking and value. This La Ciboise is a fresh and lively wine, yet creamy and structured, with noticeable citrus and stone fruit. 

Turning to the Côtes du Rhône, I want to focus on two wines from the tasting starting with the Southern Rhône Chateau de Rouanne 2020 AOC Vinsobres. The Vinsobres Crus commune has a long history of viticulture and the name is derived from "Vinzobrio, the oldest recorded version of the village name, dating back to 1137; this in turn is thought to derive from the pre-Celtic Vintio, meaning height, and the Celtic suffix briga (mountain)". It is one of the most northernly southern communes and thus shares many notable northern characteristics such as exposure to the mistral winds and a stronger reliance on Syrah. The vineyards are at high elevations and the vines are planted in very stony, red to brown soils where their warmth allows the vines to ripen early. This wine is a GSM blend of 50% Grenache, 40% Syrah and 10% Mourvèdre  where whole clusters were vinified and aged in concrete vats using native yeasts. This is an elegant and complex wine, with juicy dark fruit, black pepper and earth, and silky tannins.  As the quote relates above, this is a sober (and serious) wine. 

Returning to the beginning of the session, the first flight featured wines from the AOC Côtes du Rhône. The entire appellation stretches from Vienne to Avignon and includes 171 communes across six departments: Ardèche, Drôme, Gard, Loire, Rhône and Vaucluse), covering an area of around 30,000 hectares. The climate is Mediterranean, refreshed by the cleansing and cooling Mistral wind. Summers are hot and dry, with occasional violent storms. Rainfall is low, and snow is rare.  One of my favorites of the initial flight was the Domaine de l'Odylée. La Talentuese 2020 -- a certified organic blend of Grenache and Syrah.  The wine ages 14 months in oak barrels and demi-muids which contributes to a it's depth and complexity. There's a slight earthiness and  herbaciousness on the nose followed by plums and raspberries and a spicy and firm finish. 

Hopefully I will have more content to post n this tasting and further exploration of the Rhône Valley.

COVID Re-Openings in Virginia at Four Tasting Rooms

Through July 4th weekend my family visited four Virginia tasting rooms primarily just to get out of the neighborhood but it also allowed us to access new releases and COVID re-openings.  These visits started while fishing in Front Royal and a stop at Chester Gap Cellars. This winery provides one of the most picturesque views of the Blue Ridge Mountains, situated at over 1,000 feet elevation and with a trailhead to the Appalachian Trail nearby. Our visit coincided with the release of their 2019 Rosé ($26) -- a blend of Merlot and Cabernet France and presenting a creamy strawberry character. And if you are a fan of the true character of Roussanne, check out their 2017 Roussanne ($32) which is aged in French oak for 10 months that enhances the grape's unique profile. Upon arriving we were greeted immediately by a staff member who explained the seating options and wine-food options and let to a table on their open-air tasting patio. From that vantage point, we enjoyed a couple glasses of wine, the views, and the staff sanitizing tables and chairs as they became available.

The next day we visited two tasting rooms in Delaplane, Virginia: Valley View Farm and Three Fox Vineyards. The historic Valley View Farm recently partnered with Philip Carter Winery to sell wine and hard cider and for the winery to produce wines using grapes from the Strother Family Vineyards located on the property.  The Strother Family has "served as stewards" of the farms for five generations with Philip Carter Strother, owner of Philip Carter Winery, the current steward.  The views of the Piedmont are equally impressive and are captured in the artwork of artist Andrei Kushnir and featured on the label of the Philip Carter 2017 Valley View White Table Wine ($24).  The wine (Chardonnay and Vidal) was very pleasant as we sat at a table on their porch - 100 feet from the nearest visitor.

Three Fox Vineyards is located a few miles down Route 17 and was recently purchased by Tim and Emily Faltemier. Original owners John and Holli Todhunter had opened the winery way back in 2002 and named the vineyard Three Foxes after seeing three of these Vulpes playing in the meadow.  The Todhunter's also established an Italian centric focus planting Sangiovese, Nebbiolo, and Pinot Grigio which will continue under the new ownership based on Emily's Italian roots. That being said we covet their La BohemeViognier ($29) sourced from Middleburg Virginia.  When we arrived we noticed a tasting tent and tables set up along the banks of Crooked Run, a response to the pandemic but hopefully a future feature.  Kids and adults were sitting in the creek or playing ball in the field and golf carts were busy transporting wine or visitors to and from the tasting room or parking lot. In between cleaning teams and selling wine, Tim also mentioned that they are adding a brewery to the premises which they hope to have functional once the proper licenses are received.

Finally, we returned to Fleetwood Farm Winery, which had been the last winery we visited right before the lockdown. Like Valley View Farm, this is a historic farm -- established in 1745.  The winery was also hosting a Fleetwood Rosé All Weekend special where the two new rosé wines were priced at $20. Our group went with the 2018 Virginia Rosé is a saignée blend of various grapes with a dark, full-bodied cherry profile with refreshing acidity.  On our previous visit, we favored the 2018 Virginia Viognier ($32) which matched the juicy stone fruit characters we were expecting.  The winey offers amble indoor, outdoor, and patio space for distancing with masks required while walking inside the tasting room.

Ted Trots Out Cass Winery at Bazin's

Bazin's on Church recently hosted Cass Winery and its charismatic co-owner Ted Plemons. He and Steve Cass officially opened the winery in 2005 on land Cass owned and, motivated after a trip to South Africa, they wo hired their future winemaker before even one vine was planted. From that opening Cass Winery has earned multiple awards and salutations and in 2015 and 2018 Winery of the Year at the Central Coast Wine Competition.


 Located in Paso Robles Wine Country, the 145 acre estate vineyard benefits from the "Templeton Gap" -- a series of passes in the Santa Lucia Range through which air flows creating evening breezes. This helps generate a dramatic change in temperature between daytime and nighttime (the diurnal variation) which in turn helps preserves the balance of natural acids inside the grapes. Like many of its neighbors, Cass specializes in Rhone grape varieties such as Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre (the GSM blends), and Petite Sirah for reds and Viognier, Roussanne, and Marsanne for whites. Paso is also becoming well known for their Cabernet (see Paso Robles CAB Collective) and Cass currently pours a savory and creamy 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon ($36).


But the Rhone varietal wines were the main attractions at Bazin's starting with two delicious white wines -- the 2017 Genesso District Mr. Blanc ($24) and the 2016 Estate Viognier ($27). This Viognier possesses the characteristic stone fruits of peaches and apricots with brilliant acidity that balances the fruity front and finish. The Mr. Blanc is a blend of Marsanne, Roussanne, and Viognier and is more tropical and minerally in nature. We came home with a few bottles of this fantastic wine. There were also two red Rhones the 2015 Mourvèdre ($35) and 2015 Grenache ($35). Both were juicy wines with dark fruit, spices, and approachable smooth tannins.  And finally they poured the layered and wavy 2014 Backbone Syrah ($45) - commendably old world in style.

Farmhouse Wines and Green Spring Farm - "Beyond Sustainable" Farming

We grow by the motto “50% for humans, 50% for nature,” maintaining an important balance between the vines grown for humans and crops grown for soil improvement, Bob Cannard & Fred Cline --Green String Farm

This method of “beyond sustainable” farming, was developed by Bobby Cannard and Fred Cline of Cline Family Cellars and is now known as the Green String method of sustainable farming.  Their laboratory, Green String Farm, is located in Sonoma - specifically in Petaluma - and "serves to teach students how to improve the biology of the lands that they steward while growing naturally healthy food".  This method includes natural remedies for pest management, fertilization, and weeding among others. For instance they use over 1500 sheep and 500 goats to remove harmful weeds from their vineyards.  They also use native root stocks which can be dry farmed (no irrigation) and friendly insects are introduced to control harmful insects.

Farmhouse Wines is the brand name for the wine produced at Green String Farm and it takes its name from the school house located on the property. The portfolio is currently comprised of two unique blends each featuring up to six grape varieties and priced reasonably at $15. Winemaker Charlie Tsegeletos is a 30 year veteran of Sonoma wine making and encourages the grapes to tell their story without the over use of oak treatments.

Farmhouse White ($15)
This is an interesting blend of 41% Palomino, 25% Muscat Canelli, 22% Roussanne, 6% Marsanne, 5% Viognier, and 1% Riesling - with Palomino better known as the Spanish grape used in Sherry.  The juice was cold-fermented in stainless steel tanks without malolactic fermentation which presents a fruit forward, clean wine expressing melon, citrus, and tropical notes and a long coated fresh finish. This wine is dangerous, the bottle is empty before one realizes how much was consumed. 

Farmhouse Red ($15)
This wine is comprised of handpicked 39% Merlot (39%) , Syrah (21%),  Zinfandel (20%),  Grenache (9%), Petite Sirah (7%) , and Mourvèdre (3%) . The fermented wine comes from a combination of both free run and pressed juice that is aged in 40% new French oak for one year.  The result of this process is an easy drinking medium bodied wine with plenty of fruit accompanied by texture and black pepper and a very bright finish.

Locations White Wine: California (CA4) and Corsica (CORSE)

Dave Phinney's Locations portfolio continues to grow as the brand expands it's white wine offerings. The concept behind the Locations Wine brand was to "to produce a wine that pays homage to their home land without compromise and without boundaries" and may I add, at an affordable price point ($20 range). Currently there are nine red wines (France, Spain, Italy, Portugal, California, Oregon, Washington, and Texas) joined by two white wines: the inaugural California - CA4 and a sophomore release of Corsica - CORSE.

CA4 - California White Wine ($19.99, 14.5% abv) - a blend of Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Viognier, and Roussanne from Napa, Sonoma, and Mendocino to reflect the "diversity and potential of California". A portion of the fermented wine was aged in new French oak so expect a slightly buttery flavor. However, that sensation does not overwhelm the other attributes such as the bright lemon aroma and stone fruit and mineral character. And the acids provide a fresh finish. I'd prefer a little less oak, but this is a tasty wine nonetheless.

CORSE - Corsican White Wine ($18.99, 13.7% abv) - 100% Vermentino and the label represents the shepherd's knife commonly used on the island. On this Mediterranean island wine production can be traced to 570 BC when Phoceans traders settled on the island. Even though Corsica is a French territory, its wine making traditiosn and wine grapes are Italian in origin. There are nine AOC regions with white wines composed primarily of Vermentino. This light skinned Italian grape variety most likely originated on the Italian island of Sardinia - located just south of Corsica. The Vermentino grapes used to produce the CORSE were sourced from "vineyards from steep, hillside slopes comprised of granite and red clay soils". The island's large diurnal change (temperature difference between the hot days and cool nights) allow the grapes to retain acids. This is an elegant wine with a complex floral citrus aroma and a fresh oily texture reminiscent of lemon peels. Expect a wet stone minerality and a clean refreshing finish. Nicely done.

Snooth Presents a Lodi Virtual Wine Tasting

 On the heals of a very successful 2016 Wine Bloggers Conference hosted by Lodi Winegrape Commission, Snooth continued the Lodi momentum by hosting a virtual tasting of four Lodi wines. For a recap,  once synonymous with old vine Zinfandel, the Lodi AVA currently grows over 100 different grape varieties and was named Wine Enthusiast's 2015 "Wine Region of the Year".  The region is located between the San Francisco Bay and the Sierra Nevada Mountains and is known for it's hot dry days and an evening breeze that commences on schedule every evening providing a noticeable diurnal shift in temperature. Perfect for retaining grape acidity. Lodi is home to approximately 65 wineries -- many multi-generational family operations.  During the Snooth virtual tasting Master Sommelier/Snoother Tim Gaiser interviewed Stuart Spencer, Program Manager, Lodi Winegrape Commission & Owner/Winemaker, St. Amant Winery, and Michael McCay, Vineyard Manager and Owner/Winemaker, McCay Cellars to discuses the diversity of the region through these four wines.

Acquiesce Winery & Vineyards 2015 Belle Blanc Lodi White Blend  ($26) - (45% Grenache Blanc, 45% Roussanne, 10% Viognier). Acquiesce Winery is Lodi’s only dedicated white wine winery. This wine is made in the classic Châteauneuf-du-Pape Southern Rhône style from cuttings acquired through Tablas Creek Vineyard (originally from Château de Beaucastel Winery). The wine is simple floral, savory, stone fruit, light citrus, long fresh finish. Perhaps not that simple.

McCay Cellars 2013 Lodi Grenache ($35). I devoured this wine during the WBC16 winemaker dinner.   It is lighter bodied, with red cherry flavors and an herbal center; finishes with killer acid. A fantastic wine.

LangeTwins Winery & Vineyards 2014 Lodi Nero d’Avola ($20). Another #WBC16 favorite from during the speed tasting, this 5th generation farm family shows more Lodi diversity by growing grapes normally found in Sicily. The wine is very bright and fresh with dark cherries, mint, and a very smooth finish.  This is your afternoon table wine.

Klinker Brick Winery 2013 Lodi Farrah Syrah ($20). This wine spent 15 months in French oak providing a chalky, spicy, and smoky character. The wine finishes with very structured tannins. Nicely done and at this price, quite the value.

A Quick Visit to Temecula Valley Wine Country

During our craft beer centric stay in San Diego, we did allocate one afternoon to visit wine country - choosing Temecula Valley or Southern California's Wine Country as they refer to themselves. This wine region is located 90 minutes south of Los Angeles and 60 minutes north of San Diego off I-15. The community boasts 35 wineries - all situated due east of Old Town Temecula - and grows over 50 grape varieties. The first modern winery, Callaway Vineyard & Winery, opened in 1974 and the region gained its AVA designation in 2004. The landscape is very scenic, dry rolling hills interspersed with lush green vineyards. And the wineries are tightly packed making a wine excursion quite simple to navigate. And as always, theCompass Winery, Brewery, Distillery Locator Mobile App helps.

Our first stop was at South Coast Winery, prehaps the most prolific producer in the region. The winery was established in 2003 and since then has been awarded the Best California State Winery four times (2016 the latest). Besides the extravagant facility - it includes a resort and spa - they produce wine from at least 20 grape varieties including many Rhone such as Grenache Blanc, Viognier, Roussanne. These three are blended into a delicious GVR and also bottled as 100% varietals. Excellent wines. Another tasty white was the 2015 California Verdelho, with its lemon profile, velvety texture, and fresh acids; it reminded of the new Nationals star Trea Turner - light and speedy, but possesses surprising power. As for reds you can remain in Portugal with a solid Touriga, move to Bordeaux with several offerings or return to the Rhone with my favorite, their 2014 Grenache or 2014 Mourvedre both $18. Great values for two delicious wines. South Coast also includes a nice portfolio of sparkling wines so as you can see from the range of offerings, a must visit.

The next stop was to Falkner Winery, primarily because they had answered a tweet I had posted on suggestions. The winery is much smaller, but includes a restaurant, and provides a grand view of the surrounding countryside. The winery opened in 2000 and specializes in a smaller portfolio of Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Syrah, Merlot, a Meritage, and the "Amante" Tuscan proprietary blend. Prices are much higher than at South Coast, most likely from smaller volumes. The "Amante" ($55) is a big Super Tuscan plenty of leather, tobacco, and fruit. Their off-dry 2015 Risqué Riesling was a group favorite and the wine we enjoyed while studying the scenery on their deck.

Our last stop was Wilson Creek Winery & Vineyard because our hosts wanted us to sample their specialty Almond Sparkling Wine and chocolate. The Wilson family opened this winery in 1998 and currently run a large operation. This was the most populated of the three with a small wait at the tasting bar. The most interesting wine was the 2014 Variant Series White Cabernet ($26), which was both fully textured and lively. For reds, Syrah and Petite Sirah were the leaders particularly the 2012 Family Reserve Petite Sirah ($65). Pricey yes, but also big and bad. They also provide a range of low cost sparkling wines like the Almond which seemed rather popular. Take a glass and walk down to the shallow creek and try to find the crawfish.

The Rhone Rangers Ride to DC

If you are a Rhone wine lover, I hope you are familiar with the Rhone Rangers. This is a non-profit organization dedicated to the promotion of American made Rhone varietal wines. The organization consists of close to 200 winery members, 110 Professional and Grower Associates, and 800 Sidekicks - consumer fans like you and me. In order to become a winery member, the winery must produce a wine where 75% of the wine’s content must contain one or more of the twenty-two Rhone grapes the French government has approved for growing in the Cotes du Rhone. Syrah is the most common red grape, followed by Grenache, Mourvedre, Cinsault, Carignan, and Petite Sirah ("The Rhone Rangers have adopted Petite Sirah, a French cross also known as Durif, due to its extensive interplanting with traditional Rhone varietals in Calfiornia."). Viognier, Roussanne and Marsanne are the most common white grapes, but you can also find some Grenache Blanc produced in California.

Twenty-three Ranger wineries came to Washington D.C. June 4th in order to promote the organization and Rhone varieties. These wineries poured close to 80 wines at The Long View Gallery that day - during two session. All the wineries were from California except Horton Vineyards from Gordonsville, Virginia (just outside of  Charlottesville). Dennis Horton introduced Rhone varieties into the Commonwealth over 25 years ago and now Viognier is designated Virginia's signature Grape. In addition to their dependable Viognier, Horton offers a tasty sparkling Viognier - one of the few produced in the country. Another notable Virginia Ranger, Tarara Vineyard & Winery, was absent for the tasting because of a shortage Rhone wine, but provided the Riedel stemware for the event. The California contingent represented several wine growing regions as well as original Rangers such as Bonny Doon Vineyard and Qupe Wine Cellars as well as newbies Two Shepherds Wine and Petrichor Vineyards.

Ridge Vineyards was the first winery on the menu, with their Rhone wines produced at their Lytton Springs Sonoma facility.  They poured the always dependable Syrah and Petite Sirah, but the most interesting of these was the 2012 Buchignani Carignane ($26) - perhaps the only 100% single varietal of this grape produced in American.  I tasted through several very nice wines from Petrichor Vineyards (Sonoma), Mira Winery (Napa), Michael David Winery (Lodi), Guyomar Wine Cellars (Templeton), before spending several minutes with Santa Maria's Kenneth Volk Winery. Definitely looking forward to the 2014 Wine Bloggers Conference in Santa Barbara. Two of the wines from Kenneth Volk were 100% Mourvedre (both $36) - with plenty of red fruit and nice acidity.  They also poured a delicious, easy drinking Grenache ($28). 

 I also spent some time investigating Paso Robles in anticipation to the Conference's pre-tour in that region.Epoch Estate Wines produces several excellent blends ($40-$65) and the Proulx Wines rosés were quite tasty. This winery's red blend. "The Wah" ($54) is also one to look for. Broken Earth Winery was pouring several affordable cool wines including a 100% Grenache Blanc ($20) - very floral with great acidity - and an earthy  Petite Sirah "Diable Negro" ($18).  And another Paso winery, Pomar Junction Vineyard and Winery, had several nice whites such as the 2013 Estate Grenache Blanc ($20), 2013 Estate Viognier ($20) and the 2013 White Blend, "Cotes de Pomar Blanc" ($28) - great acidity to balance the fruitiness of the wine. Ans all nice values.

A few other notable pours were the Qupe Wine Cellars 2011 Grenache Sawyer Lindquist Vineyared ($35) and 2010 Syrah, "Sonnies" Sawyer Lindquist Vineyared ($55); and Rosé of Syrah ($25 & $16) from Cornerstone Cellars and Chacewater Winery. Cornerstone was also pouring a velvety 2011 Syrah "Black Label" ($35) and Chacewater a fruit forward 2011 Petit Sirah ($20). Finally, Two Shepherds Wine had several wines that caught my fancy including another Grenache Blanc - the 2012 Saarloos Vineyards, Santa Ynez ($25)  and a Grenache Noir ($38) from the same vineyard.

After all this writing I'm ready to open another nice Rhone styled wine, the Viognier from Virginia's Corcoran Vineyards. Cheers.

Napa's Cairdean Vineyards on #Winechat

 I have been fortunate enough to be included in several #winechat tasting sessions, where wineries or importers send samples to several bloggers. But the latest #winechat sample was coolest in that the host, Cairdean Vineyards, allowed the bloggers to select two wines from a list (2011 Napa Unoaked Chardonnay, 2010 Russian River Chardonnay, 2010 Cabernet, 2010 Merlot, 2010 Malbec, 2012 Hailey Margaret). Since I had just finished two successive Malbec tasting, I chose two whites: the 2010 Russian River Chardonnay and 2012 Hailey Margaret Napa Valley White.

Cairdean (Scottish Gaelic for friends) Vineyards was created by husband and wife Edwin and Stacia Williams St. Helena, Napa in 2010. Their first vineyard is named Acquaintance Vineyard, is located in the Coombsville AVA, and is planted with Bordeaux red varietals - Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Petite Verdot, Malbec, and Merlot. Their second vineyard is named Confidant and hosts Pinot Noir and Syrah in the Russian River Valley AVA.  I believe their Chardonnay Russian River Valley 2010 ($42) is sourced from throughout the valley and is certainly barrel fermented,  aged sur-lie over 18 month, and underwent complete malolactic fermentation. The wine was then aged in a combination of French and American oak. The result is a wine that portrays a strong vanilla aroma, a spicy chardonnay flavor, with a slightly buttery finish.I had moved away from this style of Chardonnay in favor of the unoak style - but this may pull me back.

The second wine I selected was the Haley Margaret 2012 Napa Valley White Wine ($38) which honors the life of Haley Margaret Dowdell and her fight with Cystic Fibrosis. For every bottle sold, $10 is donated to the Cystic Fibrosis Fountain. The wine, itself, is a blend of 43% Roussanne, 43% Pinot Gris, and 14% Viognier - with the later contributing the major stone fruits evident on the nose. The flavor is a combination of peaches and sweet grapefruit with the finish full of silky acidity. A very nice wine. Cheers

#Winechat with Uncorked Ventures & Wesley Ashley Wines

This past Wednesday @wineclubguy of Uncorked Ventures hosted the weekly #winehchat and featured tow wine from Wesley Ashley Wines in which I was able to receive samples.  The winery's website contains an interesting video describing their birth and the Intelligent Design brand so I recommend watching. As for the wines, we sampled their 2011 Intelligent Design Cuvee Blanc White Rhone Styled Blend ($34) and the 2011 Intelligent Design Cuvee ($34) . The Cuvee Blanc is an intriguing blend of  Viognier 60%; Roussanne 30%;and Grenache Blanc 10% - all sourced from Santa Barbara. It is a very nice wine, starting with floral aromas; plenty of depth and a creamy sensation due to some ML treatment. The one downside was the reduction in acidity - that is intentional - based on their consumer's profiles.  Yet, all in all, a very tasty wine.  The red Cuvee is another Rhone styled blend, composed of Grenache 75%; Syrah 20%; and Petite Sirah 5%. It starts with a leathery aromas, transitions to a deep raspberry flavor with decent structure and finishes long with spicy black pepper. Another very nice wine. Pair with Dawes - performing soon at the Lobero Theatre. Cheers.

#WBW75 - Tarara Winery 2010 Honah Lee White

One of the most recognized vineyards in the Commonwealth of Virginia is Honah Lee Vineyard. The property is owned by Wayne and Vera Preddy and sits at 1000 feet elevation on a steep South-West facing slope in central Virginia (Orange). This means that the grapes are exposed to an abundance of sunlight during the hot summer months; but the elevation provides suitable diurnal temperature variation through night-time cooling. The soil is hard clay which limit deep root growth and leads to more fruit character over minerality.

The vineyard was first planted by Jim and Sharon Horton from Horton Vineyards when they leased the property from the Preddy's. The vineyard provided the foundation for Horton to quickly become one of the premier wineries in the state and showcased their Rhone and Portuguese varieties. However Horton was eventually evicted from the property after a dispute with the landlords. Horton's loss quickly became other winery's gain as the vineyard's sourced the fruit to several Virginia wineries.

And many of these wineries choose to create single vineyard wines from the grapes. Delaplane Cellars, for example, has or continues to produce a Honah Lee single varietal Viognier, Syrah, and Tannat. Our feature winery today, Tarara Winery, has created an interesting take on the single vineyard theme by creating a single vineyard blend: the 2010 Honah Lee White. The blend consists of Virginia's signature grape Viognier (40%), Petit Manseng (40%), and Roussanne (20%). This is a dry wine with peach and apricot flavors - thanks to the Viognier - and plenty of balanced acidity thanks to the petit manseng. Winemaker Jordan Harris writes that "Honah Lee Vineyard is one of our favorite partners....the fruit from Honah Lee is some of the most enticing and exotic fruit we get each year." And one of Jordan's goals is to recognize and highlight the best vineyard sites in Virginia as evident by the Tranquility, Nevaeh, and Honah Lee labels.

This year the 2010 Honah Lee White was the only Viognier based wine to receive a Gold medal in the newly revamped 2012 Governor's Cup competition. Revamped in the sense that, among other changes, now all wines submitted into the Governor's Cup must consist of 100% Virginia grown fruit - reversing the previous policy of allowing 25% outside fruit. We concurred with the award and after sampling a few at the Governor's Cup reception, "borrowed" a bottle to use in our toast during our interview with Governor McDonnell below. Cheers.

WBC11 Preview: The Wine Grapes of Virginia

We recently saw a Twitter tweet from the Rhone Rangers regarding the Wine Bloggers Conference 2011 (#VAWine producers at #WBC11 - We will be present, love to meet with any interested in becoming a @RhoneRangers). The Rhone Rangers is "America's leading non-profit organization dedicated to promoting American Rhone varietal wines". Now, its widely known - or becoming widely known - that Virginia's new signature grape is the Rhone varietal Viognier. And please check out the interesting commentary regarding that decision at DrinkWhatYouLike: Viognier – Virginia’s Signature Grape?. But what about other Rhone varietals. Syrah is relatively popular with about 20 wineries crafting that varietal. And several are quite good: Delaplane Cellars, Tarara Vineyard & Winery, and Fox Meadow Winery among others. Viognier and Syrah are basically it for Rhone grapes, although Horton Vineyards and Hillsborough Vineyards do craft wines using Roussanne.

Yet, even with Viognier being Virginia's signature grape, Bordeaux and Burgundy varietals are still the most popular. In fact, Meritage and Chardonnay wines have won the last few Governors Cup and at one point in recent history some observers where predicting that Cabernet Franc may become the Commonwealth's signature grape. Here's an interesting post and commentary at MyVineSpot: Making a case for Chardonnay and Merlot. Yet the future for red wine in Virginia may be the Bordeaux blending grapes: Petit Verdot and Malbec. Crafted as single varietals, these are full bodied, tannic wines. And let's not forget grapes from South West France, where Tannat and Petit Menseng wines do quite well in Virginia. Interestingly, the later was first introduced into the United States by Alan Kinne, of Chrysalis Vineyards.

Speaking of Chrysalis Vineyards, the vineyard holds the world's largest planting of Virginia's native grape: Norton. Many winemakers choose to avoid Norton, considering it less than a noble grape, but Jennifer McCloud thinks otherwise and is the grape's most vocal proponent. Please check out this VirginiaWineTV episode featuring McCloud in Talking Norton and DLW with Jennifer McCloud.

Finally, there's the hybrids, which remain quite popular and are the wine grapes that grow best in many mountainous and arid regions of the state. Vidal Blanc is the most popular and is used primarily as a dessert wine. Next popular is Chambourcin which has the versatility to be crafted into a range of styles from dry to sweet. Our friends at Corcoran Vineyards have now aged their Chambourcin in used bourbon barrels to create a port styled wine that tastes pure Virginia - as in Virginia Gentlemen.

For more information on a compendium of wine grapes used in Virginia please visit our post at The Wine Grapes of Virginia. See you at the Wine Bloggers Conference 2011 in Charlottesville Virginia.