Author: Paul

Breaux Vineyards

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https://mandikaye.com/blog/aplk1mps On Sunday we went to pick up club wines and do a tasting at Breaux Vineyards. We went straight to the club room and Bruce was there just waiting to conduct out tasting. It’s always nice to see a familiar face at Breaux.

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https://www.completerehabsolutions.com/blog/b4fn0wuvk88 We started with the club wines. We tasted 2016 Vidal Barrique, the 2015 Cellar Club Chardonnay, the 2016 Six Degrees and a new, sweeter white called 2016 Orleans. Of these I really enjoyed the 2015 Cellar Club Chardonnay. We noted apple and pear on the nose and on the palate. We also enjoyed the 2016 Six Degrees. Here is another one that tastes like it smells. We noted strawberry and cherry on the nose and on the palate.

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After our tasting with Bruce we moved back upstairs for a regular tasting. And who was at the bar? Bruce’s wife, Sylvia! We always enjoy talking wine with Sylvia. We tasted through the wines on the regular tasting menu. From the whites on the list I really enjoyed the 2016 Madeleine’s Chardonnay and Warren enjoyed the 2016 Viognier. I noted tropical fruit and some citrus notes on the Chardonnay. Warren noted melon, floral notes and a full mouth feel.

We then moved onto the reds. Sylvia was able to do a mini-vertical tasting of two vintages of the Meritage. We tasted the 2013 and the 2014. I preferred the 2013 and Warren put a star next to the 2014. I underlined black cherry, plum, and candied fruit on the 2013. Warren jotted down raspberry, blackberry and pepper on the tasting sheet for the 2014. Both can be enjoyed for years to come.

https://transculturalexchange.org/bmj5wclb After our tasting with Sylvia we grabbed some bread and cheese and sat out on the patio while enjoying a glass of the 2016 Madeleine’s Chardonnay and the 2016 Viognier. It was a great way to enjoy our Sunday afternoon.

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https://sugandhmalhotra.com/2024/08/07/vciw4hz Before leaving we purchased a half a case and said our goodbyes. We always enjoy our time at Breaux Vineyards! A big Thank You to Jen Breaux for letting us purchase two bottles of the 2015 Jennifer’s Jambalaya! If you haven’t been to Breaux Vineyards lately, stop by and check out the latest releases and tell them Virginia Wine Time sent you!

Dinner Party Wines

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https://foster2forever.com/2024/08/ncl1912kydy.html Saturday evening we had some friends over for dinner. Because October is Virginia Wine Month we decided to serve Virginia wines. Warren, of course, was the chef and also selected the wines for the meal.

https://homeupgradespecialist.com/f0vhq969j We started with a salad course. It was a tossed green salad with a Dijon vinaigrette dressing. Warren selected the 2016 Rose from 50 West Vineyards as the wine to pair with the salad. Everyone thought it was the perfect pairing for the salad. The rose was was made with Sangiovese. It was crisp and refreshing.

The main course consisted of a healthy portion of filet mignon, parmesan oven roasted potatoes, and grilled squash. Warren selected the 2010 Meritage from Pollak Vineyards. Warren decided it needed to be decanted. 2010 was a big year for reds and while it’s been many years since it’s release, the Meritage was still pretty big and needed some air. We decanted it for more than an hour before serving. It ended up being a perfect pairing. It’s a blend of 41% Cabernet Franc, 41% Merlot, 18% Petit Verdot. This estate grown Bordeaux blend won the 2013 Monticello Cup. Warren noted concentrated fruit aromas with hints of anise and tobacco that led to flavors of black cherry, blackberry, and spice. Nice tannins too. He noted a subtle vanilla note at the end to boot. It was delicious!

So what have you been enjoying for Virginia Wine Month? Let us know! If you happen to visit either 50 West Vineyards or Pollak Vineyards please tell them Virginia Wine Time sent you!

Private Tasting at Delaplane Cellars

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Yesterday we went to Delaplane Cellars to pick up club wines and taste the lasted wines on the tasting menu. Our tasting associate was new and told us she came from Notaviva (which closed recently). She did a great job conducting our tasting. Our favorite white was the 2016 Sauvignon Blanc. We noted floral aromas, lemon and lime, and herb. It’s perfect for one of these final warm days of summer.

https://udaan.org/b073nnler9y.php Our favorite red was the 2014 Williams Gap. A Bordeaux blend of cabernet franc,, merlot, cabernet sauvignon, and petit verdot. We noted cherry, plum, coffee, and a long finish. This would be perfect with a nice filet mignon or even by itself!

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https://merangue.com/ce7cv54yub After our tasting we ran into Jim Dolphin, owner and winemaker. He invited us to join him for a private tasting of several wines. We tasted the 2016 Barrel Fermented Chardonnay, The 2016 Sauvignon Blanc from the vineyards at Notaviva, a dry 2016 Petit Manseng, an off dry 2016 Petit Manseng, the 2014 Springlot and the 2014 Left Bank. All of these were very well made wines and we enjoyed tasting them and chatting about them with Jim. My favorite here was the 2014 Springlot with it’s lighter tannins, smooth long finish and notes of coffee and a bright fruity beginning. We both really enjoyed the 2016 Barrel Fermented Chardonnay. We noted pear and hints of apple with hints of toasty oak and butter.

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We always enjoy our time at Delaplane. And getting to have a private tasting with Jim was a treat! Thank you, Jim! We’ll return soon to pick up more club wines and enjoy the wines on the current tasting menu. We suggest you visit Delaplane Cellars soon as well! And when you do, tell them Virginia Wine Time sent you!

Early Mountain Vineyards

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On our way home from Charlottesville over the Memorial Day weekend we decided to stop at Early Mountain Vineyards. We hadn’t been there in awhile so we wanted to see what was new.

Our tasting associate Julie, guided us through a tasting of all the Early Mountain wines. Of the whites we really enjoyed the 2016 Pinot Gris. We noted peach, wet stone, and mineral. Warren described it as clean and delicate. I agreed!

We were split on the reds. I really enjoyed the 2015 Foothills. I noted smoke, cherry, blackberry, and pepper. It made me think of beef! Warren favored the 2014 Novum. He noted seed berries, a hint of leather and smooth finish. I enjoyed it as well but preferred the Foothills. Our tasting associate Julie said of the Novum, “Wine is my favorite color.”

Julie was such a good tasting associate that I decided to join the wine club! We each enjoyed a flight of wines and some nibbles before making our purchases. We left with a case of wine but not before saying our goodbyes and recommending she check out our blog.

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If you haven’t been to Early Mountain Vineyards lately, it’s time to return. If Julie is your tasting associate, tell her we said hello! And tell her that Virginia Wine Time sent you!

Gray Ghost Vineyards

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Last weekend Warren’s parents were in town from New Orleans. They were here to celebrate Father’s Day. We decided to take them the Gray Ghost Vineyards. Not only was it a special Father’s Day weekend, Gray Ghost was also releasing their latest Cabernet Franc.

During our tasting we were able to taste the 2016 Cabernet Franc. We loved it! We noted lots cherry and raspberry flavors and a very smooth finish. We thought it would pair perfectly with our light picnic fair. But we also thought it would pair nicely with some light pasta dishes and even turkey.


After our tasting we enjoyed our picnic items with a bottle of the 2016 Cabernet Franc. We enjoyed the live music while enjoying the views. I got a close look at the grapes and they are coming along nicely. The vineyards are looking great too!

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Before leaving we ended up buying almost two cases of wine. We said our goodbyes with promises to return soon. If you haven’t been to Gray Ghost lately, plan a trip soon and when you do, tell them Virginia Wine Time sent you!

Back To Charlottesville

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https://eloquentgushing.com/f7deyz5b52 Over the Memorial Day weekend we went to Charlottesville to re-visit some of our favorite wineries and to check out a new one.

https://blog.extraface.com/2024/08/07/1ln3cmc Our first stop was King Family Vineyards. We last visited in October 2016. Since our last visit they have built a new area for tasting. The new room is called the Polo Room. It is available for events, overflow for the main tasting room, and large groups. It was empty when we arrived so we elected to do our tasting in the new room.

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Our tasting associate was very knowledgeable about King Family wines and guided us through our tasting like a pro. Our favorite white was the 2015 Viognier and our favorite red was the 2014 Meritage. Another favorite was the Crose. We like to take the Crose to Wolf Trap to enjoy while attending a concert. The new Polo Room has a beautiful patio that wraps around the building. We decided to enjoy a glass of the Viognier while enjoying the views. It was a beautiful day and the King Family grounds provide an amazing view of the surrounding mountains.

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We always enjoy our time at King Family. The wines are perfect, the view is memorable and the staff are always welcoming and full of information.

Our next stop was Pollak Vineyards. I’m a club member there so it’s always fun to return to see what is new. And it’s always nice to see staff we know and who know us.

Of course we did a tasting. We tasted many new wines and enjoyed all of them. Some stood out to us though as wines we’d like to bring home. We noted the 2016 Pinot Gris, the 2014 Chardonnay, the 2014 Merlot and the 2014 Petit Verdot. We were there on a Saturday and the 2015 Cabernet Franc was going to be released on Monday. Nick decided to let us taste it as well. We noted a fruity palate, some dust, nice acidity, cherry notes and a hint of herb. Nick also let us purchase a bottle early!

After our tasting we sat on the patio and enjoyed a glass of the 2015 Cabernet Franc with a baguette. We watched the clouds roll by and noticed the new planting in the front of the building. Nick later informed us that it was Sauvignon Blanc. What a surprise! But it won’t be ready to make wine with until probably 2020. Before leaving we ended up buying a case of our favorites.

Our final stop of the day was a new winery to us, Valley Road Vineyards. It’s not far from both King Family and Pollak Vineyards. Valley Road Vineyards was started by a group of friends who love Virginia and wine. Matthieu Finot from King Family Vineyards is the wine maker. They have a really nice tasting room with plenty of room for lots of tasters.


All the wines are solid, clean and ready to enjoy. We had a wonderful tasting with the tasting room manager. We both agreed the 2015 Chardonnay was a favorite. We noted pear, pineapple, with a citrus burst. It would be perfect on a warm spring or summer day. The 2015 Torn Curtain was our favorite red. It’s a blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon and 50% Chambourcin. I’m not a chambourcin fan but the flavors were so well integrated, I barely knew there was Chambourcin in the blend. We noted ripe red cherry, fruity palate. It was an easy drinking wine made for pizza, pasta or burgers.

We enjoyed our time at Valley Road and plan to return. Before leaving we purchased our favorites. Valley Road Vineyards is the 181st winery we’ve visited. It was worth the visit!

If you haven’t been in the Charlottesville area lately, plan a trip soon. When you do, consider visiting King Family Vineyards, Pollak Vineyards, or Valley Road Vineyards. And when you do tell them Virginia Wine Time sent you!

Glen Manor Vineyards

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It was gloomy and rainy on Saturday.  We decided to head to Glen Manor Vineyards to brighten our day. We didn’t want to miss the Sauvignon Blanc this year.

Luckily when we stepped up to the tasting bar, the Sauvignon Blanc was still on the menu. We tasted the 2015 Sauvignon Blanc first. We noted citrus and fresh herbs. However the 2016 was available for case club members. We decided to have a half bottle of the 2016 and a glass of the 2015 to do a little comparison. After our tasting we enjoyed both with our lunch items. While the 2015 was lovely, we decided we preferred the 2016 with food. We noted citrus, a weightier mouth feel and a whiff of stone fruit. It paired well with our Gruyere and Manchego cheeses.

Of course the Sauvignon Blancs were not the only wines we tasted. We were surprised by the 2014 Cabernet Franc. It’s 100% Cabernet Franc. We noted dark fruit through the palate with a medium tannin structure. It would compliment a lean cut of beef. Drink now or let it rest on the rack awhile.

If you are looking for a pizza, pasta, burger wine you can’t go wrong with the 2014 Vin Rouge. This is always one of our favorites. Grab this off the rack to go with pretty much any during the week meal.

And we are heading into warmer weather. You can’t forget the 2015 Morales Rose. Rose goes with everything! Ripe berry flavors dominate this rose. If you haven’t been to Glen Manor recently, it’s time to return. Even though it was a rainy day for us, there are sunny days ahead. Plan a visit to Glen Manor soon and when you do visit, tell them Virginia Wine Time sent you!

Rappahannock Cellars

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A few weeks ago we visited Rappahannock Cellars. We don’t visit too often but we always enjoy our time at Rappahannock when we do visit.

Of course we were there to taste the current line up of wines. From the few white wines that were on the tasting menu we both enjoyed the 2015 Viognier. We noted peach, tropical notes, and a full mouth feel. Warren also really enjoyed the 2014 Chardonnay. He noted pear, pineapple, and a honey feel.

There were more reds to taste than whites. From the reds we tasted we both enjoyed the 2012 Meritage. We noted pencil shavings on the nose and plum, currents, berry notes on the palate and tight tannins and leather notes. This one made us think of a thick filet mignon.

After our tasting we spoke with our tasting associate about the wine club. Of course I’m thinking I don’t need to join another wine club. But what hooked me was that most wine club shipments are wines not available to the general public. I belong to a handful of wine clubs and I enjoy wines that exclusive to the club. I decided to join the club.

We then entered the club room and did a little comparison of the club chardonnay vs. the regular chardonnay. We both enjoyed the club chardonnay. This little comparison was evidence enough for us to know we made the right decision to join the club. This is not to say the regular chardonnay isn’t good, we enjoyed it, but the club chardonnay was a step above.

We have many wine friends who are already club members at Rappahannock and now we are club members too! We enjoy joining them for events and tastings in the club room at Rappahannock. If you haven’t been to Rappahannock Cellars recently, return to see what’s new. And who knows, you might join the club! When you do return, tell them Virginia Wine Time sent you!

Wines Across America

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Last week we attended the Wines Across America event held at the Longworth House Office Building in the shadow of the Capital. This is a yearly event for members of congress, staffers, and invited guests to come and taste wines from across the country. There were 97 wines being poured that evening from the four regions of the country. The event is put on by Wine America. We try to attend each year to taste wines from around the country and see how what’s new.

After making our way to the event we started with the north east region. Warren found is favorite wine here. He enjoyed the Dry Riesling from Anthony Road Wine Company from the Finger Lakes region of New York. He enjoyed the peach, tangerine and the long finish.

We had to travel to the south east region for me to find my favorite. And it happened to be local! My favorite was the Old Westminster 2014 Anthem. It’s a red blend with lots of fruit on the nose and a very smooth finish. I thought of red pasta sauce or even a hearty hamburger while sipping this one.

Virginia was well represented by Cardinal Point with their A6 and from Paradise Springs with their viognier.


We had a great time tasting wines and chatting it up with industry folks from around the country. There was some really nice wines represented at this event. If you get the chance in the future to attend the Wines Across America event, you will enjoy tasting wines from all corners of the country.