A New AVA for Virginia?

A recent trip to Fox Meadow Vineyards led to a discussion with owner Dan Mortland about American Viticultural Areas (AVAs) in Virginia. Three years ago, the most recent AVA in the state hit the map: The Middleburg AVA.

As explained on the wine site "Wines and Vines," grape growers and wineries around the country continue to pursue the creation of additional AVAs, because they believe AVAs pay off in terms of consumer awareness, higher wine prices and eventually higher grape prices (vineyards in the business to just grow grapes, and not operating a tasting room, can get more for their crop if the vineyards reside in an AVA). Those familiar with California AVAs understand the caché of a California bottle which lists "North Coast" or "Central Valley" on the bottle; the same holds true for New York (Finger Lakes; North Fork of Long Island; etc.) The AVAs of Virginia are not as widely known, except for perhaps the Monticello AVA, the birthplace of Virginia wine. Virginia currently boasts seven AVAs, and there is a chance the state could get congested with AVAs, reducing the advantages of residing in an AVA.

This doesn't mean Virginia wineries/vineyards not situated in an AVA produce lesser wines. Some of the most Award-winning and best loved wines/wineries in the state do not reside in an AVA, including Breaux, Pearmund, Prince Michel, Gray Ghost, and Potomac Point. Wineries in this area may not want to spend the resources (money and time) to set up a new AVA, or have the current AVA map revised so their winery can be included in a nearby AVA. For instance, Breaux and other wineries along Harper's Ferry Road in northwest Loudoun county are a scant few miles from the border of the Middleburg AVA; Hiddencroft Vineyards is the northernmost winery in the Middleburg AVA, however Doukenie Winery, about 2 miles from Hiddencroft, is not within the Middleburg AVA borders.

This leads us back to Fox Meadow Vineyards. The winery is sandwiched between two AVAs: Middleburg to the east and Shenandoah Valley to the west. In fact, as Dan explained, one could throw a stone from the bottom of the hill where his last rows of vineyards are grown on, and the stone would land in the Shenandoah Valley AVA. The only issue is Fox Meadow, geographically speaking, is not in the Shenandoah Valley. This factoid may not be an issue with the average Virginia wine fan (many wineries in the Middleburg AVA are nowhere near the town the AVA is named for). But for sticklers to detail (as the Mortlands, and the blog masters, are), not residing in an AVA makes more sense, at the moment, than being included in an AVA where the terrain, soil, and micro climate are different from that of other wineries in that AVA.

One idea for Fox Meadow, and other wineries along the western I-66 corridor, is the formation of a new AVA named "Blue Ridge Crest" (name selected by the good people of Fox Meadow). The soil along the Blue Ridge Mountains lends itself to excellent drainage and the granite deposits in some locations along the crest lead to unique, and fantastic, wines. This new AVA would be liver-shaped (rather appropriate in a morbid kind of way), and the Shenandoah Valley AVA would be to the immediate west. The Middleburg AVA would be along the northern AVA border, and a few vineyards may even straddle two AVAs (which is very common in other states): Aspen Dale Winery, Barrel Oak and Blue Valley in particular.

Map of a possible Blue Ridge Crest AVA:

Many of the Notebook's long-time favorites would benefit from their location in this new AVA:

Sharp Rock:

DuCard:

Rappahannock Cellars:

Chester Gap Cellars:

Aspen Dale Winery at the Barn:

Fox Meadow Vineyards (winter wonderland):

Whether or not a new AVA is in the future for this region, the topic makes a great tasting room conversation with enthusiastic winery owners and fellow tasters.

50 West Vineyards: The New Leaves of Grass

January 2015: The Notebook visits an unusual winery up a long gravel (and horrible pot hole-infested) driveway directly off route 50, about 3 miles east of Middleburg. Leaves of Grass Vineyards is the intriguing name, and their wines (grapes brought in from other vineyards around the Commonwealth) were good to excellent; the promise of another fine daycation spot in the stressful environment that is Northern Virginia. Their Cab Sauv, in particular, was delicious, bold and offering strong cedar and spearmint notes.

The tasting room was nestled inside a restored farm building, with inviting glass surrounding a third of the tasting room, which afforded views of the Piedmont foot hills. The owner/winemaker was initially not onsite the day we visited, so the gracious ladies behind the bar (neither of whom spoke English very well) took care of the tastings. We found out the family that opened the vineyard were from Russia, with the owner bringing over not only extended family members, but friends as well. The winery operation was going to be a life-changing affair.

Photos of Leaves of Grass Vineyards: Early 2015

The hosts were so eager to please, the tastings were larger than usual. When the owner finally arrived, he and his large (and friendly) German Shepard (appropriately named Hans) greeted us as well. The normally drab January afternoon turned into a wonderful occasion with fine wine; we both purchased several bottles.

Flash forward to November 2015: The Leaves of Grass sign off route 50 is replaced with a sign reading "50West Vineyards." We drive up the hill on the gravel road, pot holes now completely filled in. Mini Coopers adorn the parking lot (did we somehow beam ourselves to Cooper Vineyards near Mineral, known for great wine, a LEED-certified tasting room, and their annual Mini Cooper festival?) The Russian hosts are replaced with a friendly pourer wearing a Sunset Hills Vineyards shirt. Everything else about the location was as we remember it; the windows overlooking the hills, the outdoor patios, the abundance of sound-absorbing wood inside the tasting room, the absence of a live band (the latter being a major plus for us).

Although we didn't get the full story about what happened to Leaves of Grass and the previous owners, the data we did receive from both the pourer and Diane Canney (co-owner of Sunset Hills) was financial - a big issue for new Virginia winery owners. If adequate research is not done, several years in advance in many cases, the best intentions (bringing more fine wine to the state) could be met with at best disappointment and at worst, a total bankruptcy situation. We hope the latter did not fall upon the previous owners.

A nearby Mini Cooper dealership was having an event, which explained the numerous Mini Coopers in the parking lot. The tasting building at 50West is deceptive - it is much larger than its outdoor appearance would lead you to believe. The second floor was being occupied by the Mini Cooper folks, but the first floor and patios were open to others. The wines during our visit were all from Sunset Hills, which created no issues for us as their wine is fantastic. At some point during the day, blogger David reached into his jacket and pulled out two labels from Leaves of Grass, which were given to him during the January visit, since the friendly Russian hosts that day did not have a tasting sheet listing their wines. The labels were meant to remind the bloggers of their wine styles. If the state of Virginia ever opens a wine museum, these labels would make a nice contribution.

Sunset Hills plans to use 50West as a satellite tasting room and eventually, this location will have its own wine style and label. Sunset Hills has been a favorite of the Notebook since they opened in 2008. It will be nice to enjoy their wine in a less-crowded, less noisy atmosphere (as anyone who has visited Sunset Hills can agree about). A festive mood is great if you're entertaining friends, but sometimes you want a lower key afternoon.

If anyone has additional information on what happened to the owners of Leaves of Grass, please reply to let us know.

Announcing the Middleburg AVA

Virginia’s presence in the wine world just got another notch: A new AVA (American Viticultural Area, generically known as an “appellation”).

Approved in September 2012, the Middleburg AVA (named after the famous, historic horse raising and fox hunting village in southern Loudoun County) is a ribbon that stretches from the Potomac River (near Hiddencroft Vineyards) southward to the Delaplane area of Fauquier County. Many Northern Virginia favorites dot the AVA and a sign unveiling took place in late March 2013 at Boxwood Winery. This brings the number of AVA’s in Virginia to seven. The others are the Shenandoah Valley AVA, the Monticello AVA, the Northern Neck/George Washington’s Birthplace AVA, the Eastern Shore AVA, the North Fork of Roanoke AVA and the Rocky Knob AVA.

What, exactly, is an Appellation? An appellation is a legally defined and protected geographical indication used to identify where the grapes for a wine were grown. In order to be designated an AVA, 85% of the wine must have come from grapes grown within the geographical AVA boundaries. For counties like Loudoun and Fauquier, the number of wineries and vineyards (including vineyards that do not have public tasting rooms) has quadrupled over the past ten years alone. An AVA designation similar to Napa, Sonoma, Long Island and Finger Lakes will only enhance Virginia’s (and Northern Virginia’s in particular) status in the wild world of wine. One of many benefits of an AVA designation is the ability of a winery in that appellation to put the AVA on the label, so expect to see “Middleburg AVA” on labels from many Loudoun and Fauquier County wine bottles beginning next year.

The wineries in the Middleburg AVA ribbon can be found here. Not all Loudoun County spots made the cut; only the wineries lucky enough to be located in the appellation ribbon. But that does not mean the wine from these non AVA wineries will be shabby. Just a few wineries located a few miles outside the AVA border: Fox Meadow Vineyards, Fabbioli Cellars, and Marterella Winery.

The designation of the Middleburg AVA is a major event for Northern Virginia vineyards, and the bloggers expect announcements of future appellations in the Commonwealth over the next several years.