As the blogmasters were DJs in a previous life, we met many winery owners in Virginia over the last ten years as we marketed our side business. So we thought now would be an appropriate time to mix tunes with grapes. We haven't visited this topic since January 2 of this year, and since then, we've sadly lost several legends in the rock, R&B, and pop world. July 4th seems like a wholly appropriate time to finish our 100 list.
Only the top 25 remain…not only are these our favorite albums, they are paired with our 25 most favorite wineries in Virginia. Whether you download these albums on iTunes, Spotify or Pandora when you visit the wineries, tell them The Notebook sent you! (And links to our lists of #26 through #100 appear under this entry).
25. Blood on the Tracks/Bob Dylan (1975)
Highway 61 Revisited usually gets ranked as Dylan’s finest achievement, but for our money, his greatest work is one of his several “come back” albums, recorded in 1973-74 but not released until early 1975. The album came out after a series of commercially unsuccessful (and in the case of Planet Waves, highly acclaimed, but in the case of Self Portrait, critically-blasted) albums, and Dylan used the time to reflect on his career and his relationships, and penned some of the most personal songs of his legendary career: “Tangled Up in Blue,” “Simple Twist of Fate,” “Shelter from the Storm.” Listen to the stunning 2012 MoFi remaster of this album and you’ll swear Dylan is strumming his guitar in your living room.
Suggested wine pairing: Keswick Vineyards Les Vents d'Anges Viognier.
24. Tusk/Fleetwood Mac (1979)
Rumours gets more attention, but their double album follow-up, a commercial flop in the face of Rumours’ record-breaking sales, is a better album. Ahead of its time in many ways, and the product of Lindsey Buckingham’s (and possibly drug addled) twisted mind, the album sums up the late ‘70s Topanga Canyon lifestyle, complete with appearances from several of the Beach Boys (Christine McVie was involved with Dennis Wilson at the time, and is the subject of one of her loveliest ballads, ”Never Make Me Cry”). Most of Buckingham’s offerings (which take up most of the album) are bizarre but great ear candy (the title track, the first single from the album, is an example of this wackiness). As for Stevie Nicks, her tunes are more of a warm-up to her hugely successful solo career which would come two years after the release of Tusk, although her “Sara” is probably the most famous track on this album. The sequencing of the tracks is a bit odd, but otherwise Mac’s best album.
Suggested wine pairing: Pollak Vineyards Rosé.
23. Achtung Baby/U2 (1991)
U2 debuted in the U.S. in 1980 and over time developed a fervent following, particularly among high school and college students. The pinnacle of their ‘80s success was 1987’s The Joshua Tree, an album that most music fans and critics would place in their top 100 list. But we aren’t most music fans and critics; for us, Achtung Baby is their peak, an album that totally reinvented them, and incorporated EuroTech sounds into the grooves. “One” has been covered by countless artists since becoming the second Top Ten single from this record, and every track remains timeless and intoxicating. The 1993 sequel, Zooropa, is wildly underrated.
Suggested wine pairing: Veramar Vineyard Rooster Red.
22. Untitled (Led Zeppelin IV)/Led Zeppelin (1971)
The album that has no title is not Zepp’s best album, but certainly their best known and arguably most beloved, in part due to “Stairway to Heaven,” a legendary track that was never released as a single. Like Dark Side of the Moon, Saturday Night Fever, Rumours and other classics of the ‘70s, overexposure has diminished this album’s power a bit, yet its songs continue to show up in TV shows and movies today, proving the timelessness of the album. A rock outfit at the commercial peak of its first career phase.
Suggested wine pairing: Green Hill Vineyards Eternity.
21. Revolver/The Beatles (1966)
Revolver was the transition album for the Fabs. They were done with live concerts after their world tour to support Rubber Soul, and focused completely on crafting magnificent songs and albums that will continue to appear on our (and any serious music lover’s) list. While the reputation of this album has surpassed the others in stature in recent years, we still believe that five other albums remain superior. Nevertheless, the staying power of tracks like “Tomorrow Never Knows,” “Taxman,” “She Said She Said,” “Here, There and Everywhere,” ”Good Day Sunshine,” and that damn sing-along child’s song about the submarine, cannot be overstated.
Suggested wine pairing: Moss Vineyards Vino Rosso.
20. Born to Run/Bruce Springsteen (1975)
The Boss had a lot riding with Born to Run; his first two 1973 albums were solid bar band rock albums and his tours to support the albums were well publicized. But the albums didn’t sell particularly well and produced no hit singles, and there were rumors of him being dropped by Columbia records. All of that changed when Bruce put everything he had into this album (slick production and the full band sound of his previous album), and got the cover of Time magazine, massive sales, and a hit single in the title track as a result. The album is a working class New Jersey native’s attempt at a rock opera from the very first harmonica blow in “Thunder Road” to the closing chords in “Jungleland.”
Suggested wine pairing: North Gate Vineyards Meritage.
19. Breakfast in America/Supertramp (1979)
Many critics dub Crime of the Century as this art rock band’s best album, but Breakfast in America was a commercial watershed, taking Supertramp down the conceptual-meets-commercial path they started with their previous album, 1977’s Even in the Quietest Moments… Three singles from this album reached the American Top 10, as the album dominated the charts for well over a year. The British band (with one Yankee) takes on late ‘70s American (particular southern California) culture magnificently. And that album cover is a classic.
Suggested wine pairing: Cooper Vineyards Traminette.
18. Pretzel Logic/Steely Dan (1974)
The Dan’s 1972 debut album, Can’t Buy a Thrill, was followed by the fascinating (and commercially unsuccessful) Countdown to Ecstasy in 1973 (in fact, in ’73, Can’t Buy a Thrill outsold …Ecstasy mainly due to the late decision to release “Reeling in the Years” as a single in the summer of ’73). Pretzel Logic took the best elements from both albums, and then upped the cynicism (listen closely to the lyrics of “Barrytown” and the title track). The result: Their greatest record, with radio friendly tracks (“Rikki Don’t Lose That Number” was their biggest chart success) and songs that paved the way for the RAZZ (rock + jazz) era of the mid to late ‘70s.
Suggested wine pairing: 50West Vineyards Aldie Heights Cuvee.
17. Bridge Over Troubled Water/Simon & Garfunkel (1970)
S & G’s swan song album is also their greatest work, incorporating the polished production of their previous album Bookends with the folk hooks of their earlier records. This is also the album where Paul Simon began to embark on his journey to find new sounds for his songs. “Cecilia,” with its southern hemisphere percussion, paved the way for “Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard,” from his solo debut album released a mere year later. And few can argue about the power of the title track and the New York City tribute track “The Boxer.”
Suggested wine pairing: White Hall Vineyards Gewürztraminer.
16. Let it Bleed/Rolling Stones (1969)
The Stones’ first album without co-founder Brian Jones, who drowned while this album was being blueprinted, this is also arguably their darkest record. Kicking off with the immortal “Gimme Shelter” (also the name of their documentary about the disastrous Altamont concert, which put the final nail in the decade that was the 1960s), the album finishes with soothing (despite cynical lyrics) “You Can’t Always Get What You Want,” with its classic gospel choir. In between are meaty (and Martin Scorsese favorites) tracks like “Monkey Man” and “Midnight Rambler,” the latter a concert favorite to this day.
Suggested wine pairing: Stone Tower Winery Estate Hogback Mountain.
15. Animals/Pink Floyd (1977)
The Floyd gets political. “Pigs, “Dogs,” and “Sheep:” Fascism, irresponsible media, and those who listen and follow, to the detriment of democracy. The lyrics are timelier now than they were in 1977. Not an easy first listen to be sure, but a record that lends itself to repeat listens, and you will hear something new in it every time. And the cover has seeped its way into contemporary pop culture.
Suggested wine pairing: Wisteria Vineyard Carmine red.
14. What’s Going On/Marvin Gaye (1971)
The album Berry Gordy initially refused to make, fearing political backlash against his label. But he was up against the anger of Marvin Gaye, a major hitmaker for Motown. Gordy created a subsidiary label, Tamla, as a compromise, and he was rewarded with the most popular album in Motown history (the label was more commercially successful with its 45s before What’s Going On). Vietnam, racial injustice, urban decay, crime, the environment: The groundbreaking record had it all, backed by a fusion of jazz and funk that influences scores of R&B and hip hop artists to this day. The album’s success also led to Stevie Wonder (another Motown artist moved to the Tamla label) and his string of historical albums (1972’s Talking Book to 1976’s Songs in the Key of Life).
Suggested wine pairing: Afton Mountain Vineyards Merlot.
13. Tumbleweed Connection/Elton John (1970)
Elton John’s third album expanded on the mellow, contemplative atmosphere of his first albums, but also laid the foundation for EJ’s concept albums that would follow (mainly 1973’s Goodbye Yellow Brick Road and 1975’s Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy). Alternately a homage to the American west, and a love letter to lyricist Bernie Taupin’s father, the album contains early classics such as “Come Down in Time” and “Burn Down the Mission,” as well as a faithful cover of late British songstress Lesley Duncan’s “Love Song.” Its follow up, Madman Across the Water, isn’t too shabby either –the two albums together encapsulate Elton and Bernie’s “Nick Drake tribute” years.
Suggested wine pairing: Reynard Florence Vineyard Petit Manseng Monticello.
12. Prince/Sign “O” the Times (1987)
1999 and Purple Rain were warm-ups, really, to Sign “O” the Times, like 1999, a double album, but instead of the nonstop dance funk of 1999, The Artist we sadly lost earlier this year tackles the ‘80s drug epidemic (with the title track), religion (“The Cross”) and sexual ambiguity that would feel right at home with the artist who has the #11 album on our list (keep reading). But like 1999, Prince never forgets his house funk origins, and brings down the house literally with “Housequake.” Like the White Album, the songs are all over the map but equally infectious. The Artist’s best album by far.
Suggested wine pairing: The Winery at Bull Run Fort.
11. David Bowie/The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars (1972)
2016 has been an awful one so far for music fans. Actually the depressing year started on New Year’s Eve 2015, when we lost Natalie Cole. The passings of David Bowie and Prince actually made us revamp the final (25 through 1) section of our Top 100 list. Knowing there will never be an album of new material from these artists is tragic. Although David Jones did bring us Blackstar two days before his death, an album he made while dying that speaks to the soul. Maybe in 10 years, when we revisit this list, Blackstar will find a place in our new Top 100 (we need to spend another decade listening to it and analyzing it). The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars is far and away Bowie’s best album. Taking bits from the heavier, borderline Black Sabbath sound of 1970’s The Man Who Sold the World, and merging them with the whimsical, sexually ambiguous style of 1971’s Hunky Dory, the album is a masterwork of the glam rock era. The lyrics can be down and dirty at times, but “Starman” is such an innocent sounding pop piece it’s easy to understand why so many listeners initially thought of it as a children’s song in 1972.
Suggested wine pairing: Byrd Cellars Dalhgren's Raid Red.
10. Magical Mystery Tour/Beatles (1967)
Released in December 1967, when Sgt. Pepper was a mere six months old and still the rage of the world, Magical Mystery Tour is the soundtrack to the Beatle’s much-maligned made-for-British-TV movie. The movie was a complete vanity project and critics (and audiences at the time) despised it. The soundtrack usually gets overlooked when talking about the great Beatles albums that came before, and after, it. And since side 2 is really a collection of singles that were never released on an album, it’s understandable that some critics called it a “quasi Greatest Hits album,” and not an official Beatles album. But side 2 alone is simply one of the greatest album sides in rock history: “Hello Goodbye,” “Strawberry Fields Forever,” “Penny Lane,” “Baby You’re a Rich Man” and “All You Need is Love.” How could you lose?
Suggested wine pairing: Philip Carter Winery Rosewell.
9. Exile on Main Street/Rolling Stones (1972)
All of the albums recorded by the Glimmer Twins and company prior to 1972 led to Exile on Main Street, recorded in the basement of Keith Richards’ French estate, which he relocated to in order to avoid paying British taxes. The sessions were raw and “anything goes,” and that comes out in the grooves of this double album. The album starts out rowdy, slowly gets mellow, and then kicks it up again for side 4. And “Sweet Virginia” could be the name of a wonderful Virginia table wine – it must exist somewhere in the Commonwealth!
Suggested wine pairing: 612 Vineyard Chambourcin.
8. Wish You Were Here/Pink Floyd (1975)
Former Floyd leader Syd Barrett was far gone by the time the band he founded went in to the studio to record this album. Legend has it Barrett actually showed up, barely recognizable by the band, while they were cutting the title track, which the band wrote as a tribute to Barrett, who was suffering from a decade-long mental breakdown. Dark Side of the Moon and The Wall usually get the most attention from casual listeners, but this is the Floyd’s best album, concise and experimental without getting too pretentious and heavy-going. The epic 20 minute plus “Shine on You Crazy Diamond” is another tribute to Barrett, beautiful and complex and almost like classical music. It was initially was slated to take up the entire first side, before Waters & company decided to break it up into two sections.
Suggested wine pairing: General’s Ridge Vineyard General's Last Call.
7. Led Zeppelin III/Led Zeppelin (1970)
After their groundbreaking first two albums, Zepp took their style on a slightly different route, incorporating traditional folk music and deeper blues into their third album. That resulted in less sales compared to the first two albums, but there is a reason Jimmy Page names it as his favorite Zepp album. The first two tracks are so jangly and kicking they were recorded with intentional hiss at the beginning of each song. Tracks that were more or less ignored at the time like “Tangerine," “That’s the Way” and “Gallows Pole,” are now considered to be Zepp staples; listening to them, you can hear the origins of the songs from their most famous untitled fourth record that was to follow.
Suggested wine pairing: Cedar Creek Winery Cabernet Franc.
6. Abbey Road/Beatles (1969)
After the troubled “White Album” and Let it Be sessions, producer George Martin never thought the Fabs would work together again. Until Paul McCartney simply asked Martin, “would you produce a new record for us?” JPG and R put aside their personal differences and concentrated on the music; but not without a caveat: John would control one side, and Paul the other. Side 1 (John’s side) contains stripped down rock and pop songs, marred only by Ringo’s silly Sesame Street-bound “Octopuses Garden.” Side 2 (Paul’s side) is arguably the better side, highlighted by a suite that takes up ¾ of the side. Any way you slice it, this is one of their best albums.
Suggested wine pairing: Rogers Ford Winery Jacob Christopher Chardonnay.
5. Rubber Soul/Beatles (1966)
Of course The Beatles would dominate our Top Ten...what would you expect, Green Day? Rubber Soul is their best pre-Sgt. Pepper album (although a case could be made for Please Please Me). The Fabs were more somber on this album, although they still took the album on the road. The tour that backed Rubber Soul proved to be their last time on the road. Dylan obsessions in full bloom, the album had a tremendous effect on the leader of the band at #4 (read on).
Suggested wine pairing: Delaplane Cellars Left Bank.
4. Pet Sounds/Beach Boys (1966)
Later in the same year that saw the release of Rubber Soul, the leader of an American group, which had scores of hits nearly equal in influence as the Beatles’ hits, was so mesmerized by what he heard, he went into the studio to craft the American response. A flop on initial release, this album has inspired countless artists and bands, authors, and even a movie (2015’s Love and Mercy). Wouldn’t it be Nice if society could actually live the lyrics of the album’s kick off track in the turbulent year of 2016? As Sonic Youth’s Thurston Moore once said about Brian Wilson, “how can someone who creates something so beautiful be considered ‘not right’ in the head? I’m learning something about living from this person, who is supposed to be ‘not right.’” McCartney and the other Beatles certainly agreed, and plowed on to make their response to Pet Sounds...
Suggested wine pairing: Barrel Oak Winery BOWhaus Red.
3. Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band/Beatles (1967)
The Beatles took up the challenge of topping Pet Sounds, which McCartney had dubbed “the greatest album [he] ever heard.” Brian Wilson and company, and most of the western world, was stunned with the result. This is the album that kicked off the “summer of love,” and within months, the Beatles’ contemporaries, Harry Nilsson and Joe Cocker to Jeff Beck and Jimi Hendrix, were covering songs from the album. The songs themselves have weaved into our everyday vernacular…..”With a Little Help from My Friends,” “When I’m 64,” “A Day in the Life.” No singles were released from the album, which is rather miraculous seeing how nearly every song on the album is familiar to anyone over a certain age.
Suggested wine pairing: Veritas Vineyard Claret.
2. Led Zeppelin/Led Zeppelin (1969)
The Doors and Led Zeppelin dropped the bomb on the psychedelic love-in sounds of the late ‘60s. Led Zepp’s debut album is a masterpiece of sonic sound and composition, a profoundly mature work created by English lads barely out of their teens. From the opening note of “Good Times Bad Times” to the epic finale “How Many More Times,” this album laid the cornerstone for hard rock (just don’t call it “heavy metal!”)
Suggested wine pairing: Willowcroft Winery Assemblage red blend.
1. The Beatles (White Album)/Beatles (1968)
The album many critics called “unfocused” and “a jumbled mess,” ironically titled The Beatles, despite the fact that it was mainly a collection of tracks the various members recorded in the studio alone, or with only one other member….simply put, the album is “music.” Pop, hard rock, folk rock, reggae, early “heavy metal,” lullaby, country, avant garde, ragtime, blues; you hear it all. Even the much-maligned little ditties like “Wild Honey Pie” and “Why Don’t We Do it In the Road” serve a purpose in the context of this “mess.” Rock and roll was never meant to be slick and follow a pattern, and The White Album is a testament to that to this very day.
Suggested wine pairing: Fox Meadow Vineyards Pinot Grigio.
Apologies to those fine albums we may have missed...and the Virginia wineries we may have overlooked. Post your favorite album and Virginia wine pairing on the Notebook!
We hope you uncork a great Virginia wine and dust off one of these classic albums today.
Previous lists:
50 to 26
75 to 51
100 to 76
Monday, July 4, 2016
Thursday, June 23, 2016
Clips from the Memorial Day 2016 Monticello AVA visit
No time for words this month...........sometimes videos speak louder than words anyway!
Veritas:
Clip 1:
Clip 2:
Pollak:
Clip 1:
Clip 2:
Barren Ridge:
Afton Mountain:
Veritas:
Clip 1:
Clip 2:
Pollak:
Clip 1:
Clip 2:
Barren Ridge:
Afton Mountain:
Saturday, May 14, 2016
Misty Mountain Hop: Nelson County and Northwest Quadrant Monticello AVA jaunt
On the last weekend in April 2016, The Notebook embarked on a long weekend winery jaunt in Nelson County and the Northwest Quadrant of the Monticello AVA. We visited a few old friends, and a new spot (for us), which is likely to earn a place in our Top Ten in the State list.
The weather was misty all weekend, and rather cool. With all of the green, we got the feeling we were driving through the Scottish highlands, and not the Blue Ridge Mountains. The heavy rain came down on Sunday, but we did our winery hopping on Friday and Saturday. On Friday, we had all three locations pretty much to ourselves - taking a day away from work is truly the best way to do Virginia wineries.
Friday:
Barboursville Vineyards. We decided to hit BBV first around 11:20 on Friday; as any Virginia wine fan knows, this place gets busy. We call it the "Dr. Frank of Virginia" for a reason (and those familiar with wine history on the U.S. east coast will know all about Dr. Frank and his Finger Lakes vineyards). They have been growing grapes here since 1976, and bottling since 1979. We haven't visited BBV since 2007, and were happy to see that tastings are still $7, and efficiently handled (whites on one end of the tasting counter, reds in the middle, and desserts at the end; for an additional fee, you can visit the library and sample reserve wines, including the famous Octagon label). With one other small group ahead of us, the tasting process was slow paced (compared to a sunny Saturday in the spring, when the tasting room is three rows deep with visitors). As expected, every wine was fabulous. Our favorites were the Viognier Reserve, with light citrus and pear notes, and the Cab Sauv, bold and delicious, with a blackberry finish.
Next stop, about a 45 minute drive to Nelson County (south of Waynesboro): Flying Fox Vineyard.
This small winery has been one of our favorites since they opened a little under 10 years ago. The mist was getting heavier, blocking the view of the mountains beyond the meadow in the back a bit. But we had an extremely entertaining tasting experience with Kim at Flying Fox (although no cartoon fox in a mode of flight on any bottles this year....) We were blown away by their Viognier (by this time, we had a feeling that Viognier was going to be the star of this trip), a nice combination of smooth and crisp, with notes of apricot. The Trio blend was one of the reasons we had to visit Flying Fox, and it didn't disappoint.....Merlot/Cab Franc/Petit Verdot, beautifully balanced.
The final stop on Friday was Cardinal Point Winery, a few minutes away from Flying Fox. We were sad to hear Aubie, one of the favorite Virginia winery cats, had passed away several months ago - a picture of him hangs in the tasting room as a tribute. On a more uplifting note, Cardinal Point's red 2014 Clay Hill Cabernet Franc, was selected for the 2016 Virginia Governor's Cup Case. An elegant and not too peppery Cab Franc; a sure fire crowd-pleaser. We were surprised to enjoy the reds more at Cardinal Point during this trip (we've been more of a fan of their whites in previous years; maybe the misty, overcast and cool weather contributed to this). But that's not to say the whites were shabby. Their "Green" (made from Chardonnay and Petit Manseng) was just as unique and tasty as we remembered it to be.
After three wineries, Arby's in Waynesboro hit the spot (sometimes fast food is all you need, and the roast beef sandwiches were a perfect finish to a day of tasting wine....). The party continued at the motel with craft brews from nearby Champion and Blue Mountain breweries. On to day 2....
Saturday:
Saturday was even mistier than the day before, and the clouds shrouding the mountains made for plenty of photo ops. Especially at our first stop, in the Northwest Quadrant of the Monticello AVA: Moss Vineyards. We had been meaning to visit this winery since they opened in 2012. As we drove up the steep (but not as long as nearby Stone Mountain Vineyards...) driveway, the tasting building was an impressive sight, situated right beneath the tree line on a mountainside. We were not surprised to learn that Barry Moss, the owner and winemaker, is an architect based in Virginia Beach. Barry led us through the tastings, explaining the wines while injecting comments about our other passion - music - into the conversation. He has some ambitious ideas for music performers for the covered picnic area down the slope from the tasting building.
Moss Vineyards:
The wines Barry is focusing on are complex and fantastic. Every one of them - a real testament, given the young age of the winery. Viognier, again, was a star here. We did a vertical tasting of the 2011 and 2014 Viogniers. Although they were similar, both aged in stainless steel and with a touch of effervescence, we preferred the 2014 varietal; a bit less watery. As for the reds, the Vino Rosso is the stand out, although all of the reds are wonderful. We picked up a few bottles of Vino Rosso, 75% Cab Sauv and 25% Cab Franc. Several years ago, it was difficult to find a good Cab Sauv in the Commonwealth. Now the Cab Sauvs are worthy of comparison to the California versions, albeit less alcohol than the west coast wines.
The view from Moss Vineyards:
The only negative about Moss Vineyards is there is now another excellent winery in the Charlottesville area to visit on these much-too-short weekends (even long weekends!) Too many Virginia wineries, not enough time.
The final two stops were two long time favorites: White Hall Vineyards and King Family Vineyards. More music talk (toasting Prince) at White Hall Vineyards, and two more bottles of Viognier, please (one for enjoying at the winery, and another for the road). We also learned about White Hall's "rotating cap" (please don't call it a "screw top.") All of their wines, including their reds, utilize the arguably more eco-friendly (and less costly) rotating cap. A few minuscule holes are punctured into the metal cap, to allow a tiny amount of oxygen in (approximately the same amount that would enter the bottle if sealed with a traditional cork). We were assured by the pourers at White Hall that the reds will age just as long sealed with their rotating caps as they would be if sealed with cork.
King Family Vineyards, the place with the majestic view and polo field, was as lively as we remember (this was our first visit in about 7 years). An expanded tasting room, additional patios, and lowered prices - there is plenty of competition in the Crozet area of Virginia now (White Hall, Grace Estate, Stinson, and Pollak a few minutes away). Competition has its rewards to the customer. As the last winery of the weekend, we took our time during the tasting, and made off with a few glasses of Crosé (their cleverly named dry, Merlot-based rosé) and bottles of their port-style "7" (aged for two years in Kentucky Bourbon barrels).
After this weekend, we once again told ourselves, "who needs a flight to San Francisco or Portland? Virginia has the best wine in the country!"
The weather was misty all weekend, and rather cool. With all of the green, we got the feeling we were driving through the Scottish highlands, and not the Blue Ridge Mountains. The heavy rain came down on Sunday, but we did our winery hopping on Friday and Saturday. On Friday, we had all three locations pretty much to ourselves - taking a day away from work is truly the best way to do Virginia wineries.
Friday:
Barboursville Vineyards. We decided to hit BBV first around 11:20 on Friday; as any Virginia wine fan knows, this place gets busy. We call it the "Dr. Frank of Virginia" for a reason (and those familiar with wine history on the U.S. east coast will know all about Dr. Frank and his Finger Lakes vineyards). They have been growing grapes here since 1976, and bottling since 1979. We haven't visited BBV since 2007, and were happy to see that tastings are still $7, and efficiently handled (whites on one end of the tasting counter, reds in the middle, and desserts at the end; for an additional fee, you can visit the library and sample reserve wines, including the famous Octagon label). With one other small group ahead of us, the tasting process was slow paced (compared to a sunny Saturday in the spring, when the tasting room is three rows deep with visitors). As expected, every wine was fabulous. Our favorites were the Viognier Reserve, with light citrus and pear notes, and the Cab Sauv, bold and delicious, with a blackberry finish.
Next stop, about a 45 minute drive to Nelson County (south of Waynesboro): Flying Fox Vineyard.
This small winery has been one of our favorites since they opened a little under 10 years ago. The mist was getting heavier, blocking the view of the mountains beyond the meadow in the back a bit. But we had an extremely entertaining tasting experience with Kim at Flying Fox (although no cartoon fox in a mode of flight on any bottles this year....) We were blown away by their Viognier (by this time, we had a feeling that Viognier was going to be the star of this trip), a nice combination of smooth and crisp, with notes of apricot. The Trio blend was one of the reasons we had to visit Flying Fox, and it didn't disappoint.....Merlot/Cab Franc/Petit Verdot, beautifully balanced.
The final stop on Friday was Cardinal Point Winery, a few minutes away from Flying Fox. We were sad to hear Aubie, one of the favorite Virginia winery cats, had passed away several months ago - a picture of him hangs in the tasting room as a tribute. On a more uplifting note, Cardinal Point's red 2014 Clay Hill Cabernet Franc, was selected for the 2016 Virginia Governor's Cup Case. An elegant and not too peppery Cab Franc; a sure fire crowd-pleaser. We were surprised to enjoy the reds more at Cardinal Point during this trip (we've been more of a fan of their whites in previous years; maybe the misty, overcast and cool weather contributed to this). But that's not to say the whites were shabby. Their "Green" (made from Chardonnay and Petit Manseng) was just as unique and tasty as we remembered it to be.
After three wineries, Arby's in Waynesboro hit the spot (sometimes fast food is all you need, and the roast beef sandwiches were a perfect finish to a day of tasting wine....). The party continued at the motel with craft brews from nearby Champion and Blue Mountain breweries. On to day 2....
Saturday:
Saturday was even mistier than the day before, and the clouds shrouding the mountains made for plenty of photo ops. Especially at our first stop, in the Northwest Quadrant of the Monticello AVA: Moss Vineyards. We had been meaning to visit this winery since they opened in 2012. As we drove up the steep (but not as long as nearby Stone Mountain Vineyards...) driveway, the tasting building was an impressive sight, situated right beneath the tree line on a mountainside. We were not surprised to learn that Barry Moss, the owner and winemaker, is an architect based in Virginia Beach. Barry led us through the tastings, explaining the wines while injecting comments about our other passion - music - into the conversation. He has some ambitious ideas for music performers for the covered picnic area down the slope from the tasting building.
Moss Vineyards:
The wines Barry is focusing on are complex and fantastic. Every one of them - a real testament, given the young age of the winery. Viognier, again, was a star here. We did a vertical tasting of the 2011 and 2014 Viogniers. Although they were similar, both aged in stainless steel and with a touch of effervescence, we preferred the 2014 varietal; a bit less watery. As for the reds, the Vino Rosso is the stand out, although all of the reds are wonderful. We picked up a few bottles of Vino Rosso, 75% Cab Sauv and 25% Cab Franc. Several years ago, it was difficult to find a good Cab Sauv in the Commonwealth. Now the Cab Sauvs are worthy of comparison to the California versions, albeit less alcohol than the west coast wines.
The view from Moss Vineyards:
The only negative about Moss Vineyards is there is now another excellent winery in the Charlottesville area to visit on these much-too-short weekends (even long weekends!) Too many Virginia wineries, not enough time.
The final two stops were two long time favorites: White Hall Vineyards and King Family Vineyards. More music talk (toasting Prince) at White Hall Vineyards, and two more bottles of Viognier, please (one for enjoying at the winery, and another for the road). We also learned about White Hall's "rotating cap" (please don't call it a "screw top.") All of their wines, including their reds, utilize the arguably more eco-friendly (and less costly) rotating cap. A few minuscule holes are punctured into the metal cap, to allow a tiny amount of oxygen in (approximately the same amount that would enter the bottle if sealed with a traditional cork). We were assured by the pourers at White Hall that the reds will age just as long sealed with their rotating caps as they would be if sealed with cork.
King Family Vineyards, the place with the majestic view and polo field, was as lively as we remember (this was our first visit in about 7 years). An expanded tasting room, additional patios, and lowered prices - there is plenty of competition in the Crozet area of Virginia now (White Hall, Grace Estate, Stinson, and Pollak a few minutes away). Competition has its rewards to the customer. As the last winery of the weekend, we took our time during the tasting, and made off with a few glasses of Crosé (their cleverly named dry, Merlot-based rosé) and bottles of their port-style "7" (aged for two years in Kentucky Bourbon barrels).
After this weekend, we once again told ourselves, "who needs a flight to San Francisco or Portland? Virginia has the best wine in the country!"
Saturday, April 9, 2016
A Day in the Potomac Cluster
As much as we enjoy exploring all of the wineries in the Commonwealth, we seem to land in Loudoun County most often. With over 40 wineries (more wineries than most states), in such close proximity to Washington DC and Northern Virginia (and the western Maryland DC suburbs), these wineries are a natural fit. Not that we would love to check out the wineries in the far-off regions of Virginia the Notebook has not explored yet (for those familiar with the Virginia winery map, the "yellow region," in particular–the wineries in south central Virginia on the North Carolina border). Our day jobs don't allow for such long weekend journeys, and our vacations are usually occupied with family members not especially interested in the winery scene.
We have been to over 155 wineries in the state, with more to come (hopefully). Loudoun County draws us back for the aforementioned reasons, plus the wines are uniformly fantastic, and with such heavy competition from other wineries, the prices are not as high as you'd expect.
The county is divided into six clusters, making a day (or weekend) jaunt to wineries relatively close to each other more enjoyable (i.e., less time in the car driving). Choose a cluster and then select your wineries.
On a whim last weekend, the Notebook descended on the Potomac Cluster, appropriately named as most of these wineries are only a few miles from the river and the Maryland border. A right turn off northbound route 15, onto Limestone School Road, about 7 miles north of Leesburg, leads you to Fabbioli Cellars....a place the Notebook has been visiting since their opening. Anyone with even a passing interest in Virginia wine knows who Doug Fabbioli is, and he was taking care of his guests via tractor, offering to ignite fire pits on a sunny, almost-too-cold-to-be-outside, Sunday afternoon. We skipped the food and wine pairing here, as we know that every wine is a winner. The new round house-style tasting room was open (it had been open for 6 weeks), and bustling with people. Although the previous tasting room was memorable, the place could get packed on the weekends. The new tasting building is two stories, the second story over 21 only....and a ground-level deck is in the works.
Fabbioli Cellars' new tasting building:
The aforementioned food and wine pairings are set up in individual stations on the ground floor of the tasting building. Upstairs, the space is airy, with tables tastefully arranged, and has the potential of being a great wedding reception and parties room:
The Notebook wrote about new tasting rooms in "Washington DC's Wine Country" a few months ago, and Fabbioli's is a worthy addition to the article.
Down Fabbioli's driveway, making a left turn, we pass by Winery 32, about 2 miles up the road (which seems like 10 miles because of the quality of the gravel road). We spotlighted Winery 32 a few years ago, and with other destinations in mind, we decided to drive past their entrance (the 32 peach trees planted along their driveway seem to be doing well). The next stop was The Winery at Lost Creek (formerly known as simply Lost Creek Winery). We haven't visited this winery in over ten years, when it was owned by the Hauck family, one of the first wineries in the county. Back then, their wines tended to be on the sweeter side, although we always enjoyed their location and hospitality. New owners Todd and Aimee Henkle, and consulting winemaker Sebastien Marquet (from Doukenie Winery), have shifted gears and now concentrate on drier Burgundy and Bordeaux styles. Three Chardonnays (two oak barrel aged, and one steel barrel aged), Vidal Blanc, an off-dry (not too sweet) rosé, and three red gems: A 100% Cabernet Sauvignon and two Bordeaux blends. We got the feeling during our visit that Lost Creek, with Marquet's assistance, is striving for the notch above the typical winery offerings in the county.
The tasting room, with its gas fireplace, is just as we remembered. Outside, the location on the bluff invites you to stay a few hours, especially if you're a fire pit fan:
Enjoying a glass of the Lost Creek Provenance, 48% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Merlot, 16% Cabernet Franc and 4% Petit Verdot:
After visiting The Winery at Lost Creek, the next winery is literally a stone's throw away. Pushed back from the main road and surrounded by pine trees, the log cabin-set Hidden Brook Winery was the sister winery of Lost Creek Winery, run by the son of the previous Lost Creek owners and his wife. Eric and Deborah Hauck continue to run the winery, and the relationship with Lost Creek next door is no longer "in the family," although it is a friendly competition (there are signs on the driveway leaving Lost Creek leading visitors to Hidden Brook).
As is the case with Lost Creek, Hidden Brook matured from the previous line up of sweeter offerings. Most wine fanatics start with the sweet stuff, and then evolve into dry wine fans. That is certainly the case with Hidden Brook. The current (April 2016) line up of wines contains only one off-dry style, Vidal Blanc. Chambourcin and Merlot are the stand-outs here, both perfect for the unseasonably cold April day we visited. To the best of our knowledge, this is the only true log cabin tasting room in the state, although we have yet to discover the "yellow area" of the Virginia wine map. The surrounding pine trees make you feel as if you're in rural Maine, not suburban Virginia.
Inside the Hidden Brook tasting room:
Kicking back with Chambourcin, which despite its "American" label, is grown and made in Virginia:
The front porch at Hidden Brook:
No trip to the Potomac Cluster would be complete without a visit to Tarara, one of the original Virginia wineries. Stop in and try their latest Tranquility Red.
Cheers!
We have been to over 155 wineries in the state, with more to come (hopefully). Loudoun County draws us back for the aforementioned reasons, plus the wines are uniformly fantastic, and with such heavy competition from other wineries, the prices are not as high as you'd expect.
The county is divided into six clusters, making a day (or weekend) jaunt to wineries relatively close to each other more enjoyable (i.e., less time in the car driving). Choose a cluster and then select your wineries.
On a whim last weekend, the Notebook descended on the Potomac Cluster, appropriately named as most of these wineries are only a few miles from the river and the Maryland border. A right turn off northbound route 15, onto Limestone School Road, about 7 miles north of Leesburg, leads you to Fabbioli Cellars....a place the Notebook has been visiting since their opening. Anyone with even a passing interest in Virginia wine knows who Doug Fabbioli is, and he was taking care of his guests via tractor, offering to ignite fire pits on a sunny, almost-too-cold-to-be-outside, Sunday afternoon. We skipped the food and wine pairing here, as we know that every wine is a winner. The new round house-style tasting room was open (it had been open for 6 weeks), and bustling with people. Although the previous tasting room was memorable, the place could get packed on the weekends. The new tasting building is two stories, the second story over 21 only....and a ground-level deck is in the works.
Fabbioli Cellars' new tasting building:
The aforementioned food and wine pairings are set up in individual stations on the ground floor of the tasting building. Upstairs, the space is airy, with tables tastefully arranged, and has the potential of being a great wedding reception and parties room:
The Notebook wrote about new tasting rooms in "Washington DC's Wine Country" a few months ago, and Fabbioli's is a worthy addition to the article.
Down Fabbioli's driveway, making a left turn, we pass by Winery 32, about 2 miles up the road (which seems like 10 miles because of the quality of the gravel road). We spotlighted Winery 32 a few years ago, and with other destinations in mind, we decided to drive past their entrance (the 32 peach trees planted along their driveway seem to be doing well). The next stop was The Winery at Lost Creek (formerly known as simply Lost Creek Winery). We haven't visited this winery in over ten years, when it was owned by the Hauck family, one of the first wineries in the county. Back then, their wines tended to be on the sweeter side, although we always enjoyed their location and hospitality. New owners Todd and Aimee Henkle, and consulting winemaker Sebastien Marquet (from Doukenie Winery), have shifted gears and now concentrate on drier Burgundy and Bordeaux styles. Three Chardonnays (two oak barrel aged, and one steel barrel aged), Vidal Blanc, an off-dry (not too sweet) rosé, and three red gems: A 100% Cabernet Sauvignon and two Bordeaux blends. We got the feeling during our visit that Lost Creek, with Marquet's assistance, is striving for the notch above the typical winery offerings in the county.
The tasting room, with its gas fireplace, is just as we remembered. Outside, the location on the bluff invites you to stay a few hours, especially if you're a fire pit fan:
Enjoying a glass of the Lost Creek Provenance, 48% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Merlot, 16% Cabernet Franc and 4% Petit Verdot:
After visiting The Winery at Lost Creek, the next winery is literally a stone's throw away. Pushed back from the main road and surrounded by pine trees, the log cabin-set Hidden Brook Winery was the sister winery of Lost Creek Winery, run by the son of the previous Lost Creek owners and his wife. Eric and Deborah Hauck continue to run the winery, and the relationship with Lost Creek next door is no longer "in the family," although it is a friendly competition (there are signs on the driveway leaving Lost Creek leading visitors to Hidden Brook).
As is the case with Lost Creek, Hidden Brook matured from the previous line up of sweeter offerings. Most wine fanatics start with the sweet stuff, and then evolve into dry wine fans. That is certainly the case with Hidden Brook. The current (April 2016) line up of wines contains only one off-dry style, Vidal Blanc. Chambourcin and Merlot are the stand-outs here, both perfect for the unseasonably cold April day we visited. To the best of our knowledge, this is the only true log cabin tasting room in the state, although we have yet to discover the "yellow area" of the Virginia wine map. The surrounding pine trees make you feel as if you're in rural Maine, not suburban Virginia.
Inside the Hidden Brook tasting room:
Kicking back with Chambourcin, which despite its "American" label, is grown and made in Virginia:
The front porch at Hidden Brook:
No trip to the Potomac Cluster would be complete without a visit to Tarara, one of the original Virginia wineries. Stop in and try their latest Tranquility Red.
Cheers!
Sunday, March 6, 2016
Virginia WiFi Wineries
We love relaxing at wineries in the Commonwealth, without one thought to our day jobs....however, sometimes work (or school) beckons. What better way to make your weekend (or weekday after 5 PM) work more pleasurable, than partaking in VAVINO while plugged in to the Matrix?
A few wineries in the state which offer free public WiFi (ask the tasting room staff for details on how to access the WiFi; you may have to "Like" the winery on Facebook to receive access to WiFi):
Barrel Oak Winery: Dogs, wine, music, firepits, nonstop fun. But if work calls, they've got you covered.
Early Mountain Vineyard: The "AOL Winery" offers WiFi. Of course it does.
The Winery at Bull Run: The closest winery to Washington, DC, must have WiFi. Work is a Battlefield.
The Winery at La Grange: Not far from The Winery at Bull Run, the winery in the historic estate is a calming location, and their cab franc plus WiFi makes any online job more manageable.
If we missed any Virginia wineries which offer WiFi, please let us know in the comments section.
Cheers!
-The Notebook
A few wineries in the state which offer free public WiFi (ask the tasting room staff for details on how to access the WiFi; you may have to "Like" the winery on Facebook to receive access to WiFi):
Barrel Oak Winery: Dogs, wine, music, firepits, nonstop fun. But if work calls, they've got you covered.
Early Mountain Vineyard: The "AOL Winery" offers WiFi. Of course it does.
The Winery at Bull Run: The closest winery to Washington, DC, must have WiFi. Work is a Battlefield.
The Winery at La Grange: Not far from The Winery at Bull Run, the winery in the historic estate is a calming location, and their cab franc plus WiFi makes any online job more manageable.
If we missed any Virginia wineries which offer WiFi, please let us know in the comments section.
Cheers!
-The Notebook
Saturday, February 6, 2016
Boo! Virginia Winery ghosts
This is an entry The Notebook meant to post last October, but alas our day jobs got in the way (the nerve of those day jobs). In any event, the dead of winter is as good a time as Halloween to write about haunted Virginia, in this case haunted Virginia wineries. What could be creepier than being holed up in a spooky place during a snowstorm, waiting for Jack to arrive with ax in hand? At least in the case of these three wineries, there are plenty of liquid spirits to offset the otherworldy ones.
These three winery tasting rooms, and one distillery, reside inside centuries-old homes....you can feel the spectre vibes the minute you enter the houses. Luckily, all four wineries have good-natured and warm hosts, so just keep telling yourself "98% of reported spirits are neutral or friendly...98% of reported spirits are neutral or friendly....it's only a movie...it's only a movie...it's only a movie."
1. Zephaniah Farm Vineyard
Zephaniah Farm Vineyard’s manor house was built before the Civil War. Leesburg was the home of many Civil War skirmishes, most of which were not as legendary as other nearby battles like Bull Run and Antietam, so they didn't make the history books. According to owner Bill Hatch, Zephaniah’s chief (yet benevolent) ghost Mattie Nixon stirs when she feels an engaged couple is not suited for one another (engaged couples hitting the wineries for Valentine's Day weekend--stop by and see if Mattie approves!) Nixon inherited the property in 1903 as a single woman who later married Dr. William Casilear, a British veterinarian who thought himself an aristocrat. According to legend, Casilear proved to have a violent side when he killed a tenant farmer who accidentally let the cows loose. A Maryland-based medium, Laine Crosby, discovered the manor house’s library is the epicenter of activity, where 25-30 spirits, including Nixon, gather. Hatch says they brought in the medium to ask Nixon if she approves of what they’ve done with the place. “We got a very resounding answer from the tape recorders,” Hatch says. “She’s very at peace with what we’re doing.”
We suspect a bottle or two of Zephaniah's award-winning Chambourcin would help in warding off uneasy feelings for those who are "♫ afraid of some ghosts ♪."
(Contributing source: "Haunted Wineries in Northern Virginia")
2. The Winery at La Grange
If you visit this popular winery in Prince William country, you may notice a glass of wine sitting above the fireplace. This glass is not mere decoration; it’s there to quench the thirst of the winery’s resident ghost, Benoni E. Harrison. Harrison purchased the La Grange estate near Haymarket in 1837, including the manor house built in 1790. To stir things up one Halloween, the staff moved the glass from the mantel, and the next day the house lost Internet for three weeks. Despite this, professional ghost hunters have deemed Harrison nonthreatening. The winery has an area dedicated to Harrison called “Benoni’s Lounge” below the tasting room in a damp yet cozy cellar, an excellent place to listen to music while sipping their Cabernet Franc.
(Contributing source: "Haunted Wineries in Northern Virginia")
3. Valerie Hill Vineyard
The most intriguing, and saddest, ghost legend resides in the Valerie Hill estate, in Stephens City, south of Winchester. According to co-owner Phil Newcome, the estate served as a makeshift hospital during the Civil War; the Shenandoah Valley was a hotbed of Civil War battles and skirmishes, including one right down the road in the tiny village of Middletown. If you need proof positive of this, look down at the hardwood floor near the staircase and you will see dried blood. The emergency operations that took place in the house were graphic (surgical saws were involved, and we'll leave it at that). The winery holds "hauntings and tastings," as well as bona fide seances, quite frequently.
Tragedy surrounds Valerie Hill, and not just because of its makeshift hospital history. Six paranormal investigation teams have visited Valerie Hill to capture evidence, including a research team from Old Dominion University. The researchers identified the main ghost as Benedict Rust (evidently the researchers got Rust to say his name on tape). Rust was the son of the man who built the home, and was confined in the attic after being declared insane, which rendered him upset enough to haunt. The hospitality of the owners, not to mention their excellent vintages (our favorite being their balanced Chardonnay), will comfort all visitors to this charming winery.
4. Old House Vineyards
While the Old House itself is not reported to have any spirited sitings, their distillery is. In fact, on March, 4, 2016, Murder Mystery Dinner: Step Into Mystery will be coming to Old House Vineyards with their presentation of "Ghosts, Gold and Gumshoes." Guest will gather in the distillery to discuss the death of Gilbert Gifford, head of the cleaning crew for the historical farmhouse at Brandy Station. The house is situated on the outskirts of the Battle of Brandy Station, and stored supplies for the clashing armies during the Civil War. And the house is haunted. Some say it is the ghost or ghosts of Civil War soldiers who died defending the precious stores, and others say the ghost is from a later period, a family member who died in the house before it was converted to a historical site. For those game, join Old House on March 4; call 540-423-1032 for reservations.
The Notebook invites everyone to enjoy the spirits in these locations. But please leave the Ouija boards behind.
These three winery tasting rooms, and one distillery, reside inside centuries-old homes....you can feel the spectre vibes the minute you enter the houses. Luckily, all four wineries have good-natured and warm hosts, so just keep telling yourself "98% of reported spirits are neutral or friendly...98% of reported spirits are neutral or friendly....it's only a movie...it's only a movie...it's only a movie."
1. Zephaniah Farm Vineyard
Zephaniah Farm Vineyard’s manor house was built before the Civil War. Leesburg was the home of many Civil War skirmishes, most of which were not as legendary as other nearby battles like Bull Run and Antietam, so they didn't make the history books. According to owner Bill Hatch, Zephaniah’s chief (yet benevolent) ghost Mattie Nixon stirs when she feels an engaged couple is not suited for one another (engaged couples hitting the wineries for Valentine's Day weekend--stop by and see if Mattie approves!) Nixon inherited the property in 1903 as a single woman who later married Dr. William Casilear, a British veterinarian who thought himself an aristocrat. According to legend, Casilear proved to have a violent side when he killed a tenant farmer who accidentally let the cows loose. A Maryland-based medium, Laine Crosby, discovered the manor house’s library is the epicenter of activity, where 25-30 spirits, including Nixon, gather. Hatch says they brought in the medium to ask Nixon if she approves of what they’ve done with the place. “We got a very resounding answer from the tape recorders,” Hatch says. “She’s very at peace with what we’re doing.”
We suspect a bottle or two of Zephaniah's award-winning Chambourcin would help in warding off uneasy feelings for those who are "♫ afraid of some ghosts ♪."
(Contributing source: "Haunted Wineries in Northern Virginia")
2. The Winery at La Grange
If you visit this popular winery in Prince William country, you may notice a glass of wine sitting above the fireplace. This glass is not mere decoration; it’s there to quench the thirst of the winery’s resident ghost, Benoni E. Harrison. Harrison purchased the La Grange estate near Haymarket in 1837, including the manor house built in 1790. To stir things up one Halloween, the staff moved the glass from the mantel, and the next day the house lost Internet for three weeks. Despite this, professional ghost hunters have deemed Harrison nonthreatening. The winery has an area dedicated to Harrison called “Benoni’s Lounge” below the tasting room in a damp yet cozy cellar, an excellent place to listen to music while sipping their Cabernet Franc.
(Contributing source: "Haunted Wineries in Northern Virginia")
3. Valerie Hill Vineyard
The most intriguing, and saddest, ghost legend resides in the Valerie Hill estate, in Stephens City, south of Winchester. According to co-owner Phil Newcome, the estate served as a makeshift hospital during the Civil War; the Shenandoah Valley was a hotbed of Civil War battles and skirmishes, including one right down the road in the tiny village of Middletown. If you need proof positive of this, look down at the hardwood floor near the staircase and you will see dried blood. The emergency operations that took place in the house were graphic (surgical saws were involved, and we'll leave it at that). The winery holds "hauntings and tastings," as well as bona fide seances, quite frequently.
Tragedy surrounds Valerie Hill, and not just because of its makeshift hospital history. Six paranormal investigation teams have visited Valerie Hill to capture evidence, including a research team from Old Dominion University. The researchers identified the main ghost as Benedict Rust (evidently the researchers got Rust to say his name on tape). Rust was the son of the man who built the home, and was confined in the attic after being declared insane, which rendered him upset enough to haunt. The hospitality of the owners, not to mention their excellent vintages (our favorite being their balanced Chardonnay), will comfort all visitors to this charming winery.
4. Old House Vineyards
While the Old House itself is not reported to have any spirited sitings, their distillery is. In fact, on March, 4, 2016, Murder Mystery Dinner: Step Into Mystery will be coming to Old House Vineyards with their presentation of "Ghosts, Gold and Gumshoes." Guest will gather in the distillery to discuss the death of Gilbert Gifford, head of the cleaning crew for the historical farmhouse at Brandy Station. The house is situated on the outskirts of the Battle of Brandy Station, and stored supplies for the clashing armies during the Civil War. And the house is haunted. Some say it is the ghost or ghosts of Civil War soldiers who died defending the precious stores, and others say the ghost is from a later period, a family member who died in the house before it was converted to a historical site. For those game, join Old House on March 4; call 540-423-1032 for reservations.
The Notebook invites everyone to enjoy the spirits in these locations. But please leave the Ouija boards behind.
Saturday, January 2, 2016
MUSIC AND WINE TIME, PART III
As the blogmasters were DJs in a previous life, we met many winery owners in Virginia over the last ten years as we marketed our side business. So we thought now would be an appropriate time to mix tunes with grapes. This is the third entry in our analysis of what we believe are the best albums of the classic rock and roll era (generally considered to be the mid '60s to the mid '90s). We took a lot of time to carefully pair these albums with our favorite wines/wineries in the state.
If you want to get caught up on the previous lists, click here. And we will suggest a Virginia winery/wine to experience while listening to this album (bonus points for vinyl).
Part 3: 50 to 26
50. Making Movies/Dire Straits (1980)
After the disappointing sales and critical reception of their second album, Communiqué, Knopfler and company came back in full force with Making Movies, considered by many to be the band’s best album. “Tunnel of Love,” the kick off track, takes the listener on a rock and blues ride for over eight minutes; the song remains a Knopfler concert favorite to this day. The timelessness of “Romeo and Juliet” and “Skateaway” speak for themselves, and the band just rocks the hell out on “Solid Rock” and “Expresso Love.”
Suggested wine pairing: New Kent Winery White Merlot.
49. The Doors/Doors (1967)
The Doors took the summer of love on a hard-edged jazz and blues rock detour with their debut in 1967. “Break on Through” and “Light My Fire” remain quintessential Doors tracks to this day, and “The End” is still analyzed by "herb"-smoking English majors. But some of the best tracks are the lesser known gems: “Soul Kitchen,” with its incessant Manzarek organ and relentless Densmore drumming, and the two covers seemingly tailor made for Morrison: “Back Door Man” and “Alabama Song.”
Suggested wine pairing: Corcoran Vineyards Black Jack Chambourcin.
48. Crime of the Century/Supertramp (1974)
A year after Dark Side of the Moon, but five years before The Wall, prog rock favorites Supertramp crafted a Pink Floyd-esque concept album about mental illness leading to murder with Crime of the Century. After listening to the first track “School,” fans have to wonder if Roger Waters got some ideas for his 1979 Floyd magnum opus. Another cut, “Dreamer,” oddly became a Top 20 hit for the band as a live version in 1980, a year after Breakfast in America topped the charts. “If Everyone was Listening” is so atmospheric and beautiful, it’s hard to imagine the song is about a sociopath.
Suggested wine pairing: Otium Cellars Blaufränkisch.
47. Purple Rain/Prince and the Revolution (1984)
If you were alive in 1984, you could not escape this record. The movie may be considered ‘80s cheese by today’s standards, but the songs still sound great. And it’s quite hard to believe a silly ditty such as “Darling Nikki” was censored in this day and age of in-your-face obscenities found in hip hop and rap songs.
Suggested wine pairing: Horton Vineyards "Black Cat" Chardonnay.
46. Desperado/Eagles (1973)
The Eagles’ second album was a theme album about the American west. Amazingly, none of the songs from the album were big hits (not even the title track, one of the band’s most enduring tunes; the song was not released as a single). “Saturday Night” is one of the Eagles’ most underrated ballads, a Meisner, Henley, Frey, and Leadon collaboration as good as anything from their more successful albums which followed.
Suggested wine pairing: Desert Rose Ranch Winery Ole Moo Moo white blend.
45. Rumours/Fleetwood Mac (1977)
The album that turned rock and roll into a soap opera. Rumours was the soundtrack of the late ‘70s, with four singles reaching the Top Ten, and several more hitting the AOR (album-oriented rock) station airwaves. Exactly ten years later, the band released Tango in the Night, a semi-sequel, albeit less angry. And twenty years later in 1997, the Buckingham/Nicks incarnation of the Mac would embark on a world tour to support their album The Dance, and the songs which were “bitter” in 1977 became “bittersweet” in 1997, according to Lindsey Buckingham. You cannot be a fan of popular music and not have this CD or album on your shelf.
Suggested wine pairing: Cave Ridge Vineyards Syrah.
44. Summer Days (and Summer Nights)/Beach Boys (1965)
The best of the Beach Boys’ pre-Pet Sounds records (although some purists might make cases for Surfer Girl or Beach Boys Today!), the “sailboat record” has its share of cringe-inducing tracks (typical for the early Beach Boys records). Skip over tracks like “Salt Lake City” and “Amusement Parks USA,” and surround yourself in the sounds of “Help Me Rhonda” and “California Girls,” two of the Boys’ most famous songs, as well as lesser known Brian Wilson gems (“Girl Don’t Tell Me” and “You’re So Good to Me”), which paved the way for Pet Sounds a mere year later.
Suggested wine pairing: Cardamon Family Vineyards Emilia Rosé.
43. Thriller/Michael Jackson (1982)
This one needs no introduction, although some would argue 1979’s Off the Wall and even 1987’s Bad are better, more consistent records. Thriller was the right album at the right time, released in the infancy of MTV, and dominating both the airwaves and MTV (and “Friday Night Videos” for those unlucky “we don't have our MTV” households in the mid ‘80s). All but two tracks from the album hit the Top Ten, a record that has yet to be broken (sorry, One Direction….) An album that sits comfortably next to Rumours and Saturday Night Fever in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Suggested wine pairing: Wisdom Oak Winery North Garden Red.
42. Sheryl Crow/Sheryl Crow (1996)
This is the youngest album in our Top 100 list, which is a bit disheartening. Since the release of this album, the pop landscape has been littered with the music of alienation: Rap, teeny-bopper, derivative punk (Green Day, we're talking to you), and hip hop, and mediocre albums from stars who got their big break from a live talent show, not the old fashioned “take your album on tour and introduce the country and the world to it” way. Sheryl Crow’s second album is a mature sophomore effort, better than her scattershot first album Tuesday Night Music Club. Crow continues to make fine albums to this day, but none have surpassed the “every track is stunning” beauty of this album.
Suggested wine pairing: Maggie Malick Wine Caves Petit Manseng.
41. Tea for the Tillerman/Cat Stevens (1971)
The Greek-tinged Teaser and the Firecat may have sold more copies in the early ‘70s, but this is the essential Cat Stevens album. “Wild World,” “Where do the Children Play?,” “Father and Son,” and “Hard Headed Woman” still sound great today. Stevens, before he crossed into a more controversial world spotlight, was a tunesmith whose Nick Drake-esque delicate tunes resonated with a generation of music fans.
Suggested wine pairing: Doukenie Winery dry Riesling.
40. There Goes Rhymin' Simon/Paul Simon (1973)
Although many critics and Simon fans would put his 1986 comeback album Graceland in their top 100, “….Rhymin’ Simon” is our choice for Paul Simon’s best solo album. The album’s big singles (“Kodachrome,” banned in the UK for what they thought was promoting a commercial product, and “Loves Me Like a Rock”) still sound fresh today, and Simon sings with a level of honesty only hinted at in the Simon and Garfunkel albums. “Something So Right” is one of the best love songs of the rock era.
Suggested wine pairing: Miracle Valley Vineyards Sweet Michelle.
39. Goodbye Yellow Brick Road/Elton John (1973)
EJ’s 1973 double album is probably his most popular album (not including his Greatest Hits collections, which have actually sold more copies). He and Bernie Taupin conjured up a trick bag of graceful pop songs, epic seven minute tracks which remain concert staples (“Funeral For a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding),” tribute tunes (the immortal “Candle in the Wind”), balls out Who-like rockers (“Saturday Night’s Alright for Fighting”), and even a few reggae tunes. Not EJ’s best album according the Notebook (read on), but a worthy addition to every music library.
Suggested wine pairing: Ox Eye Vineyards Shy Ox blush.
38. Dark Side of the Moon/Pink Floyd (1973)
The quintessential Floyd album, according to most casual listeners (although a few other Floyd albums ranked higher on the Notebook's list). This album has become mystical in its reputation, and although we’ve all heard the songs so many times, the music still sucks us in from the very first heartbeat. The enchanting flow of the album, the lava lamp-invoking sound effects, the "Wizard of Oz" connection—there is a reason this album spent over 15 years on the Billboard Album Chart.
Suggested wine pairing: Hidden Brook Winery Cabernet Sauvignon.
37. A Space in Time/Ten Years After (1971)
When lead singer and guitarist Alvin Lee passed away in 2013, a new generation of music fanatics sought out his work with his old band, Ten Years After. A Space in Time is the band’s masterpiece, containing not only their most recognized song (“I’d Love to Change the World,” with lyrics more timely now than they were in 1971), but blues rocker jams on par with the likes of the Allman Brothers and Traffic, David Bowie-esque glam rock, and Yes/ELP prog rock.
Suggested wine pairing: Vineyards at Lost Creek Tranquility Rosé.
36. Stealers Wheel/Stealers Wheel (1972)
“Joe Egan and Gerry Rafferty were a duo known as Stealers Wheel...When they recorded this Dylanesque, pop, bubble-gum favorite...from April of 1973 that reached up to number five...as K-BILLY's ‘Super Sounds of the '70s’ continues.” And, Steven Wright, the rest of the album is not too bad either. A masterpiece, in fact, full of meticulously arranged Beatlesque/Badfinger (not really “bubble gum”) tunes, some of which are downright bizarre (“José,” which was the B side to the “Stuck in the Middle with You” single). A forerunner to Scottish pop ranging from Al Stewart to Bay City Rollers, not to mention the solo career of the late, great Gerry Rafferty, which peaked in 1978 with his album City to City and the single “Baker Street.”
Suggested wine pairing: Fincastle Vineyard Chardonnay.
35. Born in the U.S.A./Bruce Springsteen (1984)
The Boss’s second of three appearances on our “Hot 100.” This was his classic of the 1980s, although the moodier side of the Notebook occasionally prefers the 1982 acoustic classic Nebraska. Coming after the double, extremely uneven 1980 album The River and Nebraska, Bruce focused on creating a damn near perfect pop album, with six songs per side, and no songs over five minutes long. The Reagan Era-weary American music fans were ready for the Boss, and sent a record-breaking seven singles from this album into the Billboard Top Ten. The tunes spoke to the working class more than any Bruce album before it. Bruce at his peak; even the B-side to the first single, “Dancing in the Dark,” received major airplay….although sadly “Pink Cadillac” does not appear on the recent remaster of this great album.
Suggested wine pairing: King Family Vineyards Cabernet Franc.
34.Brothers in Arms/Dire Straits (1985)
Mark Knopfler and company took the experimental, jazz-based tone of their previous album, 1982’s overlooked Love Over Gold, and merged it with the radio-friendly sensibilities of 1980’s Making Movies and their 1978 debut album. The result was an unexpected world-wide smash, fueled by the catchy single (and accompanying groundbreaking music video), “Money for Nothing.” The rest of the album did not receive the constant exposure of “Money for Nothing,” which leaves those unfamiliar with the other songs in for a real treat. From “So Far Away” to “Ride Across the River,” the album simply transports you as the best rock albums do.
Suggested wine pairing: Blue Valley Vineyard Celebration red blend.
33. Modern Times/Al Stewart (1975)
While 1976’s Year of the Cat is the album Stewart is most remembered for, the album that preceded that is even better, filled with catchy hooks and bitter lyrics which are masked by Stewart and producer Alan Parsons’ lush production. “Carol” was a minor hit that paved the way for his two Top Ten singles in the latter part of the decade (“Year of the Cat” and “Time Passages”). Sensitive male lyrics don’t get any simpler than “Not the One”: “And you're not the one she's thinking of. And you're not the one she really wants. Just a point along the line....she's leaving from.” We’re not exactly sure what he’s talking about in the Jerry Garcia-esque “Apple Cider Re-Constitution,” but we believe the album makes a fine pairing with…….Cobbler Mountain Cellars Hard Apple Cider.
32. All Things Must Pass/George Harrison (1970)
As far as the solo Fabs go, Paul and John both had contenders for our list (Paul’s Band on the Run and John’s Imagine), but the solo Beatle album we continually reach for remains All Things Must Pass, George’s ambitious (originally released on three albums) collection of songs that were rejected by McCartney and Lennon for the later Beatles albums. Nevermind the “He’s So Fine”-soundalike accusations (and lawsuit) behind “My Sweet Lord;” the song will be remembered years from now when “He’s So Fine” is swept from the conscience of those who actually remember it on the radio. The rest of the album is wonderful and timeless as well.
Suggested wine pairing: Winery 32 Merlot.
31. Hotel California/Eagles (1976)
The album that nearly every rock music fan possess, the zenith of the Eagles’ popularity (although truth to be told, their popularity has never waned; their first Greatest Hits collection recently knocked Michael Jackson’s Thriller off the top of the “Best Selling Albums of All Time” list). A loose concept album about the dangers of the southern California lifestyle in the mid ‘70s, the album is almost Beatles-esque in its mystic, complete with an urban legend about the “devil worship party” on the cover.
Suggested wine pairing: West Wind Farm Winery Galena Creek red blend (not quite "pink champagne on ice," but our favorite wine from this beautiful location).
30. Sunflower/Beach Boys (1970)
During the not-so-love era between 1969 and 1972, the mellow, laid back, “love one another, and love the environment” vibes of the Beach Boys didn’t quite fit in with the times. The maestro of the band, Brian Wilson, confined himself to his bed, for months on end, grappling with a myriad of addictions and mental health issues. So it’s amazing the band pulled off this beguiling, masterful, wholly unappreciated gem; some music critics put it at the same level with Pet Sounds. Download the pop ear candy love song “Our Sweet Love,” or Dennis Wilson’s jazz-tinged “Slip On Through,” or Mike Love’s psychedelic wonder “All I Wanna Do” for a few tastes.
Suggested wine pairing: Crushed Cellars Vidal Blanc.
29. 461 Ocean Boulevard/Eric Clapton (1974)
Southern Florida comes shining through on Clapton’s magnificent album, undisputedly his best solo record. From the best known tracks, “I Shot the Sheriff” and “Let it Grow,” to the lesser known tracks like “Please be with Me” and “Give Me Strength,” this album truly soothes the soul.
Suggested wine pairing: Shenandoah Vineyards Founder's Reserve Chambourcin.
28. In Through the Out Door/Led Zeppelin (1979)
Led Zepp’s first appearance on our list is their “John Paul Jones album." Jimmy Page’s searing guitar dominated their previous album, 1976’s Presence, but for In Through the Out Door, Jones’ electric keyboards took center stage, which seemed appropriate for the disco era. The 10-minute plus track that opens side 2, “Carouselambra,” merges the psychedelia of their earlier albums with late 1970s Studio 54. “Fool in the Rain,” “In the Evening,” and “All My Love” are worthy classics in the same camp with “Stairway to Heaven,” “Ramble On,” “D’yer Maker,” and so on and so forth. And after tackling James Brown on Houses of the Holy, the band mimics Elvis Presley wonderfully on “Hot Dog.” The most fun Led Zepp had in the studio for sure.
Suggested wine pairing: Granite Heights Winery End of the Road red blend.
27. Electric Warrior/T. Rex (1971)
T. Rex (and arguably Lou Reed’s Transformer, a sister record for Electric Warrior in many ways) defined the glitter/glam movement in many ways, while a former mime from England (or Mars, perhaps) was continuing on his mystical interstellar odyssey (more on him later). Every song on this album still sounds "hell yeah!" and puts you in the mood for partying…..”Get it On” and “Jeepster,” of course, but don’t forget “Cosmic Dancer,” “Mambo Sun,” “Rip Off,” “The Motivator…” The whole damn thing.
Suggested wine pairing: Pearmund Cellars Viognier.
26. Innervisions/Stevie Wonder (1973)
Stevie Wonder was on an unprecedented creative roll between 1972 and 1976….even the Beatles couldn’t lay claim to the number of Grammys collected by Wonder during this period. Innervisions is the best album in a streak of great albums (Music of My Mind to Songs in the Key of Life). Urban issues, social issues, race issues, economic issues, love issues, death issues, and even a pie in the face to the Commander in Chief of the time…..it’s hard to believe, hearing this album now, that Berry Gordy initially wanted nothing to do with the album.
Suggested wine pairing: Potomac Point Winery Abbinato red blend.
Click The Big Ones....(the Top 25)..................
If you want to get caught up on the previous lists, click here. And we will suggest a Virginia winery/wine to experience while listening to this album (bonus points for vinyl).
Part 3: 50 to 26
50. Making Movies/Dire Straits (1980)
After the disappointing sales and critical reception of their second album, Communiqué, Knopfler and company came back in full force with Making Movies, considered by many to be the band’s best album. “Tunnel of Love,” the kick off track, takes the listener on a rock and blues ride for over eight minutes; the song remains a Knopfler concert favorite to this day. The timelessness of “Romeo and Juliet” and “Skateaway” speak for themselves, and the band just rocks the hell out on “Solid Rock” and “Expresso Love.”
Suggested wine pairing: New Kent Winery White Merlot.
49. The Doors/Doors (1967)
The Doors took the summer of love on a hard-edged jazz and blues rock detour with their debut in 1967. “Break on Through” and “Light My Fire” remain quintessential Doors tracks to this day, and “The End” is still analyzed by "herb"-smoking English majors. But some of the best tracks are the lesser known gems: “Soul Kitchen,” with its incessant Manzarek organ and relentless Densmore drumming, and the two covers seemingly tailor made for Morrison: “Back Door Man” and “Alabama Song.”
Suggested wine pairing: Corcoran Vineyards Black Jack Chambourcin.
48. Crime of the Century/Supertramp (1974)
A year after Dark Side of the Moon, but five years before The Wall, prog rock favorites Supertramp crafted a Pink Floyd-esque concept album about mental illness leading to murder with Crime of the Century. After listening to the first track “School,” fans have to wonder if Roger Waters got some ideas for his 1979 Floyd magnum opus. Another cut, “Dreamer,” oddly became a Top 20 hit for the band as a live version in 1980, a year after Breakfast in America topped the charts. “If Everyone was Listening” is so atmospheric and beautiful, it’s hard to imagine the song is about a sociopath.
Suggested wine pairing: Otium Cellars Blaufränkisch.
47. Purple Rain/Prince and the Revolution (1984)
If you were alive in 1984, you could not escape this record. The movie may be considered ‘80s cheese by today’s standards, but the songs still sound great. And it’s quite hard to believe a silly ditty such as “Darling Nikki” was censored in this day and age of in-your-face obscenities found in hip hop and rap songs.
Suggested wine pairing: Horton Vineyards "Black Cat" Chardonnay.
46. Desperado/Eagles (1973)
The Eagles’ second album was a theme album about the American west. Amazingly, none of the songs from the album were big hits (not even the title track, one of the band’s most enduring tunes; the song was not released as a single). “Saturday Night” is one of the Eagles’ most underrated ballads, a Meisner, Henley, Frey, and Leadon collaboration as good as anything from their more successful albums which followed.
Suggested wine pairing: Desert Rose Ranch Winery Ole Moo Moo white blend.
45. Rumours/Fleetwood Mac (1977)
The album that turned rock and roll into a soap opera. Rumours was the soundtrack of the late ‘70s, with four singles reaching the Top Ten, and several more hitting the AOR (album-oriented rock) station airwaves. Exactly ten years later, the band released Tango in the Night, a semi-sequel, albeit less angry. And twenty years later in 1997, the Buckingham/Nicks incarnation of the Mac would embark on a world tour to support their album The Dance, and the songs which were “bitter” in 1977 became “bittersweet” in 1997, according to Lindsey Buckingham. You cannot be a fan of popular music and not have this CD or album on your shelf.
Suggested wine pairing: Cave Ridge Vineyards Syrah.
44. Summer Days (and Summer Nights)/Beach Boys (1965)
The best of the Beach Boys’ pre-Pet Sounds records (although some purists might make cases for Surfer Girl or Beach Boys Today!), the “sailboat record” has its share of cringe-inducing tracks (typical for the early Beach Boys records). Skip over tracks like “Salt Lake City” and “Amusement Parks USA,” and surround yourself in the sounds of “Help Me Rhonda” and “California Girls,” two of the Boys’ most famous songs, as well as lesser known Brian Wilson gems (“Girl Don’t Tell Me” and “You’re So Good to Me”), which paved the way for Pet Sounds a mere year later.
Suggested wine pairing: Cardamon Family Vineyards Emilia Rosé.
43. Thriller/Michael Jackson (1982)
This one needs no introduction, although some would argue 1979’s Off the Wall and even 1987’s Bad are better, more consistent records. Thriller was the right album at the right time, released in the infancy of MTV, and dominating both the airwaves and MTV (and “Friday Night Videos” for those unlucky “we don't have our MTV” households in the mid ‘80s). All but two tracks from the album hit the Top Ten, a record that has yet to be broken (sorry, One Direction….) An album that sits comfortably next to Rumours and Saturday Night Fever in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Suggested wine pairing: Wisdom Oak Winery North Garden Red.
42. Sheryl Crow/Sheryl Crow (1996)
This is the youngest album in our Top 100 list, which is a bit disheartening. Since the release of this album, the pop landscape has been littered with the music of alienation: Rap, teeny-bopper, derivative punk (Green Day, we're talking to you), and hip hop, and mediocre albums from stars who got their big break from a live talent show, not the old fashioned “take your album on tour and introduce the country and the world to it” way. Sheryl Crow’s second album is a mature sophomore effort, better than her scattershot first album Tuesday Night Music Club. Crow continues to make fine albums to this day, but none have surpassed the “every track is stunning” beauty of this album.
Suggested wine pairing: Maggie Malick Wine Caves Petit Manseng.
41. Tea for the Tillerman/Cat Stevens (1971)
The Greek-tinged Teaser and the Firecat may have sold more copies in the early ‘70s, but this is the essential Cat Stevens album. “Wild World,” “Where do the Children Play?,” “Father and Son,” and “Hard Headed Woman” still sound great today. Stevens, before he crossed into a more controversial world spotlight, was a tunesmith whose Nick Drake-esque delicate tunes resonated with a generation of music fans.
Suggested wine pairing: Doukenie Winery dry Riesling.
40. There Goes Rhymin' Simon/Paul Simon (1973)
Although many critics and Simon fans would put his 1986 comeback album Graceland in their top 100, “….Rhymin’ Simon” is our choice for Paul Simon’s best solo album. The album’s big singles (“Kodachrome,” banned in the UK for what they thought was promoting a commercial product, and “Loves Me Like a Rock”) still sound fresh today, and Simon sings with a level of honesty only hinted at in the Simon and Garfunkel albums. “Something So Right” is one of the best love songs of the rock era.
Suggested wine pairing: Miracle Valley Vineyards Sweet Michelle.
39. Goodbye Yellow Brick Road/Elton John (1973)
EJ’s 1973 double album is probably his most popular album (not including his Greatest Hits collections, which have actually sold more copies). He and Bernie Taupin conjured up a trick bag of graceful pop songs, epic seven minute tracks which remain concert staples (“Funeral For a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding),” tribute tunes (the immortal “Candle in the Wind”), balls out Who-like rockers (“Saturday Night’s Alright for Fighting”), and even a few reggae tunes. Not EJ’s best album according the Notebook (read on), but a worthy addition to every music library.
Suggested wine pairing: Ox Eye Vineyards Shy Ox blush.
38. Dark Side of the Moon/Pink Floyd (1973)
The quintessential Floyd album, according to most casual listeners (although a few other Floyd albums ranked higher on the Notebook's list). This album has become mystical in its reputation, and although we’ve all heard the songs so many times, the music still sucks us in from the very first heartbeat. The enchanting flow of the album, the lava lamp-invoking sound effects, the "Wizard of Oz" connection—there is a reason this album spent over 15 years on the Billboard Album Chart.
Suggested wine pairing: Hidden Brook Winery Cabernet Sauvignon.
37. A Space in Time/Ten Years After (1971)
When lead singer and guitarist Alvin Lee passed away in 2013, a new generation of music fanatics sought out his work with his old band, Ten Years After. A Space in Time is the band’s masterpiece, containing not only their most recognized song (“I’d Love to Change the World,” with lyrics more timely now than they were in 1971), but blues rocker jams on par with the likes of the Allman Brothers and Traffic, David Bowie-esque glam rock, and Yes/ELP prog rock.
Suggested wine pairing: Vineyards at Lost Creek Tranquility Rosé.
36. Stealers Wheel/Stealers Wheel (1972)
“Joe Egan and Gerry Rafferty were a duo known as Stealers Wheel...When they recorded this Dylanesque, pop, bubble-gum favorite...from April of 1973 that reached up to number five...as K-BILLY's ‘Super Sounds of the '70s’ continues.” And, Steven Wright, the rest of the album is not too bad either. A masterpiece, in fact, full of meticulously arranged Beatlesque/Badfinger (not really “bubble gum”) tunes, some of which are downright bizarre (“José,” which was the B side to the “Stuck in the Middle with You” single). A forerunner to Scottish pop ranging from Al Stewart to Bay City Rollers, not to mention the solo career of the late, great Gerry Rafferty, which peaked in 1978 with his album City to City and the single “Baker Street.”
Suggested wine pairing: Fincastle Vineyard Chardonnay.
35. Born in the U.S.A./Bruce Springsteen (1984)
The Boss’s second of three appearances on our “Hot 100.” This was his classic of the 1980s, although the moodier side of the Notebook occasionally prefers the 1982 acoustic classic Nebraska. Coming after the double, extremely uneven 1980 album The River and Nebraska, Bruce focused on creating a damn near perfect pop album, with six songs per side, and no songs over five minutes long. The Reagan Era-weary American music fans were ready for the Boss, and sent a record-breaking seven singles from this album into the Billboard Top Ten. The tunes spoke to the working class more than any Bruce album before it. Bruce at his peak; even the B-side to the first single, “Dancing in the Dark,” received major airplay….although sadly “Pink Cadillac” does not appear on the recent remaster of this great album.
Suggested wine pairing: King Family Vineyards Cabernet Franc.
34.Brothers in Arms/Dire Straits (1985)
Mark Knopfler and company took the experimental, jazz-based tone of their previous album, 1982’s overlooked Love Over Gold, and merged it with the radio-friendly sensibilities of 1980’s Making Movies and their 1978 debut album. The result was an unexpected world-wide smash, fueled by the catchy single (and accompanying groundbreaking music video), “Money for Nothing.” The rest of the album did not receive the constant exposure of “Money for Nothing,” which leaves those unfamiliar with the other songs in for a real treat. From “So Far Away” to “Ride Across the River,” the album simply transports you as the best rock albums do.
Suggested wine pairing: Blue Valley Vineyard Celebration red blend.
33. Modern Times/Al Stewart (1975)
While 1976’s Year of the Cat is the album Stewart is most remembered for, the album that preceded that is even better, filled with catchy hooks and bitter lyrics which are masked by Stewart and producer Alan Parsons’ lush production. “Carol” was a minor hit that paved the way for his two Top Ten singles in the latter part of the decade (“Year of the Cat” and “Time Passages”). Sensitive male lyrics don’t get any simpler than “Not the One”: “And you're not the one she's thinking of. And you're not the one she really wants. Just a point along the line....she's leaving from.” We’re not exactly sure what he’s talking about in the Jerry Garcia-esque “Apple Cider Re-Constitution,” but we believe the album makes a fine pairing with…….Cobbler Mountain Cellars Hard Apple Cider.
32. All Things Must Pass/George Harrison (1970)
As far as the solo Fabs go, Paul and John both had contenders for our list (Paul’s Band on the Run and John’s Imagine), but the solo Beatle album we continually reach for remains All Things Must Pass, George’s ambitious (originally released on three albums) collection of songs that were rejected by McCartney and Lennon for the later Beatles albums. Nevermind the “He’s So Fine”-soundalike accusations (and lawsuit) behind “My Sweet Lord;” the song will be remembered years from now when “He’s So Fine” is swept from the conscience of those who actually remember it on the radio. The rest of the album is wonderful and timeless as well.
Suggested wine pairing: Winery 32 Merlot.
31. Hotel California/Eagles (1976)
The album that nearly every rock music fan possess, the zenith of the Eagles’ popularity (although truth to be told, their popularity has never waned; their first Greatest Hits collection recently knocked Michael Jackson’s Thriller off the top of the “Best Selling Albums of All Time” list). A loose concept album about the dangers of the southern California lifestyle in the mid ‘70s, the album is almost Beatles-esque in its mystic, complete with an urban legend about the “devil worship party” on the cover.
Suggested wine pairing: West Wind Farm Winery Galena Creek red blend (not quite "pink champagne on ice," but our favorite wine from this beautiful location).
30. Sunflower/Beach Boys (1970)
During the not-so-love era between 1969 and 1972, the mellow, laid back, “love one another, and love the environment” vibes of the Beach Boys didn’t quite fit in with the times. The maestro of the band, Brian Wilson, confined himself to his bed, for months on end, grappling with a myriad of addictions and mental health issues. So it’s amazing the band pulled off this beguiling, masterful, wholly unappreciated gem; some music critics put it at the same level with Pet Sounds. Download the pop ear candy love song “Our Sweet Love,” or Dennis Wilson’s jazz-tinged “Slip On Through,” or Mike Love’s psychedelic wonder “All I Wanna Do” for a few tastes.
Suggested wine pairing: Crushed Cellars Vidal Blanc.
29. 461 Ocean Boulevard/Eric Clapton (1974)
Southern Florida comes shining through on Clapton’s magnificent album, undisputedly his best solo record. From the best known tracks, “I Shot the Sheriff” and “Let it Grow,” to the lesser known tracks like “Please be with Me” and “Give Me Strength,” this album truly soothes the soul.
Suggested wine pairing: Shenandoah Vineyards Founder's Reserve Chambourcin.
28. In Through the Out Door/Led Zeppelin (1979)
Led Zepp’s first appearance on our list is their “John Paul Jones album." Jimmy Page’s searing guitar dominated their previous album, 1976’s Presence, but for In Through the Out Door, Jones’ electric keyboards took center stage, which seemed appropriate for the disco era. The 10-minute plus track that opens side 2, “Carouselambra,” merges the psychedelia of their earlier albums with late 1970s Studio 54. “Fool in the Rain,” “In the Evening,” and “All My Love” are worthy classics in the same camp with “Stairway to Heaven,” “Ramble On,” “D’yer Maker,” and so on and so forth. And after tackling James Brown on Houses of the Holy, the band mimics Elvis Presley wonderfully on “Hot Dog.” The most fun Led Zepp had in the studio for sure.
Suggested wine pairing: Granite Heights Winery End of the Road red blend.
27. Electric Warrior/T. Rex (1971)
T. Rex (and arguably Lou Reed’s Transformer, a sister record for Electric Warrior in many ways) defined the glitter/glam movement in many ways, while a former mime from England (or Mars, perhaps) was continuing on his mystical interstellar odyssey (more on him later). Every song on this album still sounds "hell yeah!" and puts you in the mood for partying…..”Get it On” and “Jeepster,” of course, but don’t forget “Cosmic Dancer,” “Mambo Sun,” “Rip Off,” “The Motivator…” The whole damn thing.
Suggested wine pairing: Pearmund Cellars Viognier.
26. Innervisions/Stevie Wonder (1973)
Stevie Wonder was on an unprecedented creative roll between 1972 and 1976….even the Beatles couldn’t lay claim to the number of Grammys collected by Wonder during this period. Innervisions is the best album in a streak of great albums (Music of My Mind to Songs in the Key of Life). Urban issues, social issues, race issues, economic issues, love issues, death issues, and even a pie in the face to the Commander in Chief of the time…..it’s hard to believe, hearing this album now, that Berry Gordy initially wanted nothing to do with the album.
Suggested wine pairing: Potomac Point Winery Abbinato red blend.
Click The Big Ones....(the Top 25)..................
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