Author: Warren

Celebrating Pride in the Vines

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In a previous post, we committed to celebrating Pride Month by participating in Loudoun County’s Pride in the Vines, and we honored that commitment. As we plied (and tasted) our way along the trail, we made sure to have our Pride in Vines participant cards stamped by the participating wineries. Ten stamps from the wineries earned us the right to toss our card amongst other participants in the hope of winning a grand prize! (We earned double stamps on the first day, so we visited eight wineries to achieve the ten stamps.)

Our journey began with tastings at Willams Gap Vineyard and Forever Farm and Vineyard. We joined our friends, Steve and Joe, to mark a milestone—Steve and I retired from teaching! It was also our chance to bid them farewell as they embarked on a new life in Florida. The continued mild but sunny weather had me in the mood for rose, which I enjoyed at both wineries.

We continued accumulating stamps the following week with tastings at Bozzo Family Vineyards, Two Twisted Posts, and 868 Estate Vineyards. Warmer, humid weather prevailed this time, and Sauvignon Blanc at Bozzo and 868 provided a refreshing respite from the heat. Two Twisted Posts pioneered Pride in the Vines a few years ago, and the winery was well-decorated for the occasion. I favored the 2019 Chardonnay here and enjoyed its full-mouth feel with a baguette and cheeses.

Guests could stock up on pride pins, stickers, and flags as they sipped and savored. This particular sticker (below), for example, best described my reaction to the odious Supreme Court ruling in the 303/wedding web designer but not a wedding web designer with a non-client who was a married, heterosexual male case.

Scenes from the other wineries visited:

Our final swing through Loudoun County for Pride Month ended with tastings at The Wine Reserve, Hillsborough Vineyards, and 8 Chains North. Rose returned as my favorite sipper during this final swing, but the Cabernet Franc at The Wine Reserve gets a mention for a possible pairing with barbecue or grilled fare. It was at 8 Chains North that we earned the final stamp on our Pride in the Vines card, and it was there that we turned it in. Fingers are crossed that we win!

We extended Pride Month by one day to celebrate (I’m) Coming Out with the supreme legend, Diana Ross. We were amongst a crowd of fans at a sold-out show that was diverse and inclusive, and we brought along a bottle of the 2022 Rose from 8 Chains North to enjoy with the concert.

Paul and I took for granted that the decades-long struggle for LGBTQ+ rights had been secured and out of harm’s way; therefore, we became complacent over the years as Pride months came and went. Recent events culminating in the Supreme Court decision and the slippery slope it potentially creates have prompted us to become more visible community members.

Virginia Wine Time thanks the Loudoun County wineries that participated in this year’s Pride in the Vines, and we look forward to participating in the program next year. Be sure to visit the wineries mentioned in this post, and remember to say Virginia Wine Time sent you!

Happy Pride Month!

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Readers know that Virginia Wine Time is the work of a gay couple, and it has been distressing for Paul and me to watch the LGBTQ+ community become fodder in the culture war currently plaguing the country. Pride Month seems more necessary than ever now, and we applaud Virginia wineries that have decided to honor it.

Please read Matthew Fitzsimmons’ recent well-written article on Pride Month featured in this month’s Town Crier. Also, know that certain Loudoun County wineries will be honoring Pride Month through the Pride in the Vines passport program. We plan to visit some of these wineries this month, starting with Williams’ Gap winery next weekend. Other wineries include:

8 Chains North Winery
868 Estate Vineyards
Bleu Frog Vineyards
Bozzo Family Vineyard
Carriage House Wineworks
Fabbioli Cellars
Forever Farm & Vineyard
Good Spirit Farm
Hillsborough Winery
October One Tasting Room
Two Twisted Posts Winery
Walsh Family Wine
Wine Reserve at Waterford
Zephaniah Farm Vineyard

Plan to visit some of these wineries and others that honor Pride Month, and when you do tell them Virginia Wine Time sent you!

Solstice Paired With Virginia Wines

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Paul and I made our annual summer trek to the Charlottesville area, and this year it coincided with summer solstice, the official start of the summer season. These longer days allowed us to enjoy late dinners and wine on the porch at our favorite Stay cottage located on the Afton Mountain Vineyards property. In this post, I offer a review of favored wine varieties, blends, and sparkling wines that we sampled from various wineries in the Charlottesville area. Notice a special focus on summer wines since stocking up on these was our mission; however, any wine can be enjoyed in all seasons, and we do note some wines that some may find to be more appropriate for cooler weather.

White Wines/Rose/ White Blends/Sparkling:
Albarino: Pay attention to this grape in Virginia because it shows promise. Afton Mountain’s 2021 release features classic citrus notes and a leaner palate. A different twist will be offered by Jake Bushing’s 2021 Albarino that saw some time in oak barrels and thus presents a fuller-bodied palate.

Chardonnay: Always my favorite. Full-bodied treatments of this grape can be enjoyed at Septenary (2019), King Family Vineyards (2020) and Hazy Mountain (2019). Sippers who prefer a medium to lighter-bodied style may want to consider the releases from Pollak (2019) and Keswick (LVA 2021).

Sauvignon Blanc: This is another grape that has potential in Virginia. The 2021 offering from Septenary captures classic notes of boxwood and citrus with a refreshing acidity. Similar characteristics were noted in the current 2021 release from Jake Busching Wines. Sauvignon Blanc is also the key component in two white blends from Blenheim Vineyards. 2020 On The Line also includes Rkatsiteli, Chardonnay, and Petit Manseng while the 2018 Painted White incorporates Chardonnay and Petit Manseng. I will add that these two blends convinced me that Petit Manseng with its tropical fruit notes, acidity and texture brings much more to the table (or the bottle) as a blender than a stand alone.

Rose: Dry rose for us, please. Thankfully, Virginia wineries can deliver here too. We can recommend current releases now offered at Blenheim Vineyards (2020) King Family Vineyards (2021), Hark Vineyards (2021) and Septenary (2020). While rose conjures images of beaches or picnics, be sure to have Rose on hand for all seasons—-rose is versatile and can pair with almost anything.

Sparkling Wine: Any occasion or no occasion at all calls for sparkling wine. Try the 2018 Brut from King Family Vineyards produced from 100% Chardonnay, the Sparkling Amelie Blanc de Noir from Keswick Vineyards and/or the Sparkling Rose from Septenary.

Vidal Blanc: Once a driver at most Virginia wineries, Vidal Blanc seems be less common these days. Fortunately, the 2020 Virginia Verde from Hark Vineyards keeps Vidal Blanc alive, and it screams summer.

Red Wines: Cabernet Franc: This is probably the one red wine that is another all season gift. Enjoy it with light grilled fare in summer or with Thanksgiving turkey in the fall. I tend to prefer lighter style Cabernet Franc that presents juicy red berries with little interference from extensive use of oak or blends with other varieties. Blenheim’s 2020 release fits that bill. Pollak Vineyards’ 2019 bottling sees a bit more time on oak with a noted presence of black pepper; however, it too can be served on its own or with food. Septenary’s Cloverplains 2017 is a blend that leads with Cabernet France but includes Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Petit Verdot. Bright seed berries, sweet tobacco and subtle black pepper nuances offers a complex wine that can be enjoyed now or later.

Petit Verdot: This is another winning grape for Virginia. However, there are those who prefer this one on its own, while others would rather enjoy it as part of a blend. (Review my Petit Manseng comment). The 2018 vintage from Pollak Vineyards was surprisingly juicy and rich given the rather wet 2018 growing season. Hark Vineyards’ 2017 release is dark and brooding—-decant now or hold for a bit longer. Don’t ignore the 2019 vintage from DuCard Vineyards, especially if you are tracking down the gold medal winners from 2022 Virginia Governor’s Cup. Looking for a Petit Verdot-dominant blend? Give 2018 Blended Red from Blenheim Vineyards a try. It includes an equal part of Merlot followed by Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon.

Others: We always grab a bottle (or two, three) of Bacco from Afton Mountain Vineyards. This one always includes Sangiovese, and the 2017 is delicious. If your library includes the 2016 Meritage from Pollak Vineyards, it is still showing quite well. Drink or hold. I bought a bottle to join its sibling on our wine rack. One will be enjoyed soon and the other will be poured in another year or so. Our 2013 Merlot from King Family Vineyards has definitely gathered dust, so it was a treat to try a sample of this one at the winery. I would put this one in the drink now category but made sure to purchase another one. Can it hold on for another year or two? We’ll find out.

Our front porch dinners paired with a perfect Virginia wine were lit with late sunsets followed by starry skies and dancing fireflies. Another treat was the cooler than usual night temperatures that allowed us to open the windows to enjoy cool nighttime breezes. If Mother Nature was treating us to a solstice concert, then she put on a stellar performance.

Plan to visit the wineries mentioned in this post to sample these well-crafted wines for yourself this summer. Let us know if you find others that you enjoyed but not described here. Of course, please mention that Virginia Wine Time sent you!

Virginia Wines Shine on a Rainy Day

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We braved a recent chilly weekend to join wine friends for wine tasting and lunch at Stone Tower Winery and Fleetwood Farms Winery. Read on to learn more about our experiences.

Our first stop at Stone Tower Winery required us to brave pelting rain drops and gusty winds. It did not seem like a spring afternoon despite what the calendar told us, and we were fooled into thinking that it was early May. However, our tasting at Stone Tower Winery was worth braving the elements. Our wine friends are members at Stone Tower, and we were treated to an estate wine tasting experience that was expertly guided by the sharp-witted Joe. Of course, white wines were tasted first, and the 2019 Chardonnays hit all the right notes. The 2019 Chardonnay Reserve presented notes of wet stone and fresh pear; its acidity made for an elegant wine that would pair well with poultry or seafood dishes. The 2019 Kristi Chardonnay was crafted from a designated lots on the vineyard site and is named after founder Kristi Huber. Thirty percent of the Kristi Chardonnay is done in concrete eggs to allow for micro-oxygenation of the wine without the impact on its flavors and aromas that would be expected from an oak barrel. The result is a fuller bodied wine that is better able to express terroir.

We transitioned to red wines, and Joe treated us to a comparative tasting of the 2015 Hogback Mountain and the 2015 Wind Swept Hill; the former is a left bank Bordeaux-style blend with Cabernet Sauvignon taking the lead, and the latter is a right bank blend spearheaded by Merlot. The 2015 Hogback has transitioned to more savory elements associated with an aging red, so collectors with this one on the wine rack may want to consider drinking it soon. However, its right bank sibling still held on top its fruitier profile to suggest further aging potential. The 2019 Cabernet Franc was also excellent with dark berry notes and a juicy palate. Our tasting experience ended with the 2021 Rose that was crafted from all Merlot grapes. Bright strawberry notes and a fruity yet dry palate made for a versatile wine that plays well in all seasons.

We lunched on handmade pizzas, olives and cheeses while sipping a bottle of the 2019 Hogback Mountain. The comfy members tasting room allowed us to enjoy our food and wine experience as the weather continued its tantrum!

A subsequent tasting at Fleetwood Farm Winery signaled an upcoming milestone for Virginia Wine Time—-it was winery number 199 on our list of Virginia wineries visited. The 2019 Tempete Blanche, a blend of Sauvignon Blanc, Semillion, and Muscadelle grown by Chateau Kalian in France, should prove to be popular in the summer with its fresh floral aromas and refreshing palate. Tasters looking for an easy summer sipper to pair with grilled fare should be please with the fruity 2019 Ellzey Red, a juicy blend that fills the palate with fresh berry flavors. Virginia wine aficionados may recognize the mention of Chateau Kalian—-it is the home of co-winemaker at Fleetwood Farms, Katell Griaud. Katell is also the winemaker of Slater Run Vineyards. It is she, along with Ashton Lew, who craft the wines at Fleetwood Farm Winery.

We look forward to winery number 200, wherever it may be. Summer warmth seems to be upon us now, so we are certain that our goal will be met sooner rather than later. In the meantime, visit the Virginia wineries mentioned in this post; of course, please mention that Virginia Wine Time sent you!

Celebrating Spring With Virginia Wines!

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Winter is slowly losing its seasonal grip as spring flowers begin to bloom in the area. We recently treated ourselves to a long weekend visiting Virginia wineries while taking in the beauty of spring flora!

Our scenic trek through Virginia landscapes allowed us to take in lovely cherry trees, blooming Bradford pears (not my favorite but they do herald spring in their own way), and dazzling bulbs that included daffodils. We brought along sliced deli meats and cheeses to enjoy a tasting and lunch at Gray Ghost Vineyards, a favorite winery of ours. The newly released 2021 Riesling announced spring in all its glory—aromas of white blossoms were followed by stone fruit flavors on the palate suggested a perfect pairing with ham or shellfish. We opted to enjoy lunch with my favorite 2018 Reserve Chardonnay with its pear notes and fuller mouth feel. A warm breeze and fluttering birds joined us for wine and snacks.

Quievremont Vineyard and Winery was next on our tasting agenda, and we were glad that we included this winery on our weekend trip. It had been quite a while since our last tasting at Quievremont Vineyard and Winery, and winemaker Karl Selzer treated us to a wonderful tasting experience. The 2019 Q Table Red reminded us that we needed a lighter-bodied red wine on the rack that can be enjoyed either on its own or with simple fare. This blend included Petit Verdot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot, but light aging in neutral oak barrels made for a fruity quaffer. The 2019 Vin de Maison was more complex, and this blend included Merlot, Petit Verdot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec. Aged for a year in both American and French oak barrels, this one exhibited notes of dark cherry, blackberry, and plums. Oakier nuances suggested a pairing with a beef dish sided with roasted veggies. Watch out for a release of a 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon; although quite young, it presented blackberry and cherry notes along with a whiff of licorice. Aged in 100% French oak barrels, we look forward to tasting this one again once it is released. Our outdoor tasting allowed us to take in mountain views decorated with trees waiting to burst with a splash of fresh green leaves as temperatures warm.

We always look forward to dinner at Claires at the Depot whenever we stay in Warrenton, and we nursed a glass of the 2018 Reserve Chardonnay from Gray Ghost Vineyards while gazing upon a sunset layered with tones of pink, periwinkle and cobalt.

Our final winery tasting included a self-guided flight at Pearmund Cellars. My favorite is always the Old Vines Chardonnay, and the 2017 vintage did not disappoint me. I enjoyed the lush aromas of grilled pineapple and pear, and its rich palate finished with a generous kiss of oak. Our outdoor tasting proved to be a chillier experience since the sun decided to take a nap that day; however, a sturdier breeze toyed with wind chimes to provide music for our tasting experience.

We encourage readers to plan their own spring outing to these and other Virginia wineries. Of course, please mention that Virginia Wine Time sent you.

Remembering Summer 2021

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We continued to celebrate reunions and meetings with friends and family throughout the summer of 2021.  As we look forward to the golden leaves of autumn, I thought it would be appropriate to recall our fun times with family and friends during this past summer.  Of course, Virginia wineries were our gathering places!

Paul and I were excited to catch up with our friend Bob who lives on the Northern Neck of Virginia.  Bob introduced us to two new wineries in that area, and we were able to add two new wineries to our growing list of wineries that we visited.  These included Monroe Bay Winery and Backporch Vineyard.  In addition to tastings at those wineries, Paul and I were also able to sneak in a tasting at Ingleside Vineyards and The Hague Winery.

Monroe Bay Winery

Backporch Vineyard

Ingleside Vineyards

The Hague Winery

Williams Gap Vineyard has quickly become a favorite winery of ours, and we scheduled a tasting that introduced our friends Steve and Joe to their well crafted wines.  Bridgette Smith skillfully guided us through our tasting as we nibbled on charcuterie and cheeses.  In turn, Steve and Joe invited us to join them at a tasting of one of their recent favorite wineries, Forever Farm and Vineyard.  This was also a new winery visit for us, and we enjoyed our tasting with live music!

Williams Gap

Forever Farm and Vineyard

My parents were able to escape the chaos of Hurricane Ida after she blew through New Orleans, and a trip to Delaplane Cellars offered the perfect opportunity to view lovely mountain scenery as we tasted some excellent wines.  We also used the occasion to toast their 61st wedding anniversary!  We finished our afternoon of wine tasting with a visit to Barrel Oak where we were treated to a sample of their current lineup of wines and their excellent dessert wine.

Delaplane Cellars

Barrel Oak

Now we look forward to seeing the gold and crimson colors of fall leaves as they decorate the autumn skies.  We know that we will include Virginia wineries in our afternoon excursions to appreciate the gorgeous season.  Please decorate your fall wine collection with visits to the wineries mentioned in this post, after all October is Virginia Wine month! Be sure to mention that Virginia Wine Time sent you!

Yay for Chardonnay at Granite Heights

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Wine enthusiasts may associate vertical tastings with red wines due to the perception that red wines are more age worthy. However, the Chardonnay is one white wine variety that can also lend itself to cellaring and then appreciating later on. Granite Heights Winery offered a master class on this subject recently, and we can report that Chardonnay can indeed reveal its wisdom over time.

The vertical tasting of Chardonnays featured vintages from 2014 through 2020 with the exception of 2019. Winemaker Luke Kilyk kicked off the tasting with a brief history of his experience with the Chardonnay grape and admitted that 2014 was his year to learn; therefore, he opted to retain 2% residual sugar to produce a wine that was pleasing to all palates. However, experience taught him that Chardonnay can be elegant and expressive in regard to place and vintage. The 2014 vintage, therefore, offered a drier palate with a refreshing acidity and bright apple notes. The 2017 vintage can be described as Burgundian with more finesse than its older siblings while the 2018, a wetter growing season, was treated to more oak to present a rounder, fuller-bodied mouth feel. The profile with this one was dominated by pear and pineapple notes with a generous oak kiss at the finish. The 2020 offering, though young, promises to continue in the same vein as its more immediate predecessors with perhaps a greater similarity to the 2017 vintage.

We attended this event with friends who are also Virginia wine lovers, and we paired our vertical flight with the salmon dinner. A vote among the gang of four left me in the minority on which vintage was the favorite—-three of us gave top honors to the lovely 2017 vintage while I, forever beholden to oak, favored 2018. Salmon is a fish that offers flavor and weight, and the 2018 paired most favorably for me. My second choice was—-2017. We all appreciated Luke’s journey as a winemaker; although 2014 was the sweetest of the vintages poured that evening, it did allow us to understand the process of a winemaker discovering his talent. We also enjoyed it with the salmon—-never knock sweeter wines with a fuller-bodied dish or something that is heavily spiced.

I’ve been screaming Yay for Chardonnay even when others were cheering Yay for Viognier. I’ll take the Chardonnay any day! Please visit Granite Heights Winery to taste their excellent wines, especially the Chardonnay. Of course, you must mention that Virginia Wine Time sent you!

Media & Industry Experience and the Monticello Trail

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Paul and I were honored to be included in the Media & Industry Experience, an event planned by Frank Morgan and Nancy Bauer, to showcase wines produced in the Monticello area. The event happened to coincide with a vacation that we had already planned to the area, so our next posts will also feature our own winery experiences.

The event opened on August 1 with a lunch prepared by chef Michael Clough of Palladio restaurant located on the Barboursville estate. Attendees were treated to a an exquisite food and wine pairing that included:

Barboursville’s winemaker, Luca Paschina, provided a summary of his history in the Virginia winemaking industry with an emphasis on his own evolution as a winemaker in a state that can challenge even the most skilled winemaker. Readers may know that Paschina is from Italy and began his work with the Zonin family over 30 years ago. For Paschina, his task in the 1990s was to discover through trial and error what grape varieties grew best in Virginia and then how to craft the grapes to present wines that expressed a sense of place. In that time, Paschina has experimented successfully not only with grapes known to show well in Virginia such as Cabernet France but also Italian grapes such as Nebbiolo, Vermentino, Fiano, and Falanghina. One example of success was the 2018 Nascent, a blend of Viognier, Vermentino, and Falanghina that presented a fuller, expressive palate with elements of white flowers, tropical fruit and citrus to pair nicely with the main entree, a grilled tuna served atop panzanella salad.

We were then given a brief but informative vineyard tour after lunch by Luca. It was evident to us that the 2021 growing season has been excellent due to ideal summer weather conditions.

A wine tasting and barbecue dinner was the evening’s event and it was hosted by Afton Mountain Vineyards. How odd that both Paul and Frank Morgan wore the same Hawaiin shirts for the festive occasion. Was this a coincidence? As they marveled at the coordinated fashion statements made by these two, attendees were able to sample wines from:

Afton Mountain Vineyards
Blenheim Vineyards
Flying Fox Vineyard
Hark Vineyards
Jefferson Vineyards
Keswick Vineyards
King Family Vineyards
Michael Shaps Wineworks
Pollak Vineyards
Veritas Vineyards
Wisdom Oak Winery

Craig Hartman of The Barbecue Exchange provided pulled pork and chicken with an array of sauce options.

The Media & Industry Experience concluded on August 2 with a series of seminars on Virginia wines that included Petit Manseng, Cabernet France, and “others”. We were able to attend the session conducted by Frank Morgan that featured Cabernet Franc. Winemakers Kirsty Harmon, Tim Gorman, Luca Paschina, and Stephen Barnard were on hand to educate attendees and to answer their questions. They each also provided pours of their own Cabernet Francs, and these ranged from lighter-style productions more common from the Chinon region of France to fuller-bodied styles. The panel agreed that Cabernet Franc best expressed Virginia as a wine region. All agreed that vineyard management and making critical decisions regarding harvest time were key to making excellent Cabernet Franc. This seminar was followed by a lunch hosted by King Family Vineyards and prepared by chef Laura Fanner.

Nancy Bauer moderated the final seminar of the day and featured second labels and “side hustles” of Virginia winemakers who, in addition to crafting wines for established wineries also produce wines under their own personal labels. These winemakers included Jake Busching (Jake B Wines), Caitlin Horton (Gears & Lace), Matthieu Finot (Domaine Finot), and Tim Rausse (Vino Dal Bosco).

Paul and I learned so much from the Media & Industry Experience, and the key take away was that Virginia continues to evolve as a wine region of note because excellent winemakers understand what it takes to create Virginia wines that express a sense of place. Please visit the wineries on the Monticello Wine Trail, and mention that Virginia Wine Time sent you!

Firefly to Light Up the Loudoun Wine Scene

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Paul and I attended the soft opening of Firefly Cellars this past weekend. Readers may know that Firefly Cellars was once Hunter’s Run Winery. However, ownership of the property now belongs to Pete and Patty Pierleonardi and their children, Zach and Andrea Zaidi. The family has considerable business experience as owners of Pest Management Service, Inc., and now bring their expertise to Firefly Cellars.

Guests of the event were greeted warmly by the Pierleonardi family in the tasting room, and glasses of the Blanc de Blanc made from white chambourcin grapes were on hand to toast the occasion. The tasting room itself has been completely renovated and captures a rural chic theme.

Live entertainment provided relief from the haunting shrieks from Brood X cicadas, and an impressive menu of food expertly paired with each of the Firefly Cellars’ eleven wines. My favorites included the white blend Illumination paired with spinach and fontina stuffed cremini mushrooms, the fruity 2020 Chardonnay paired with the Virginia scallops and pork belly, and the Petit Verdot paired with the prime beef skewers dipped in blue cheese fondue.

Firefly Cellars also offers airbnb accommodations; in fact, newly weds were the first guests of the airbnb and present at the pre opening event. A swimming pool sweetens the pot for those who are looking for a getaway complete with refreshing swim to finish the day. For those who either opt to stay at the airbnb or wish to stop by Firefly Cellars for a tasting, a private tasting experience can be enjoyed in The Cellar, a European-style wine cellar that is kept at 55 degrees.

I admit to getting excited when I see fireflies light up the summer sky, and I could not help myself from posing in front of the Firefly Cellars’ sign.

We will be certain to return to Firefly Cellars to stay updated on new releases. However, readers may want to enjoy the current lineup of wines sooner rather than later so plan to visit once the winery opens this weekend. Remember to mention that Virginia Wine Time sent you!

Reconnecting and a Trip to Williams Gap Vineyard

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It does appear that there is a rainbow on the horizon after the Covid storm disrupted our lives. The resulting isolation and then socializing within bubbles may be bursting as vaccines make us all less wary of resuming our pre-Covid lives. Paul and I are now reconnecting with friends who have been seen either through computer screens or messaged via chats. It was therefore a welcome relief to meet up with our friend Erica Johansson, who is also a Virginia wine aficionado. This also gave us the opportunity to reconnect with the Virginia wine trails to discover new (to us in some cases) wineries, and this was the case with a visit to Williams Gap Vineyard.

Readers may want to be aware that many wineries are still by reservations only; however, that was not the case with Williams Gap Vineyard. The two-story tasting room is rustic yet well-appointed, and tastings can be customized to include service from a tasting educator for $20 per person. We selected this option and was expertly guided by Ken, a familiar face in the wine tasting community. Ken has been a wine educator at other Virginia wineries, and he has an extensive knowledge of Virginia wines and the varieties that can thrive in the state. The three of us knew that we were in good hands.

Six wines were available for tasting, and I will say that all were well-crafted. All wines were from the excellent 2019 vintage, and all grapes that produced the wine were estate grown. The Vidal Blanc may surprise some tasters who are more familiar with sweeter productions of this variety—-this one is bone dry and delightful. Lemon zest and a refreshing mineral note made for a refreshing yet elegant wine that will be perfect for summer salads and light cheeses. The White Blend, a mix of 75% Petit Manseng and 25% Vidal Blanc presented notes of chamomile and stone fruit with a rich, fruity palate. The weightier Petit Manseng was all tropical notes with an excellent balance between sugar and acidity.

The tasting transitioned to the red wines, and Ken started us off with the accessible Cabernet Franc. Lovely notes of raspberry, strawberry and spice played well on the palate, and a hint of chocolate added a bit of complexity. If anyone wonders what red wines are appropriate for summer, this Cabernet Franc would be one excellent example. Grilled fare or picnics with charcuterie present menu options, but be prepared to enjoy this one on its own. The Merlot was a bit more jammy with dense cherry and raspberry flavors. Expect a fruity entry and a surprisingly tannic presence in the mouth. It’s never too early to look forward to autumn menus and heartier fare, and the most complex Red Blend should be on the wine rack for cooler seasons. The blend is dominated by Cabernet Sauvignon with Cabernet France and Merlot as sidekicks. Dense plum and currants prevailed on the nose and palate along with a whiff of dried herbs. Tannins are a bit young here so don’t be afraid to let this one age for a bit; however, decant and drink now if you prefer.

As we tasted through our flight of wines, Ken filled us in on Williams Gap story. Virginia wine lovers may recognize the Williams Gap designation from the red blends poured at Delaplane Cellars. Those grapes do indeed come from the Williams Gap Vineyard. Owner Jack Sexton planted the vineyard on the Williams Gap site in 2006 and sold the grapes to area wineries including Delaplane Cellars. Sexton decided that Williams Gap would pursue its own rather recently, and 36 of the 200 acres of Williams Gap property is currently planted with vines. Additional plantings of Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc will result in another 14 acres of vines planted. Current case production is 1300, and wine production takes place under the skilled direction of Rob Cox at Paradise Springs. Expect to see a Rosé to be released in June. The tasting room has been open since the end of April.

So with tastings done, we ordered a charcuterie board that included cheeses and baguettes. Our wine of choice was the Cabernet Franc, and the three of us enjoyed catching up and reconnecting. Are you also reconnecting with friends over Virginia wines? Consider meeting up at Williams Gap Vineyards. Please mention that Virginia Wine Time sent you!