Virginia Wineries

[deangold]

I don't recall Linden in particualr if it was there or not. And in tasting 60 wines in 2 hours, all I was getting was an overall ipression. But I tasted 60 wines in 2 hours at the Winebow trade tasting and did not leave with a feeling of sameness.

I would say that Virginia now is at a point where Mendicino was early on. A few wineries making iteresting, quirky wines marching to their own drummer and others making a lot of ho hum juice. Now days, Mendocino is home to a wide array of amazing wines. Maybe Virginia can get there. The last time I did a wide array of Virginia wine tasting was maybe 5 yeqars ago and I found a lot of flawed wines. Not so yesterday so progress is being made.

And I do emphasize that there are some very good wines indeed (a few will wind up on the list at Dino). My comments are a general comment on the sameness and blandness of Virginia wines as a group. While one could argue that the followers of Helen Turley make wines that lack in terroir (as I have and will continue to do), there is a vast array of styles available and one can (and should) pick and choose. But yesterday there was not a vast array of styles.

[Rick Azzarano]

Did you taste any wines from Oasis Winery? (Disclaimer: Our kids gave us a memebeship in its wine club for a year in lieu of the "usual" mixed case of wines; so far we have received 3 bottles.) We have received 2 Chardonnays and a Cabernet. One of the Chardonnays was way too sweet; the Cabernet was poured down the drain after one sip. It wasn't corked, it was just bad - a pronounced coppery taste that you would get after sucking on pennies. I'm dreading the other 9 bottles that are to come.

How do you tell your kids that the present stunk and they should get their money back??

[deangold]

Did you taste any wines from Oasis Winery? 

I did. I dont recall them enough to say they made in impression. And that is the description of at least half the wines there. Not good, not bad, not memorable.

[bugsy]

btw, you'll be happy to know,if you don't already, that the elena walch merlot is bought directly from the winery by the company that sells it to you!!

have you tried the "prendo" bottled under her husbands name???

[deangold]

btw, you'll be happy to know,if you don't already, that the elena walch merlot is bought directly from the winery by the company that sells it to you!!

have you tried the "prendo" bottled under her husbands name???

Not yet but I am looking forwar to it. The Elena Walch is the first merlot we ahve felt delivered enough quality and value to pour by the glass. Its nice to know that Elena gives her hubby some recognition... from what I hear she is quite the firebrand! She is absolutely one of the most respected wine people among my wine bar/ restaurant friends in Venice.

[TinDC]

A friend of mine expressed interest in doing a VA wine tour by limo. There are several companies that do this, so I am wondering about personal experiences. She definitely wants a private limo for a small group. Anyone done it?

[treznor]

Most of the limo tours are actually party buses and are thus a bit larger. I'm sure I've seen a few smaller limo groups at the VA wineries, but I don't know who they went through to set it up.

I'll admit it, I'm a Virginia wine fan. I can think of few better ways to spend a weekend day than picking up a notebook (and the printouts from maps.google to tell where the places are as well as the interesting reviews from virginiawinetours.com) and heading out to VA wine country. Yes, the wines are probably a bit over-priced, but the views from most of the wineries are stunning, which always puts me in a better mood about paying a little bit more than I probably should for the wine. In particular the views from Hillsborough, Breaux, Rappahanock, and Linden are some of my favorites. The facilities at Oasis and James River are beautiful as well. Now, of those I'm not a fan of Hillsborough at all, Breaux is fine, Oasis I've always thought was dreck (though I've never had a chance to try their highly touted, by them, sparklers). James River is middle of the road probably and I really like Rappahanock (which seems to not get talked about too much) and Linden. The Rappahanock Meritage from the last couple vintages I've thought was quite well done, especially for Virginia Red. I've had very few of the Rappahanock wines that I didn't like. A couple were very good and the rest were just good, which at times is just fine with me. It means I can more than likely try anything of their's and be satisfied. Another wine that I've liked well enough to have multiple vintages of is the Grey Ghost Adieu, their dessert wine. Sweet but not quite cloying.

One of the things that I think VA does very well is the "picnic" wine. Nothing to knock your socks off, but well made, fairly cheap, and refreshing. Of this class, I think the Sarah's Patio (both the Red and the White) from Chrysalis are probably the best examples that I've found.

Typically if we are in the area, we'll make Loudon Valley be the stop where we get some food. They have a decent selection compared with most of the other wineries and the wine is from okay to good. We'll stop in at Loudon Valley, taste their wines, then get a glass of whatever strikes our fancy (or a cold bottle if there are others with us) and some bread and cheese.

Tarara and Farfelu are both nice wineries to visit, though more for the activities they tend to have than for their wine, which I think is okay at best.

Horton is highly touted, and I do like their wine, but I've never made it to their winery as it's a bit further away than I usually make it. Therefore I've really only tried it at the Virginia Wine Festivals, though I did like it when I've gotten a chance to try it. Same goes for Barbousville, of which I liked the Octagon the best.

I'm sorry I can't be more specific with particular wines from wineries. I have a pretty bad memory, and the notebook where I keep most of my stuff is at home and I'm on the road.

This post probably has rambled too much and doesn't make much sense, and I'm by no means a wine expert to start with, but I have tried a large portion of the wines made in Virginia :-)

[Pete]

and I really like Rappahanock (which seems to not get talked about too much) and Linden. The Rappahanock Meritage from the last couple vintages I've thought was quite well done, especially for Virginia Red.

I had the 2003 Rappahanock Meritage this weekend (finished the rest of it last night) and I was truly surprised at how much I enjoyed the wine. It is probably the best Virginia wine that I have had in recent memory.

As for wine tours, a friend of mine recently arranged a wine tour of some of the Loudon County wineries. He rented a couple of minivans and we had a designated driver for each van, which worked out nice. We went to Tarara, which had a couple of good wines (nothing stands out at this point). We also went to Lost Creek and Hidden Brook wineries, which are right next door to each other and a couple of miles from Tarara in Leesburg. These wines were consistently awful. The whites all tasted WAY to sugary-sweet (think Manischewitz but with more sugar). The red wines tasted watered-down (I think the Cabernet Sauvignon was made with 50% Cabernet and 50% H2O). The only way to describe them was that they had no character - nothing to distinguish them other than their lack of flavor. The other winery that we visited was Village Winery, which is a small shop and very new. The owner was incredibly nice and gave us all an in-depth tour of the vineyard. His wines are pretty good (very young) and they also make an interesting apple wine.

[Seanchai]

Treznor makes a good point about tempering expectations for the VA wines. They are definitely best enjoyed on site, but finding tasty ones that are also good values is kind of tricky. My local wine shop owner used to be a wine wholesaler and he always bemoans the fact that most VA wineries don't put wines at the full range of price points. He can't stock many VA wines because they simply won't move off his shelf at that price point ($15-$30). Horton Cellars is an exception to this rule, putting out a number of wines every year under $15.

The problem is, for many of the wineries it doesn't seem to matter. Come late fall, many of the more popular wineries around Charlottesville (White Hall, King Family, Veritas to name a few) have sold out of the most recent vintages. It remains to be seen whether the VA wine industry is happy just being a regional tourist destination or whther they have more ambitions to make a name in the wine world.

[yeuxblu]

Visiting the VA wineries is one of our favorite activities for out of town guests. The land is gorgeous and there are some real gems to be discovered. It's also a great time to relax and chat. Linden is my personal favorite. They do some wonderful whites and the barrel tasting is definitely something you should try. The reds are slightly more difficult to find, but they are there. We have a few bottles of Linden reds that are the begining of our slowly increasing wine collection.

I have yet to buy a VA wine outside of the wineries. Part of the enjoyment has been opening a bottle and remembering the visit. I haven't seen the wines I like on the shelf. They also change so much given the season. Each year is an exploration. Guess that gives me another excuse for a drive out of the city.

"Oasis I've always thought was dreck (though I've never had a chance to try their highly touted, by them, sparklers)." Couldn't agree more. I've tried the sparklers and would place them above their wines, but I don't think either are worth the drive.

Emily

[Seanchai]

Visiting the VA wineries is one of our favorite activities for out of town guests. The land is gorgeous and there are some real gems to be discovered. It's also a great time to relax and chat. Linden is my personal favorite. They do some wonderful whites and the barrel tasting is definitely something you should try. The reds are slightly more difficult to find, but they are there. We have a few bottles of Linden reds that are the begining of our slowly increasing wine collection.

I have yet to buy a VA wine outside of the wineries. Part of the enjoyment has been opening a bottle and remembering the visit. I haven't seen the wines I like on the shelf. They also change so much given the season. Each year is an exploration. Guess that gives me another excuse for a drive out of the city.

"Oasis I've always thought was dreck (though I've never had a chance to try their highly touted, by them, sparklers)." Couldn't agree more. I've tried the sparklers and would place them above their wines, but I don't think either are worth the drive.

Emily

Rappahannock Cellars literally just down the road from Oasis is much, MUCH better. Alas, while the people there are warm and welcoming with a lovely tasting room, the wines are pretty pricey.

[treznor]

We also went to Lost Creek and Hidden Brook wineries, which are right next door to each other and a couple of miles from Tarara in Leesburg. These wines were consistently awful.

Thankfully there's a bit of an explanation. They are run by the same family. Brothers? Son and dad? I can remember now. I've visited both and tried to remain polite while I was at the winery, but it was some of the worst wine I've had.

If you continue past Linden, away from the way that any normal, sane person comes in, there's a gravel back road that literally winds up and down the hills and valleys with a drop-off on one side and a steep hill on the other side of the car. Heaven knows what would happen if you met oncoming traffic. However, in both directions this back road ends up near another winery (though I can't remember which two now). Linden is memorable all by itself, for the wine, for the view, and for the sparkling cider (which I always pick up a bottle or two of while I'm there). It's even more memorable if your SO is scared she's going to die on the way to the winery and you've put the vehicle in 4WD "just in case" :-)

[jwhite]

A friend of mine expressed interest in doing a VA wine tour by limo. There are several companies that do this, so I am wondering about personal experiences. She definitely wants a private limo for a small group. Anyone done it?

I love going to local wineries; venturing way out west, doing tastings, talking to the winemakers, and having a picnic on their grounds. As others have pointed out, the wine quality is not great and certainly no value. However the overall experience is wonderful.

With that said, the tour groups destroy this experience by herding large masses through to quickly get their free / cheap buzzes before moving on to the next winery. Please don't be one of those people.

[CrescentFresh]

With that said, the tour groups destroy this experience by herding large masses through to quickly get their free / cheap buzzes before moving on to the next winery. Please don't be one of those people.

Thankfully, Linden does not allow large groups or tour buses. It's also a really short drive to Rappahannock from Linden. When leaving Linden, make a right out of the driveway. Rappahannock is only about 15 minutes away IIRC. Nice setting at Rappahannock, but I'm no fan of their wine.

[jwhite]

Thankfully, Linden does not allow large groups or tour buses. It's also a really short drive to Rappahannock from Linden. When leaving Linden, make a right out of the driveway. Rappahannock is only about 15 minutes away IIRC. Nice setting at Rappahannock, but I'm no fan of their wine.

Yes, if I recall Linden went so far as to refuse to be listed in the Virginia wine guide for that very reason. My coversations with the folks at Linden in particular have colored my opinions of tour groups.

[treznor]

Yes, if I recall Linden went so far as to refuse to be listed in the Virginia wine guide for that very reason. My coversations with the folks at Linden in particular have colored my opinions of tour groups.

Linden is listed in the Virginia wine guide (virginiawineguide.com), otherwise I more than likely would have never visited :-) Virginia wine guide has a feature that I really like called the wine tours, where they take a number of wineries that are near each other, write up a little blurb on the group and show a simple map of them. When I was first getting interested in visiting Virginian wineries, this feature was a godsend. It made it simple to take a look at what was close to each other so I wouldn't have to go dig through all the wineries to figure it out, and if you're new to all the wineries in Virginia, then where you visit doesn't matter too much... We went out for a couple weekends and basically stuck to the tours they had, or possibly modified them a bit by adding a winery from a close-by tour and/or dropping a winery or two. Now when we go out we have a bit of an idea of who we want to see so I'll just try and find a winery or two near that winery (or wineries) that we haven't tried so we can try something new. However, every now and then we want to do an entire weekend of new wineries so I end up going back to the wine tours in a different area to try and come up with places to visit.

The Virginia wine guide may help out the large bus tours to figure out tours they can do, but it also helps out the individuals like me. Personally, I think it probably helps out people like me alot more than the tour companies as once they find a tour they can do, they can stick with it forever for the most part.

[Adam23]

Thinking about going out towards Warrenton or Leesburg one of these weekends to do some wine tasting. I know zero about Virginia wines. Which wineries are pretty good out that way?

Thanks!

[Scott Johnston]

Check out this site: http://www.virginiawines.org/ There is a downloadable map of all the vineyards. Most are pretty neat. Go on one tour, sample heavily and only buy the ones you really like.

I love driving out in the valley, especially this time of year.

Thinking about going out towards Warrenton or Leesburg one of these weekends to do some wine tasting. I know zero about Virginia wines. Which wineries are pretty good out that way?

Thanks!

[goldenticket]

Linden Vineyards is nice, if you're willing to venture a little farther out 66. They have a nice deck with a beautiful view and some decent wines.

Closer in, if you're looking to stick closer to Leesburg/Middleburg, is Chrysalis Vineyards. They also have a nice picnic area with grills available. Their 'claim to fame' is the native American Norton grape. Piedmont and Swedenburg Vineyards are also right around that area.

I'm with Scott - it's just a beautiful time of year to be out in that part of the region.

[treznor]

Virginia Wine Guide is another good option to look at what's around in an area.

[LittleWing]

I've been out to Rappahanock county often for wineries and apple-picking, but tomorrow my SO and I are heading up north to Loudon County. Any reccomendations, besidea what's already been written here? I've already been to many of the VA wine sites, so I'm looking more for recommendations than just info/facts. Also, do you think it's too ambitious to drive Harpers Ferry afterwards (if we're driving north from Leesburg for our wine tasting)? I've never been, so I'm not sure if I should be trusting Google Local's assessment of actual driving time

thanks!

carolyn

[CrescentFresh]

I've been out to Rappahanock county often for wineries and apple-picking, but tomorrow my SO and I are heading up north to Loudon County. Any reccomendations, besidea what's already been written here? I've already been to many of the VA wine sites, so I'm looking more for recommendations than just info/facts. Also, do you think it's too ambitious to drive Harpers Ferry afterwards (if we're driving north from Leesburg for our wine tasting)? I've never been, so I'm not sure if I should be trusting Google Local's assessment of actual driving time

thanks!

carolyn

I've hit Breaux and Harper's Ferry on the same day. Time your picnic right as both places are good for one.

[dmwine]

Shamelss self-promotion alert:

Two good Virginia rozays, believe it or not, instead of the usual stuff that seems like someone trying to market a mistake. They'd make good Thanksgiving wines.

These are from Barboursville and Kluge Estate.

[Adam23]

Thanks for all the suggestions. Went up to Leesburg and hit up a few wineries. Enjoyed Tarara quite a bit (had some very nice reds in the reserve tasting) and also enjoyed some of the wines at Waterford Vineyards (Vintners Reserve Chardonnay is quite good - not very oaky).

Thanks again.

[yeuxblu]

Opened a bottle of Linden's 2003 Claret last night and have decided I need to pick up more bottles this weekend. Suprised us that is was better than we remembered.

While I'm heading out I was thinking of trying Chateau O'Brien, Chester Gap or Fox Meadows. Anyone tried these yet?

[Walrus]

We've enjoyed spending time at Tarara -- their rose is nicely drinkable, and it's lovely on a hot summer day to sit with friends out on the deck with a chilled bottle and some goat cheese and hot pepper jelly.

[treznor]

Just opened my last (of 2) bottles of the 2003 Linden Claret a couple of days ago myself. I thought it was a tad washed out but still pretty decent. It wasn't stored wonderfully for the first year or so I had it though (room temp, didn't get my wine fridge until a year and a half or two years ago or so).

[yeuxblu]

Drove out to Linden this weekend to restock and tried 2 new vineyards: Foxhall and Chateau O'Brien. I wouldn't go back to Foxhall. They need to develop their wines more and my nose is still recovering from the olifactory assault their first pouring gave me. It was amazingly awful and not in the cat piss venue. I flashed back to a visit to Lake Charles, LA and all the factories.

Chateau O'Brien was a very pleasant surprise. The renovated barn has been open for 2 months. We met the owner Howard who gave us a tour of the reserve tasting room which was intimate and has potential for the reserved tastings. I'm interested in seeing how it develops and will return to try the Tannat they plan on releasing next year. We tasted four wines: Chardonney, Northpoint Red, Buddy's Bistro Red and an Apple Wine. The Chardonney was suprisingly crisp and not overly oaky. It was simple but well done. The Northpoint red was a bordeaux style blend of Tannot, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdo. We ordered a glass to sip on after the tasting and were surprised on how it grew on us, opening in to a nice bouquet. Might be too easy for us to drink. The Buddy's Bistro wine is one that I enjoyed being an interesting mix. It was a fun wine with a mix of different fruits. It had a lot going on and I'm interested in seeing how it tastes on a different day. The apple wine, I generally don't like dessert wines but this one immediately called a number of different dishes to pair with it. It wasn't bad which suprised me. The owner was surprised with what a huge hit it had turned out to be. It wasn't an overwhelming sweet but definitely conjured thoughts of apple pie. As for the place itself. Its a beautiful view and boasts a huge deck with a stone fire ring. Luckily we got there at dusk so we had just enough chill to warrant a fire. The pounded copper doors and accent pieces combined with the old wood give it a beautiful rustic feel. I'll head back for a repeat visit. Linden is still my favorite but Chateau O'Brien will be interesting to watch. It was our final stop so I'm interested in opening the bottles that came home with me to see if they live up to the memory.

[treznor]

The owner of Chateau O'Brien is a Syracuse alum (of which there are many in the DC area) and PJASchultz is an alum as well. Somehow or another (alum newsletter maybe?) he got to word out that he was opening in the area so we went out opening weekend, or possibly it was a weekend or two before they were officially opening. The grounds are gorgeous (which is a recurrent theme for VA wineries). Getting to the place seemed a bit difficult as at one place with a very steep incline there were two cars on the side of the road with flat tires. Hopefully they've addressed that somehow.

When we were there the place was packed (there really are alot of Syracuse alum in the area, plus I'm sure they sent similar messages out to other groups of people) but I remember the wines being okay, but not great, even for VA wines. We probably will return again, mainly to try the wines with less people around and see if that possibly changes my mind about a few, plus I don't think the dessert wine was being served yet.

[winecompass]

I'm hoping to get out to Chester Gap this month, but you can read our reviews of Chateau O'Brien and Fox Meadows at http://www.wine-compass.com/DesktopDefault...=7&tabid=11

Chateau O'Brien has a great tasting room, which is worth a visit in itself.

[mdt]

Dear Supporter of Virginia Wine:

The wine industry in Virginia is facing a crisis. We must all act NOW to save it. And we need YOUR HELP.

Two major issues are before the General Assembly – self-distribution and land use restrictions.

The key bills to restore the right of wineries to self-distribute up to 3,000 cases of their product annually are HB2450 patroned by Delegate Chris Saxman from Staunton and SB1062 patroned by Senator John Watkins from Midlothian.

The key bills dealing with ensuring that local governments work with wineries to establish commonsense land use regulations are HB2493 patroned by Delegate Dave Albo from Springfield and SB1205 patroned by Senator Emmett Hanger from Mt. Solon.

Please contact your legislator and encourage him/her to support these bills.

To find out who your legislator is and how to contact them, visit the General Assembly website at http://legis.state.va.us/

You will also be able to keep up with thestatus of the bills on this site.

You may also call your state Delegate/Senator(800)889-0229.

Below are some talking points you may wish to review prior to calling your legislator.

Please call/email Richmond by noon on Thursday, January 18th and tell your legislator you want to SAVE VIRGINIA WINES.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT AND YOUR CRUCIAL HELP!

Sincerely,

G. Willis Logan

Chairman, VA Wine and Food Society

- - -

Save Virginia Wines

The Virginia wine industry is on the verge of a crisis. And we must act NOW to save it.

Saving Virginia wines doesn't just mean saving wineries. It means saving the vineyard owners who produce the fruit. It means saving suppliers involved in the industry. And ultimately it means saving the entire Agri-Tourism business in the Commonwealth and all those who benefit from the visitation that the wine industry draws into Virginia. And to do this, two major areas need to be addressed --- self distribution and land use restrictions ---- both of which are critical to ultimate survival.

Changes effective July 1, 2006 made it illegal for Virginia wineries to sell directly to retailers and restaurants --- what we call self-distribution. Wineries and wholesalers are on the same side --- after all, we're both in the business of selling wine --- but many wineries are at a disadvantage simply because of their size. They're the small, family farms. They have neither the flexibility in revenue nor the quantity of product to make working with a wholesaler profitable --- quite honestly for either side. Under the current scenario, both industries stand to lose.

If the cap for self-distribution were set at, say, 3000 cases, then it would be a win-win. The wineries would be able to get their product to market --- and be able to sell it --- at a reasonable price with a reasonable profit for them. And they could grow to a size where they would be profitable for a distributor. The distributors wouldn't be burdened with trying to market small customers instead of the more profitable large scale producers. And the ultimate winners, of course, are the consumers and all those involved in the Agri-Tourism industry in Virginia. Consumers are seeing the effect of the elimination of self-distribution. There will continue to be fewer choices of Virginia wines on the shelves and what you do find will carry a higher price. It's simple economics. If self-distribution were still an option, you'd find just the opposite --- a greater variety of wines at a lower cost. Better for the winery, better for the wholesaler, better for the retailer, better for the consumer.

The other key area is related to restrictive land use issues. There are counties in Virginia that restrict the number of customers that a winery may invite to their tasting room and in some localities it is impossible to have a tasting room at all. Every business must have customers. Why should wineries have a more restrictive business climate than other Virginia businesses? We need to ensure that county governments do not place undue restrictions on winery owners with respect to activities at their places of business. Government needs to work with wineries --- in a partnership --- in order to establish commonsense regulations that will allow the businesses to be good neighbors, while at the same time be able to draw enough visitors through special events to be profitable, and thus, successful contributors to the Commonwealth's bottom line.

Save Virginia Wines

For more information, please contact:

Terri Cofer Beirne, Esq.

McCandlish Holton, PC

Liz Bryant, PR & Media Relations Advisor

McCandlish Holton, PC

The Alliance Group

804-775-7233 804-225-5829

tbeirne@lawmh.com

liz@alliancegroupltd.com

SAVE VIRGINIA WINES

˜ Saving Virginia Wines involves a two-pronged approach. We need to work on the issue of self-distribution, as well as the issue of land use restrictions. Both are key to ultimate success in saving the industry.

˜ In 1979, there were only 6 farm wineries in Virginia. In 1980, the Virginia General Assembly under the Farm Winery Act, exempted farm wineries from the three-tier system of alcohol distribution, meaning they did not have to sell through a wholesaler. They could self-distribute their product. Today, there are nearly 120 wineries across the Commonwealth. Coincidence? Or direct result?

˜ In 2006, the General Assembly took away the wineries' ability to self-distribute. The median sized winery in Virginia produces about 2,500 cases of wine per year. It is estimated that the impact on these family enterprises through the loss of self-distribution is as much as 30 to 40 percent lost sales annually. This could mean the end for many of the smaller, family-owned businesses, the lifeblood of commercial enterprise in Virginia.

˜ Currently about 1/3 of Virginia wineries use wholesalers. But, without some form of self-distribution, many, if not most, of the smaller wineries will not be able to grow enough to attract a wholesaler to represent them. Again, that could spell the end for these small wineries.

˜ Virginia wine isn't just about enjoying the body and flavor of the fermented grapes. According to the Virginia Tourism Corporation, one out of every three out-of-state visitors to Virginia visits a Virginia winery. This has an impact on the entire Commonwealth --- visitors spend money in hotels, restaurants, shops, etc. This benefits us all.

˜ Support for self-distribution for both in-state and out-of-state wineries at a reasonable level --- say 3,000 cases --- makes sense.

˜ Wineries also need our help with respect to land use restrictions. Government needs to work with wineries --- in a partnership --- in order to establish commonsense regulations that will allow the businesses to be good neighbors, while at the same time be able to draw enough visitors through special events to be profitable, and thus, successful contributors to the Commonwealth's bottom line.

˜ These efforts --- working together --- will enable us to Save Virginia Wines.

Save Virginia Wines

For more information, please contact:

Terri Cofer Beirne, Esq.

McCandlish Holton, PC

tbeirne@lawmh.com

804-775-7234

Liz Bryant, PR & Media Relations Advisor

The Alliance Group

liz@alliancegroupltd.com

804-225-5829

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Virginia Wine and Food Society

virginiawineguide.com

9661 Spotswood Trail

Stanardsville, Virginia 22973

USA

[winecompass]

There are several wine blogs dedicated to discussing Virginia Wines.

My Virginia Wine Spot

Virginia Wine Time

Anything Wine

Wine Compass Blog

[dmwine]

As part of the Jamestown 400 celebrations, some Virginia wineries have arranged a tasting for British trade and media in London on May 2 of Virginia's finest wines. I was privileged enough to be one of nine judges invited to evaluate and select the wines to be presented. My writeup of it is here, and there is a link therein to the list of wines that made the cut.

[LittleWing]

Hi all,

I'm planning my sister's bachelorette party, and with a bit of persuading, she's agreed to make it a trip to VA wineries. THANK THE LORD.

I have a few wineries in mind already, but I'm wondering if anyone's ever done one of those wine tour things... or has any other suggestions for how to (not too expensively) get 5-10 lovely ladies around the VA countryside?

(Yeah, yeah, no jokes from the cheap seats please)

thanks!

-Carolyn

[TinDC]

Whatever you do, DO NOT go through Virginia Wine Country Tours. I have never posted about this because I am still so upset by my interactions with them but I will just tell you that they cancelled on us the day before we were supposed to have a wine tour and then would not refund my credit card. Thankfully, with email evidence and copies of a contract, my credit card company investigated and my money was refunded but it was a NIGHTMARE!!

That said, at the last minute we ended up calling one of those executive car services. Depending on the size of your party (we had six), they usually have a Suburban-type vehicle and it was perfect (and much less expensive) to do it that way.

Good luck!

[winecompass]

Hi all,

I'm planning my sister's bachelorette party, and with a bit of persuading, she's agreed to make it a trip to VA wineries. THANK THE LORD.

I have a few wineries in mind already, but I'm wondering if anyone's ever done one of those wine tour things... or has any other suggestions for how to (not too expensively) get 5-10 lovely ladies around the VA countryside?

(Yeah, yeah, no jokes from the cheap seats please)

thanks!

-Carolyn

Make sure you check with the winery beforehand because some do not allow limos. Apparently these wineries get upset with limo riders because they expect free booze, but don't purchase any wine.

[treznor]

I think Reston Limo may do wine tours. Not sure, just something I think I remember seeing out at the wineries, haven't actually tried them.

[LittleWing]

Thanks for all of your help...

We will be buying some wine, but I completely understand why wineries would prefer no limos, and I'm on their side! I think I'll actually be embarassed to show up in one, and I'm going to try to go with a SUV-type ride instead. But I think my sister really wants a limo, and the bride gets what the bride wants. (which means no Linden. Boo.)

So far this is the tentative list, but it may be too many:

Naked Mountain

Chateau O'Brien

The Apple House (for some apple butter-filled doughnuts and sparkling apple cider)

Linden (if possible, but not likely)

Rappahanock

(mid-day stop at E Cow)

Gray Ghost

Pearmund

Anything I'm missing? What would you cut out? Are Gray Ghost, Unicorn or Oasis worth a visit? What about Naked Mountain?

Oh, and we're planning a mid-day stop at the Epicurious Cow to pick up some snacks (everything is better with snacks!) - does anyone know which winery nearby would have a good setting for a picnic? I've heard Unicorn has a picturesque lake....?

Thanks so much, time I'll report back afterwards!

[CrescentFresh]

Thanks for all of your help...

We will be buying some wine, but I completely understand why wineries would prefer no limos, and I'm on their side! I think I'll actually be embarassed to show up in one, and I'm going to try to go with a SUV-type ride instead. But I think my sister really wants a limo, and the bride gets what the bride wants. (which means no Linden. Boo.)

So far this is the tentative list, but it may be too many:

Naked Mountain

Chateau O'Brien

The Apple House (for some apple butter-filled doughnuts and sparkling apple cider)

Linden (if possible, but not likely)

Rappahanock

(mid-day stop at E Cow)

Gray Ghost

Pearmund

Anything I'm missing? What would you cut out? Are Gray Ghost, Unicorn or Oasis worth a visit? What about Naked Mountain?

Oh, and we're planning a mid-day stop at the Epicurious Cow to pick up some snacks (everything is better with snacks!) - does anyone know which winery nearby would have a good setting for a picnic? I've heard Unicorn has a picturesque lake....?

Thanks so much, time I'll report back afterwards!

It's been a few years since I was at Naked Mountain. It was unmemorable. Rappahannock always had a pleasant setting and tasting, but their wines were below average for VA wine. They may have improved in the 2 years or so since I've been there. But the building is nice with a pleasant porch to hang out on. Music there sometimes, too.

Scratch Linden from your list. It's not going to happen. (Shame, too.) But they're really close to Rappahannock. Perhaps if you leave the limo at the bottom of the drive and take the long hike up to their spot? And it's not in the general area you're looking at, but Breaux still has the best picnic area and setting I've come across for a VA winery. (But stick to drinking the chardonnays and viognier.)

[Al Dente]

Naked Mountain

Naked Mountain is great for a picnic as the setting is beautiful. The wines pretty much suck though.

Definitely hit Pearmund. I think it's one of the best in VA.

[treznor]

Naked Mountain is great for a picnic as the setting is beautiful. The wines pretty much suck though.

Definitely hit Pearmund. I think it's one of the best in VA.

Pearmund - I tried Pearmund's once and just didn't like it. Maybe it was because I had heard some hype that it was among the best in VA, or maybe it was just an off day (for the wines or for my palate) or something else, but it didn't wow me at all. That having been said, I would definitely suggest including it on your tour. Too many people have said their wines are good so it must have been something going on when I tasted their wines :-)

Rappahannock - On the other hand I do really enjoy Rappahannock's wines. Some of them are a bit bland, but I especially enjoy their Meritage. It was the one place I joined the Wine of the Month club from when I lived in VA. They don't ship to NC, so I had to drop them when I moved.

Naked Mountain - I would second dropping Naked Mountain.

Grey Ghost - Grey Ghost has some wines that I like quite a bit. In particular I like their dessert wine (Adieu) quite possibly the most of any of the VA dessert wines. I think it's worth visiting.

Linden - A favorite of mine, I like their sparkling cider as well. Can be crowded though and limos certainly couldn't make it up the driveway, nor would they have a place to park.

Others in the area:

Oasis - Expansive grounds and they certainly allow limos. Supposedly one of the best sparkling wines in the country, though I've never tried it. Unfortunately I think the rest of their wine is pretty bad.

Unicorn - Run of the mill, towards bad. Wouldn't bother. Tasting room isn't exactly inspiring either, basically being in a trailer.

Also keep in mind that at each tasting room a tasting will be around 30 minutes or so. Hitting 6 wineries means a solid 3 hours or so of drinking wine. There's a good chance that you could be quite tipsy after that... Being driven by someone else (not partaking) is definitely a good idea...

[Joe H]

Well.....................I have never been short of an opinion so why start now?

I believe that Virginia wine country is one of the most beautiful places on Earth, perhaps even a Virginia "Tuscany" if you will. For me, we will visit some wineries because I/we really like their wine. Others, because we really like where they are and the countryside. For the latter Oasis comes to mind; it's set up for tours and is in one of the prettiest places of all. Unfortunately, I am not a fan of their wine-just the drive there and leaving. Up the road is Rappahanock. Several decent wines but it's real strength is its proximity to Oasis and Four and Twenty Blackbirds along with the Flint Hill Public House. Something of a short circuit, if you will, with Naked Mountain the first stop and Linden the second.

I like Linden. A lot. Even picking blueberries there. I'd suggest this is worth parking the limo at the bottom of the hill (if it won't make it up) and walking up. Piedmont is nice, too, outside of Middleburg. Not very accessible but nice. Both, along with those noted above, could be part of the first "loop."

Breaux has several decent reds but, for me, there's nothing really special about it or its setting. Breaux would also be part of a different, a second "loop" if you will which would include the larger winery, Tarara, which has totally non descript wines. BUT, they have a good PR person and frequently host events which justify the long drive out of D. C.

The winery I am going to rave about it is a bit of a drive: Barboursville. Certainly one of the most beautiful settings in America. They also have a VERY good Italian restaurant and, remarkably for Virginia, good red wine!!!! Similar to Oasis they are set up for larger groups. I think Barboursville is a treasure and hope that more people on this board are able to experience it. On the way down you could stop at Prince Michel which has absolutely nothing special going for it other than it is relatively large and similarly set up for larger groups and limos and is part of this, a third loop.

[LittleWing]

Thank you all so much for your help...

you are rescuing me from potential bachelorette party hell, and I am forever in your debt

We're going to stick to Rappahannock County and surrounding area, which I think is gorgeous (as you can read on my blawg). I've been up in Loudon County before, and just want to have a few more winery options; and as far as the Charlottesville area, only a couple of the other 5 women are really into wine, so they wouldn't be thrilled with a very long drive to and from the wine tour area. I can't wait to get down there to taste, but it looks like it'll have to wait until its just the SO and I.

Anyway, I've done a little more research about what's going to make sense as far as our picnic: if we're picking food at the Epicurious Cow and traveling east from there, it seems that Gray Ghost would be the likely stop to lunch. OR we could just go the opposite direction, so that Oasis would be the next stop (purely for picnicking purposes, with a sip of their wine so they don't get mad at us). It sounds like y'all think Oasis would be better for that, but does anyone else have an opinion on which of the two would have a nicer setting for a picnic? Or if its worth having to backtrack after in order to lunch at Unicorn (if traveling east) or Rappahanock (if traveling west)? Again, purely for the picnic setting...

And any thoughts about Chateau O'Brien? Has anyone heard anything about Three Fox Vineyards?

Hopefully on the day of, I'll be able to convince the other lasses to walk up the hill to Linden - I've been trying to get there for years! Again, thanks for your help!

Carolyn

[rappahannock]

If the choices are Gray Ghost or Oasis, definately Gray Ghost. Oasis is a beautiful setting, but the wine at Gray Ghost is far superior.

[Anonymouze]

I know you are all more "All knowing" than myself having moved here just a few months back so I will ask for your aid!

I am looking for a winery in or near Loudoun County or Northern Fairfax or nearby that has not just Wine but an inexpensive snack or meal or event or a teaching/learning opportunity that goes along with it.

Today, I did notice one on the net this weekend italian taste treats and wine and it was 5 or 10 dollars. I grow weary of the wine n cheese circuit so anything interesting and different would be wonderful and gratefully appreciated.

[treznor]

The only one I can think of in Loudon county (sorry, nothing in Fairfax county) is Tarara. They often have events at their winery that involve food of some sort. A number of places have cheese plates or sausage and such, but it sounds like that's what you're trying to stay away from. As far as learning opportunities go, a number of places also tours and whatnot, though after one or two of these that start to sound repetitive.

[winecompass]

I know you are all more "All knowing" than myself having moved here just a few months back so I will ask for your aid!

I am looking for a winery in or near Loudoun County or Northern Fairfax or nearby that has not just Wine but an inexpensive snack or meal or event or a teaching/learning opportunity that goes along with it.

Today, I did notice one on the net this weekend italian taste treats and wine and it was 5 or 10 dollars. I grow weary of the wine n cheese circuit so anything interesting and different would be wonderful and gratefully appreciated.

Tarara is a good choice. You should also check the few wineries on route 9 - Breaux and Hillsbourough usually have events and Loudoun Vineyards serves food. Also, try the Winery at La Grange. You can find these wineries at Wine-Compass.com

[Heather]

Tarara's wines are seriously blah. It's a pretty setting (and conveniently located next door to our daughter's girl scout camp) but that's about all it has going for it.

[southdenverhoo]

although Naked Mountain appears to produce wines not much in favor with those who've posted here, I can't help but note that (apropos of the terroir thread above) their chardonnay-- which a Colorado friend brought back to me a few years ago (knowing where I'm from originally, i.e. the western terminus of the little four or five mile road whose eastern terminus Pearmund sits on)-- had the unmistakable musty woodsiness of the great eastern deciduous forest that covers that part of the world...wet leaves, damp earth, decomposing tree bark, downed branches, mossy rocks...

I can't say that was expected, or a good thing, in a chardonnay, but it definitely screamed out "Fauquier!" Or maybe that was me, but in any event it frightened dog, cat, wife and children.....

[JPW]

Some notes from wineries visited this past weekend:

1)Rockbridge Vineyard -- Located just off I -81 south of I - 64. Our first visit of the weekend was also the best. A smaller grower/winemaker. Very little grape manipulation. Highlights included a very nice syrah-based rose, a syrah, the Vidal Blanc and the Traminette. Well worth the trip --Rockbridge

2)Veritas -- nice tasting room and a beautiful setting for the many weddings they book. Wine highlights include the Saddleback Chardonnay, the Cab Franc/Merlot based rose, the Cab Franc and the star, the Petit Verdot (it had better be the star at $29). Veritas

3)Cardinal Point -- Another hole in the wall family affair. The winemaker built out most of the tasting room himself. The Quattro is an interesting blend (Riesling, Gewurtz, Traminette, and Viognier). The various Cab Francs are nice quaffers. A quick design note from Mrs JPW -- the best branded vineyard that we visited.Cardinal Point

4)Barboursville -- Back to the world of the tour bus/event hosting vineyard. I really enjoyed the Pinoit Grigio which displayed more body than this grape typically does. Again the Cab Franc outshone the Cab Sauvignon. Of the Italian varietals that they have planted I found the Nebbiolo to be the best. The '04 Octagon (a Bordeaux blend) is pretty easily the best Va. red that I've tasted ($39)Barboursville

5)Horton -- I really want to like more of Horton's wines than I do. But when you've got at least 40 different labels using even more grape varietals and some stuff that you're still trying to sell is well past its prime you get a lot of stinkers. That said, the 2006 Viognier is a beautiful wine, a really beautiful wine. Horton