Rosé, like non-grape fruit wine, is treated like the evil stepchild (Damien....) of the wine scene. However, rosé is making a name for itself in the rolling hills of the Commonwealth.
Associated far too long with the likes of Riunite and white zin (aka "blush"), rosé is a white wine with a pink color. Imagine a good table white with pink food coloring, and you wouldn't be far off. Rosés around Virginia run from bone dry to sweet. Since sweet wines are not the favored of the blogmasters, we'll recommend a few spots with stellar dry or off-dry rosés. Some of these Virginia wines are available at Total Wine, so if the bad weather prevents you from visiting a winery in the Old Dominion, or the winery is closed for the next few weeks, consider a jaunt to Total Wine (Sterling and Fairfax, VA are the preferred locations for the blogmasters).
Five Solid Virginia Rosés:
From semi-sweet to dry, here are five to try---
(1) Rockbridge "Jeramiah's"
Complete with a bullfrog on the label (you have to be of a certain age to get the reference....) This affordable wine is available at Total Wine and goes down smooth after chilling. You can also warm it up in a crock pot, add spices, and create a great mulled treat.
http://www.rockbridgevineyard.com/
(2) Dry Mill Rosé
This relatively new winery, one mile from downtown Leesburg in Loudoun County, is serving up some real treats - from hearty dry reds to sweeter whites. Their rosé is 2% residual sugar and works nicely with salty foods like Virginia peanuts.
http://www.drymillwine.com/Wines/tabid/57/Default.aspx
(3) Kluge Estate SP Rosé
This delightful rosé from popular Kluge Estate near Charlottesville comes packaged and billed as a sparkling. A bit on the pricey side (for a rosé), but a great alternative to overly sweet sparkling wines.
http://www.klugeestate.com/scripts/winepg.cfm/_/5/2007/Kluge%20Estate%20SP%20Rose/
(4) Hartwood Rappahannock Rosé
Just north of Fredericksburg lies this charming family-owned spot, with a surprisingly large list of whites and reds for all tastes. Their rosé is crafted from Chambourcin, the "white wine drinker's red," which translates into a sharper, but still fantastic, little wine.
http://www.hartwoodwinery.com/wines.html
(5) Cardinal Point Rosé
Cardinal Point is one of the Charlottesville area's oldest wineries, and they specialize in lighter wines (both whites and reds) that are very easy to drink, especially on hot summer days. They also make the driest rosé on our list - this is a wine that does not come packaged in a plastic bag and a box.
http://www.cardinalpointwinery.com/wines.php
Seek out one of these rosés, and taste what you may have been missing. Virginia is proud of its rosés.
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Fruit Wine - An Unexpected Treat
The holiday season is in full swing and life is crazy for the blog masters, so we only have time for a brief mid month post.
FRUIT WINE.....two words that make many wine fanatics shudder. (Although last we checked, grapes are fruit....) Images of Manischewitz in strangely-shaped bottles or Arbor Mist are immediately conjured. Truth to be told, there are some very good non-grape wines out there - and Virginia has several wineries that offer them. And not all of them are Charms lollipop sweet........
Below are five Virginia wineries that are worth a visit, if you really want to dive into the surprising pleasures of fruit wine. One big bonus is fruit wines are typically less expensive than grape wines. And many of them are dry. And many of them will get the job done - whether it's experimenting with different foods, or drinking the holiday chaos (or blues) away.
1. HILL TOP BERRY FARM AND WINERY
This charming spot is located in the heart of Charlottesville wine country - the grape wineries are usually the destination for folks visiting this part of Virginia, but Hill Top Berry Farm is a nice way to start the day, or end the day. And they also make mead (honey wine), if you really want to be bold!
Visit their website and check out their selections.
http://www.hilltopberrywine.com/wines.htm
2. PEAKS OF OTTER WINERY
Home of some truly unique wines. Chili wine? Pumpkin pie wine? A blend with tomatoes? Why not?
http://www.peaksofotterwinery.com/page2.html
And three wineries that offer both grape and non-grape selections, which is a great compromise if you have a pure wine snob in tow...
3. BLUEMONT VINEYARD
Norton, Viognier, Cab Sauv. AND strawberry, blackberry and peach (actually the peach is blended with a unique grape from eastern Europe called rkatsiteli, which has surprisingly delicious results).
http://www.bluemontvineyard.com/winery.php
4. HIDDENCROFT VINEYARDS
Another Loudoun County winner. Clyde offers magnificent white and red grape wines, but also has a soft spot for blueberry, raspberry and blackberry (and hopefully soon, the return of his greatest non grape offering--sweet cherry).
http://www.hiddencroftvineyards.com/1234Website_files/Page536.htm
5. MOUNTAIN COVE VINEYARDS
Mountain Cove Vineyards, between Charlottesville and Lynchburg, is the oldest winery in the Commonwealth - they opened their doors when Three Dog Night and The Carpenters were ruling the airwaves (that would be 1973). Their apple wine is heavenly, and their blackberry and peach goes down like liquid preserves.
http://www.mountaincovevineyards.com/ourwines.html
Several other Virginia wineries are lightening up a bit regarding non-grape wines - popular spots like Fabbioli Cellars and North Mountain Vineyards in Loudoun County and the Shenandoah Valley, respectively. If a winemaker is passionate enough about a fruit wine, as Doug Fabbioli and Clyde Housel of Hiddencroft are, indulge in something different!
FRUIT WINE.....two words that make many wine fanatics shudder. (Although last we checked, grapes are fruit....) Images of Manischewitz in strangely-shaped bottles or Arbor Mist are immediately conjured. Truth to be told, there are some very good non-grape wines out there - and Virginia has several wineries that offer them. And not all of them are Charms lollipop sweet........
Below are five Virginia wineries that are worth a visit, if you really want to dive into the surprising pleasures of fruit wine. One big bonus is fruit wines are typically less expensive than grape wines. And many of them are dry. And many of them will get the job done - whether it's experimenting with different foods, or drinking the holiday chaos (or blues) away.
1. HILL TOP BERRY FARM AND WINERY
This charming spot is located in the heart of Charlottesville wine country - the grape wineries are usually the destination for folks visiting this part of Virginia, but Hill Top Berry Farm is a nice way to start the day, or end the day. And they also make mead (honey wine), if you really want to be bold!
Visit their website and check out their selections.
http://www.hilltopberrywine.com/wines.htm
2. PEAKS OF OTTER WINERY
Home of some truly unique wines. Chili wine? Pumpkin pie wine? A blend with tomatoes? Why not?
http://www.peaksofotterwinery.com/page2.html
And three wineries that offer both grape and non-grape selections, which is a great compromise if you have a pure wine snob in tow...
3. BLUEMONT VINEYARD
Norton, Viognier, Cab Sauv. AND strawberry, blackberry and peach (actually the peach is blended with a unique grape from eastern Europe called rkatsiteli, which has surprisingly delicious results).
http://www.bluemontvineyard.com/winery.php
4. HIDDENCROFT VINEYARDS
Another Loudoun County winner. Clyde offers magnificent white and red grape wines, but also has a soft spot for blueberry, raspberry and blackberry (and hopefully soon, the return of his greatest non grape offering--sweet cherry).
http://www.hiddencroftvineyards.com/1234Website_files/Page536.htm
5. MOUNTAIN COVE VINEYARDS
Mountain Cove Vineyards, between Charlottesville and Lynchburg, is the oldest winery in the Commonwealth - they opened their doors when Three Dog Night and The Carpenters were ruling the airwaves (that would be 1973). Their apple wine is heavenly, and their blackberry and peach goes down like liquid preserves.
http://www.mountaincovevineyards.com/ourwines.html
Several other Virginia wineries are lightening up a bit regarding non-grape wines - popular spots like Fabbioli Cellars and North Mountain Vineyards in Loudoun County and the Shenandoah Valley, respectively. If a winemaker is passionate enough about a fruit wine, as Doug Fabbioli and Clyde Housel of Hiddencroft are, indulge in something different!
Sunday, December 5, 2010
8 Chains North--Part 2
A brief discussion with 8 Chains North Winery owner/winemaker Ben Renshaw on traditional vs. synthetic corks.
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
8 Chains North--Part 1
It may be cold outside, but welcome to 8 Chains North Vineyards in Loudoun County, open for one week when this video was taken in August 2010..............
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Taste Test--VA Vino style!
The blogmasters recently hosted a tasting featuring three distinct Virginia varietals, matched with three samples from various wineries. The results were not what we expected.
As we've found with wine in general, a high price doesn't always mean a better wine. And that was just one of several take-aways we had from this tasting party.
Three varietals that are becoming synonymous with Virginia were chosen: Viognier, Norton and Chambourcin. No Cab Franc. No Chardonnay. Those varietals are well established in Virginia. The wines we selected are bursting out to become signature Virginia wines (the First Lady of Virginia and Governor would surely agree). Another red used in the past for blending--Petit Verdot--is also putting Virginia on the map with California and even French wine snobs. But pure Petit Verdots are a bit harder to find.
The three wines for each varietal were put in brown paper bags, and a color-coded dot was placed under each glass to correspond with the same color dot affixed to the paper bag that contained that particular winery's product.
TEST 1: VIOGNIER
Representative samples: Chester Gap Cellars, Keswick Vineyards, Gadino Cellars
Viognier has been described as "a vine that grows like a weed in Virginia." Some Virginia wineries want nothing to do with Viognier and leave any unwanted vines and grapes (usually left over from a prior vineyard owner, or mysteriously growing on their own) to the deer, or sell them to other wineries. Viognier is an acquired taste--admittedly, both blogmasters were not big fans of this varietal on first tastes. But as our palates became more accustomed to Virginia wine, we started to tolerate Viognier. And now we actively seek out Viognier in wine stores, and are perplexed when we can only find California Viogniers.
Brief rundowns on each wine from our notes:
Chester Gap Cellars Reserve Viognier--too easy to drink. Dangerous! Subdued oak with a smooth butterscotch finish.
Keswick's Les Vents d'Anges Viognier--are those bubbles I see? Smooth like a great off-dry sparkling wine. Mellow but with floral tones. In a word, delicious.
Gadino Cellars Viognier--a strong oak finish. Notes of citrus and strangely enough, coconut custard pie.
The winner: Keswick Les Vents d'Anges. Off dry is how Viognier should be. Aged in steel. Chester Gap makes great Viognier, and you can't go wrong with any of their choices. Gadino Cellars makes good wine all around, and perhaps their next vintage will edge the other two out. Note to winemakers: Steel, steel, steel!
TEST 2: NORTON
Representative samples: Chrysalis Vineyards, Horton Vineyards, Barrel Oak Winery
Every Virginia winery we've been to who has a Norton loves to tell the story: Virginia's first "official" grape, a true native grape to the United States; outlawed during Prohibition; shipped to Missouri; allowed to be served during Sunday church services; making a comeback to Virginia. This varietal has less fans than other Virginia reds, and admittedly the wine can be harsh if not done properly. We picked three wineries that boasted fine Nortons, and subjected them to the Pepsi challenge.....
Rundowns:
Chrysalis Barrel Select Norton--Take a ride ride ride on heavy Norton. Leathery texture, a charcoal nose, and would pair perfectly with prime rib.
Horton Norton--It's fun to say, and goes down easy. On the other side of the spectrum from Chrysalis. Plum and cherry Twizzler (exact quote from a taster) aromas.
Barrel Oak Norton--Elderberry wine? No, it's Norton. But we'll presume it has the same health benefits of elderberry. A "mineraly" texture but well-rounded and great by itself or with an Omaha steak.
The winner: Barrel Oak Norton. Beating the "masters" at Chrysalis and Horton. We have to call as we taste it. Perhaps that steel tank aging is working for the reds as it is for the whites....
TEST 3: CHAMBOURCIN
Representative samples: Hiddencroft Vineyards, Fabbioli Cellars, North Mountain Vineyards
Chambourcin is a European hybrid that resembles Chianti. Over the past few years, some wineries have discovered that Virginia soil and climate is perfect for this wine. It comes packaged as "the red wine for white wine drinkers," and works well with lighter foods like cheeses and salami. And it can be chilled - but this is no rosé (not that rosé is a bad thing--more on that subject in a later blog).
Rundowns:
Hiddencroft Chambourcin Vintner's Reserve--Smooth operator. Notes of cranberry and almond. If only Mary Poppins had this to serve to those kids.
Fabbioli Chambourcin--Billy Joel beckons..."bottle of red." A pasta wine, and perfect for chilling.
North Mountain Chambourcin--North Mountain has been perfecting this wine since 2004, and they have the Virginia's Governor Cup Silver Medal to show for it. Think cherry pie.
The winner: Hiddencroft. If this red is good enough to convert a diehard Italian red drinker into a fan of Chambourcin ("that MUST be a chianti---it must be!"), it's good enough for the blogmasters.
We invite you to visit the victors of this crude taste test today--do it virtually or visit the spots this weekend.
http://www.keswickvineyards.com/
http://www.barreloak.com/
http://www.hiddencroftvineyards.com/1234Website.htm
As we've found with wine in general, a high price doesn't always mean a better wine. And that was just one of several take-aways we had from this tasting party.
Three varietals that are becoming synonymous with Virginia were chosen: Viognier, Norton and Chambourcin. No Cab Franc. No Chardonnay. Those varietals are well established in Virginia. The wines we selected are bursting out to become signature Virginia wines (the First Lady of Virginia and Governor would surely agree). Another red used in the past for blending--Petit Verdot--is also putting Virginia on the map with California and even French wine snobs. But pure Petit Verdots are a bit harder to find.
The three wines for each varietal were put in brown paper bags, and a color-coded dot was placed under each glass to correspond with the same color dot affixed to the paper bag that contained that particular winery's product.
TEST 1: VIOGNIER
Representative samples: Chester Gap Cellars, Keswick Vineyards, Gadino Cellars
Viognier has been described as "a vine that grows like a weed in Virginia." Some Virginia wineries want nothing to do with Viognier and leave any unwanted vines and grapes (usually left over from a prior vineyard owner, or mysteriously growing on their own) to the deer, or sell them to other wineries. Viognier is an acquired taste--admittedly, both blogmasters were not big fans of this varietal on first tastes. But as our palates became more accustomed to Virginia wine, we started to tolerate Viognier. And now we actively seek out Viognier in wine stores, and are perplexed when we can only find California Viogniers.
Brief rundowns on each wine from our notes:
Chester Gap Cellars Reserve Viognier--too easy to drink. Dangerous! Subdued oak with a smooth butterscotch finish.
Keswick's Les Vents d'Anges Viognier--are those bubbles I see? Smooth like a great off-dry sparkling wine. Mellow but with floral tones. In a word, delicious.
Gadino Cellars Viognier--a strong oak finish. Notes of citrus and strangely enough, coconut custard pie.
The winner: Keswick Les Vents d'Anges. Off dry is how Viognier should be. Aged in steel. Chester Gap makes great Viognier, and you can't go wrong with any of their choices. Gadino Cellars makes good wine all around, and perhaps their next vintage will edge the other two out. Note to winemakers: Steel, steel, steel!
TEST 2: NORTON
Representative samples: Chrysalis Vineyards, Horton Vineyards, Barrel Oak Winery
Every Virginia winery we've been to who has a Norton loves to tell the story: Virginia's first "official" grape, a true native grape to the United States; outlawed during Prohibition; shipped to Missouri; allowed to be served during Sunday church services; making a comeback to Virginia. This varietal has less fans than other Virginia reds, and admittedly the wine can be harsh if not done properly. We picked three wineries that boasted fine Nortons, and subjected them to the Pepsi challenge.....
Rundowns:
Chrysalis Barrel Select Norton--Take a ride ride ride on heavy Norton. Leathery texture, a charcoal nose, and would pair perfectly with prime rib.
Horton Norton--It's fun to say, and goes down easy. On the other side of the spectrum from Chrysalis. Plum and cherry Twizzler (exact quote from a taster) aromas.
Barrel Oak Norton--Elderberry wine? No, it's Norton. But we'll presume it has the same health benefits of elderberry. A "mineraly" texture but well-rounded and great by itself or with an Omaha steak.
The winner: Barrel Oak Norton. Beating the "masters" at Chrysalis and Horton. We have to call as we taste it. Perhaps that steel tank aging is working for the reds as it is for the whites....
TEST 3: CHAMBOURCIN
Representative samples: Hiddencroft Vineyards, Fabbioli Cellars, North Mountain Vineyards
Chambourcin is a European hybrid that resembles Chianti. Over the past few years, some wineries have discovered that Virginia soil and climate is perfect for this wine. It comes packaged as "the red wine for white wine drinkers," and works well with lighter foods like cheeses and salami. And it can be chilled - but this is no rosé (not that rosé is a bad thing--more on that subject in a later blog).
Rundowns:
Hiddencroft Chambourcin Vintner's Reserve--Smooth operator. Notes of cranberry and almond. If only Mary Poppins had this to serve to those kids.
Fabbioli Chambourcin--Billy Joel beckons..."bottle of red." A pasta wine, and perfect for chilling.
North Mountain Chambourcin--North Mountain has been perfecting this wine since 2004, and they have the Virginia's Governor Cup Silver Medal to show for it. Think cherry pie.
The winner: Hiddencroft. If this red is good enough to convert a diehard Italian red drinker into a fan of Chambourcin ("that MUST be a chianti---it must be!"), it's good enough for the blogmasters.
We invite you to visit the victors of this crude taste test today--do it virtually or visit the spots this weekend.
http://www.keswickvineyards.com/
http://www.barreloak.com/
http://www.hiddencroftvineyards.com/1234Website.htm
Saturday, November 6, 2010
The 8 Greatest Views in Virginia Wine Country
Virginia is a beautiful state. From the seashore to the mountaintops, with charming towns, rolling foothills, forests, bays and rivers and lakes in between, the Commonwealth has a way of lowering your blood pressure the minute you get off one of the congested Interstates. So it's only natural that the wineries of Virginia take advantage of the Old Dominion's one-of-a-kind diversity.
Selecting just five Virginia wineries with spectacular views was too much of a daunting task, so we upped it to eight. The wines at these locations range from good to excellent, but for the first time, the blogmasters will concentrate on the settings and views, versus the winery and the wines. In all honesty, most people will find at least one wine they like (or love) at every Virginia winery.
We tried to span the state to offer the best views in different settings, but we gravitated towards the mountains. That's not to ignore the wineries in the central, north-central, "Northern Neck" and Eastern Shore of Virginia; looking over the past reviews in the Notebook, it seems these spots have been getting the shaft. That will be remedied soon.
The Best Views in VAVINOLAND (ranked from #8 to #1):
(8) CHESTER GAP CELLARS (outside Front Royal)
The slogan of Chester Gap should be a twist on that old Bell Telephone jingle: "Reach out and touch some mountains." Chester Gap itself is a village and a mountain gap directly off U.S. highway 522, between Front Royal and the Washington/Sperryville, VA, area. The tasting room overlooks the gap itself, and is a Facebook photographer's dream (the blogmasters have posted group shots with the gap in the background and have received many compliments to stroke our amateur photographer egos). Down the hill from the winery is a general store stuck in 1949, that probably still sells RC Colas, moonpies and Sinclair gasoline.
http://www.chestergapcellars.com/index.htm
(7) BELLE MOUNT VINEYARDS (near Warsaw, VA)
The "Chesapeake Wine Trail" is not to be overlooked when surveying trails in the Commonwealth. One of the more unique spots is Belle Mount, probably the only winery in the state located on a family campground (complete with swimming pool and cabins). The tasting room looks more like the rec room you remember from summer camp days, and that Coke machine outside will only cement that memory. But the view from the porch outside the tasting room is wonderful---sloping vineyards and then Cat Point Creek, a tributary of the Rappahannock River. If he's not busy, owner and winemaker Ray Petrie will lead you through a nicely paced tasting, including the historical background of Belle Mount Plantation and the campground.
http://bellemount.com/
(6) WOLF GAP VINEYARD AND WINERY (near Edinburg, VA; Shenandoah Valley)
Wolf Gap is a relatively new winery and boasts views of not one but two mountain chains--the Blue Ridge to the east, and the Alleghenies to the west. The Wolf Gap itself is on the VA/WV line, and this area of the Shenandoah Valley is farm country. The only noise you'll hear at Wolf Gap (that is, if there is no live band playing...) are the cows and horses in the distance. Blood pressures will drop instantly.
http://www.wolfgapvineyard.com/index.html
(5) WILLOWCROFT VINEYARDS (Loudoun County)
Only one winery in northern Virginia was selected for this list, to give other, more distant wineries their due. It was a tough call---Bluemont, Fox Meadow, Naked Mountain, Sunset Hills, Hillsborough and Breaux all boast incredible views, and you're in for a treat if you visit any of these places. We selected Willowcroft because the place is simply irresistable, and that view - wow! Who knew Loudoun County was so beautiful? If you have a strong pair of binoculars, you can make out Bluemont Vineyards on the other side of the valley. Willowcroft is a rustic charmer, the oldest winery in the county, and is producing some top notch vintages.
http://www.willowcroftwine.com/index.html
(4) AFTON MOUNTAIN VINEYARDS (near Waynesboro)
"Grapes don't grow in ugly places" is the declaration of Afton Mountain Vineyards. With the opening of their new tasting room, with unspoiled views of the rugged mountains around the Blue Ridge Parkway, their slogan is 100% accurate. This area of the Commonwealth had so many contenders: King Family, Flying Fox, Pollak, First Colony, Blenheim. But the sense of Zen the blogmasters felt at Afton Mountain was unsurpassed. Maybe it was their incredible (and unexpected) Pinot Noir. Or maybe it was their view....
http://www.aftonmountainvineyards.com/
(3) BLUE RIDGE VINEYARD (west of Roanoke)
With a name like Blue Ridge Vineyard, you know the view is going to be something special. This is probably the most rustic place we've visited - the tasting room is inside a barn that resembles an antique store. Outside, mountain vistas in every direction. And a gazebo smack in the middle of the rolling fields. This is a winery every Virginia fan should visit at least once.
http://www.blueridgevineyard.com/HOME.htm
(2) LEO GRANDE VINEYARD (Bedford, VA area)
The photograph on Virginia Wine Notebook's home page, with the Adirondack chairs, was taken at Leo Grande. It is one of our favorites. The foothills of the Blue Ridge are in the distance, the winery (like Blue Ridge Vineyard) is far far away from busy highways, and the mood is laid back and rejuvenating.
http://www.leograndewinery.com/about_us.html
(1) STONE MOUNTAIN VINEYARDS (between Madison and Charlottesville)
"Taste the altitude." Another fitting slogan. Stone Mountain Vineyards is perched up, way up, on a mountainside overlooking the eastern slope of the Blue Ridge. The road leading up to Stone Mountain is one-of-a-kind (a bear cub crossed in front of us on one trip). If you suffer from vertigo, take some precautions, but you are rewarded with some fine vintages, an airy, uncluttered and beautiful tasting room, and the best view in the state. Even if you don't drink wine, you're advised to trek up "that road" and visit. Chris, the owner and winemaker, is a presence at state-wide festivals and will even take you on an intimate tour of the cellar (which includes a storage cave--and it really is a cave). Up on the deck overlooking the vineyards, it's only you and the falcons and eagles. Do I hear John Denver playing in the background?
http://www.stonemountainvineyards.com/
And after visiting these wonderful spots, if you're yearning for more good wine and vistas, we recommend these "runner ups"):
Blenheim Vineyards: http://www.blenheimvineyards.com/
Bluemont Vineyard: http://www.bluemontvineyard.com/
Breaux Vineyards: http://www.breauxvineyards.com/
DuCard Vineyards: http://www.ducardvineyards.com/
First Colony Winery: http://www.firstcolonywinery.com/
Flying Fox Vineyard: http://www.flyingfoxvineyard.com/
Fox Meadow Vineyards: http://www.foxmeadowwinery.com/
King Family Vineyards: http://www.kingfamilyvineyards.com/ourfamily.php
Pollak Vineyards: http://www.pollakvineyards.com/
Wintergreen Winery: http://www.wintergreenwinery.com/
Selecting just five Virginia wineries with spectacular views was too much of a daunting task, so we upped it to eight. The wines at these locations range from good to excellent, but for the first time, the blogmasters will concentrate on the settings and views, versus the winery and the wines. In all honesty, most people will find at least one wine they like (or love) at every Virginia winery.
We tried to span the state to offer the best views in different settings, but we gravitated towards the mountains. That's not to ignore the wineries in the central, north-central, "Northern Neck" and Eastern Shore of Virginia; looking over the past reviews in the Notebook, it seems these spots have been getting the shaft. That will be remedied soon.
The Best Views in VAVINOLAND (ranked from #8 to #1):
(8) CHESTER GAP CELLARS (outside Front Royal)
The slogan of Chester Gap should be a twist on that old Bell Telephone jingle: "Reach out and touch some mountains." Chester Gap itself is a village and a mountain gap directly off U.S. highway 522, between Front Royal and the Washington/Sperryville, VA, area. The tasting room overlooks the gap itself, and is a Facebook photographer's dream (the blogmasters have posted group shots with the gap in the background and have received many compliments to stroke our amateur photographer egos). Down the hill from the winery is a general store stuck in 1949, that probably still sells RC Colas, moonpies and Sinclair gasoline.
http://www.chestergapcellars.com/index.htm
(7) BELLE MOUNT VINEYARDS (near Warsaw, VA)
The "Chesapeake Wine Trail" is not to be overlooked when surveying trails in the Commonwealth. One of the more unique spots is Belle Mount, probably the only winery in the state located on a family campground (complete with swimming pool and cabins). The tasting room looks more like the rec room you remember from summer camp days, and that Coke machine outside will only cement that memory. But the view from the porch outside the tasting room is wonderful---sloping vineyards and then Cat Point Creek, a tributary of the Rappahannock River. If he's not busy, owner and winemaker Ray Petrie will lead you through a nicely paced tasting, including the historical background of Belle Mount Plantation and the campground.
http://bellemount.com/
(6) WOLF GAP VINEYARD AND WINERY (near Edinburg, VA; Shenandoah Valley)
Wolf Gap is a relatively new winery and boasts views of not one but two mountain chains--the Blue Ridge to the east, and the Alleghenies to the west. The Wolf Gap itself is on the VA/WV line, and this area of the Shenandoah Valley is farm country. The only noise you'll hear at Wolf Gap (that is, if there is no live band playing...) are the cows and horses in the distance. Blood pressures will drop instantly.
http://www.wolfgapvineyard.com/index.html
(5) WILLOWCROFT VINEYARDS (Loudoun County)
Only one winery in northern Virginia was selected for this list, to give other, more distant wineries their due. It was a tough call---Bluemont, Fox Meadow, Naked Mountain, Sunset Hills, Hillsborough and Breaux all boast incredible views, and you're in for a treat if you visit any of these places. We selected Willowcroft because the place is simply irresistable, and that view - wow! Who knew Loudoun County was so beautiful? If you have a strong pair of binoculars, you can make out Bluemont Vineyards on the other side of the valley. Willowcroft is a rustic charmer, the oldest winery in the county, and is producing some top notch vintages.
http://www.willowcroftwine.com/index.html
(4) AFTON MOUNTAIN VINEYARDS (near Waynesboro)
"Grapes don't grow in ugly places" is the declaration of Afton Mountain Vineyards. With the opening of their new tasting room, with unspoiled views of the rugged mountains around the Blue Ridge Parkway, their slogan is 100% accurate. This area of the Commonwealth had so many contenders: King Family, Flying Fox, Pollak, First Colony, Blenheim. But the sense of Zen the blogmasters felt at Afton Mountain was unsurpassed. Maybe it was their incredible (and unexpected) Pinot Noir. Or maybe it was their view....
http://www.aftonmountainvineyards.com/
(3) BLUE RIDGE VINEYARD (west of Roanoke)
With a name like Blue Ridge Vineyard, you know the view is going to be something special. This is probably the most rustic place we've visited - the tasting room is inside a barn that resembles an antique store. Outside, mountain vistas in every direction. And a gazebo smack in the middle of the rolling fields. This is a winery every Virginia fan should visit at least once.
http://www.blueridgevineyard.com/HOME.htm
(2) LEO GRANDE VINEYARD (Bedford, VA area)
The photograph on Virginia Wine Notebook's home page, with the Adirondack chairs, was taken at Leo Grande. It is one of our favorites. The foothills of the Blue Ridge are in the distance, the winery (like Blue Ridge Vineyard) is far far away from busy highways, and the mood is laid back and rejuvenating.
http://www.leograndewinery.com/about_us.html
(1) STONE MOUNTAIN VINEYARDS (between Madison and Charlottesville)
"Taste the altitude." Another fitting slogan. Stone Mountain Vineyards is perched up, way up, on a mountainside overlooking the eastern slope of the Blue Ridge. The road leading up to Stone Mountain is one-of-a-kind (a bear cub crossed in front of us on one trip). If you suffer from vertigo, take some precautions, but you are rewarded with some fine vintages, an airy, uncluttered and beautiful tasting room, and the best view in the state. Even if you don't drink wine, you're advised to trek up "that road" and visit. Chris, the owner and winemaker, is a presence at state-wide festivals and will even take you on an intimate tour of the cellar (which includes a storage cave--and it really is a cave). Up on the deck overlooking the vineyards, it's only you and the falcons and eagles. Do I hear John Denver playing in the background?
http://www.stonemountainvineyards.com/
And after visiting these wonderful spots, if you're yearning for more good wine and vistas, we recommend these "runner ups"):
Blenheim Vineyards: http://www.blenheimvineyards.com/
Bluemont Vineyard: http://www.bluemontvineyard.com/
Breaux Vineyards: http://www.breauxvineyards.com/
DuCard Vineyards: http://www.ducardvineyards.com/
First Colony Winery: http://www.firstcolonywinery.com/
Flying Fox Vineyard: http://www.flyingfoxvineyard.com/
Fox Meadow Vineyards: http://www.foxmeadowwinery.com/
King Family Vineyards: http://www.kingfamilyvineyards.com/ourfamily.php
Pollak Vineyards: http://www.pollakvineyards.com/
Wintergreen Winery: http://www.wintergreenwinery.com/
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Undiscovered Wine Trail III: Front Royal surprises
For many frustrated Northern Virginia commuters, the town of Front Royal is this faraway destination that appears on Beltway and I-66 overhead signs - new folks in town probably never heard of the place. Region long-timers think of Front Royal as the starting point for Skyline Drive, or home of Skyline Caverns (more interesting and more pleasant of an experience than Luray Caverns, IMHO). And those are two perfectly good reasons to make weekend jaunts to Front Royal (along with another best kept secret--Raymond R. "Andy" Guest Jr. Shenandoah State Park). Front Royal now boasts a fourth reason to visit - a cool and distinctive wine trail.
Get your butz out of bed early one fall Saturday morning and get on the road by 9. By 11 AM, you'll be exploring the first winery, and if you choose to stay in-town, there are plenty of motels to pick from (national chains like Holiday Inn, Quality Inn and Hampton Inn) as well as "retro motels" like Relax Inn (on the banks of the Shenandoah River) and the Twi-Light Motel. But Front Royal is "not too far, not too close," and you can get back to the DC area by 10 PM if you couldn't find a sitter for the day.
To get to Front Royal, I-66 is the quickest and easiest route, but we suggest state highway 55, which you pick up at exit 23 on westbound 66. This route is far more scenic, and takes you by several Delaplane spots. The choice to stop at one of the wineries off highway 55 towards Front Royal (Aspen Dale Winery at the Barn; Naked Mountain Winery; Fox Meadow) is your's. But some of these wineries have already been spotlighted. For purposes of this trail, these are the four wineries to tour:
1. CHATEAU O'BRIEN AT NORTHPOINT
Howard O'Brien knows wine. And he'll be the first to tell you that. The first thing that comes to mind when you mention Howard O'Brien to a Virginia winery regular is "that guy is a real character!" He talks rapidly and with great enthusiasm about his unique winery, on a bluff overlooking I-66, in a renovated French farm house. You will experience great wine here - for better (the quality bar is set high) or worse (the prices---quite a bit more than other VA wineries). You can choose your tasting experience: Classic Wine tasting ($5 a person), for the usual Virginia suspects---mainly whites, a rose, and a delicious apple wine; and a Cellar Collection tasting ($10 a person--weekends only) that's for the red wine fans.
Splurge on the Cellar tasting and taste how Virginia has come along on reds. The Tannat is a unique red and not many Virginia wineries make this. Bold and hearty, a great steak wine, Tannat is Uruguay's red wine, and Howard will provide a colorful history of this grape. After the tasting (the Classic tasting is fine too; you will get a good variety from this tasting), settle in with a bottle or glass, and relax on his deck overlooking the hills and beautiful I-66.
2. Next stop....RAPPAHANNOCK CELLARS
Continuing down state highway 55, you'll enter Front Royal proper. Turn left onto U.S. highway 522, drive through the Chester Gap (a mountain gap, a village, and a winery...we'll get to the winery later), and follow the signs for Rappahannock Cellars, which is a large operation (one of the Commonwealth's most commercial spots), but Rappahannock Cellars proves that big, commercial does not equal inferior. They know what they're doing here.
The tasting room offers several tasting counters. Yes, they have peanuts and pecans and candy and other items that may remind you of Stuckey's on the way to Florida way back when, but their wine is extremely good. And they have a lot of land here; no two views at a Virginia winery are the same, and Rappahannock Cellars may not be along the banks of the river, but it does have unique mountain views in all directions. Their stand-out red: Meritage. Stand-out white: Viognier. But you can't go wrong with any of their wines.
3. Onward....CHESTER GAP CELLARS
If you liked the Viognier, Virginia's signature and admittedly unusual-tasting white, at Rappahannock, you'll flip over the selections at Chester Gap Cellars. Return to U.S. highway 522, towards Front Royal, and you'll make a sharp (very sharp) right turn into Chester Gap Cellars, which boasts one of the nicest views in the state (reach out and touch some mountains....) No limos or buses allowed, which is music to our ears. They simply don't have the room. This is a family operation---winemaker Bernd Jung (a characteristically gruff, but still friendly, Americanized German) or his wife will walk you through the tasting in the strangely unfinished-looking tasting room. Ask Bernd about the unfinished look and he'll tell you, "I concentrate on wines here." That he does. The Viogniers--both his regular and Reserve--are probably the finest in Virginia.
His reds are good too, but not as mind-blowingly good as those Viogniers. Current red offerings are Cab Franc and Merlot. And those prices - most wines are under $20 a bottle. And you'll need to save some cash for the final stop.
4. Last stop....GLEN MANOR VINEYARDS
Follow route 522 back into Front Royal, make a left turn onto route 55, and then make another left onto route 340. Watch out for the signs for "Browntown Road," and make the left. Glen Manor is a bit hard to find, but you'll thank these directions, or your map, or your GPS (provided the GPS can find this place) once you arrive. There is simply no better place to wrap up this tour than Glen Manor. These are some of the best wines in the entire state. Really. Several California wine snob acquaintances of your blogmasters can attest to this.
Glen Manor offers a view of the mountains and Skyline Drive from its back deck. The tasting room is small, but the delights await you. Their white wine of choice is a Sauvignon Blanc, which will erase your memories of those sweet bottles of Monkey Bay from Harris Teeter. But their gems are the reds: Cab Franc and pure Petit Verdot. The red prices here are a bit higher, but lay down a bottle of Cab Franc or Petit Verdot for a few years. Their labels are handsome, and in a few years you'll open the bottle with pride.
Front Royal's wineries attract a diverse mix; even Harley-Davidson riders have been known to stop by these spots. Savor the mountain scenery and savor the vintages.
chateauobrien.dreamhosters.com/visit/
rappahannockcellars.com/about-us
www.chestergapcellars.com/index.htm
www.glenmanorvineyards.com/map.html
Get your butz out of bed early one fall Saturday morning and get on the road by 9. By 11 AM, you'll be exploring the first winery, and if you choose to stay in-town, there are plenty of motels to pick from (national chains like Holiday Inn, Quality Inn and Hampton Inn) as well as "retro motels" like Relax Inn (on the banks of the Shenandoah River) and the Twi-Light Motel. But Front Royal is "not too far, not too close," and you can get back to the DC area by 10 PM if you couldn't find a sitter for the day.
To get to Front Royal, I-66 is the quickest and easiest route, but we suggest state highway 55, which you pick up at exit 23 on westbound 66. This route is far more scenic, and takes you by several Delaplane spots. The choice to stop at one of the wineries off highway 55 towards Front Royal (Aspen Dale Winery at the Barn; Naked Mountain Winery; Fox Meadow) is your's. But some of these wineries have already been spotlighted. For purposes of this trail, these are the four wineries to tour:
1. CHATEAU O'BRIEN AT NORTHPOINT
Howard O'Brien knows wine. And he'll be the first to tell you that. The first thing that comes to mind when you mention Howard O'Brien to a Virginia winery regular is "that guy is a real character!" He talks rapidly and with great enthusiasm about his unique winery, on a bluff overlooking I-66, in a renovated French farm house. You will experience great wine here - for better (the quality bar is set high) or worse (the prices---quite a bit more than other VA wineries). You can choose your tasting experience: Classic Wine tasting ($5 a person), for the usual Virginia suspects---mainly whites, a rose, and a delicious apple wine; and a Cellar Collection tasting ($10 a person--weekends only) that's for the red wine fans.
Splurge on the Cellar tasting and taste how Virginia has come along on reds. The Tannat is a unique red and not many Virginia wineries make this. Bold and hearty, a great steak wine, Tannat is Uruguay's red wine, and Howard will provide a colorful history of this grape. After the tasting (the Classic tasting is fine too; you will get a good variety from this tasting), settle in with a bottle or glass, and relax on his deck overlooking the hills and beautiful I-66.
2. Next stop....RAPPAHANNOCK CELLARS
Continuing down state highway 55, you'll enter Front Royal proper. Turn left onto U.S. highway 522, drive through the Chester Gap (a mountain gap, a village, and a winery...we'll get to the winery later), and follow the signs for Rappahannock Cellars, which is a large operation (one of the Commonwealth's most commercial spots), but Rappahannock Cellars proves that big, commercial does not equal inferior. They know what they're doing here.
The tasting room offers several tasting counters. Yes, they have peanuts and pecans and candy and other items that may remind you of Stuckey's on the way to Florida way back when, but their wine is extremely good. And they have a lot of land here; no two views at a Virginia winery are the same, and Rappahannock Cellars may not be along the banks of the river, but it does have unique mountain views in all directions. Their stand-out red: Meritage. Stand-out white: Viognier. But you can't go wrong with any of their wines.
3. Onward....CHESTER GAP CELLARS
If you liked the Viognier, Virginia's signature and admittedly unusual-tasting white, at Rappahannock, you'll flip over the selections at Chester Gap Cellars. Return to U.S. highway 522, towards Front Royal, and you'll make a sharp (very sharp) right turn into Chester Gap Cellars, which boasts one of the nicest views in the state (reach out and touch some mountains....) No limos or buses allowed, which is music to our ears. They simply don't have the room. This is a family operation---winemaker Bernd Jung (a characteristically gruff, but still friendly, Americanized German) or his wife will walk you through the tasting in the strangely unfinished-looking tasting room. Ask Bernd about the unfinished look and he'll tell you, "I concentrate on wines here." That he does. The Viogniers--both his regular and Reserve--are probably the finest in Virginia.
His reds are good too, but not as mind-blowingly good as those Viogniers. Current red offerings are Cab Franc and Merlot. And those prices - most wines are under $20 a bottle. And you'll need to save some cash for the final stop.
4. Last stop....GLEN MANOR VINEYARDS
Follow route 522 back into Front Royal, make a left turn onto route 55, and then make another left onto route 340. Watch out for the signs for "Browntown Road," and make the left. Glen Manor is a bit hard to find, but you'll thank these directions, or your map, or your GPS (provided the GPS can find this place) once you arrive. There is simply no better place to wrap up this tour than Glen Manor. These are some of the best wines in the entire state. Really. Several California wine snob acquaintances of your blogmasters can attest to this.
Glen Manor offers a view of the mountains and Skyline Drive from its back deck. The tasting room is small, but the delights await you. Their white wine of choice is a Sauvignon Blanc, which will erase your memories of those sweet bottles of Monkey Bay from Harris Teeter. But their gems are the reds: Cab Franc and pure Petit Verdot. The red prices here are a bit higher, but lay down a bottle of Cab Franc or Petit Verdot for a few years. Their labels are handsome, and in a few years you'll open the bottle with pride.
Front Royal's wineries attract a diverse mix; even Harley-Davidson riders have been known to stop by these spots. Savor the mountain scenery and savor the vintages.
chateauobrien.dreamhosters.com/visit/
rappahannockcellars.com/about-us
www.chestergapcellars.com/index.htm
www.glenmanorvineyards.com/map.html
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