Guest Article: Developing a taste for Norton Wines

Think back on items that you had to develop a taste for in the past. Coffee, hopefully unsuccessfully tobacco products, or maybe single malt Scotch? Fortunately, acquiring a taste for Norton wines is a bit simpler, if you give yourself the luxury of visiting different vineyards, tasting various examples and discovering which wineries you prefer. I have collected so far a database of 150 vineyards producing Norton wines in twenty states! Somewhere out there in the Midwest or Southeast is that perfect Norton wine to match your preferences. If you are unable to visit these vineyards, possibly you will be enticed into ordering directly some noted references found in this article.

The costs, quality, and types of wines have been interesting to observe over the past 35 years. The places of selection also play into this, be it a liquor store, grocery store, big box discount stores or now, ~ a local vineyard. With today’s explosion of vineyards in all 50 states, the choices become mind boggling. With this explosion comes gifts from friends, to include wines that you have never heard of before. All this rambling brings us back to the subject of the Norton wine.

Our first gift of Norton wine, also known semi-incorrectly as Cynthiana, came with ‘family connections’ from a New Haven, Missouri vineyard, Robller Winery. We were so lucky that this first bottle inked our curiosity into the subject of Norton. It was years later, learning that the Norton grape was also present in Virginia, we decided to investigate Norton wine possibilities. Passing through Virginia on a trip north; we took the time to explore nine vineyards offering Norton wines. A few years back there were only a handful of vineyards growing Norton grapes in Virginia, but today there are 23 wineries sporting this wine (*vineyards visited):

Abingdon Vineyard & Winery *(http://www.abingdonwinery.com Abingdon, VA
Belle Mount Vineyards ((http://www.bellemount.com) Warsaw, VA
Bluemont Vineyard *(http://www.bluemontvineyard.com) Bluemont, VA
Burnley Vineyards *(http://www.burnleywines.com) Barboursville, VA
Casanel Vineyards (http://www.casanelvineyards.com) Leesburg, VA
Castle Gruen Winery (http://www.castlegruenwinery.com) Locust Dale, VA
Chrysalis Vineyards *(http://www.chrysaliswine.com) Middleburg, VA
Cooper Vineyards *(http://www.coopervineyards.com) Louisa, VA
Dry Mill Winery (http://www.drymillwine.com) Leesburg, VA
DuCard Vineyards (http://www.ducardvineyards.com) Madison County, VA
Horton Vineyards *(http://www.hvwine.com) Gordonsville, VA
Keswick Vineyards *(http://www.keswickvineyards.com) Keswick, VA
Misty Ray Winery (http://www.mistyraywinery.com) Harrisonburg, VA
Mountain Cove Vineyards (http://www.mountaincovevineyards.com) Lovington, VA
Paradise Springs Winery (http://www.paradisespringswinery.com) Clifton, VA
Peaks of Otter Winery (http://www.peaksofotterwinery.com) Bedford, VA
Potomac Point Winery (http://www.potomacpointwinery.com) Stafford, VA
Rappahannock Cellars (http://www.rappahannockcellars.com) Huntly, VA
Rockbridge Vineyards *(http://www.rockbridgevineyard.com) Raphine, VA
Valhalla Vineyards (http://www.valhallawines.com) Roanoke, VA
Veramar Vineyard (http://www.veramar.com) Berryville, VA
Virginia Wineworks (http://www.michaelshapswines.com) Charlottesville, VA
Winery at La Grange *(http://www.wineryatlagrange.com) Haymarket, VA

However, the taste of these Virginia Norton wines from the east coast did not resemble what we remembered from the Missouri gift of years past. All interesting, but oh so different. Maybe this was the best state to start our Norton tastings as the examples varied wildly, and it was easy to tell which selections we preferred. On a scale of ‘5’ being the best, we found mostly 2s and 3s, but more importantly a Norton that gingerly bumped the “4” marker.

Before going any further, it is important to state with all Norton wines, do not base your tasting on a freshly opened bottle of Norton wine. All Norton wines need to breathe for an extensive amount of time. Here again, as with most wines, do not base your tasting on your first sip since the second paused sip will settle your senses, and by your fifth-ninth-twelfth-etc. sips, you will be exuding an unquestionable Norton grin. Likewise, take advantage of Norton blends which combine the characteristics of this varietal grape, yet create a balance of complex flavors. To name a few sites which we enjoyed:

The two Virginia heavies in Norton wine production would be Horton and Chrysalis vineyards. I would say that Horton's mission is to introduce to the general public a good Norton wine at a fair price and to this they unquestionably succeed. Chrysalis, on the other hand, wants to produce Norton examples with a full range of tastes and cost. Both of these vineyards are fine examples of the east coast Norton varietal. Our favorite east coast Norton wines on this exploration turned out to be from two small farm-like venues: Cooper Winery, a fine dry red Norton, and from Pennsylvania's Stone Mountain Wine Cellars, a delightful “fruity” Norton. Both were wonderful variations on a theme of Norton grapes. As for a soft and easy tasting table-wine Norton, don't pass up Abingdon Vineyard's Norton.

Obviously, it is time for my wife and me to return to Virginia and try the offerings of other Norton wineries from this state. You will quickly develop your own Norton palate preferences while visiting the many geographical vineyard settings from the coastal rivers to the Shenandoah mountains. Wander the beautiful Virginia countryside for yourself and I promise that you will find several Norton surprises.

On to Missouri where the choices become harder. Virginia has now 23 out of 133 wineries producing Norton wines. I found Missouri has 49 (another report has 53) wineries producing Norton wines! One statement made from a Norton wine web page was not to compare a Norton wine to any similar wine from Europe or from California. Likewise, I would say not to compare Virginia Norton wines to Missouri Norton wines as they are produced under different climatic and soil situations. The same grape, but grown in two different agricultural scenarios.

We found several large producers of Norton wines in Missouri; as, Crown Valley, St. James, and Stone Hill. Crown Valley has an enormous wine production program making various Nortons in tremendous volume. St. James Winery has a similar mission as Virginia’s Horton Winery in that they want to educate and introduce to its public good, affordable wines. Don't let these affordable $6 prices dissuade you into thinking that these are only "cheaper" wines. On the contrary, their $10 middle priced Norton and sometimes available $15ish “Reserve” Norton wine are bargain wines and stand up well to the best-that-Missouri has to offer. To tell you our favorite Missouri Norton wine becomes a hard chore. Let me list a few with comments:

Chandler Hill Vineyards may be the new kid on the block, but what a taste explosion they laid introducing their Norton "Savage" wine. After participating in a dinner tasting of six notable Missouri Nortons at St. Louis' 2008 Norton Wine Festival, this came out an overall first at our table from publicly available selections. This is an interesting winery that is proud of its historic surroundings and goes to great lengths to preserve their history.

Blumenhof Winery produces an award winning Norton wine they have cleverly named "Original CYN". Unfortunately they ship directly only to MO & CA, but I have found that the Missouri Mercantile wine distributor will secure this wine for shipment. Order quickly because they always sell out by early fall. This is a vineyard working hand-in-hand with nature, providing a vineyard tree edge which accepts a 10% loss of grapes to its finely fed feathered friends.

Montelle Winery is now a sister winery to Augusta Winery. Simply stated, this is a fine Norton wine which they call ‘Cynthiana’ at great case prices. I’ll slip in a little note here that has nothing to do with Norton wines, ~ have you ever tried a Chardonel wine? Though I don’t normally pick up whites and even more remotely, don’t consider semi-sweet wines, Montelle’s Chardonel is a good starting point of learning about this Cornell University introduction. (“As a cross of the famed Chardonnay grape with the popular Seyval, Chardonel is usually barrel fermented, very dry and full bodied. This is great with heavier seafood dishes as well as chicken with cream sauces.” http://www.missouriwinecountry.com)

I throw in another Norton wine producer for different reasons. River Ridge Winery is a friendly out-from-the-beaten path winery with a Norton offering that is unique in that you get to contrast two barreled Norton wines. The same grapes from the same location, but one called Norton (aged in American Oak) and the other named Cynthiana (aged in French Oak).

Röbller Vineyard & Winery makes a Norton that sits right in the middle offering a great value wine that successfully caters to tastes that go the gamete north-to-south / east-to-west. Need a picnic or dinner wine? This one can go either place. We started our Norton experience here and will return to this site for many years to come. A robust Norton wine and as importantly, nice people.

A winery we found on this year’s trip west was Oak Glenn Winery & Vineyard. Though we haven’t settled on a family ranking of this wine, it is strange that we keep going back to this case, and before long it will be all gone.

To conclude my Missouri tasting treats, let me add Heinrichshaus Winery. I include this small winery because its proprietor insists that Cynthiana grapes were a sport of Norton grapes and his wines are "true" Cynthiana. He'll even show you the pictured differences between the growing habits of the grape clusters. Supposedly there is not any controversy about the Cynthiana/Norton grape any more, . . . . . . . . . . or is it?

Planning a Missouri wine tasting road tour? This is a selected list of vineyards we would consider returning to or visiting for the first time (*vineyards visited and enjoyed):

Adam Puchta Winery *(http://www.adampuchtawine.com) Hermann, MO
Augusta Winery *(http://www.augustawinery.com) Augusta, MO
Baltimore Bend Vineyard (http://www.baltimorebend.com) Waverly, MO
Bethlehem Valley Vineyards (http://www.bethlehemvalley.com) Marthasville, MO
Blumenhof Winery *(http://www.blumenhof.com/) Marthasville, MO
Bommarito Estate Winery *(http://www.bommaritoestatewinery.com) New Haven, MO
Cave Vineyard *(http://www.cavevineyard.com) Ste. Genevieve, MO
Chandler Hill *(http://chandlerhillvineyards.com) Defiance, MO
Charleville Vineyards (http://www.charlevillevineyard.com/) Ste. Genevieve, MO
Chaumette Vineyards & Winery (http://www.chaumette.com) Ste. Genevieve, MO
Claverach Farm & Vineyards (http://www.claverach.com/) Eureka, MO
Crown Valley Winery *(http://www.crownvalleywinery.com/) Ste. Genevieve, MO
Durso Hills Vineyard & Winery (http://www.dursohills.com) Marquand, MO
Eagle’s Nest Winery (http://www.theeaglesnest-louisiana.com) Louisiana, MO
Eichenberg Winery (http://www.eichenbergwinery.com) Cole Camp, MO
Grey Bear Vineyards (http://www.greybearvineyards.com) Stover, MO
Heinrichshaus Vineyard & Winery *(http://www.heinrichshaus.com) St. James, MO
Indian Creek Winery (http://www.indiancreekwine.com) Monroe City, MO
Jowler Creek Vineyard & Winery (http://www.jowlercreek.com) Platte City, MO
Keltoie Vineyard (http://www.keltoivineyard.com) Oronoga, MO
La Dolce Vita Vineyard & Winery (http://www.ladolcevitawinery.com) Washington, MO
Little Hills Winery (http://www.littlehillswinery.com) St. Charles, MO
Montelle Winey *(http://www.montelle.com) Augusta, MO
Montserrat Vineyards (http://www.montserratvineyards.com) Knob Noster, MO
Mount Pleasant Winery *(http://www.mountpleasant.com) Augusta, MO
Native Stone Vineyard (http://www.nativestonewinery.com) Jefferson City, MO
New Oak Vineyards (http://www.newoakvineyards.com) Wellington, MO
Oak Glenn Vineyards & Winery *(http://www.oakglenn.com) Hermann, MO
Oovvda Winery (http://www.oovvda.com) Springfield, MO
River Ridge Winery *(http://www.riverridgewinery.com) Commerce, MO
Robller Vineyard Winery *(http://www.robllerwines.com/) New Haven, MO
St. James Winery *(http://www.stjameswinery.com) St. James, MO
Stone Hill Winery *(http://www.stonehillwinery.com) Hermann, MO
Stonehaus Farms Winery (http://www.stonehausfarms.com) Lee’s Summit, MO
Summit Lake Winery (http://www.summitlakewinery.com) Holts Summit, MO
Terre Beau Vineyards (http://www.terrebeauvineyards.com) Dover, MO
Twin Oaks Vineyards (http://www.twinoaksvineyard.com) Farmington, MO
Vance Vineyards (http://www.vancevineyards.com) Fredericktown, MO
Westphalia Vineyards (http://www.westphaliavineyards.com) Westphalia, MO
Whispering Oaks Winery (http://www.whisperingoakswinery.com) Seymour, MO


Now the problem of selecting a Norton wine becomes more complicated after concluding a recent search of Illinois Norton vineyards. Oh, shucks, Illinois has 22 vineyards producing Norton wines. It looks like another trip is brewing.

As stated before, your Norton wines will benefit by decanting, which in turn mellows the strong Norton tannins and balances the flavors when served. Consider putting away your findings for a few years. We have found a little patience goes a long way with Norton wines.

I have to stop typing now as my doctor-minister-wine aficionado-brother-in-law has just walked in the door with a Three Sisters Vineyard Norton exclaiming “you have to taste this outstanding Georgia Cynthiana”. Did I mention that Georgia now has four Norton vineyards? Oh, well – we can talk about this later.

Boris Bauer
Easley, SC

Micro-Brews in Canaan Valley, West Virginia

While traveling to Thomas, West Virginia to listen to music at the Purple Fiddle, we discovered that the area was populated by two micro breweries: Mountain State Brewing Company and Blackwater Brewing Company. We spent more time at Mountain State Brewing Company since they also provide live music and when we arrived Larry Keel & Natural Bridge were warming up for that evenings concert. Over several beers we discussed the local music scene with several people who travel to Thomas often - just to hear music. The brewery offers four full time brews: the Almost Heaven Amber Ale, Cold Trail Ale, Seneca Indian Pale Ale, and the Miner's Daughter Oatmeal Stout, We didn't try the later but enjoyed the first three, particularly the Cold Trail Ale, a blonde ale made from wheat and oats. Just how we like it. The pale ale was also refreshing even with the higher hop content. Not bad for a brew master who basically starting with on the job training. Mountain State Brewing Company also has a Deep Creek Lake location in Maryland that serves beer brewed in Thomas. Although both location host live music, Thomas is where you want to be for the big name acts. For instance in the coming weeks they are hosting New Riders Of The Purple Sage on July 31st and Cracker August 8th. We may make that show.

In neighboring Davis (only two miles away) the Blackwater Brewing Company brews half a dozen beers and at a large number of vehicles in the parking lot every time we drive by. The brew pub opened over ten years ago and serves American, German, and Italian flavored food. It must have been a bad night, because our German food was terrible; but the beer and bread kept us there. Our favorite beer was the Blackwater Marzen, named after the falls situated only a mile or so away. The Seneca Golden Wheat was a lighter wheat and the Blackwater India Pale Ale as refreshing ale. We did not sample the Blackwater Gold Ale, Parsons Porter, or Black Diamond Stout. Maybe during ski season.

West-Whitehill Winery

It is becoming common knowledge that some form of wine is produced in every state and within scenic West Virginia about 15 wineries call home. The eastern section of the state, the Potomac Highlands, contains the South Branch Valley which is a small micro climate. Called a Rain Shadow, the area receives little precipitation and low humidity because they are located on the leeward side of the Allegheny Front. (See picture below for more information.) For almost thirty years, West-Whitehill Winery has been cultivating French Hybrid grapes in the valley and selling the wines to a steadily growing domestic market.

Because of this domestic market, the wines are made on the sweeter side. The only completely dry offerings are a nice medium bodied Chambourcin aged in French oak and a Seyval Blanc. They also produce the West Virginia red which is basically the Chambourcin made off-dry. Our favorites were the two semi-dry wines, the Vidal Blanc and a second Seyval Blanc - both made with about 1.5% r.s. Both portray nice fruit characteristics, but we were won over by the acidic content. Both are refreshing wines.

The most interesting wine is their Aurora Blush. I wonder how many readers have even heard of this grape, or of the Chancellor that is added to enhance the color. Its actually a decent wine, not necessarily fitting into our tastes, but during a visit a couple entered the tasting room and purchased a case. That's how the winery stays in business. With assistance from the sweet wines. There's the Highland Mist, a blend of hybrid grapes and orange and lemon spices; the Mountain Spice, this time with cloves and cinnamon added to the juice; the Classic Currant and the Raspberry Royale. These last two are definitely worth tasting; for us - substitutes for dessert wines - for others - table wines. The Currant wine is made from California juice and white grapes. The flavor basically explodes off the tongue - how many currants are picked to make a bottle? The Raspberry Royale is a blend of the Aurore and red raspberries and the flavor also stays in the mouth from the initial taste to the tail.

West-Whitehill Winery is a small winery, making only about 2,000 cases a year. Their tasting room is only open during the weekend, so most of their wines are sold in retail outlets - particularly tourist shops. In Thomas, we noticed several customers carrying 3 bottle boxes purchased from the Riverfront Antiques & Thrift. Why not a bottle of wine as a souvenir or a gift.

Shenandoah Vineyards

Nestled among farms and cattle ranches are the dozen or so wineries comprising the Shenandoah Valley Wine Growers Association.The oldest of these, which makes it the third oldest in the state, is Shenandoah Vineyards, located just off Interstate 81 in Edinburg Virginia. Known as the "breadbasket of the confederacy", the valley's fertile soil is home to thousands of small farms. One of these started in 1976, when Jim and Emma Randel planted 5000 vines of several French Hybrid varieties that they believed were well suited for the valley. In particular they were the first to champion Chambourcin as a suitable alternative to vinifera reds, at a time when the technological knowledge on how to successful grow vinifera grapes was lacking. These original vines are still producing fruit right behind the winery. In total, Shenandoah Vineyards now has 26 acres of vines planted of eleven varieties of grapes.

The first surprise we noticed when viewing the tasting sheet was the number of dry wines in the portfolio. Many wineries in similar locations must produce primarily sweet wines in order to fill the needs of the local market, but Shenandoah Vineyards had a nice 50/50 split. For instance they produce two versions of dry Chardonnay; the Founder's Reserve, a dry and buttery wine a result of aging two years in French Oak and a stainless steel fermented vintage Chardonnay. Of the two, we preferred the later, mostly because that's the style we like - let the flavor of the grape speak for itself. The also produce a dry Sauvignon Blanc that is fermented and aged in American oak - it was nice - but we still preferred the vintage Chardonnay. Getting sweeter they offer a semi-dry Johannisberg Riesling and their proprietary Shenandoah Blanc - the winery's best seller. In fact, we added to this trend, thinking this wine would be adopted by the National Guard members we were visiting that night. Its a nice everyday wine - fruity but not overly sweet. Plus, priced under $11 - why not.

Turning to reds, we started with the Founder's Reserve Pinot Noir, which is a light dry wine - but with a nice flavor. We decided that we would be different in chill this wine and serve as an alternative to a dry rose. Up next was the Founder's Reserve Chambourcin, the grape the couple first championed, and they have produced an impressive red wine. It is full bodied - but smooth; a very nice wine. We liked this more than their vintage Cabernet Sauvignon which just didn't have the same full bodied fruit flavor as the Chambourcin. The winery also produces a couple off dry to semi dry red wines, the Shenandoah Ruby and Rebel Red. The later is actually served chilled - although don't confuse this with a rose style wine. Both of these wines are designed for people who are a little skittish about drinking red wine. Shenandoah Vineyards does offer a few sweet wines such as the Sweet Serenade, Fiesta, and Raspberry Serenade. Because of time limitations we didn't sample these wines, but were told they were quite popular.

Now in her 80's, Emma Randel still operates the winery. She is a valuable source of knowledge for the Virginia wine industry since most wineries lack historical knowledge of how grapes react over time. She has witnessed cyclical variations in weather; pests; disease; and many other issues that most infant wineries in the state have not experienced. She is a valuable source that the industry needs. To see for yourself - take a break from driving and pull off Interstate 81 - and enjoy nice wines with clear views of the Blue Ridge Mountains.

DC's Wine Country - Food and Wine Festival

On Saturday July 11th, we attended the first annual DC's Wine Country - Food and Wine Festival, not as an attendee, but as a volunteer. Good thing, because that evening was completely sold out - 1,500 people had purchased tickets. They had prepared to travel to beautiful Bluemont Virginia and enjoy about a hundred different wines from Loudoun County wineries. Along with fellow blogger Dezel from My Vine Spot and fellow wine drinker Brian, we poured wines for our friends at Corcoran Vineyards, perhaps the most popular winery at the event. Maybe it was a result of sponsoring the pre-festival dinner or merely of crafting excellent wines; but we were besieged the entire night. OK, a slight exaggeration; but we were busy.

Almost all the Loudoun County wineries participated in the event from the oldest, Willowcroft Farm Vineyards, the biggest, Breaux Vineyards, Chrysalis Vineyards, Tarara Winery, the smallest, Zephaniah Farm Vineyard, to some of the newest, Dry Mill Vineyards & Winery and Quattro Goomba's Winery. One noticeable exception was Notaviva Vineyards, who welcomed a new addition to the family earlier in the week. Congratulations.

Before our pouring responsibilities contained us, I was able to visit a few booths - couldn't taste - but I could see what was in store for the attendees. The Village Winery & Vineyards had their Apple, Elderberry, and a Petit Verdot, which I was very interested in trying - it seems most of these wineries had warmed to this grape. The aforementioned Zephaniah Farm Vineyard had bottled a Cabernet Sauvignon as a companion to their Cabernet Franc. Breaux Vineyards had produced a Nebbiolo Ice Wine, but since their booth was unoccupied at the moment - I couldn't confirm whether it was a true ice wine. And finally I learned that Hiddencroft Vineyards has some nice wines aging in their cellar - they should be expecting a visit later this summer.

Besides wine, author Ellen Crosby was available to autograph books. I was briefly able to discuss how Mrs. Swedenburg, the former patriarch of Swedenburg Estate Vineyard assisted her on her research. And in fact the winery was the inspiration for The Merlot Murders. Her latest in the series is The Riesling Retribution: A Wine Country Mystery; perfect summer reading.

Before exploring more, duty called and it was time to start pouring some Corcoran wines. Lori Corcoran had brought her stellar Viognier, the easy drinking Cabernet Franc, spicy Malbec, and full bodied Meritage - a blend of the first two reds plus a shot of Merlot. It was a real pleasure serving these wines, because we knew they were going to be popular - not a bad wine in the bunch. This statement was verified several times by other attendees who were quick to state that this was the only winery were they liked the entire selection.

And this was a wine educated crowd. A clear majority not only were familiar with grapes, but knew which were best suited for the Virginia climate. The most common misconception was that a few attendees were not aware that Malbec was a Bourdeaux grape and thought it was indigenous to South America. Many were even aware of Tannat, which Lori adds to the Malbec - maybe for some earthiness? Either way, Tannat and Malbec should be considered along with Petit Verdot as old world grapes suitable to Virginia. And in fact, all of Corcoran's grapes are grown in Northern Virginia, either at their estate or in vineyards surrounding Purcellville & Winchester. A little micro-climate.

Before long, the three hours were finished. We were thirsty - no drinking in the booth. And there was no time to sample from the other wineries. Oh well; the only other disappointment was not being close to the music stage. Throughout the night I heard a few notes from Moon Music and Hard Swimmin' Fish (pictured on the left) - enough to peak my interest - but not able to hear the entire set. Fortunately they play regularly at local venues - perhaps On the Border on Thursday night.

From what we witnessed Saturday, this was a successful festival - well run and popularly attended. We look forward to pouring at next year's festival and actually plan to attend one of the other nights to taste what Loudoun County wineries have to offer.

The Birth of a Maker's Mark Barrel

We recently received a letter notifying us that our our newborn Marker's Mark barrel has finally arrived. That is, the distillery has filled a charred American white oak barrel with their signature whiskey plated with the WineCompass name and is gently resting in a warehouse. This is a benefit for joining the Marker's Mark Ambassador program. By joining this program participants receive their name on a Maker’s Mark barrel; an opportunity to purchase a bottle of Maker’s Mark from your batch; updates on the aging of your bourbon; advanced notice of rare, special-release bottles; and invitations to special Ambassadors-only Maker’s Mark tasting events. Sadly, we couldn't attend the last one scheduled in Washington D.C. In return, participants do all they can to promote the Maker's Mark brand. Hence, this post.

So what makes Maker's Mark any different then the dozens of premium bourbons on the market. It starts with the ingredients. In order to be labeled bourbon, the whiskey must derive from at least 51% corn; the rest is usually barley and rye. Maker's Mark uses yellow corn from specially selected small farm cooperatives to ensure only the highest quality corn. Instead of rye, the distillery uses red winter wheat which produces a gentler taste. This mash is then fermented by a special yeast strain that has been in the Samuels family for six generations.

After fermentation, the whiskey is placed in a new charred American white oak barrel and sent to a warehouse where it sits still for a number of years. At bottling a distillery then collects samples from various portions of the warehouse to add to each bottle. This is because the bourbon ages differently depending on its location. Instead of following this process, Maker's Mark rotates the barrels. Possibly the only distillery to do so. According to the distillery, "all our barrels start at the top of the warehouse where they are exposed to the greatest temperature extremes. Hot Kentucky summers cause the whisky to expand into the wood. Cold winters cause the whisky to contract back out of the wood. This is what allows the whisky to absorb the wonderful flavors from the wood. When ready, (around three years) each barrel is moved to a lower part of the warehouse to continue its maturation process in a less extreme fashion." That's why we like this bourbon. Add in the trademark red wax and you have your bottle of Maker's Mark bourbon.

When will be able to see our "baby" barrel? Well, online or a taking a trip to their Loretto, Kentucky facility. When will we be able to taste the aging bourbon? In 6 or 7 years. I hope we don't forget about the barrel during this process.

Reminder: DC's Wine Country - Food & Wine Festival 2009

We wanted to remind our readers that the first annual DC's Wine Country - Food and Wine Festival starts in less than a week. This festival is held during the evenings of July 10-12, 2009 at the historic Whitehall Manor in Bluemont, Virginia and will highlight the fabulous wines being produced by twenty wineries in Loudoun County. Besides the $30 general admission, there are a few dining packages available. All proceeds will benefit the Virginia Food & Wine Foundation general scholarship fund which supports culinary arts and wine studies.

Participating wineries:

Bluemont Vineyard	Lost Creek Winery
Boxwood Winery	Loudoun Valley Vineyards
Breaux Vineyards	North Gate Vineyard
Casanel Vineyards	Quattro Goomba's Winery
Chrysalis Vineyards	Sunset Hills Vineyard
Corcoran Vineyards	Swedenburg Estate Vineyard
Dry Mill Vineyards & Winery	Tarara Winery
Fabbioli Cellars	Village Winery & Vineyards
Hidden Brook Winery	Willowcroft Farm Vineyards
Hiddencroft Vineyards	Zephaniah Farm Vineyard

Arizona Vineyards Winery Destroyed By Arson

We just wanted to let our readers know that one of Arizona's oldest wineries,
Arizona Vineyards, was destroyed by arson on June 5th. Here is the complete story from Wines & Vines. The winery had been owned and operated since 1984 by Tino Ocheltree. Apparently a nomadic neighbor entered the property while Ocheltree was setting up for a party and poured gasoline on the structure and set it ablaze. Ocheltree and his companions were able to capture the criminal. He had just finished bottling his 2008 vintage, 3,000 cases, which were lost in the blaze as well as all his winery equipment and wine making memorabilia.

Ironically Arizona Vineyards does not grow grapes, so Ocheltree can not fall back on sourcing grapes while he rebuilds the winery. He has created a tax-free foundation to accept donations. To learn more, call him at (520) 313-0226 or e-mail delfinjuly@yahoo.com.

Sugarleaf Vineyards

On a recent trip to Scottsville we stopped into Sugarleaf Vineyards, a boutique winery located in the heart of the Monticello Wine Trail. - producing wines from primarily estate grown vinifera grapes. I would recommend visiting their website to read about the winery's history, but in brief, Sugarleaf Vineyards is owned and operated by Jerry and Lauren Bias. They initially purchased the property as a retreat - future retirement home, but after consulting with vineyard experts from the university of Virginia, they found that there 126 acres were ideally suited for grape growing. They initially intended to source the grapes to other vineyards, but soon realized that the property was producing high quality vinifera grapes; thus, why not make wine instead. The first vintage was available for sale out of the tasting room in 2007 and already most of the wines have been awarded medals at several national competitions.

We arrived to find winemaker Daniel Neumeister preparing the Chardonnay and Viognier tanks for a bottling session scheduled for the next morning. We learned at this time that last year's vintage of their Viognier had sold out in 4 months, so they were eager to bottle this year's production. In addition their Petit Verdot was also gone - consumers are starting to discover Virginia's top grapes. We had to settle with the rest of their portfolio, which consisted of a Chardonnay, Petit Manseng, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Vidal Blanc, and the Neubia Nectar, a dessert wine made from 25% Petit Manseng and 75% Vidal Blanc. All the grapes were grown in the estate vineyard except for the Petit Manseng which was sourced from White Hall Vineyards. In general, the wines were very good - our favorite was the Petit Manseng - I guess always searching for something unique. The Chardonnay was more fruit than oak; the Cabernet Franc a nice medium bodied wine; and the Cabernet Sauvignon a full bodied wine and not bad for a grape that normally struggles in the Virginia climate. For those with sweeter tastes, the Vidal Blanc comes in at 1.1% r.s. and possesses a typical characteristic of this hybrid: floral aroma and peach flavors. Obviously Mr. Neumeister knows his craft and we have no issues with the wines themselves.

The problem we had was the cost of the tasting. First, Sugarleaf's wines are expensive ranging from $24 to $30, excluding the Vidal Blanc. There is obviously a market for Sugarleaf's wines, since they sell out quickly; Charlottesville is a wealthy area. Sugarleaf also charges a hefty tasting fee. Now, we fully understand the argument why wineries charge tasting fees - particularly when the winery will most likely be able to sell their stock within the year. Since the winery must pay an excise tax on each bottled wine, if they don't sell the wine, they must eat the tax. As a result, most wineries charge a modest tasting fee that is usually waived if the taster purchases a bottle. That is not the case at Sugarleaf Vineyards. The tasting fee is $6, so for two of us, it costs $12 to just enter the door and taste the wines. When we travel to a winery, we want to support the industry by purchasing at least one bottle, and here we decided to purchase a bottle of the Petit Manseng. Thus we paid basically $40 for a bottle of Virginia wine. For those who regularly tour wineries, is it worth the cost to drive 3 hours to pay the equivalent of $40 for a bottle or $12 just to taste the wine? Some of you may reply with an emphatic, YES. For us, I'm starting to think its not worth the effort.

2009 Indy International Wine Competition

We just received an email announcing the winners of the 2009 Indy International Wine Competition and there are several surprises. Congratulations to one of our local wineries, Barrel Oak Winery, for their Norton and to Stone Hill Winery for their Vignoles. I sampled this wine several times over the course of a year's travel to Kansas City; its good. And its nice to see Zinfandel get recognized.

Governor’s Cup ~ Indiana Winery of the Year
Huber Orchard & Winery, Starlight, Indiana

Wine of the Year
Rancho Zabaco Winery, 2007 Reserve Zinfandel, Healdsburg, California

Sparkling Wine of the Year
Chateau Frank, 2002 Brut, Hammondsport, New York

Red Wine of the Year
Barrel Oak Winery, 2008 Norton, Delaplane, Virginia

White Wine of the Year
Stone Hill Winery, 2008 Vignoles, Hermann, Missouri

Rosé Wine of the Year
Butler Winery, 2008 Chambourcin Rosé, Bloomington, Indiana

Dessert Wine of the Year
Gehringer Brothers Estate Winery, 2008 Minus Nine Icewine, British Colombia, Canada

Beer Bourbon, and BBQ at National Harbor

The world's best bourbon was on display at the 2009 Beer Bourbon, and BBQ at National Harbor, as well as Tennessee whiskey, rye whiskey, rum, tequila, and cognac. Then there was beer - from local brewers to California and all the way from Thailand. If that wasn't enough, there were informative seminars regarding these products as well as music and an entertaining bean eating contest.

But for us, the focus was bourbon - and what a selection. We started at the Maker's Mark tent where a long line had already formed to have their glasses dipped in the trademark red wax. We had just received our Maker's Mark Ambassador cards in which we will post soon on the perks associated with this membership - plus updates on our personally labeled bourbon barrel. But getting back to the Maker's Mark, the distillery really produces a unique bourbon based on its grain composition and warehouse strategy.

Moving on, most of the major premium brands were represented: Blantons, Bakers, Bookers, Hancock, and Elijah Craig. Our all time favorite, Black Maple Hill was not available - but our next two favorites Pappy Van Winkle and Old Rip Van Winkle were. On a good day, a single Blanton's would be compeltely satisfying, but on this glorious afternoon we went nuts. Many of the brands are hard to find, 1792 Ridgemont Reserve, Noah's Mill, Rowan's Creek, and Rock Hill Farms to name a few. That's the beauty of this festival - if you find a jewel, get your local supplier to order it. Unfortunately - or fortuinately - we didn't even get through the entire selection of bourbons or even to the Jack Daniel premium whiskeys.

But one whiskey we couldn't overlook were the Wasmund brands from
Copper Fox Distillery. Rick Wasmund has been producing an interesting Single Malt Whisky for number of years now out of his Sperryville Virginia distillery. The interesting flavor is partly the result of using apple and cherry wood chips, along with oak, to smoke the malt. We have learned over the years to add at least a drop of water to a glass to enhance the aroma and deaden the alcohol and we learned that Mr. Wasmund explicitly produces the whisky to that affect. For that's how he normally likes his Scotch. As an added bonus, he was pouring his latest creation: Wasmund's Rye Spirit. Basically rye grain alcohol, no barrel aging, but remarkable smooth. However, he recommends using this spirit as a blending agent, as in a Bloody Mary. And look out for a future Single Barrel Whisky - coming in a future release.

One a final note regarding spirits, the promoters organized a series of excellent seminars designed to give attendees a rudimentary understanding of Tequila, Rum, Cognac, and Bourbon. We hope to publish a similar series, starting with Tequila after we have a chance to discuss the topic with Jaime Salas, National Tequila Ambassador. But it was nice to have other spirits represented, particularly the Cruzan Gold - I needed a taste of the tropics.

Because of our fascination with bourbon, we were not able to concentrate adequately on the many outstanding beers. We didn't even bother approaching some of our favorite brands - the Clipper City and Heavy Seas brands; the Sierra Nevada ESB and Summerfest; Dogfish Head Raison D'etre and 90 Min IPA; and the Pyramid Hefeweizen. Instead we sampled brands we had never tasted and found a few worthy to compare to those above. Particularly the Belgium style beers from Brewery Ommegang. The Ommegang Witte Ale is unbelievable; the quality of an import but at a lower price. Our new summer beer. This was by far our favorite and we probably overstayed our welcome sampling over and over and over again. Look out Cooperstown, a road trip is coming.

From out of Thailand we sampled Singha Beer, a lager beer made from barley but with a little hopiness for this style. I, ts a refreshing beer, with a touch of sweetness. Wonder how it pairs with spicy Thai food? That's probably easy to find out since this beer is currently only available in Thai restaurants; but they hope to expand distribution to beer stores in the near future.

Moving closer to home, we found a replacement to our Topper's Hop Pocket that has gone AWOL since the days of Old Dominion Brewpub. Clay Pipe Brewing Company, from Westminster Maryland, produces a hop infested Hop-Ocalypse India Pale Ale. The beauty of this beer is that the hop characteristics are refreshing and not overly bitter. Like the Hop Pocket, this beer is versatile - good with lunch or just to guzzle after mowing the lawn. Another local brewery we discovered was Delaware's Evolution Craft Brewing Company. They brewery is only a few months old but they already have a nice Pale Ale. Plus they are practically on the route to Ocean City - just deviate a little north of Salisbury and purchase tax free beer. Sales tax that is. And finally there was a nice English style brown ale from Lake Placid Brewing, the UBU Ale. This beer was refreshing even with the heat.

All in all, the Beer Bourbon, and BBQ festival series is worth every cent - whether held in Maryland, Virginia, or elsewhere. The only complaints at this event was the result of holding the event in a parking lot, the asphalt gets hot, and the long lines for the bbq. Otherwise, we look forward to next year's sampling of fine bourbon and beer.

Upcoming Festivals and Events

Here are a few local festivals and events that we plan on attending this summer. You can suggest events that we should attend in the comments section.

Beer Bourbon, and BBQ at National Harbor
National Harbor, Maryland
Saturday, June 20, 2009

Northern Virginia Summer BrewFest
Morven Park in Leesburg, Virginia
From Saturday, June 27, 2009 To Sunday, June 28, 2009

Trent Wagler & the Steel Wheels
Blue Mountain Brewery
From Sunday, June 28, 2009 To Sunday, June 28, 2009

Summer Concert Series: Skyla Burrell Blues Band
Adams County Winery
From Saturday, July 04, 2009
or
The Floyd Fandango Beer and Wine Festival!
Floyd, Virginia
From Saturday, July 04, 2009 To Sunday, July 05, 2009

DC's Wine Country - Food and Wine Festival
Whitehall Manor in Bluemont, Virginia
From Friday, July 10, 2009 To Sunday, July 12, 2009

Afternoon in Tuscany
Three Fox Vineyards
Sunday, July 12, 2009

Seth Fromal - Live Music!
Notaviva Vineyards
Friday, July 17, 2009

2009 REGGAE FESTIVAL
Linganore Wine Cellars
From Saturday, July 18, 2009 To Sunday, July 19, 2009

14th Anniversary Party!!!!!
Stewart's Brewing Company
From Saturday, July 25, 2009

LIVE in the Cellar! - Bo Weevil
Frederick Cellars
Saturday, August 01, 2009

17th Annual Wine & Food Festival
Seven Springs Mountain Resort, Seven Springs, PA
From Saturday, August 15, 2009 To Sunday, August 16, 2009
or
Bluemont Vineyard's 2nd Annual Peaches and Dogs Festival
Bluemont Vineyards
From Saturday, August 15, 2009 To Sunday, August 16, 2009

6th Annual Celtic Festival
Spyglass Ridge Winery
From Saturday, August 22, 2009

2009 SWINGIN' BLUES
Linganore Wine Cellars
Saturday, August 29, 2009 To Sunday, August 30, 2009

The Food & Wine Festival at National Harbor®

On June 6th, we attended the The Food & Wine Festival at National Harbor® with a twist, accompanied by a four year old. This is one of the few such festivals that even allow children and in fact, actively court them, by providing content specific seminars for youngsters. Good for them. Oh yea, there's still plenty of food, wine, beer and spirits for the adults.

We started the day talking to the Mar-Del Watermelon Queen, Jessica Leigh Haden, while sampling the fruit, then headed directly to the end of pier. Better to start in the less crowded rear and work our way forward. At least that was the plan until we saw the Belgium beer display and couldn't pass up a glass of Leffe. Then the Paint Branch Ramblers started playing and before long it was time to rush to our first seminar, "Watermelon Strawberry Smoothies". For the next hour we sat with a couple other parents and a hoard of youngsters watching Ms. Haden and Bravo's Top Chef contestants Carla Hall and Ariana Duarte provide an entertaining session on smoothies. And yes, it was very entertaining and informative. We no longer our hostage to the expense Edible Arrangements and our boy now asks for smoothies instead of popsicles.

We trekked back to the entertainment area to listen to Sam’O and the band JFC and have another beer, this time a Hoegaarden. Not for too long. We had to head back to the seminar area for the Peanut Butter Apple Spread and Breakfast Raisin-Banana Roll-ups and picture time with Buddy McNutty. I kid you not. Actually it was a nice session, a little smaller than the first, but just as informative. Sloppy food, but good; and comic books as a bonus. They came in handy at the Robert Mondavi display.

This time on our return trip to the entertainment area, we stopped to discover the excellent food offered by the vendors. Chili, mussels, carrot soup, gazpacho, cakes; the list goes on. Now this is a food festival; unlike a similar sounding event hosted downtown. Even the simple Giant\Nature's Promise display of chips, cheese, and tea was a hit. So was the Discover Rums of Puerto Rico. While loitering around their tent, we met several others that preferred the Don Q Anejo neat. Cheers. By this time, members of our party were getting a little weary. We decided to skip the Decorate your Chef Hat seminar and instead spend a few minutes at the previously mentioned Mondavi display. Their Fume Blanc was much better than I had remembered, as was the Cab.

That was it. No wines tasted, definitely a first. Sorry Trefethen Vineyards, Michael & David Phillips Vineyards, Charles Krug Winery and locals: Fabbioli Cellars, Loudoun Valley Vineyards, Tarara Vineyard & Winery, and Boordy Vineyards. We will see what our companions have to report and make sure you visit Dezel at My Vine Spot - he will have excellent analysis of the festival and wines.

Finally, we applaud the organizers of the The Food & Wine Festival at National Harbor for not only allow children but providing entertaining events targeted towards them. And thanks to the Peanut Board, Ms. Haden, Ms. Hall, and Ms. Duarte, and the other seminar hosts for providing the entertainment.

Organic Wines - Parducci Wine Cellars and Paul Dolan Vineyard

We usually chuckle when we read about a winery's sustainability practices, assuming the worst - a terrible marketing gimmick. But that is definitely not the case with Paul Dolan and his influence at Paul Dolan Vineyards and Parducci Wine Cellars. In 2004 Dolan and several members of the Thornhill family purchased Mendocino's oldest winery - Parducci, which was founded in 1932 - and formed the Mendocino Wine Company. He incorporated the ground breaking farming techniques that he developed at Paul Dolan Vineyards and along with other innovations has helped Parducci to become "America's Greenest Winery" and the first carbon neutral winery. Take that Oregon.

Now, we only care about the carbon neutral aspect because its a good business practice to conserve energy; but the other vineyard and winery are revolutionary. For instance, the company vehicles have been refitted to use recycled restaurant oil as fuel - now that's back to the future. In the vineyard, animals take over for pesticides and artificial fertilizer. Birds and chickens control insects whereas owls and raptors control small rodents. Bees pollinate wild poppies that act as vineyard cover and goats control weeds as well as provide fertilizer along with neighboring cows. The proprietors also created a wetlands surrounding the winery that handles waste water by absorbing metals and sugars. Add in water conservation and recycling programs, solar and wind power, and other practices and its easy to see how that they moniker, "America's Greenest Winery" is not far fetched.

Now, the Mendocino Wine Company consists of several brands with the largest being the Parducci label. This brand purchases fruit from local, family-owned farms with many of the vineyards staying in the family since Parducci first started purchasing their grapes in the 1930s. "To Parducci, 'Family Farmed' means quality and sustainability." In fact, 67% of the fruit that Parducci grows or purchases is certified Fish Friendly Farming, Organic, or Biodynamic. But what about that quality? We samples two of their wines, the 2007 Parducci Pinot Noir and the
2008 Parducci Sustainable White. Both retail for about $12, but don't be mislead. The Pinot Noir was fantastic, creamy with hints of chocolate - resembling a Burgundy wine more than the nearby Russian River version. The flavor is black cherry - but the finish is cream - as you can guess - extremely smooth. The Parducci Sustainable White is naturally a refreshing wine made from five grape varities - starting with Chenin Blanc and Sauvignon Blanc and ending with smaller percentages of Viognier, Muscat Canelli, and Tocai Fruiliano. What's not to like about this combination. The result, a floral aroma from the muscat, clean citrus acidiy from the blancs, and some depth with the Viognier. The Tocai Fruiliano? Don't know. Does it matter; this is a good summer wine.

The Paul Dolan Vineyards brand consists of five organic wines and one Biodynamic, the Deep Red. We learned that organic wines are those in which the grapes were grown using certified organic practices with no sulfites added. Biodynamic is more complicated with the vineyards certified to follow the Demeter standards as well as the teaching of Rudolph Steiner. Finally, the winery must be Biodynamic certified to follow the practices of Demeter. From this brand we sampled the 2007 Paul Dolan Chardonnay, made from old vine Chardonnay. Actually the vines are close to 40 years old planted on two properties: "a cool-site vineyard north of Lake Mendocino and a warmer-site vineyard near the Russian river in Hopland". Three quarters of the wine is then fermented and aged in French and American oak for 8 months; the rest in stainless steel. This recipe imparts the standard Chardonnay flavor with a slight vanilla finish. A nice wine and at $18, very affordable.

We can't wait to get our hands of the rest of their portfolio. These are good wines priced at our level. We may have to drive through Sonoma and Napa on our next trip West and take a look at these revolutionary vineyard practices. And for those that can't visit, you can read more about organic farming and sustainability at the Mendocino Wine Company and Paul Dolan Vineyards websites.