Here are some suggestions for wines for your Thanksgiving table. Press play.
Category: Holidays
Gray Ghost Vineyards
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!
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!
Happy New Year!
Happy New Year!
Every December 30th for the last 6 years many of our wine friends have gathered at our friend Susan’s house for a final wine dinner of the year. Last night we enjoyed a wonderful dinner with friends and some amazing wines.
The star of the evening was the 1990 Chateau Margaux. It had a brown, brick edge in the color, due to age. Warren noted on his first impression tobacco and earthy elements; third swirl and air revealed cherry on the palate with sweet tobacco and good acidity. Paul and Bruce noted cranberry while Sylvia caught a whiff of geraniums. It was a wonderful wine that everyone enjoyed! What a great way to end the year!
Happy New Year to all our readers! Thank you for continuing to return to our blog and read about our wine adventures! Cheers!
Merry Christmas!
Merry Christmas! We hope you are enjoying the holidays with some Virginia wine! We’ll be taking the next few weeks off to enjoy the holidays!
Fourth of July Wines
The Fourth of July holiday is a great way to celebrate the birth of our nation and enjoy Virginia wine. We did just that.
We began the holiday by opening a bottle of the 2013 Jolie Blond from Breaux Vineyards. We enjoyed this with cheese and crackers. We lots of citrus and a mineral note on the nose. Sipping this wine revealed melon, lemon-lime notes, and a crisp finish. It certainly paired well with our cheese and crackers. The 2013 Jolie Blond is a great wine to enjoy on a warm summer afternoon.
For dinner we went with the traditional meal of hamburgers. We had potato chips, carrots, and baked beans to round out the meal. What wine did we serve with our Fourth of July meal? We selected the 2011 Red from Linden Vineyards. Jim Law wasn’t too pleased with quality of the fruit that was produced during the wet year of 2011. He decided not to produce any signal varietal wines. Instead he blended all the finest grapes from the year together to make Red. Red has become one of our favorite wines to enjoy with meals like burgers, pizza, and pasta. It’s very accessible and easy to drink. It’s fruit forward with a hint of spice. It’s a quaffable wine.
We enjoyed the last few sips of the 2011 Red just as the Falls Church fireworks began. We hope you enjoyed your Fourth of July as well. Happy Birthday, America! If you visit Breaux Vineyards or Linden Vineyards to pick up these wines, be sure to tell them Virginia Wine Time sent you!
Merry Christmas!
Merry Christmas! We hope you are enjoying the holidays with some Virginia wine! We’ll be taking the next two weeks off to enjoy the holidays!
Gray Ghost Events
We attend many of the Gray Ghost Vineyards events all throughout the year. In the last month or so we’ve attend three of those events. Here is a short recap of those events.
On November 3rd we attended the Wine Library Tasting. The Wine Library Tasting is a chance to taste past vintages of some of their best wines. Since we have many of these on our wine racks, it’s a good chance to see how they are developing in the bottle. This time we had a chance to taste the:
1999 Cabernet Sauvignon
2002 Cabernet Sauvignon
2006 Cabernet Franc
2008 Merlot
Here are a couple of shots from the event.
On November 16th we attended the Gala Release Party for the 2010 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon. It’s a fun evening of great food, great friends and of course a great wine. Here are a few shots from the event.
On December 1st we attended the Wine Library Tasting with Warren’s parents. They were in town for Thanksgiving and were able to join us in tasting the:
1993 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon (Gray Ghost’s Inaugural Release)
1999 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon
2002 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon
Here are a few shots from the event.
We always have a great time at the Gray Ghost events. If you haven’t attended one, think about it joining in the fun. And when you do, tell them Virginia Wine Time sent you!
Happy Thanksgiving!
Happy Thanksgiving from Virginia Wine Time! We hope you are enjoying Virginia wines with your Thanksgiving meal today! Which Virginia wines did you pour?
Virginia Wines for Thanksgiving
Yes, it is turkey time again with all of that delicious food. What Virginia wines to serve? Below is a partial list of recommendations. These are based on what I think is still currently available; however, I could be mistaken so please call wineries ahead of time double check.
Sparkling Wines: Bubbles go with everything
Thibaut-Janisson Blanc de Chardonnay
Trump Winery 2008 Blanc de Blanc
White Wines:
Afton Mountain Vineyards: Gewurztraminer 2012
Barboursville Vineyards: Viognier Reserve
Blenheim Vineyards: Chardonnay 2012
Chester Gap Cellars: Viognier 2012
Keswick Vineyards: Chardonnay 2012
King Family Vineyards: Chardonnay 2012
Linden Vidal Riesling 2012
Rose: Yes, rose goes with everything too
King Family Crose
Linden Rose 2012
Red Wines:
Afton Mountain Vineyards Cabernet Franc 2012
Ankida Ridge Pinot Noir 2011
Glen Manor Cabernet Franc 2011
Hume Vineyards Cabernet Franc 2011
Pollak Vineyards Cabernet Franc 2011
Dessert Wines:
Gray Ghost Vineyards Adieu 2012
Linden Late Harvest Vidal
Wine Shopping in Maryland? Consider these wines:
Black Ankle Syrah 2011
Old Westminster Chardonnay 2012 and Cabernet Franc 2011
Undecided? Open a few bottles and let guests decide. In the end, they will drink whatever they like.
Have other suggestions? Let us know! In the meantime, plan to visit Virginia wineries this weekend to stock up favorite wines for Thanksgiving. Mention that Virginia Wine Time sent you.