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. 

Rain, Hail, and Sunshine at Grace Estate Winery

Lately, we having been avoiding traveling through Charlottesville on our passages to Waynesboro and Staunton and bailed at the airport to take back roads to Route 64 at Crozet. This has lead us to Oakencroft Farm & Winery and finally, Grace Estate Winery. The winery was established in 2013 and releases wine from grapes grown meticulously on the 50-acre Mount Juliet Vineyard. This estate vineyard is a small portion of the 450 acre Grace Estate the surrounds the mansion. 

Their wines are branded into three labels which honor the Grace family history. The Odo Collection is named after "Odo, the Count of Champagne and Aumale (later Albemarle) who lived from c. 1030-1115. He famously accompanied his brother-in-law, William the Conqueror during the Norman conquest of England".  Within the Alice Collection, all the wines are named Le Gras which reflects Odo's son William who was the first to take the name Le Gros, which over the centuries evolved to Le Gras, Gras,  and, eventually, to Grace. Finally, the Sheffield Collection highlights notable members of the Grace family tree throughout history.

For instance, the 2021 Aviator Petit Verdot is named after Cecil Stanley Grace (1880 – 22 December 1910) who was a pioneer aviator who went missing on a flight across the English Channel in 1910. The wine is spontaneously fermented using whatever native yeasts are hanging around the winery and aged 21 months in a large format oak vessel. The oak is restrained allowed for a full representation of the fruit.  

The 2017 Earl William Cabernet Franc provides similar fruit expression with more bright cherries and spice. The wine is named after the aforementioned William Le Gros (1115-1179) and is made from grapes grown on the south facing upper slopes of Mount Juliet. 

Our final wine was the 2022 Le Gras Cuve -- a blend of Chardonnay and Petit Manseng. Lots of floral, citrus, and peach notes that we originally thought would be ideal sipping on the deck, overlooking the estate, with our dogs at our feet.  However, an odd front rolled in -- and while the sun was still shining -- rain and then hail doused our outside outing.  But even though the tasting room's windows, the view of the estate and Shenandoah Mountains provide a scenic environment during our visit. 

There are two other pressing incentives to visit Grace Estate and the other wineries in Crozet, the Monticello AVA, and - in general - the Commonwealth of Virginia. Because the 2021 Aviator Petit Verdot was awarded a Gold Medal in the 2024 Governor's Cup Competition, Grace Estate is included in the Virginia Gold Medal Wine Trail.  The passport directs uses to the award winning wineries and provides discounts on tastings and bottle purchased. In addition, April 26th - May 3rd 2024 is Monticello Wine Week -- with numerous events scheduled within the Monticello AVA.  And, as always, the recommend theCompass Craft Beverage Finder. 

Update; This post was updated to reflect that the 2022 Le Gras Cuve is a Chardonnay - Petit Manseng blend and not 100& Vidal. I think my notes were soaked from the weather. 

2024 Virginia Governor's Cup Gala and the Gold Medal Wine Trail

On March 7th, Virginia wine fans and industry personnel gathered at Richmond's Main Street Station to taste and converse with the producers of the Gold medal winning wines from the 2024 Governor's Cup Competition. Out of 752 entries, 138 gold medals were awarded representing 79 different wineries. In addition, the wineries representing the top 12 wines belonging to the Governor's Case Club were introduced with Governor Glenn Youngkin announcing the winner of the overall competition. This honor was bestowed on King Family Vineyards for their 2019 Meritage -- a blend of estate grown Merlot, Petit Verdot, Cabernet Franc, and Malbec -- and produced by winemaker Matthieu Finot.

Before this announcement Buskey Cider was awarded the Best in Show Cider for their Ruby Red Crab Apple. The Richmond based cidery produces this dry cider using 100% Virginia grown ruby red crab apples. According to the cidery, "..fermented to completely dry, these apples were chosen for their high acid, tannin, and mouth-puckering fruit character".

The Gala itself was a fantastic event -- from the location to the food to the fabulous wines. Shoutout to Chef Leah Branch of The Roosevelt for the Lobster Hushpuppies; Chef Dale Reitzer of Acacia for the Smoked Bluefish Salad; and oysters from the Rappahannock Oyster Co. 

On the wine side we used the opportunity to catch up with old friends and acquaintances such as the crew at Paradise Springs Winery and to taste their excellent 2022 Petit Manseng. Michael Shaps Wineworks had multiple Gold winning wines including another Petit Manseng. A third Gold winning Petit Manseng was produced by newcomer Southwest Mountains Vineyards. This Keswick winery also poured a delicious 2021 Cabernet Franc -- put this winery on your radar. Half a dozen Albariño wines were awarded Gold medals included one from another new winery, 7 Lady Vineyards, but also from several we previously tasted at 8 Chains North Winery, Afton Mountain Vineyards, Cana Vineyards, October One Vineyard, and Potomac Point Winery & Vineyard.

A few other producers that we plan on following up with are Muse Vineyards, Ankida Ridge Vineyards, Breaux Vineyards, Carriage House Wineworks, Capstone Vineyards, and Black Heath Meadery. Look forward to future posts regarding their Gold winning wines. 

The downside to the event is that the three-hour time period was way too short to meet all the winemakers and sip all the wines. Fortunately Virginia Wine has instituted a Gold Medal Wine Trail where consumers can explore Virginia wine country and sip these award winning wines. We obviously prefer theCompass Craft Beverage Finder, but recommend downloading this mobile passport. 

Photo Courtesy of Virginia Wine

Governor's Case Club:

• Afton Mountain Vineyards, 2019 T
• Barboursville Vineyards, 2019 Paxxito
• Bluestone Vineyard, 2017 Petit Verdot
• Breaux Vineyards, 2019 The Fog Nebbiolo Reserve
• Cave Ridge Vineyard, 2019 Fossil Hill Reserve
• Cross Keys Vineyards, Blanc De Noir
• Hark Vineyards, 2019 Spark
• King Family Vineyards, 2019 Meritage (Winner of the Virginia Governor’s Cup)
• Michael Shaps Wineworks, 2020 L.Scott
• Mountain and Vine Vineyards and Winery, 2022 Chardonnay
• October One Vineyard, 2022 Albariño
• Paradise Springs Winery, 2022 Petit Manseng

Loudoun County Spring 2023 Barrel Tasting

In late-April, we purchased tickets to the Loudoun Wineries Association's Spring 2023 Barrel Tasting visiting five out of a possible 14 wineries in that county that participated. Our group started at Willowcroft Vineyards, the oldest winery in the county and the 8th oldest in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Owner and winemaker Lew Parker purchased the property in 1979, planted grapes the following year, constructed the winery in 1983, and opened it to the public in '84. Today they grow 12 grape varieties with Albarino and Riesling being long-time favorites of ours. 

However, today's focus was on a trio of reds aging in the cellar -- all 2022 vintage and aging in different types of oak casks. We started by tasting from an American oak barrel holding the 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon where the barrel is adding tannins as well as vanilla and tobacco to this light-bodied wine. A 2-year-old French oak barrel is housing the 2022 Merlot allowing the fruit to shine forth while augmenting with additional tannins. Finally, a new French oak barrel is being used to age the 2022 Petit Verdot where the full-bodied and structured wine will receive even more tannins to make this an age-worthy wine. 

We then traveled the backroads of Loudoun County to Endhardt Vineyards, a relatively new winery operating on a beautiful estate south of Purcellville. And for a new winery, owners Hannes and Sarah Endhardt have invested heavily, both in the 46-acre estate and the extensive barrel program.  They have planted five grape varieties on their 11 acres under vine: Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Petit Verdot, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc. During the barrel tasting, we received a mini-vertical of two years of the Petit Verdot and Merlot. This allowed us to witness the transformation of each wine as it matured with the younger wines being more one-dimensional fruity and the older ones more structured. Looking forward to visiting on a day without rain and to enjoy their upcoming white Cabernet Franc. 

After lunch at Monk's BBQ in Purcellville, we headed a few miles north to one of our go-to wineries: Walsh Family Wine.  We've spent time with Nate over the years, at the old Whole Foods tastings, through his seminars at Sunset Hills, and now operating Walsh Family Wine with his wife Sarah.  The barrel tasting started on a high note with the first white wine of the day, a delicious Chenin Blanc. Just a touch of oak and substantial fruit.  We also tasted, I believe, a Merlot and a Tannat, in between conversations on racking,  blending, and viticulture in general. We finished with the very drinkable and ready Paeonian red blend - named after the town of Paeonian Springs where the grapes for this wine were sourced. This will be a highly prized release. 

We then traveled north into Hillsboro and to one of the oldest wineries in Loudoun County, Doukenie Winery. Greek for Duchess, Doukenie has a beautiful estate at the base of a short mountain range; interestingly, with Breaux Vineyards on the other side of that range.  It has been a while since I last visited; I particularly remember their A Taste of Science seminars. On this day, we tasted several wines while having a very informative discussion on brix and pH and how winemakers measure each. We also discussed different grape varieties and the benefits and difficulties of growing each. We learned how Cabernet Sauvignon is difficult to ripen in Virginia because of a lack of consistent sunshine. Cabernet Franc, on the other hand, is well suited for Virginia, but growers and winemakers have to time harvest exactly to balance the pyrazines and sugar and acidity. Honestly, I didn't document the other wines we tasted because I was so enamored with this technical conversation. It brought back the A Taste of Science seminars. Looking forward to returning to learn more about winemaking and viticulture as well as to taste these wines once bottled.

Our last stop of the tour was very close to where we started, Zephaniah Farm Vineyard -- located just south of Leesburg. The property has been a family farm since 1950, first as a  dairy farm and then as a vineyard since the early 2000s when the first grapes were planted. Winemaker Bill Hatch has been known for his Cabernet Franc and that was the focus of this day's barrel tasting. Specifically, they poured a 2021 Cabernet Franc that was resting in a 500-liter neutral Hungarian oak puncheon and the same vintage aging in a 228-liter French oak barrel.  Obviously, the version aging in the puncheon showed more fruit whereas the smaller French oak was providing more spices and tannic character.  The winery plans to combine the wine from both barrels into a third barrel, but I wish they would bottle some from just the puncheon - slightly chilled it would be a delicious summer sipper. 

Zephaniah made the barrel tasting even more interesting by giving visitors a sip of their 2022 Chelois, a French hybrid grape (Bienvenu and Roi de Noirs are its parents) created by French grape-breeder Albert Seibel in the wake of the phylloxera crisis of the late 19th century.  This is the only Chelois planted in Virginia and it shows dark fruit with limited tannins but decent acidity. It will be interesting if they decide to release it as a single varietal or as a blend. 

A Craft Beverage Road Trip along Route 340 in the Shenandoah Valley

On a trip home from Waynesboro, I decided to ditch the tractor-trailer-laden Route 81 and ventured north on the more peaceful and bucolic Route 340.  This allowed me to follow portions of both the Shenandoah Beerwerks Trail and the Shenandoah Spirits Trail while passing through the towns of Elkton, Shenandoah, and Luray. In total, I stopped at eight establishments, most for the first time, and returned home with enough beverages to carry me through the rest of the month. 

Basic City Beer Company
The Shenandoah Beerwerks Trail runs from the Harrisonburg area south to Lexington and Rockbridge County. Waynesboro is basically halfway between the two borders and is home to a favorite brewery Basic City Beer Co. and #thecompasscbf stop number 45. The brewery is housed in the former Virginia Metalcrafters building and is a destination itself with pizza and various arcade games (shuffleboard, pinball, etc), plus a large selection of beer. I usually stock up on two staples the Our Daily Pils German Pilsner and whatever Grin's Casket is available. On this visit, it was the Cherry Quad aged in Heaven Hill bourbon barrels with almonds. Can't wait to open during a firepit night.

Elkton Brewing Company
Remaining on the Shenandoah Beerwerks Trail, we headed north on Rt 340 to Elkton -- a small town situated between Massanutten Mountain and Skyline Drive -- and settled by German and Scots-Irish immigrants similar to the founders of Elkton Brewing (#thecompasscbf stop number 46). The Napotnik family opened the brewery in a building originally built in 1890 to house the Elkton Milling Company. They brew a large array of beers and had 14 on tap on our arrival. Our flight consisted of the Nekid Crik Kolsch, Blonde Bear Blonde Ale, Uncommon Elk California Common, and the BoysenTuley Pie Boysenberry + Graham Cracker + Vanilla GOSE / Sour. I can't imagine the thought process of Colonel Gos Tuley, who was responsible for killing the last known indigenous Virginia Elk in 1855. The Uncommon Elk was the favorite and worked well with the Bayou Gumbo available at the food truck.

Chateau Virginia
After leaving Elkton Brewing I noticed a Winery sign a block away and stopped to discover Chateau Virginia - a new Virginia winery that officially just opened in April. The winery is producing wine from Shenandoah grapes that hopefully will be available in the near future. Winemaker and founder Andrew Starkey studied and worked for two years in Champagne specifically at Crezancy. Andrew's sister Amanda is the resident sommelier. She also studied in France and was the sommelier at Pippen Hill Winery and The Inn at Little Washington. The winery also offers a wide selection of wines from around the world starting close to home with Williamsburg Winery but also with a special emphasis on Bordeaux, Beaujolais, Piemonte Italy, and Mendoza.

Wisteria Farm and Vineyard
From Elkton, we continued North on Rt 340 towards Luray, diverging onto Business 340 and Wisteria Farm and Vineyard. The farm is situated in the Page Valley enclosed by the Massenutten range to the west and Skyline Drive to the east and still within the Shenandoah Valley proper. And is fully part of the Shenandoah Spirits Trail. Not only do they produce wine from their estate grapes, but have a small flock of natural-colored Romney sheep as well as free-roaming chickens. I indulged in a flight consisting of the dry Seyval ($21), Persephone dry rose ($24), Chambourcin ($24), and Ashtaroot Petnat ($23). The Seyval was rather satisfying and I purchased a bottle of the Persephone primarily because of its unique flavor profile where the blend includes some Norton.

River Hill Wine and Spirits
This was our second visit to River Hill Wine and Spirits, the first precipitated after purchasing a bottle of their Corn Whiskey and Bourbon at an ABC store. This is a very small operation, located just minutes outside of Luray. On this visit, I discovered they just released a Rye Whiskey -- aged 12 months in oak. It's quite different from the spicier versions coming out of Kentucky - grassy and earthy, with a little chalk, dark chocolate, and licorice. Loads of flavors.

Blue Shepherd Spirits
We reached a milestone last weekend, visiting our 50th craft beverage establishment in 2023. This was Blue Shepherd Spirits, a distillery that opened in August 2022, very close to the caverns. Their three main spirits are vodka, gin, and rum with the mash for the first two based on local corn and sugar. The New World Gin has a citrus profile that is complimented by the juniper. The Dog Days of Summer Rum (90 proof) is distilled using both molasses and cane juice and infused with various spices. Not overly spiced however and has a nice balance with the traditional rum flavor. We purchased a bottle to use with our iiCiNG Pina Colada flavoring. Unfortunately, we couldn't purchase a bottle of our favorite spirit, their 6-month-aged Whiskey because of limited production. This is a complex whiskey made from a 70% corn, 20% rye, and 10% malted barley mash. Plenty of vanilla, caramel, honey, and a little rye spice.

Hawksbill Brewing Co.
Our final stop in downtown Luray was Hawksbill Brewing Co., a six-year-old brewery that specifically targets using Page County grown ingredients. This was a bustling brewery with lots of beer drinkers with their dogs enjoying an interesting array of beer. My flight consisted of The Haymaker Cream Ale (a few cans came home with us), Bearfence Black Lager, Farmer's Brown Ale, and the Brown Cow Nitro Stout. Solid beers.

Castle Vineyards
It was appropriate that we started our trip in Waynesboro -- not far from Fishersville and Barren Ridge Vineyards -- and ended it at Castle Vineyards, a satellite tasting room for that winery. Actually, it's a joint venture between the descendants of Ralph Castle Davis (thus Castle Vineyards), a local businessman and farmer. R. Steven Davis (Uncle) and Jeremy A. McCoy (nephew) planted Viognier within their working cattle farm and partnered with Barren Ridge to host their wines surrounded by excellent views of the Shenandoah Valley and Blie Ridge Mountains. After a tasting of most of their portfolio, we returned home with our three favorites starting with the delicious 2020 Cabernet Franc. Two white blends also caught our fancy, first, the 2021 Harmony blends Petit Manseng, Viognier, Vidal Blanc, Chardonnay, and Sauvignon Blanc. Imagine the aroma in that bottle. Second was the 2021 Tinkling Spring, a blend of Riesling, Traminette, and Vidal -- more strong aromas and tropical fruit and saline.

Loudoun History along the W&OD Railbed & The Barns at Hamilton Station Vineyards

Soon the weather will allow for longer bike rides along Virginia's W&OD Railbed and that means trips to its terminus at Purcellville.  A few miles away at Mile Marker 41, and at the intersection with Hamilton Station Road, is a historical marker designating the old Hamilton Station Train Depot. It reads: 

One of the oldest on the line, Hamilton's train station dates from 1870. It was not in the original plan. When the Alexandria, Loudoun & Hampshire Railway (later the Washington & Old Dominion) was established in the 1840s, its owners intended to head the tracks westward along present Route 9 (Charles Town Pike), across the Blue Ridge at Keyes Gap, and on to the Ohio Valley coal country.

The railroad reached Leesburg by 1860. Construction and operations ceased during the Civil War. By the time the railroad was up and running again, ownership had changed and so had the destination. The new route through western Loudoun County was slightly to the south of the original one, heading toward Snicker's Gap and sparking the growth of towns including Hamilton, Purcellville, Round Hill, and Bluemont. Unlike the other towns, however, Hamilton grew up along the automobile turnpike (Route 7) rather than along the railroad.

Historically, Loudoun County was part of the Fairfax Proprietary which King Charles II granted to seven noblemen in 1649. During the 1720s and 30s, Quakers settled in the area and formed the settlements which eventually became known as Waterford and Hamilton (Harmony).  Soon thereafter this region was incorporated into a new designated Fairfax County and in 1757 the Virginia House of Burgesses divided Fairfax County with the western portion named Loudoun. This name was based on John Campbell, the fourth earl of Loudoun, a Scottish nobleman who served as commander-in-chief for all British armed forces in North America and governor of Virginia from 1756 to 1759. 

The Hamilton Station depot served the town of Hamilton which was originally called Harmony in the late 1700s based on an estate built by Richard Tavenner his wife Ann Hatcher.  At the turn of the century, the town became known as Hamilton Store because of a store opened by Charles Bennett Hamilton. The population increased due to the Leesburg and Snickers Gap Turnpike and in 1835, the town's name was shortened and codified when John Quincy Adams approved a post office located in Hamilton's store and the town's name was recorded as Hamilton.  

After the Civil War, a steam railroad from Alexandria passed near Hamilton along the future route of the Washington and Old Dominion Railroad. Fleeing the summer humidity, tourists filtered into the town, and a 1+1⁄2-mile boardwalk was built to accommodate the new foot traffic. By 1900, the Town of Hamilton was Loudoun County's second-largest town. However, this growth was short-lived as the rise of the automobile slowed tourism traffic and a fire in 1926 consumed most of the town's central businesses. Today, Hamilton is known as a residential community.

In 1910, just before the automobile swept aside the Old Dominion Railroad, a dairy barn was built that a century later would house the tasting room for The Barns at Hamilton Station Vineyards.  This winery was founded by the Fialdini family and two of their most enlightened decisions were to restore the dairy barn and to hire acclaimed Michael Shaps as the winemaker.  Their wines are made from grapes grown on their small estate as well as other mature Virginia vineyards such as Carter's Mountain and Mount Juliet Vineyards. Here's the review of my visit posted on Instagram: 

I'm embarrassed to confess that yesterday was my first visit to The Barns at Hamilton Station Vineyards. The wines were what you would expect from Michael Shaps with the 2019 Cascina ($26) -- Seyval Blanc, Traminette, & Petit Manseng -- the table's favorite. I was also impressed with their 2018 Cabernet Franc ($24) and Petit Verdot ($28) for not only salvaging the rain-soaked grapes but producing very drinkable wines with them. The 1910 era barn is very cozy during the winter months and Ryan Jewel Music has a great country voice beyond his years. We look forward to returning in the spring to lounge on their patio and enjoy more wine and the surrounding views.

A Virginia Wine Month Visit to The Winery at Sunshine Ridge Farm

For Columbus Day we decided to visit a Virginia winery particularly since October is Virginia Wine Month and settled on the recently opened The Winery at Sunshine Ridge Farm. Although, don't let their name detract from the presence of a brewery and cider house onsite. In fact, this Gainesville operation is an adult playground with three types of craft beverages, its plethora of firepits and picnic tables, live music on the weekends, and widespread views of Lake Manassas. Too bad public access is not available for the lake - looks like a wasted fishing opportunity. 

Our visit started with a flight of four wines - all produced using Virginia sourced grapes: 2019 Chardonnay ($33), 2020 Viognier ($34), 2019 Riesling ($33), and 2019 Cabernet Franc ($36). I preferred the chewy Cabernet Franc but was outvoted for a bottle of the very drinkable Viognier.  I didn't object because I also wanted to taste through a flight of beers starting with those brewed at Sunshine Ridge. Some of their beers come from Beltway Brewing, a very respectable contract brewer. My clear favorites from this flight were the Sowing Oats (Spiced Farmhouse Ale, 5.6% ABV, 26 IBU), Double Dog Dare Ya! (Double IPA, 8.0% ABV), and Picnic Porter (Robust Porter, 6.2% ABV, 44 IBU). Not normally an IPA lover, the Double Dog is outstanding - hazy citrus, tropical, earthy, and so smooth.

I have a feeling I will be returning very soon seeing the Scott Kurt is scheduled for several nights starting this weekend to into December.  And as always, theCompass Craft Beverage Finder will guide you there.

#SipShenandoah Beer and Wine at Great Valley Farm Brewery & Winery

During our return from the  2021 Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion, and not hiking to Natural Bridge,  we stopped off at the Great Valley Farm Brewery & Winery to sample some beer and check sports scores.  As a consequence, we discovered a venue with outstanding views of the countryside, a solid portfolio of craft beer, as well as a couple delicious wines we had brought home. 

Owners Nathan and Irma Bailey purchased the land in 2008 with the intention to open a farm brewery which finally occurred in October of 2016.  At the same time, they planted a vineyard that now consists of six acres of various grape varieties including Gruner Veltliner, Vidal Blanc, Cabernet Franc, and Lemberger. Wine production started in 2019 and these wines are now available to the public. 

During our stopover, I chose a flight that consisted of a Grisette, Hibiscus Wit, NZ Pale Ale, and Milk Stout. A completely diverse range of beers.  The farmhouse Grisette was funky and was made using New Zealand Motueka hops leftover from the Pale Ale. The Wit was deliciously satisfying for that warm day. The Pale Ale had a solid structure and was made using NZ Nelson Sauvin and Motueka hops. And finally, the Milk Stout was as expected - velvety cream merging with chocolate and coffee.

Still a long way from home, we purchased a couple bottles of their 2019 Gruner Veltliner ($24) and 2019 Shenandoah Red ($30) to open at a later date. For the Gruner that was the next day and didn't last long. It's a very pleasant wine, creamy citrus, some saline, and abundant acids. The Shenandoah Road is a blend of Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, and Lemberger that is aged for one year in a mixture of French, American, and Hungarian oak.  This blend is ridiculously good with plenty of fruit, some spice, texture, acidity, and creeping tannins. Well done on this initial effort. 

October is Virginia Wine Month so try to visit as many wineries (and breweries) as possible during these 31 days. The Virginia Wine Marketing Board lists several events and theCompass Craft Beverage Finder will guide you to these establishments. Cheers.

Vineyard Pests: Brood X Periodical Cicadas Coming to a Vineyard Near You

This was the title of an article in the March 2021 Viticulture Notes by Tony K. Wolf, Viticulture Extension Specialist, AHS Jr. Agricultural Research and Extension Center, Winchester, Virginia and based on information from Dr. Doug Pfeiffer’s fruit extension site: https://www.virginiafruit.ento.vt.edu/. 

For those of us in Fairfax County Virginia, the 17-year, periodical cicada ‘Brood X’ has emerged in full force creating a mess on our driveways and walkways while emitting a deafening racket.  According to the Viticulture Notes article, residents of the northern Shenandoah Valley and parts of the northern piedmont can expect a similar situation. But what effect will the cicadas have on vineyards?  I reached out to several growers and wine producers and want to thank Jake Busching (Jake Busching Wines), Shannon Horton (Horton Vineyards), Jennifer Breaux (Breaux Vineyards), and Jack Sexton (Williams Gap Vineyard) for their responses.

https://www.cicadas.info/

Jake Busching had the most succinct answer. "Cicadas will harm new canes. They have a saw on their abdomen that cuts deep furrows into the cane so they can inject their eggs. The cane will most likely die from that point outwards. If you have older pruned vines you’re fine".  And Wolf explains, "...because lateral buds and shoots can easily compensate for the shoot damage that can occur with older vines ... injured shoots will be pruned off later ".  He continues, "However, young vines are subject to severe injury, with females using even the trunks as oviposition sites.  Oviposition may occur at multiple sites on one shoot or young trunk; affected areas become weak and will break easily (Eggs in the shoots may be seen on dissection of the injured material). Young vineyards should be protected."

It's obviously too late now, but the best advice is not to plant a new vineyard 1-2 years before an expected emergence of periodical cicada. 

Virginia Wine Chat — A Taste of the Shenandoah Valley

In 1982, the Shenandoah Valley AVA became the first  American Viticultural Area established in Virginia - and for that matter in West Virginia too as the boundaries include both Berkeley and Jefferson Counties in the Eastern Panhandle.  The fruitful valley is bounded by the Blue Ridge Mountains to the east and the Appalachian and Allegheny Mountains to the west.  It is one of the largest AVAs in the country ranging about 150 miles northwest-southeast and 25 miles wide. This leads to several micro-climates allowing for a diverse planting of grapes, but in general, this cool climate region shares a predominate limestone soil and large diurnal temperatures - leading to more acidic grapes. (TTB - AVAs)

On Sunday, February 20th, Frank Morgan (drinkwhatyoulike.com) presented his Virginia Wine Chat on A Taste of the Shenandoah Valley featuring three wines from prominent wineries in that AVA.  This tasting was organized as an afterthought of the 2020 Shenandoah Cup wine competition, which Morgan oversaw, and where Cave Ridge Vineyard was awarded the cup for their 2017 Shenandoah Valley Petit Verdot.  This wine was aged 100% Hungarian Oak and during the chat Cave Ridge owner Randy Phillips discussed his decision to use this treatment -- particularly lower costs without substituting quality.  

As a recap on Hungarian oak, the barrels are made using Quercus petraea, sessile oak, from the Zemplén Hills in western Hungarian. This forest is close to Tokaj and contains the same rocky and volcanic soil that gives the Furmint grape its minerality. Sessile oaks make up over 95% of the acreage because that tree prefers tough conditions where the soils are stony and dry, and where the climate is colder. The tree then grows slower, creating a tight grain which leads to lower tannins and a richer aroma in barrels. This tightness also results in lower evaporation and smaller oxygen penetration.

Here are the descriptors of the wines and readers are highly encouraged to visit the Shenandoah Valley Wine Trail. 

2018 Brix & Columns Virginia Chardonnay ($26)
Allow to warm in glass; creamy lemons aroma, golden delicious apples dominate its profile with a little lychee, creme brulee. Barrel fermented and nine months in new and neutral French oak provides weight and doesn't diminish the lifting acids. 

2017 Bluestone Vineyard Estate Cabernet Franc ($25.50)
The grapes were grown in the highest elevation block of their estate and only free-run juice was fermented and then 40% aged in new French and 60% Hungarian oak. Bright cherry aroma, layers of dark fruit, finishing with firm and chewy tannins. Best feature - lack of vegetable or green peppers characters. 

2017 Cave Ridge Vineyard Shenandoah Valley Petit Verdot ($35)
The fermented wine was aged 100% in Hungarian oak barrels. Very amaro-ish; herbal olive leaf, chocolate coffee, & cherry aroma, chalky velvety character,  dense fruit,  rising acidity, approachable tannins.

A Visit and Conversation with Dry Mill Vineyards' Winemaker Karen Reed

Even though Dry Mill Vineyards & Winery is one of the closest Loudoun County wineries to the Washington Beltway, in the past few years I seemed to have traveled past it while visiting that county's wine and beer trail.  But not last weekend when we targeted Dry Mill specifically because of its proximity to DC. My remembrance was solid wines particularly their Viognier and Chardonnay and on our arrival, we started with the 2017 Virginia Viognier ($29) - as well as cups of wine augmented mulled cider. 

We finished the Viognier in their courtyard patio, braced from the winery winds by side coverings and heat lamps. The wine was as pleasant as the environment, stone fruit dominated the citrus starting with peaches then ending with lifting lemony citrus.  

Next, we turned to their off-dry Mead ($25) - quite flavorful at 1.7% RS. What was lacking was a little lift in the tail, so I blended a bottle at home with the Supreme Core Pounda Gold to see if this livens the finish. This concept is a switch-hitter in the sense that either the hard cider or mead could be the dominant partner, and in fact, each side of the plate worked well. Augmenting the cider with a little mead added body and depth whereas adding cider to the mead did add more effervescence. But my tastes indicated a 50-50 blend - where both profiles contributed equally. 

It was at that point that I learned that winemaker Karen Reed was working in the tasting room, and to my ignorance, was hired a decade ago by Dry Mill after previous engagements at White Hall Vineyards, Clos Pegase Winery in Napa, Hillsborough Vineyards - and with a Masters Degree in Viticulture from the University of Adelaide, Australia.  I duly noted to follow up with Reed concerning her background which led to an email exchange this week learning more about the winery and herself. 

In particular, she is passionate about her Merlot and the fruit sourced from Russ Mountain Vineyard in Bluemont. Reed related how that vineyard specializes in Merlot and it is some of the best in the state, "if you blind taste my Merlots with anything from the right bank of Bordeaux, you'd be hard-pressed to tell the difference".  Thus Merlot is the star of their cellar with the 2017 Merlot the current - and last release - as they lost the contract that year. 

Ms. Reed is also excited about her 2017 Chambourcin. She relates, "it's not a grape that I was familiar with until moving to Virginia and it's always been a bit of a conundrum to me.  Most wineries try to get a lot of tannin extraction from it, and then put a lot of new oak on the wine.  However, when I tried this technique in previous years, I always felt like I was fighting with the wine -- trying too hard.  And it always ended up having that traditional "Virginia red flavor" which you used to find in a lot of wines from the 1990s.  In 2016, I made the decision to let the wine be what it wanted to be, a food-friendly, fruit-forward, easy-drinking wine.  The result was a wine reminiscent of a Barbara d'Alba... slightly higher acid, easy to drink, goes with every meal, but still sporting some rich fruit characteristics.  I love it.

And a lesson I learned is to reach out with these conversations before the visit so that I could taste these recommended wines on that visit and not have to plan a second outing.  We did return home with the 2017 Barrel Chardonnay ($27) which owner Dean Vanhuss had recommended when he stopped by our table to thank us for visiting.  Spicy butter and vanilla are the dominant notes for this wine with layers of green apples slowly evolving as the wine warms.  And the finish engages quite a while; a nice recommendation. 

Cheers to Karen Reed and Dry Mill -- until our next visit.