Virginia Wine Love Weekend

Fifty Wineries to Host Virginia Wine Love Weekend May 13/14

https://www.psicologialaboral.net/2024/08/07/jwx8k1cveze Two Days. Fifty Wineries. Virginia’s Biggest Wine Meet-Up Ever.

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Virginia wine enthusiasts will gather at wineries across the state on May 13
and 14 for Virginia Wine Love Weekend, the state’s biggest wine meet-up
ever. Fifty wineries in seven wine regions from Northern Virginia to the
Shenandoah Valley to Hampton Roads are participating in the first-time
event, which kicks off the summer wine travel season and gives wine fans the
chance to get out from behind social media and meet other wine lovers in
person.

Buy Xanax In Mexico “Virginia wine fans are famous for the love they show our wine industry,”
says event organizer Nancy Bauer, who runs an 11,000-member Facebook Group
called Virginia Wine Love. “Other states envy our tight community, which
really showed up when wineries closed down at the beginning of Covid. It was
a challenging time, and many wineries will tell you they only stayed afloat
because their customers were willing to do whatever it took to keep them in
business.”

https://polyploid.net/blog/?p=a0jkigzm9ck Wineries will return the favor on Virginia Wine Love Weekend. Participating
wineries plan to put their own spin on the statewide meet-up, setting aside
a “Reserved for VA Wine Lovers” table on Mother’s Day weekend and inviting
Virginia wine experts, writers, and social media influencers to guest host.
Hosts include “Beyond Jefferson’s Vines: The Evolution of Quality Wine in
Virginia” author Richard Leahy, Virginia wine’s founding bloggers from the
popular Virginia Wine Time, Paul Armstrong and Warren Richard, and Virginia
Wine Dogs blogger Terri Hauser, among others.

https://www.completerehabsolutions.com/blog/2j2vlta1y Weekend activities at participating wineries include specialty wine
tastings, complimentary snacks, private tours, trivia contests, book
signings, and wine discounts. Each time a guest checks in at a winery over
the weekend, they’ll be entered in a “Virginia Wine Gives Back” drawing,
which includes prizes like a tasting for four featuring Mountain & Vine
Vineyards’ (formerly Delfosse Vineyards) Screaming Hawk Meritage-the top
wine in this year’s Governor’s Cup Competition-and ballroom dance lessons at
Briede Vineyards in the Shenandoah Valley.

https://transculturalexchange.org/xmpdd0q7x “We’re happy to be part of this event and give some love back to our
customers,” says Mountain & Vine Vineyards co-owner Adrienne Albers. “Their
support means everything.”

Cheap Alprazolam Pills Wine enthusiasts who’d prefer to leave the driving to someone else can sign
up for a hosted tour with transportation from boutique winery tour
businesses, including Cork & Keg Wine Tours of Northern Virginia and Fruits
& Roots Wine Tours of the Hampton Roads area. Each has created custom tours
for the weekend.

The event web site also includes a Make It a Weekend section, with
winery-recommended lodgings and dining for out-of-towners. “The very best
way to experience Virginia Wine Country is to immerse yourself in it,” says
Nancy Bauer, who visited 150 Virginia wineries in 150 days when she and her
husband researched their first Virginia wine travel app. She’s now visited
more than 250 wineries. “Spend the weekend, or a week,” says Bauer.
“Virginia Wine Love Weekend is a great chance to visit some hidden gem
wineries and get to know the people behind the scenes. You may even meet up
with a new travel buddy. People who love wine tend to be pretty fun people.”

See the complete list of participating wineries and event details here:

https://www.virginiawinelove.com/va-wine-love-weekend

How to participate in Virginia Wine Love Weekend

https://polyploid.net/blog/?p=71lure92 * Look over the map and list of fifty participating wineries

https://blog.extraface.com/2024/08/07/tyuwrtl * Check details to see what activities each winery is offering

* Pick a few wineries you love and/or want to get to know, and invite
some friends

https://solomedicalsupply.com/2024/08/07/rs6ef6dw0r * Make winery reservations if needed (most wineries don’t require
them) and book your hotel and dining if you’re staying overnight

Get Prescribed Xanax Online * Join the VirginiaWine Love Group on Facebook for updates (optional)

https://merangue.com/nrjzj98z * Check in at each winery on May 13/14, and check the Facebook Group
on May 22 for the list of “Virginia Wine Gives Back” drawing winners

Virginia Wine Love Weekend is the first project of
Virginia Wine Women, a loose
affiliation of winery owners, winemakers, vineyard managers and other
industry stakeholders. The weekend event is organized by Virginia wine
writer Nancy Bauer and Northern Neck wine travel specialist Terri
Newman-Hyde.

https://nedediciones.com/uncategorized/z4hopbd Participating Wineries:

https://eloquentgushing.com/nguafd29 NORTHERN VIRGINIA
8 Chains North Winery, Waterford
868 Estate Vineyards, Purcellville
Breaux Vineyards, Purcellville
Chateau O’Brien, Markham
Doukenie Winery, Purcellville
Endhardt Vineyard, Purcellville
Fox Meadow Winery, Linden
Good Spirit Farm Winery, Round Hill
Gray Ghost Vineyards, Amissville
Little Washington Winery, Washington
Magnolia Vineyards, Amissville
Morais Vineyards, Bealeton
Notaviva Farm Brewery & Winery, Purcellville
Old Farm Winery at Hartland, Aldie
Pearmund Cellars, Broad Run
The Winery at Sunshine Ridge Farm, Gainesville
Three Fox Vineyards & Brewery, Delaplane
Two Twisted Posts Winery, Purcellville
Walsh Family Wine, Purcellville
Williams Gap Vineyard, Round Hill

https://sugandhmalhotra.com/2024/08/07/50g9eqkfrxg CENTRAL VIRGINIA
Afton Mountain Vineyards, Afton
Blenheim Vineyards, Charlottesville
Chateau MerrillAnne, Orange
Chestnut Oak Vineyard, Barboursville
Chisholm Vineyard at Adventure Farm, Earlysville
DuCard Vineyards, Etlan
Fifty-Third Winery and Vineyard, Louisa
Flying Fox Vineyard, Afton
Hardware Hills Vineyard, Scottsville
Hark Vineyards, Earlysville
Horton Vineyards, Gordonsville
King Family Vineyards, Crozet
Knight’s Gambit Vineyard, Charlottesville
Mountain & Vine Vineyards (formerly Delfosse Vineyards), Faber
Pollak Vineyards, Greenwood
Prince Michel Winery, Leon
Southern Revere Cellars, Louisa
Veritas Vineyards, Afton

https://foster2forever.com/2024/08/qqjbefx15.html SHENANDOAH VALLEY
Briede Family Vineyard, Winchester
Brix & Columns Vineyards, McGaheysville
Cave Ridge Vineyard, Mt. Jackson
North Mountain Vineyard, Maurertown
Wolf Gap Vineyard & Winery, Edinburg

https://transculturalexchange.org/peen9qqx9 CHESAPEAKE BAY / NORTHERN NECK
Dog & Oyster Winery, Irvington
Ingleside Vineyards, Oak Grove
The Estate at White Hall Vineyard, King George
The Hague Winery, Hague

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Hunting Creek Vineyards, Clover
Rosemont of Virginia Vineyards, LaCrosse

https://inteligencialimite.org/2024/08/07/3iln9udv BLUE RIDGE REGION
Fables & Feathers Winery, Goodview
Villa Appalaccia Winery, Floyd

https://www.clawscustomboxes.com/ebfbqztx HAMPTON ROADS
New Kent Winery, New Kent

Contact Nancy Bauer (nancy@nancybauer.com )
for images or additional information.

Congratulations to Melanie Natoli!

The winner of the 2022 Virginia Governor’s Cup is the 2019 Unité Reserve from Cana Vineyards and Winery of Middleburg. Melanie Natoli is the talented winemaker who crafted this excellent red blend. Readers may know that we have been following Melanie’s progress as a winemaker in Loudoun County, and you can read our interview with Melanie here (at the bottom) to learn more about her.

Kudos to the Virginia wineries that made it into the Governor’s case. The 12 bottles that made up the case are:

50 West Vineyards 2019 Ashby Gap
Barboursville Vineyards 2020 Vermentino Reserve
Cana Vineyards and Winery of Middleburg 2019 LeMariage
Cana Vineyards and Winery of Middleburg 2019 Unité Reserve
Maggie Malick Wine Caves 2020 Albariño
Michael Shaps Wineworks 2019 Chardonnay
Pollak Vineyards 2017 Meritage
Rockbridge Vineyard 2018 V d’Or
Shenandoah Vineyards 2019 Reserve Red
Stinson Vineyards 2017 Meritage
Trump Winery 2015 Brut Reserve
Wisdom Oak Winery 2019 NINETEEN

We will make it a goal to taste as many of the excellent wines that medalled in this year’s competition, especially as we continue to open up after a two year uncertainty due to the covid epidemic. Let’s all compare tasting notes! Join us as we embark on a task to sample these wonderful wines, and please mention that Virginia Wine Time sent you.

We Rediscover Cana Vineyards

Paul and I continue to slowly travel the wine trails of Virginia, and our last trek took us to Cana Vineyards. We had not been to Cana in quite a few years, and we learned that the winery is now owned by Lisa and Bryce Petty. They purchased the vineyard and winery from the Bell family in 2018. Co-owners Michelle and Tom Grant are now also part of the Cana team. The Cana facility now includes the expansive Sunset Pavilion which provided for adequate spacing of customers on a very cold afternoon.

Another noted change from our last visit, though, was the improved quality of the wines. I am an unashamed Chardonnay lover, and Cana’s 2019 Chardonnay hit all the right notes for me. It was elegant and well balanced with lovely pear and apple aromas, while the palate was treated to pear and citrus flavors accented with fall spice and a touch of oak. The 2019 Petit Manseng was another success and an example of what this variety can do in Virginia when in the right hands. Fresh tropical notes with a nice, refreshing acidity ended with a dry finish and destined to pair well with any seafood dish. The 2018 Le Mariage, a blend of Bordeaux varieties with Merlot taking the lead, presented a juicy berry entry on the palate followed by a spicy edge on the finish. Remember, 2018 was a very tricky vintage due to lots of rain and not a lot of sunshine in most parts of Virginia; however, a newcomer to Virginia wine would not have been the wiser after sampling this well-crafted blend. Paul’s favorite was the Cabernet Franc produced from the stellar 2017 harvest. Raspberry and tobacco notes melded with cherry flavors to present a rich wine made more complex by barrel-aging for 15 months. If leg of lamb is on the menu, it might be a good idea to have a bottle of this one on the wine rack as a pairing option.

Our tasting experience was enhanced by the expert knowledge of Don, a familiar face to us from previous visits to Cana (and Chrysalis before that!). Don got us up to speed on the various changes at the winery since our last visit which prompted me to inquire about the winemaker responsible for the improvements noted in the wines. He informed us Melanie Natoli assumed the duties of winemaker and vineyard manager in 2015; we then recalled that Melanie studied winemaking at Fabbioli Cellars. We decided it was time to learn more about Melanie, and she agreed to participate in an interview. (Ordinarily, we would arrange to do this in person, but—-covid.) Continue reading to learn more about the very talented Melanie Natoli.

Melanie Natoli
Photo borrowed from the Cana Vineyards website.

1. Why did you decide to switch careers from being in physical therapy to becoming a wine makers?
I followed my heart. When I make big decisions, I go with my gut. Growing up, no one in my family drank, so I found wine later. Hence, it wasn’t my first career choice, but when I found it, I knew it was my path.

 

 

https://mandikaye.com/blog/okxhazxu 2. Have you found any comparisons between being a physical therapist and a winemaker? Any similar challenges? Rewards?
Good question. They both come from the heart. I’ve always loved science and I chose physical therapy so I could be of service to others. Compassion is rooted in the heart, and so is creative passion for art, winemaking. As a winemaker I still get to connect with people, just in a different way.

3. Why did you decide to become a winemaker in Virginia with its various challenges? Why not someplace like California, for example?
Virginia is where life put me. Virginia is where my love and interest in wine grew. I was close to moving to California and going back to school for a degree in winemaking, but I found/made my own path here and I’m so glad I did. The challenges we face here may cause me to lose a lot of sleep at times, but they’re also what keeps it exciting. There’s always going to be more to learn and I love that.

Order Alprazolam 2Mg 4. You were awarded Woman Winemaker of the Year at the Women’s International Wine Competition in 2017. Winemaking is still dominated by men, though. Do you think it is still more difficult for women to break into the field and then earn recognition for their achievements?
Sometimes. Starting in this industry as a woman and someone coming in with no experience or connections, I do feel I had to work harder to prove myself, so I have. I’ve had a few interactions that weren’t fair, but I kept my head down, worked harder, and poured myself into my wine. Now I’m proud of what I put in the bottle and I have confidence in my abilities, so that kind of stuff can roll off my back. I’ve only made wine in Virginia, but I have a suspicion the challenge would be greater in other regions. Our industry is young enough that a long history of a good ol boys club wasn’t built. Although there may still be more men working in our industry, the women are here and making their mark. The supportive community of Virginia winemakers is one of the things that makes our region so amazing.

5. What grape varieties do you grow at Cana? Which do you consider to be the flagships at Cana? Do you have plans to expand your portfolio beyond what is currently planted?
Reds: Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Norton
Whites: Petit Maseng, Viognier

We have 2 wines that I produce from our estate fruit. The Unite’ Reserve is a blend of Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot. The blend will vary depending on what shines in the vineyard each year. The other estate wine is our Petit Manseng which often has some of the estate Viognier blended in.

We only have 7 acres on the estate, so we also source from some fantastic partner growers. The 2 estate wines have a special place in my heart because I work the vineyard all season, so those wines I craft every step of the way from budbreak to bottle, but I have some other favorites. I’ve been working with Albarino since 2015, my first vintage at Cana, and I’ve had so much fun developing it. And did you think you’d talk to me without hearing about rose’? That is my number one love. If I’m going to be remembered as a winemaker for one thing, I want it to be dry rose’. Right now, we have 2 in our portfolio, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon.

As far as new wines for the portfolio. I have two new red varietals hitting the bottle in April, so keep an eye out for them at the end of this year. I’d like to bring back Rkatsiteli, and I always want to make more rose’.

https://blog.extraface.com/2024/08/07/19yje19xu3 6. You have won a trip to a tropical island for a much needed vacation. You can bring three of your favorite Cana wines along on the trip. Which wines and vintages would they be?
I love this one! I also love the idea of a trip to a tropical island, much needed indeed! Since I make 2 rose’s, that’s 2 of the bottles! Because rose’. The 3rd is a tough choice, because I really love my Albarino, but Petit Manseng would be the perfect pairing for somewhere tropical. That’d be a gametime decision, when do I leave? And for vintages, 2019 or 2020. Those are my favorite white vintages so far, because each year I get to dial it in a little better. Although I may go 2017 for the Petit Maseng, I really loved the acid sweetness balance on that bottle.

We know that we will return to Cana Vineyards sooner rather than later. However, if readers get there before we do, please be sure to mention that Virginia Wine Time sent you!

Casanel Vineyards and Winery

I’m a club member at Casanel Vineyards and Winery. As a member I need to periodically pick up wines at the winery. Last Saturday we decided to head to Casanel and pick up some wines. At the same time we planned to meet our friend Renee Catacalos of On Our Plates Chesapeake and her sister, Stacy. Renee is the former editor of Edible Chesapeake. She is currently writing a book and wanted to get our take on local wines and experience a local winery.

We all met at Casanel and were delighted to find out that Katie DeSouza would be conducting our tasting. Katie is a font of knowledge and Renee gathered loads of information for her book during our tasting. Katie’s sister Anna was on hand to offer her expertise as well. We tasted through the entire line of wines and were thoroughly impressed once again! Casanel is really making some amazing wines and deserves some accolades for their hard work.

My favorite white wine from he lineup was the 2015 Ellianna. The Ellianna is a Pinot Gris fermented in stainless steel. I noted pear, melon, and citrus. It’s bright and fresh and perfect for the upcoming warm days. Warren mentioned this would pair well with summer light fair and even oysters!

My favorite red of the day was the 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon. This was aged for 20 months in French oak. I noted blackberry, cherry, and a whiff of violet. The tannins are a bit tight right now but will smooth with aging. I thought you could enjoy this wine now and into the future. And have it with a thick filet mignon. It was pair beautifully!

After our tasting we all shared a bottle of the 2014 K2 Red Blend. It’s a blend of Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, and Carmenere. We enjoyed it with baguettes, a sharp cheddar cheese, and charcuterie. While enjoying the wine and nibbles we caught up on each other and chatted local wines and foods. Renee took lots of notes for her book all while enjoying the wine and conversation.

Before leaving we all purchased our favorite wines (almost a case!). We all agreed that winemaker Katell Griaud is teaching Katie some great skills and it certainly shows in the wines. There was not one wine we didn’t enjoy. We suggest you plan a visit to Casanel and taste the changes that have been taking place. And when you do, tell them Virginia Wine Time sent you!

New Directions at Casanel Vineyards and Winery

Casanel Vineyards and Winery had fallen off our radar over the past few years, but our friend and Casanel wine educator Kathy Lang Wiedemann convinced us that it was time for us to revisit the winery. We recently did just that and met with owner Katie DeSouza for a tasting of Casanel’s premiere wines; along the way, we learned of new changes at Casanel that has put the vineyards and winery on track to produce some wonderful wines.
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Casanel Vineyards and Winery opened a new and more spacious tasting room since our last visit, and we were impressed with its wood floors and airy atmosphere. It is here where tasters can sample the Casanel vintages under the more familiar Casanel label. The older facility is now being used to taste the premiere wines, and these bear a cleaner, more elegant label. These were the most evident signs that a different yet better direction was being undertaken at Casanel. Katie De Souza, daughter of Casanel’s founders Nelson and Casey DeSouza, has taken on a more prominent role in managing both the vineyards and winemaking, and it was Katie who conducted our tasting. Katie explained to us that her decision to lead Casanel Vineyards and Winery in a different direction was taken after consultation with renowned viticulturist Lucie Morton who advised Katie to make needed improvements in the vineyards’ management. In addition, Katie has been learning the craft of wine making under the tutelage of French native Katell Griaud who has previously worked for Kluge Estate and then Trump Winery.
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Proof is always in the pudding—-or the wine glass in this case, and after our tasting, I concluded that the new course taken by Casanel Vineyards and Winery has produced excellent results. All seven of the premiere wines that we tasted were clean and well crafted. My particular favorites included the 2014 Ellianna, a crisp Pinot Gris that was fermented and aged in stainless steel tanks. It’s soft peach notes and subtle mineral element made for a refreshing pour that seemed perfect for enjoyment on a warm day. I also gave two thumbs up for the 2014 Chardonnay which is a blend of three styles—-stainless steel, neutral French oak barrels, and new French oak barrels. Pear and citrus elements prevailed with an acidic mid palate and toasty finish that suggested a food-friendly wine. In fact, I served this one with crab cakes and roasted summer squash at a recent dinner party! The 2013 Petit Verdot earned my nod for favorite red wine; this too was the product of a blend of wines aged in neutral and newer French oak barrels. An initial licorice note was then followed by aromas and flavors of dark currants and plum; a lingering finish made for a more complex wine. An extra treat was a taste of the smoky 2013 Carmenere with its fruit forward palate and whiffs of violet and tobacco on the nose. This is a limited production wine and available only to the wine club members.
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Enhancing the tasting experience was a portfolio that presented each wine being tasted; in addition to descriptions of each varietal, technical details such as harvest date and ph levels are included. This encourages the customer to develop a conversation with the tasting associate about the wines; of course, we always ask questions, and the portfolio provided us with a wealth of information about the wines that we tasted.
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After our tasting, we lingered for a while in the new tasting room and enjoyed a glass of the 2014 Ellianna. We took in the gorgeous vineyard landscapes while sipping and nibbling on cheese and baguette. We know that we will return to Casanel Vineyards and Winery soon. Plan your own visit to Casanel Vineyards and Winery and be sure to mention that Virginia Wine Time sent you.

Women and Wine: Annette Boyd

The Virginia wine industry has taken off in leaps and bounds due to better winemaking—no one disputes this claim. However, another reason why Virginia wines are finally on the international radar has to do with effective marketing. In the past several years, the Virginia Wine Board Marketing Office has taken on the challenges of presenting Virginia wines to international markets including the royals of England; more recently, it planned the successful 2011 Wine Bloggers Conference held in Charlottesville. The mastermind behind these operations is Annette Boyd, director of the Virginia Wine Board Marketing Office. Annette deserves as much notice as any winemaker in Virginia for catapulting the industry to the heights that it enjoys today. Without further fanfare, meet this month’s Women and Wine feature, Annette Boyd. Click on the Women and Wine tab to read her answers.

Women and Wine: Emily Pelton

We continue with our Women and Wine series with a spotlight on Emily Pelton. Emily and her father, Andrew Hodson, are winemakers at Veritas Vineyards and Winery. Veritas Vineyards and Winery opened in the summer of 2002. Visitors are always impressed with the estate’s lovely grounds and facilities; however, it is the wines that impress judges and critics. In fact, the Veritas 2010 Vintner’s Reserve Meritage Blend won a gold medal at the 2012 Virginia Governor’s Cup. Click on the Women and Wine tab to read her answers.

Women and Wine: Jen Breaux Blosser

Jen Breaux Blosser is General Manager of Sales, Marketing and Hospitality at Breaux Vineyards. She is also a very familiar face to Virginia wine lovers. Jen is a visible face in the tasting room at Breaux Vineyards, and she constantly interacts with wine lovers on Facebook and Twitter. Her energy and passion for Virginia wine is limitless. When Jen is not at the helm of a winery that has earned numerous national and international awards, she is also a mom to three boys. We’re so pleased she agreed to answer some questions for us. Click on the Women and Wine tab to read her answers. Thanks Jen!

Also check this out:

Wine critic Dave McIntyre’s article in Tuesday’s Washing Post is a must read for wine lovers. The article features chef Peter Chang and his decision to pour Virginia wines at the James Beard House in Manhattan to celebrate Monday’s start of the Year of the Dragon. Winemaker Andy Reagan will undertake the task of pairing Chang’s spicy cuisine with Virginia wines. NcIntyre then reports on a New Year’s dinner that he hosted at Peter Chang’s Charlottesville restaurant, China Grill, and invited several Virginia winemakers to attend. The purpose? To test Andy Reagan’s wine pairings with Chang’s menu. The results? Read the article to find out!