A 25th Birthday Celebration VAVINO Style in Loudoun County

We toast Tarara Winery and Vineyards this month in celebration of their 25th Anniversary. Wines have been made and served on their grounds since 1989, making them the second oldest winery in a county that now boasts more than 40 vineyards, wineries and tasting rooms (with more to come!) Only Willowcroft Farm Vineyards has been open to the public longer (Willowcroft opened their doors in 1987).

The Notebook was invited to join the festivities this weekend, participating in a 5 Flight tasting in the famous Tarara wine cave, and including wines brought up from their cellar from 1997 and 1992. Winemaker Jordan Harris, a Canadian with a terrific conversational style and dry wit, led us through the flights, which started with four popular whites (two blends, and two Chardonnays, one from 1997), continued with a Cabernet Franc vertical tasting (2012, 2010, 2007 and 1997), moved on to a heavier/bolder red series (Meritage and similar blends), and ended with a flight from their Boneyard series of wines, which Jordan spent several minutes talking passionately about, and a flight from a series similar to Boneyard, "Killer Cluster."

It was suggested we do the "spit out" thing since so many wines were being sampled, but we couldn't help ourselves and swallowed - it was a party, after all! The highlights were the 2008 chardonnay, definitely at its peak as a soft buttery wine with notes of caramel apples and pumpkin, making it a perfect fall choice; the 2010 Cab Franc, bordering port at 15.5% alcohol and rich with espresso and cranberry notes (2010 was a great growing year in Virginia); the 2010 Tranquility Red, a Cab Sauv/Tannat blend named after their vineyard in the Middleburg AVA near Purcellville; the 2010 Commonwealth CasaNoVA (100% Merlot), with notes of licorice and cherry; and "Unrefined White," a 2013 blend of Chardonnay, Rkatsiteli, Sauvignon Blanc, and Petit Manseng, on the Boneyard label, with tropical fruit notes and a hint of sour apple.

About the Boneyard Label:

Jordan shared some personal history; when he took over as head winemaker at Tarara in 2008, he actually discontinued the production of several well known and big selling wines, which he compared to "the Barefoots and Sutter Homes." Those wines, he felt, were fine for the non-discriminating wine fan, but he wanted to set the bar higher for Tarara (he also confessed a resistance to Cab Franc and Viognier, although he understands the wine appeals to Virginians and will continue to work with them). The Boneyard label (featuring amusing images of backhoes and other farm equipment merged with dinosaur bones) is meant to appeal to those who preferred Tarara's old line of "fun, easy to drink" wines. Several of wines on the Boneyard line are also less pricey, so comparisons to Michael Shaps' Wineworks label and Prince Michel's Rapidan River label are fitting. Jordan spoke with much enthusiasm about the Boneyard wines. The relatively low cost of production and price allows him to experiment with newer (to Virginia) varietals such as Rkatsiteli and blending. However, on the other end of the Boneyard scale, lies their 2010 Syrah/Viognier blend (96% Syrah), $100 a bottle and intriguing all the way, with notes of blackberry and beef jerky. This wine will lay down for up to 12 years and would make a great holiday gift to the wine lover in your family.

The Killer Cluster label is another experiment for Harris and Tarara; the grapes come from the Columbia Valley AVA in Washington state, and include Riesling, Marsanne, a new varietal for us, dry and boasting notes of honey and macadamia nuts, and Rousanne, another dry similar to Viognier that we've had at North Gate Vineyards in the past.

Jordan Harris and Tarara's event planners Shawn and Elizabeth lead us through the 5 Flights:

Tarara's location directly on the Potomac river resides above lime deposits not found in other sections of the county, and Harris explained that a micro-climate exists here in the "Potomac Valley." Severe storms that hit other areas of Loudoun county skip over Tarara. As a result, fruit can hang on the vines longer compared to other vineyards. Tarara is not located in an AVA, however one of their vineyards (Tranquility) resides in the Middleburg AVA.

The 5 Flights in the Wine Cave was an engaging cross between a tasting, a tour, and a wine class. We thank Jordan, Shawn, Elizabeth and the rest of the friendly staff, and owner Margaret Hubert, whose home actually connects to the Tarara tasting building, for the invitation and hospitality.

The celebration on Saturday night, September 20, was capped with a performance by "Think Pink," a Pink Floyd tribute band that sounded amazingly like the real thing. The laser show hitting the majestic trees surrounding the stage was a perfect psychedelic touch. Tarara hosts concerts on Saturday nights during the summer and early fall. These are not the typical cover bands you see in tasting rooms all over the state. These are professional world touring acts.

Think Pink:

There is just about something for everyone at Tarara; both on the wine side and setting side. You want to be in the center of action in a large tasting room, or in a quiet spot by the large pond? Both are possible here.

Happy 25th Tarara and look forward to 25+ more years of great wine, music, and fun!

Winery URL:
http://www.tarara.com/

NEW WINERY SPOTLIGHT 8: WINERY 32

Yet another newbie in Loudoun County (they keep coming and coming and coming....see our previous post on the subject), Winery 32 opened a few weeks ago in the Potomac winery of the cluster. This cluster is also home to Fabbioli Cellars, The Winery at Lost Creek, and its neighbor Hidden Brook Winery, as well as one of the grand daddys of the Virginia wine scene, Tarara.

A leisurely 20 minute (due to the gravel) drive down Limestone School Road, directly off route 15, will lead you right to Winery 32's gates (look for the windmill). After entering, you'll immediately notice peach trees that hug the driveway to the tasting room. 32 peach trees, to be exact. The number has several meanings at this location that we won't spoil for you (the tasting room pourers love to tell the story - hint: it's a love story).

A large pond (large enough it could be dubbed a lake) appears in the distance as you make your way up the long driveway. Winery 32's beautiful new tasting building is wood-focused, bright, and airy. There is a loft upstairs open to all visitors, and a separate room behind the tasting room that can be reserved for large parties.

Views of the tasting room from the loft:

The winery's bar is normally staffed by very enthusiastic pourers who run through a relaxed tasting. As the winery is new, it's not as congested as others in the area; however as the case with every other new winery, word will get out and you can expect crowds in the future.

Each bottle of wine has labels that were designed by the daughter of the owners, and reflect the environment in and around the winery. Koi fish (who live in the large pond), herons (who amazingly do not attempt to eat the koi), alpacas (they raise alpacas, small llamas, on this farm), the windmill and the power plant (across the Potomac in Maryland). Admittedly the image of the ugly power plant did not mesh with the natural beauty of the other pictures, but fair is fair. And having two symbols of power (farm windmill and power plant) is appropriate for the wine inside the bottle: A powerful and peppery Cabernet Franc.

The Koi fish bottle houses a table white, off dry but not too sweet (a blend of Vidal Blanc and Traminette). Chardonnay, slightly oaked but not overly buttery, fills the alpaca bottle. A heron graces their Merlot, velvety smooth with notes of elderberry. A complex Chambourcin has a downtown Leesburg image on its bottle. Finally, there are the peach wines, one blended with Vidal blanc and the other a pure peach dessert wine. The former would work wonders with hot Thai or Chinese food and the latter could be poured over pound cake or cheesecake. The peach wines are named after Gloria, the variety of peach tree growing on their property.

Enjoying a bottle of the chardonnay:

Plenty of tables with umbrellas are set up on the deck; alas it was misty and rainy when we visited, but that created a different type of mood:

The Moosher family and the Notebook invite you to visit this beautiful new spot this weekend!

Winery URL:
http://www.winery32.com/

Cheers to the Virginia Winery Cats

Winery dogs have long been a spotlight of wineries in Virginia, and elsewhere (just about every wine producing state has a "winery dog" coffee table book). The Notebook toasted our top five winery dogs several months ago: Virginia Wineries Going to the Dogs.

Feline fans have been emailing us (and asking us in person) when will the cats be spotlighted. Well, it has taken us several months to pare down the list of favorite Virginia winery felines to five. The blogmasters enjoy dogs but we are definitely more cat people. So when we find a winery that has a friendly cat in the vicinity, it is a big deal. Many (if not every) winery in the state seems to have a dog on the premises. Finding a cat winery is more of a challenge. But several do exist.

Cats are just as important for a winery and the vineyards as dogs are. Cats keep the vermin away. And some winery cat owners have confessed that their farm cats chase deer away too. And while a cat entering a tasting room won't usually be the entertainment provider to most visitors as a dog can be, those who appreciate the felines will stop their tasting process to say hi.

Admittedly, cats are not the center of attention at wineries compared to dogs, and as much as we'd love to write about the wild and crazy antics performed by these cats at the wineries, there is not much action to be seen with a cat around. It is an honor to be in their presence, however; there is a mystical quality to cats that dogs simply do not possess.

So with this lead up, we confess that the wines, as well as the wineries, in our list are perfect Virginia spots in nearly every way. The cat is an added bonus.

The Top Five Virginia Cat Wineries:

5. Cardinal Point Winery (south of Charlottesville)
Aubie is one of a few resident farm cats at Cardinal Point, one of the original Monticello AVA locations. We didn't know his name until recently, and dubbed him "Basketball" several years ago after meeting him the first time. Aubie is usually a presence in and around the tasting room, and hangs out with guests on the patio. Dogs don't deter him. He has made it abundantly clear on several occasions that he is in charge of that patio (and tasting room.....and the entire winery).

Aubie eating - what else?

Aubie marching down the steps in front of the tasting room to greet visitors:

4. North Mountain Vineyard and Winery (south of Winchester)
Ginger is a beautiful tortoise shell cat at North Mountain, a calming presence, particularly in the winter when she's napping by the tasting room's fireplace. She loves going outside as well, and has a knack for sniffing out the cat people visitors, and making herself at home on their picnic bench. North Mountain also was home to "OJ," (named after the beverage, not the infamous ex football star). OJ was an orange tabby who always greeted customers (Ginger is a bit more shy), and who sadly passed away a few years ago.

Ginger visits the picnic table:

3. First Colony Winery (south of Charlottesville)
Fritz the Cat is the feline attraction here (the owners must be Bob Crumb fans). Fritz is an orange tabby who landed at First Colony as a kitten, with two broken legs, about eight years ago. Fritz is a feisty one, rather typical of orange tabbies, and was recently featured in a Cat Fancy magazine article on winery cats.

Fritz says hi to visitors on the First Colony patio:

Fritz, indoors:

2. Willowcroft Winery (south of Leesburg)
Willowcroft is home to a bonafide Hemingway cat, a polydactyl (six toed) tabby who arrived at Willowcroft from a nearby home as a kitten, and splits his time between the winery and his home up the road. At the time of Flint's arrival, another feline named Bailey ruled the roost here. Bailey left several years ago (he belonged to the previous tasting room manager), but his name lives on empty wine bottles that featured his namesake: Bailey's Bluff (an off-dry rosé offered at the winery about ten years ago). Flint is a lively cat and always seems to be in "stalking" mode when we visit. That stands to reason given Willowcroft's rustic setting on a Blue Ridge foothill; lots of insects and small rodents to find! We keep waiting for a wine featuring Flint's name or image on a bottle here.

Flint, inside the Willowcroft barn:

Flint, chillin' in front of the tasting room:

1. Fabbioli Cellars (north of Leesburg)
All you need to know about the cat loving owners of Loudoun County's Fabbioli Cellars is summed up by this sign posted on the door leading to their tasting room:

Several cats have made Doug and Colleen's place their home through the years. So many, in fact, that the cats' names were printed on their bottles of rosé. But Warren is the indisputable king of this cat winery. Warren is another orange tabby (what is it about wineries and orange tabbies?), and presides over all matters of winery operation.

Warren at the tasting counter:

Warren shares the lair with Goldie, a white and orange tabby. Other felines have been spotted coming and going, but Warren and Goldie are the most social of the cats here.

Blogmaster David's cat and her favorite bottle of Fabbioli wine:

And no cat blog would be complete without cat videos! Here are some of the aforementioned kitties, along with a few honorable mentions.

Ginger (North Mountain Vineyard):


Fritz (First Colony):


Warren (Fabbioli Cellars):
Clip 1 (drinking from a wine glass)


Clip 2 (managing the tasting counter):


Rex (Capitol Vineyards, near Front Royal):


Charlie (James River Cellars, north of Richmond):


And finally, introducing Daug....Barrel Oak Winery's (BOW's) first winery feline. A wonderful Russian Blue taken in by BOW staff about four months ago:

A Few More Newbies in NOVA

Keeping up with the winery openings in Virginia, especially Loudoun and Fauquier Counties, is like keeping up with Beatles singles in 1964. Just when you think you've seen the last one for awhile, six more pop up.

In Loudoun County alone, there are eight wineries appearing on the Virginia wine map this year which did not appear last year. One particular stretch of road in Loudoun now has such a concentration of wineries, a new county wine cluster could be created.

On route 9 (the second exit outside downtown Leesburg traveling west on the route 7 bypass), heading towards Charles Town and Harper's Ferry, WV, so many wineries dot the highway (taking advantage of the easy access and visitors from the entire DC area) that gridlock during the weekends at some of the intersections is becoming commonplace.

Get an early start, head out to route 9, and follow the signs for Harper's Ferry. Along county highway 671 (Harpers Ferry Road), near the popular winery Breaux, a string of wineries have emerged, all creating unique senses of place and some very good wines. One location was not even slated to open its tasting room this year, however their 2012 Chardonnay was a Gold Cup medal recipient, and one requirement of receiving the medal is to have a tasting room open to the public. Two Twisted Posts Winery was up to the challenge, and set up an outdoor wine tasting tent, and is open every other week to the Virginia wine loving public.

"The winery that accountants built" was the impromptu slogan we heard during our visit to Two Twisted Posts. Accounting is the profession of choice for several family members, and their stories are similar to others we've heard from Loudoun County winemakers, who are growing (or grew) tired of the white collar desk jockey existence, and wanted to bond with the outdoors and become a part of a booming agricultural industry. We were served by the owner and winemaker, who originally hails from England with accent fully intact. Their debut wines are two Chardonnays (including that award winner), a Vidal Blanc, an off dry blend of Chardonnay and Seyval Blanc, a Cab Franc, and a Cab Sauv they call "Don't Call Me a Cab," due to its lighter, somewhat sweeter style (the rainy Virginia weather during the last several harvests had much to do with this). All offerings were good to outstanding, and we left with a few bottles of the 2012 Chardonnay. We now prefer a touch of oak versus 100% stainless steel aging for our Chards (a change from several years ago, when we praised stainless steel relentlessly; palates do change and mature over time). The oak in this 2012 Chardonnay was pitch perfect, and the glass had notes of pineapple and mango, with a soft finish (not overpowering like some California Chardonnays).

The wine tent at Two Twisted Posts:

As for the reds, both the Cab Franc and the Pinot Noir-esque Cab Sauv were winners. The Cab Franc is fairly typical of other Virginia Cab Francs, with notes of black pepper and that mineraly finish. The Cab Sauv may come as a bit of a surprise to those accustomed to California or Washington state varietals, but there is a reason Virginia is still viewed as "finding its way" with the reds. The climate in Virginia is just too unpredictable for reds; to quote the PBS documentary Vintage: The Winemaker's Year, anyone with even an minor background in viticulture can grow grapes in the west coast states.

The next newbie along route 671 is a stone's throw away from Two Twisted Posts: Cardamon Family Vineyards. This is another incredible little spot that is still building its tasting room. Tastings are currently offered in a tent up a small incline from Harper's Ferry Road:

The twist at Cardamon (named after the family who runs the location) is "wine and salsa pairings." Chuck Cardamon, owner and winemaker, was stationed in Napa during his career in the Navy. So of course, he had to delve into the winemaking industry, and now crafts some wines that are reminiscent of California New World, but with enough Virginia character to make them appealing to our Old World style tastes.

The wine tent at Cardamon Family Vineyards:

Cardamon's current offerings include Rkatsiteli, a crisp white varietal hailing from eastern Europe that several Virginia locations are now working with (this was our favorite wine here; a nice alternative to the better known Viognier), a new rosé (blended with Seyval Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot), and Batoria (a blend of Cab Franc, Syrah and Petit Verdot - all grapes grown right on their property). He also makes an apple wine that's the driest style apple wine we've had; great for hot summer afternoons.

There are picnic tables scattered throughout the property, including between the vineyard rows, to make you forget you're only a few feet away from a busy road.

Now about those salsas.....several Virginia wineries offer food pairings with their tastings (most notable are Fox Meadow Winery near Front Royal and Fabbioli Cellars off route 15 in northern Loudoun County). Chuck makes several different styles of salsas that blend perfectly with his wines. These salasas (some sweet, some sour, some spicy, some with a touch of salt) change the character of the wine, so if you've wondered how food can alter a tasting experience, this is a place to visit. He sells his salsas, and if you care to check out his recipes, pick up a copy of his book.

The third newbie on this stretch of Harper's Ferry Road is Maggie Malick Wine Caves, by far one of the most unusual spots we've visited in the state. A man made cave built into the hillside of a Blue Ridge foothill is visible as you park your car. The owners excavated the hillside and built the cave made up of concrete, rebar and I-beams. After waterproofing, they covered the cave with four feet of earth. The cave maintains a more consistent atmosphere in all seasons, and this allows the owners to reduce energy costs. And the owners are delighted to be the only winery in Virginia with grass growing on their tasting room's roof.

Because of the elements-proof set up of the tasting room, it doubles as the barrel room. The cave opens up on the other side to a patio with tables, where the entertainment usually resides during the weekend.

Maggie Malick Wine Caves (entrance and inside):

As for the wines, quite a few offerings, which is particularly impressive given this winery's young age. On the white end of the scale, Melange Blanc (a crisp, slightly sweet white blend), Viognier, Chardonnay, Albariño, and Petit Manseng; on the red side, Melange Rouge (a light red blend, for chilling), Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, and Tannat. A few selections, like the Petit Verdot and Tannat, could benefit from some aging, but not one bum note in the selections. We were impressed that Maggie Malick's offered both a Viognier and an Albariño, as that allowed us to taste these similar varietals side by side. We look forward to visiting again in the winter to see how the climate control aspect is working out.

The Notebook couldn't resist stopping by Breaux, to find out the latest on their new tasting building (a long time coming, seeing how Breaux has one of the tightest - considering their popularity - tasting rooms in the Commonwealth). Almost there!

Visit the Route 671 newbies on your next winery jaunt, and tell them The Notebook sent ya.

Winery URL links (click on winery name):
Two Twisted Posts
Cardamon Family Vineyards
Maggie Malick Wine Caves

A Creek Runs Through It (Part II)

Continuing with our creek/stream/river running through it theme, we visit another creekside location, this one a little closer to home base (Washington DC suburbs...): Creek's Edge Winery, in north Loudoun County near the town of Lovettsville.

We have been waiting for Creek's Edge to open its doors for nearly a year. They were listed prematurely in last year's Virginia Winery Map, and a visit to the winery last fall was met with a disappointing chain across their driveway and an "opening soon" sign.

The creek in the winery's namesake is Catoctin Creek, which flows through the county before emptying out into the nearby Potomac. The creek goes through a tiny historic village adjacent to the winery property: Taylorstown. Currently Taylorstown is made up of narrow, hilly roads (adored by cyclists), and an old general store. Creek's Edge's owners Tedd and Dana Durden, two more examples of former DC-area "office jockeys" who craved an outdoor-based business in Loudoun County's booming agricultural industry, have plans to acquire, renovate, and re-open this general store, making Taylorstown a go-to spot for curio shopping and wine imbibing, similar to the now hip (and larger) village of Hillsboro in the western part of the county.

The driveway, "opening soon" chain now removed, meanders to the winery grounds and once you arrive, you instantly forget you're in highly populated Loudoun County. One complaint we have about some wineries in the county (even the best wineries in the county) is the presence of multi million dollar mansions (don't call them, ahem, "McMansions"). You see these grand estates while enjoying a glass or bottle of wine. Because of this, the fact that you're in densely populated Northern Virginia is ever-present. This is not the case at Creek's Edge. The tasting building (built by Tedd, whose background is in the construction business) resembles a lodge with an adjoining silo. This building sits on an incline between the parking lot and the sloping vineyards. And surrounding the property: Nothing but trees. Granted, we visited in the summer, in full foliage; a trip in the winter may reveal some huge houses behind the trees.

Due to the sloping vineyards, gravity flow is the name of the game here. Their varietals include Chambourcin, Pinot Gris, Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon. Ben Renshaw, one of the Loudoun County wine pioneers (along with Doug Fabbioli, Mark and Vicki Fedor, Stephen Mackey, and Clyde Housel), is assisting Creek's Edge with perfecting their craft. Because of Renshaw's expertise, the wines here are mature and complex, despite the newness of the winery.

Probably due to Renshaw's influence, we view Creek's Edge as more of a red wine destination. The Merlot, particularly their 2009, was our all-around favorite; medium bodied yet intense, and not somewhat watery due to the rainy harvest seasons that have plagued Virginia over the last few years. We also enjoyed their Cab Sauv, slightly lighter style with notes of plum and licorice.

As for the whites, the crisp Vidal Blanc (touch of sweetness) and Pinot Gris (touch of dandelion) should satisfy the white fans in your group.

Every time we visit a new winery, we are astounded how unique the tasting building is. Creek's Edge boasts one of the most innovative tasting rooms we've seen; that must be due to Tedd's background. The Amish-built building is appointed with wood - wood, wood, everywhere. The best noise-absorbing material is wood. There is a fireplace for colder days, and the entire room resembles a wine chalet you'd find in the Rocky Mountains. The highlight of the tasting room, something that has already provided hundreds of photo ops (the Notebook included), is the silo. A spiral staircase leads from the tasting room both up and down the silo. Go up, to a loft space that could be a future wine club member area. Go down, to enjoy a bottle at the table under the silo, or visit the barrel room. Plenty of tasting rooms are housed in barns (actual restored barns, or mock barns) - this is especially true in Loudoun County. But we have never enjoyed great wine while looking up at the inside of a farm silo before until we visited Creek's Edge.

The silo from outside:

The silo from inside (looking down):

From the loft:

The winery also offers a nicely appointed deck overlooking the property and the woods. The Notebook pretty much had the place to ourselves when we visited, but word has gotten out. Enjoy Creek's Edge this weekend!

Winery URL: http://www.creeksedgewinery.com/home.html

Red, White and....Pink

Happy July 4th!

What better way to celebrate Independence Day than with several bottles of red, white and (sitting in for blue) pink? One of these days, we'll come across a blue wine during our drunken explorations of Virginia's vinos, but until then.....

We toast the Nation's Independence with a favorite from these three colors, and hope you toast with us.

RED:

Cabernet Franc, Meritage, Merlot, Malbec, Chambourcin, Norton, Petit Verdot, Tannat, Syrah, table red...so many to choose from in the state. Nearly every winery in Virginia offers a Cabernet Franc, Chambourcin and Petit Verdot are clipping at Cab Franc's heels as the signature red for the state. So, we'll go with something more unique this year: Touriga Nacional. High tannins and notes of blackberry, black cherry and vanilla characterize this unusual varietal, with origins in Portugal. Because of its home country, Touriga is used for blending in ports. This is a hardy wine that will sit on your rack nicely for several years, but tonight we're breaking it out. This touriga is from Grayhaven Winery, between Richmond and Charlottesville off I-64.

WHITE:

Continuing with the July 4th traditional of imbibing with unusual wines (for Virginia), we next uncork Chardonel, with its off-dry and fruity notes is a perfect chilled summer wine. Chardonel, as the name indicates, is a cross of Chardonnay and Seyval, and has its origins at Cornell University. Oddly enough, this wine is relatively scarce in Finger Lakes tasting rooms. The grape thrives in slightly more humid climates, so Virginia (as well as Missouri, another state that excels with Chardonel) is a natural fit. Notes of citrus and fig dominate the typical Chardonel, and the wine is a perfect match with crab dishes. Our Chardonel is from The Hague Winery, in Virginia's Northern Neck.

PINK:

Filling in for Mr. Blue is Mr. Pink, and "pink wine" can only mean one thing: Rosé. Virginia is working valiantly to build credibility with rosé. Virginia's rosés are not Kool Aid sweet "white zins" that were popular cheap wines in our college years. These are some dry (some extremely dry) white wines that happen to be pink in color, because the grape skins were left on the grapes during the processing. There are many wineries in the Commonwealth that offer stellar rosés; our favorites include
North Gate Vineyards, near Purcellville in Loudoun county; Fabbioli Cellars, also in Loudoun county (off route 15, north of Leesburg); and
Flying Fox Vineyard, southwest of Charlottesville in Nelson County.
This year, we celebrate with a dry rosé from Glen Manor Vineyards, near Front Royal and the entrance to Skyline Drive. Blended with Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon, this pink starts with a burst of red fruit and finishes crisp and dry. Their 2013 Morales Rosé is the best rosé we've had all year, although the offerings from the other aforementioned wineries are very close runners-up.

We hope you uncork (or unscrew) some of Virginia's best this 4th while taking breaks from igniting your Chinese fountains, sparklers, snakes and glow worms. Cheers!

A Creek Runs Through It (Part I)

One common trait to several wineries in the Commonwealth is a creek, stream, brook, river (whatever term you wish to apply) running through the property. Visiting wineries in the country is always a treat; crossing a narrow one lane bridge that spans a creek is one of the driving pleasures. We can think of at least 15 wineries in Virginia where guests have to cross a creek, and after enjoying an intimate tasting with the owners, visitors can enjoy a bottle (or 2, or 3) on the banks of the same creek.

A few wineries in the state already spotlighted by the Notebook with creeks/streams/rivers running through them: Sharp Rock Vineyards (Sperryville), DuCard Vineyards (near Madison), Rogers Ford Winery (near Culpeper), Unicorn Winery (west of Warrenton), and Wintergreen Winery (south of Waynesboro).

To this list, we can add two relatively new locations in Virginia, the subject of this and a forthcoming Notebook blog. The first, Cedar Creek Winery, has been making wine for about five years and selling its product to retail outlets throughout the state for nearly as long. We've been intrigued with visiting Cedar Creek Winery for years, and prior to 2014, the winery was open by appointment only. We just never made it out there. Until recently. And yes, the trip was well worth the wait.

Owner/winemaker Ron Schmidt is a New Jersey native who moved to the northern Shenandoah Valley, southwest of Winchester, after falling in love with the land, views, and people. A visit to his winery is unlike any other experience you're likely to have in the state. Don't expect live bands, festivals, bachelorette parties, kids and dogs running around, and a spot that resembles an outdoor Wolf Trap concert; Cedar Creek is all about the wines. Specifically, two wines: Cab Franc and Chardonnay. He's perfected these two varietals and is adamant about not breaking off into growing other grapes. The land is perfect for Cab Franc and Chardonnay. If you're a fan of off-dry or off-sweet (or pure sweet) wines, you won't find much in the way of wine here to enjoy. So embrace your role as designated driver, and let your dry varietal fans go crazy.

Vertical tastings rule this tasting room. You will be treated to vintages from different years of both varietals. It is an educational tasting experience. All the while being entertained by Schmidt, who speaks passionately about his retirement "hobby" turned lucrative business. He explains that he does not allow any sub par fruit to enter his crush pad room. In fact, in 2011, a very wet and poor growing year for Virginia wines, a little less than half of his Cab Franc crop was dropped on the vineyard grass for the deer and birds to eat. Rot had invaded many of the grape clusters. What was left was crafted into a relatively lighter style of Cab Franc that was so noble, it won a Governor's Cup Bronze Medal in 2013. During our tasting, we enjoyed the 2011 and 2012 Chardonnays (the former with citrus fruit notes and on the crisp side; the latter with a more tropical and cream finish), and the 2008 through 2011 Cab Francs. Ron explained that 2013 was another poor year and visitors should not expect a 2013 Cab Franc. He will get by on his library of earlier vintages; he refuses to buy and offer wines from other nearby wineries.
Although he is not adverse to directing folks to other nearby locations. North Mountain Vineyards, another longtime favorite of the Notebook, is 15 minutes up the road, across the actual North Mountain, which boasts an incredible view of the Shenandoah Valley (although the road is narrow up the mountain and finding a spot for photo taking may be a challenge).

New vineyards at Cedar Creek Winery, June 2014:

A visit to Cedar Creek Winery includes a tour of the vineyards, and a fast-paced (again, that Jersey influence) but extremely informative visit to the barrel room. Then up to the tasting room, decorated with fascinating curios Ron has acquired over the years from antique shopping. His prices are extremely good: Not one bottle over $20. He commented that other wineries in the state price their bottles higher than they should be, because of their business model. This is absolutely true: Wineries set up as "jack of all trades" entertainment centers have higher overhead, hence their prices. There is no shortage of such locations in Virginia. Cedar Creek Winery is all about the wine, the best vintages he can create.

Fresh vineyard, up close, at Cedar Creek:

Cedar Creek itself was the location of one of the bloodiest skirmishes during the Civil War. Located only 8 minutes from the West Virginia border, you are in the heart of the mountains here. And the aura of Civil War spirits fill the air. Going along with his "not an entertainment venue" policy, Cedar Creek Winery offers no food sales. He welcomes outside food, but during our visit he and his wife were generous with bags of Lance brand cheese crackers, which worked just fine with the bottle of Chard we consumed.

The line up at Cedar Creek Winery:

Experience some of the best creations the Shenandoah Valley AVA has to offer. And if you crave entertainment and can tear yourself away from this little piece of "almost Heaven," North Mountain Vineyards is a perfect second stop.

For URL click here: Cedar Creek Winery