https://solomedicalsupply.com/2024/08/07/nra6nasey We did ask our friend Homer from Arizona to offer his take on wines offered by two more wineries in Loudon County: Hiddencroft Vineyards and Hillsborough Vineyards.  With no arm-twisting needed, Homer agreed!

https://www.completerehabsolutions.com/blog/l8lg606ffd Our return to Hiddencroft Vineyards was also part of our research for an upcoming article in Edible Chesapeake on fruit wines (stay tuned!).  Homer is from Michigan and recalls picking cherries there while he was a young boy, so he was anxious to join us in our tasting/research.  Homer did enjoy the Traminette with its fruity nose and flavors; however, it was indeed the cherry wine that earned his highest praise.  He appreciated the rich cherry flavor that seemed perfectly balanced—cherry character without cloying sweetness or mouth puckering sourness.  With a chocolate treat, it became almost decadent!  I was intrigued with the blackberry wine which was also offered intense flavor.  It was billed as being slightly sweet, but its impression in the mouth was certainly drier.  We gave new homes to a bottle of each berry wine, and we also got to chat with the Housels about the production of fruit wines as well as upcoming releases that will include a Tannat.

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Last up was Hillsborough.  Homer’s award for favorite white was the Opal with its fuller mouth feel.  My own nod went to the bold Bloodstone which should do just fine on the wine rack for a couple years.  A mix of dark berries and plum in the mouth with aromas of leather and violet, a heavy meat dish should do just fine with this one.  Homer did check-mark the dessert wine, Moonstone and thought it was “yummy”. We were going to treat Homer to a glass of his favorite wine at Hillsborough, but we were Overnight Xanax Online informed that wines could only be enjoyed by the bottle.  We weren’t really in the mood to drink a whole bottle of wine, so we left and resolved to remember this rule the next time we visit Hillsborough.

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So we thank Homer for his guest commentaries, and of course, we suggest that you place visits to Hiddencroft Vineyards and Hillsborough Vineyards on your agenda.  Be sure to mention that Virginia Wine Time sent you!

https://nedediciones.com/uncategorized/6c9g2f7 We’re back!

Our friend, Homer, was in town for a visit this weekend, and we brought him along to sample some Virginia wines. Homer brought along his discerning palate and shared his notes with us to post on the blog.

Brand Name Xanax Online Our first stop was Corcoran Vineyards, and we were guided through our tasting by owner and wine maker, Lori Corcoran. She made Homer feel at ease with the challenges of wine tasting and before long she had him swirling and sipping like a sommelier. Homer was impressed with wines, and his favorite white wines were the 2007 Viognier and the 2006 Chardonnay. In the end, Homer awarded his gold star to the 2007 Viognier. On the nose, Homer noted floral and strong peachy characteristics. “Peachy” was the adjective Homer stressed when describing its taste, and he also appreciated its smooth, clean finish. I concurred with Homer’s praise for the 2007 Viognier; in fact, more expert palates than ours also concur as Corcoran’s 2007 Viognier won gold in the Virginia State Fair wine competition.

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Of the reds, Homer gave a nod to the 2006 Cabernet Franc with its peppery/smoky characteristics. I appreciated the lush berry fruits that hit the mouth. This one should compliment any grilled beef or lamb dish especially if done with spices or rubs. Paul’s own favorite was the 2006 Meritage, and no wonder—its blend includes Merlot! Other partners in the Meritage blend include Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc.

Non Generic Xanax Online As we tasted, we were able to catch up with Lori, and she was very excited about the other 2007 vintages that will be released. We’re anxious to sample the 2007 Meritage which will feature Malbec as part of the blend. Lori was also quite pleased with current developments in the vineyards and was optimistic that the 2008 crop will produce more award winning wines.

We concluded our tasting and enjoyed a bottle of the 2007 Viognier with a picnic lunch that included chicken and pasta tossed with fresh herbs and olive oil. (A bottle of the 2006 Cabernet Franc came home for a future beef dinner!) The raindrops held off as we wined, dined, and chatted. Homer informed us that Arizona is beginning to pop with wineries especially in the Sonoita/Patagonia region of the state, and vineyards in this region tend to favor Bordeaux and Rhone varietals Though he has not visited any of the wineries in Arizona, his trip to Virginia wineries may inspire him to do so!

https://blog.extraface.com/2024/08/07/fhjuwpe With lunch and tastings concluded, we bid our farewells to Lori. Place Corcoran Vineyards on your list of Virginia wineries to visit, and mention that Virginia Wine Time sent you.

https://sugandhmalhotra.com/2024/08/07/2df9j8z We recently visited another new winery, Glen Manor Vineyards. In fact, Glen Manor Vineyards had only been opened for two weeks. We also got to chat with owner and wine maker, Jeff White. Jeff conducted our tasting and gave us a tour of the winery.

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Glen Manor Vineyards has produced grapes for winemaking since 1995, and Virginia wine enthusiasts may be familiar with the Glen Manor vintages previously released at Linden Vineyards. Through his association with acclaimed winemaker Jim Law, Jeff honed his wine making skills and decided to produce his own wines from his Glen Manor Vineyards. The result of that decision was the construction of the winery in 2007; it opened in May of this year.

Jeff poured for us the two wines currently available for sale. Both were excellent, well-crafted wines. First up was the 2007 Sauvignon Blanc with its citrus and grassy nose. Mineral and citrus flavors prevailed and a crisp finish was noted. Perfect with shellfish, but we were inclined to sip a glass after our tasting! Not to be outdone was the 2005 Petit Verdot. Lots of blackberry notes were accompanied by smoke and tobacco. We both noted dark berries in the mouth with a bolder finish. Paul jotted down, “cigar wine”, but I would favor a big meal with roasted meats.

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As we sipped and savored, Jeff gave us some details about the Glen Manor Vineyards. Currently, ten acres are planted with Sauvignon Blanc, Petit Verdot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, and Petit Manseng. We also got a brief tour of the facility that included the barrel room and crush pad. Jeff uses old world methods of hand sorting grapes to ensure that only quality fruit is used to produce his wines. We also got a glimpse of the vineyards and noted that the vineyards and facility were kept in immaculate condition.

Jeff does discourage limos and large groups from visiting the tasting room, and the result is a quieter, more intimate tasting experience. Visitors may enjoy a glass of wine on the deck which offers peaceful views of the vineyards and mountains. In fact, that is just what we did with a glass of the Sauvignon Blanc!

https://www.clawscustomboxes.com/fpg3jtyg I purchased a bottle of each wine poured that day, and I know that we will be back to Glen Manor Vineyards. Put a visit to Glen Manor Vineyards on your agenda, and mention that Virginia Wine Time sent you.

https://solomedicalsupply.com/2024/08/07/kufi524u On a recent sunny Sunday we went to Chateau O’Brien to do a reserve tasting with Howard O’Brien. We always enjoy spending time talking wine with Howard.

He showed us to his wine cellar and opened a couple bottles of wine. Since we have tasted many of his wines before we concentrated on two this time. We started with the 2006 Reserve Chardonnay. This is a French Burgundy style chardonnay. It spends 18 months on oak and Howard produced 145 cases. Warren enjoyed the bigger body of this chardonnay and noted the toasty finish from the oak treatment. Howard informed us this is a restaurant favorite.

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Next up was the 2005 Limited Reserve Tannat. Howard has spent time learning about tannat and traveling the world to make what is considered by many to be one of the best in the world. Howard’s tannat was inspired by tannat wines produced in Uruguay. Howard’s tannat is 100% tannat. It is aged for 3 years between the barrel and the bottle. Currently Howard only has about 10 cases left. It’s been a favorite of many of his customers. Once the wine was poured into our glasses we noted the deep dark color and blackberry on the nose. On the palate we noted layers of dark berries particularly blackberry and dark cherry. We also noted the smooth tannins on the finish. The next Limited Reserve Tannat will be released in early 2009.

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If you find yourself at Chateau O’Brien plan to do a reserve tasting and be sure to bring home a bottle or two of the tannat before it’s all gone. And of course tell Howard Virginia Wine Time sent you!

https://aiohealthpro.com/lyvbqfgd Last weekend we visited Gray Ghost Vineyards in anticipation of their release of the Ranger Reserve. The 2006 Ranger Reserve is the first true Meritage blend to be released by Gray Ghost Vineyards, and the medal counts prove that the Ranger Reserve is a winner.

https://mandikaye.com/blog/ttgavp367v Many Virginia winemakers are producing Meritage blends. Red Meritage wines are a blend of at least two Bordeaux varieties that include Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Malbec. The Ranger Reserve is a blend of all five of these varieties with Cabernet Sauvignon comprising 29% of the mix. The result is a complex wine rich with blackberry and cherry characteristics. Paul detected a hint of mocha, too. Smooth tannins make for a pleasant yet lengthier finish. The Ranger Reserve was aged for 15 months in French oak and should keep on the wine rack for at about ten years.

Al Kellert was very excited about the Ranger Reserve as it has already won numerous medals in national and international wine competitions. Leading the way in medal counts, though, is the 2007 Adieu that just won double gold in San Francisco.

Alprazolam Cheapest Online Of course, lunch is always in the trunk, and we enjoyed spicy grilled chicken with a glass of the Ranger Reserve. We always sit outdoors to enjoy the Victorian garden and to do some bird watching, too!

Purchase Xanax Online With time to spare and lots of sunny weather to still enjoy, we decided to do a tasting at Chester Gap Cellars. It had been at least a year since our last trip to Cheaster Gap Cellars, and we also wanted to catch up with winemaker Bernd Jung.

https://polyploid.net/blog/?p=nbi90wk The tasting menu presented several new offerings, and of the white wines, I favored the oak aged 2006 Viognier Reserve. Chester Gap’s Viognier Reserve is done in the Condrieu style with a bigger body and honeyed texture. Those who dine at the Little Inn at Washington will find the 2006 Viognier Reserve on the wine list. Paul preferred the crisp 2006 Sauvignon Blanc with its hay-like color and aroma.

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Paul, however, was anxious to try the 2006 Merlot, and it immediately earned his star of approval. He noted cherry and chocolate notes with similar flavors in the mouth. “Smooth” was the adjective that Paul emphasized. I was more partial to the 2005 Cabernet Franc that is blended with small amounts of Petit Verdot and Merlot. This one presented layers of mixed berries with some dried herbs on the nose. The 2005 Cabernet Franc is another restaurant favorite and can be ordered at Citronelle perhaps with a favorite beef dish.

As we completed our tasting, it began to rain quite heavily. This gave us the excuse to share a glass of the 2005 Cabernet Franc, but we also chatted with Bernd for a bit. He shared with us that Chester Gap is currently producing 1500 cases of wine, and many area restaurants are now pouring Chester Gap wines. In addition to the ones already mentioned, these include such top-rated eateries as Bistro Bis, Bistro Francais Vidalia, and Charlie Palmer Steak House. Also, Bernd has been very busy building a tasting room; in fact, we were able to sample his well-crafted wines in the new tasting room. Work still remains to be done on the tasting room but sippers can already view beautiful mountain landscapes from deck.

The rain eased up, and we used the opportunity to make a run to the car. We bid our farewells to Bernd Jung and made a dash to car. Thus ended our day of wine tasting and chats with wine makers. However, we know that we will return to Gray Ghost Vineyards and Chester Gap Cellars. Plan a visit to these wineries, and please be sure to mention that Virginia Wine Time sent you.

Our visit to Central Virginia wineries included two other stops: Cardinal Point Vineyards and Winery and Barboursville Vineyards.

It’s always nice to run into Sarah Gorman at Cardinal Point Vineyards. Sarah is the sister of winemaker Tim Gorman, and she can usually be found in the tasting room greeting customers. We were anxious to try the latest releases at Cardinal Point and as always, we started with the white wines. My favorite was the 2006 Viognier with its peachy nose and subtle honey texture. Paul’s nod went to the 2007 A6 which is a blend of Viognier and Chardonnay and presented a nice, crisp finish. Summer sippers may want to try the 2007 Rose, a new offering from Cardinal Point. Made from Cabernet Franc, this Rose bursts with ripe strawberry flavors. Of the reds, we both tended to favor the 2006 Cabernet Franc with its smokey/herby nose and bright berry flavors.

As we sipped and chatted, we also found out that Cardinal Point is celebrating its fifth year as a winery. Of course, we offered our congrats, and then savored a glass of the Rose out on the patio after we finished our tasting. It was a perfect wine to enjoy on a bright but comfortable spring afternoon.

No visit to central Virginia wineries would be complete without a visit to Barboursville Vineyards. I’ll be brief here as we always write about Barboursville, but we did sample lots of new offerings this time around. Paul’s own faves were the 2007 Sauvignon Blanc and the 2006 Chardonnay. I preferred the 2007 Chardonnay Reserve which is barrel fermented and aged for eight months. Lovely body with this one with nice pear and vanilla flavors. Paul appreciated the vibrant citrus characteristics of the Sauvignon Blanc and noted its bright acidity. Of course, the 2006 Rose is always one to recommend for the summer.

The red wines were likewise well-crafted, and we both starred the fruity 2006 Merlot, a drink-me-now cherry/berry bomb that might win over even the most diehard Merlot critics. Paul purchased a bottle to bring to family a gathering, and it was the hit of the party. For those looking for age-worthy contenders, the 8th edition 2005 Octagon is the winner. A finely crafted blend of Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Petit Verdot, the 2005 Octagon continues the outstanding Octagon lineage. Darker fruit notes and flavors here with leather in the background will make for a fine accompaniment to a heavy beef dish, but do consider this one for a special anniversary, graduation, etc., Aging will only make this one even better! Available for purchase but not tasting is the venerated 1998 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve which took home the Governor’s Cup this year. Barboursville’s wines consistently score well in Wine Spectator, and it’s always a treat to sample their wines. And be sure to reserve for dinner at the renowned Palladio restaurant—Paul was disappointed that we had not planned a dinner there, but we’ll certainly reserve for the next time!

Be sure to plan a trip to Cardinal Point Vineyard and Winery and Barboursville Vineyards, and mention that Virginia Wine Time sent you!

Seems like forever since the last time we posted, but with summer vacation now underway, I can catch up on some writing! During our last visit to the Charlottesville area we were anxious to sample the latest at King Family Vineyards. We pulled into the parking lot with minutes to spare, but Ellen King was nice enough to accommodate us for a tasting. In fact, a wedding was set to begin on the property; however, Ellen guided through a tasting and chatted with us about the latest news at King Family Vineyards.

King Family Vineyards produces excellent wines, so it was hard for us to award one gold star to only one white wine and one red wine. We both finally decided to place a gold star next to the floral-nosed 2006 Viognier. Nice tropical fruit in the mouth with a crisp finish, this Viognier does spend most of its time in stainless steel with some short time in oak. Think crab cakes here—it should pair quite nicely with any shellfish dish. I must admit, though, that I did store an extra gold star, and this one I awarded to the Crose, a vibrant rose made from Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Lively strawberry flavors prevail here with a crisp, dry finish. The Crose is always a crowd favorite, so stock up while it is available.

The red wines were next on the tasting list, and King Family Meritage is always hard to beat. A blend of Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot, it is complex with layers of berry fruits, spice, and leather. However, Ellen gave us a sneak preview of our gold star winner, the upcoming 2006 Petit Verdot. The 2006 Petit Verdot presented a deep hue of burgundy and magenta in the glass with dried fruits, spice and tobacco on the nose. Similar fruit flavors and spice prevailed in the mouth, and Paul noted velvety tannins. Beef dishes, leg of lamb with roasted veggies, game meats—anything meat pairs with this Petit Verdot. Think aging, too as this one will only get better with time on the wine rack.

Throughout our tasting, Ellen chatted with us about the latest developments at King Family. Mathieu Finot is now their winemaker. Mathieu succeeds the renowned Michael Shaps, but Mathieu has developed an outstanding reputation in the Virginia winemaking community and continues the tradition of excellence at King Family Vineyards. Ellen also encouraged us to attend their Sunday polo matches; in fact, she even gave us information on how to go about taking polo lessons. I used to ride horses on a more regular basis, so one day I may just learn how to play a chukker or two.

Ellen invited us to stay a bit longer but with the wedding about to begin, we opted to purchase our wines and bid our farewells. We do plan to return to King Family Vineyards soon as it always on our list of wineries to visit while in Charlottesville. Put a visit to King Family Vineyards on your agenda, and be sure to mention that Virginia Wine Time sent you!

During a Memorial Weekend trip to Charlottesville, we paid a visit to Oakencroft Winery. Oakencroft is always on our list of wineries to visit when we are in the area; in fact, we always stop off at a local deli to buy lunch items, because we know that we want to enjoy wine and lunch at Oakencroft. An extra incentive was the upcoming 25th Anniversary celebration at Oakencroft, and although we would not be able to attend the event that was to be held on the Memorial Day, we did want to extend our congratulations to Felicia Rogan and the Oakencroft staff.

Of course, sampling the well-crafted wines at Oakencroft is always a treat, and an extra bonus was that Lorraine, the tasting room manager, was available to conduct our tasting. Lorraine immediately recognized us, and we were all chatting away. Wine tasting occurred, too! Lorraine started us off with the white wines, and Paul quickly assessed his favorite to be the 2006 Chardonnay; done in stainless steel, Paul noted apple flavors with a crisp finish. I was deadlocked—both the 2006 Seyval Blanc and the 2006 Viognier were winners in my book. In the end, I favored the 2006 Seyval Blanc. Yet another crisp offering, the 2006 Seyval possesses a lively citrus aroma and flavor. My close second, the 2006 Viognier, presented floral and peachy notes with peach and apricot flavors in the mouth. It was easy to understand why both the Seyval Blanc and the Viognier have been medal winners for Oakencroft Winery. In fact, Oakencroft’s Seyval Blanc may have even thawed the Cold War. In the 1980s, President Reagan presented a bottle of Oakencroft’s Seyval Blanc to Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev. Gorby enjoyed the wine, and he forged a relationship with Reagan that eventually ended the Cold War!

With a new piece of historical trivia in our minds, we were ready to savor the red wines. Paul favored the medium-bodied 2006 Merlot with its cherry characteristics. My own gold star was presented to the 2006 Estate Reserve Chambourcin. This is a fuller bodied wine rich with dark fruit characteristics and ends with a spicy finish. Inky and dense in color, this 100% Chambourcin will only get better with age. Of course, we had lunch waiting in the car, and for this we settled on the 2006 Jefferson Claret. Fruit forward and juicy was how Paul described this one, and I detected some cedar on the nose. The claret is a blend of Merlot, Chambourcin, Petit Verdot, and Cabernet Sauvignon. It was an easy, accessible sipper and a perfect accompaniment to ham and salami sandwiches that awaited us for lunch!

Dessert wine lovers will also appreciate the 2006 Encore, a blend of Vidal Blanc and Traminette. Floral with apricot flavors describe this sweeter offering.

We finished our tasting, purchased our wines, and made our way to our favorite chairs beside the pond on the Oakencroft grounds to enjoy lunch and wine. Before we left, we bid our farewells to Lorraine and promised to return soon. We were excited about the Anniversary party which would culminate with the release of Oakencroft’s latest Cabernet Franc. We were saddened, then, to later find out that Oakencroft will close at the end of 2008. Felicia Rogan will retire at the end of the year, and the winery has been sold to new owners who will not continue the winery. Felicia is an icon in the Virginia wine making industry, and Oakencroft wines consistently earn medals and accolades from experts and consumers alike. Therefore, be sure to visit Oakencroft Winery soon, and be sure to mention that Virginia Wine Time sent you.