We visited Chester Gap Cellars more than a year ago, and we decided that it was time to find out about the new wines at Chester Gap. Chester Gap is the northern most vineyard in Rappahannock County with beautiful views of the Blue Ridge mountains. In the process, we were able to catch up with Bernd Jung, owner of Chester Gap Cellars.

Bernd has plans to build a tasting room right near the vineyards but for the time being he is tasting his wines on the patio just outside his barrel room. He’s got tables set up and often on weekends he has a tent set up for the comfort of his visitors.

We began our tasting with the the 2005 Viognier. Lush fruity aromas will make this one an instant hit; blended with a small amount of Petit Manseng, grapefruit characteristics shine in the mouth. Nice with seafood but lovely on its own, this Viognier is excellent. Our next sample was the 2005 Rose which is a blend of 64% merlot, 31% Cabernet Franc, and 5% Viognier. Next up was the 2004 and the 2005 Merlot. Warren favored the 2005 Merlot with its cherry notes and spicy finish. We then finished our tasting with the 2005 Cabernet Franc which is actually a combination of 92% Cabernet Franc, 4% Merlot and 4% Petit Verdot. Lots of bright berries here with pepper/spice evident—a food friendly wine that would complement beef or pasta dishes.

As we concluded our tasting, we decided to enjoy a glass of the 2004 Merlot. Paul is a big merlot fan and found this one to be quite enjoyable. He noticed lots of dark cherry with hints of caramel and coffee. It had a beautiful amethyst color and smooth finish. We were also able to gaze upon lovely mountain scenery that decorated a gorgeous spring afternoon.

We always enjoy talking with Bernd. Though a relative newcomer to the Virginia wine industry, Bernd has extensive experience as a winemaker. This expertise was evident to us as we sampled nothing but top-quality wines.. Before leaving the beautiful scenery of the Blue Ridge Mountains, we secured one bottle each of the 2005 Rose, the 2005 Viognier, the 2005 Cabernet Franc, and the 2004 Merlot. We plan to return to Chester Gap in the near future to sample new releases and to chat with Bernd. If you happen to find yourself at Chester Gap, be sure to tell Bernd that we said hello and tell him you read about Chester Gap Cellars on Virginia Wine Time.