After our recent visit to Naked Mountain, we went to Fox Meadow to enjoy a wine tasting and to participate in their Ravishing Red Days of Winter event.
Our tasting associate, Bob, guided us through a tasting of wines at Fox Meadow. We began with the 2005 Pinot Grigio, a bronze medal winner at the Atlantic Seaboard Wine Competition, and we understood why this well-crafted wine has won accolades. Produced in the classic Alsatian style, the 2005 Pinot Grigio was crisp with lots of citrus and mineral characteristics. Notice the past tense in that sentence—the 2005 Pinot Grigio, though available for tasting, has sold out! We’ll check back in April for the release of the 2006 Pinot Grigio. However, the 2005 Chardonnay is still available, and do buy this one now! This is a fuller-bodied white wine that exhibits obvious oak treatment on the nose; however, it delivers lots of fruit in the mouth with a warm, toasty finish. Smells like California, but tastes like France—what more can you hope for?
Next up were the reds, and both reds were actually produced and bottled by Horton Vineyards. The 2004 Syrah packed lots of berry flavors with a bit of licorice; tannat added color and body to a wine that would pair quite well with lamb. The favorite, however, was the 2002 Cabernet Franc. This one seemed aged to perfection with the lovely red berries and spiciness that define this varietal. Most winter fare that include roasted meats, stews, or red sauces would pair nicely with the 2002 Cabernet Franc; we revisited this treat after our Merlot tasting!
As we finished our tasting, the clock struck 3 o-clock, and it was time for us to participate in the Ravishing Red Days of Winter. The purpose of this event was to taste the 2005 Merlot and to join in the selection of a blend that will eventually make it into the botttle.
We were guided by one of the owners, Dan, to the cellar to begin our tasting. The taste-off ended up being quite a challenge, because we had to classify the four glasses of wine presented to us as either: 100% Merlot; 90% Merlot/ 10% Cabernet Franc; 80% Merlot/ 20% cabernet Franc, or 90% Merlot/ 10% Tannat. A caveat should be presented here—Dan informed us that regardless of our vote, the winemaker, Tom Payette, would make the final decision. Needless to say, the pressure was on! Well, not really—each option was yummy, and we simply had to choose the yummiest option. (We’ve been watching to much Rachel Ray!)
As we went through the tasting, individual taste buds asserted themselves. Warren, a full-blown carnivore, enjoyed the heavier tannat blend; however, Paul thought the 80% merlot/20% cabernet franc blend was a crowd pleaser. After our votes, Dan told us which glass was which blend. We both picked the tannat blend from the crowd, but we were slightly off on the other blends. Which blend will the winemaker ultimately select? Stay tuned, because that decision will be made within the next few weeks.
We ended our day at Fox Meadow by enjoying a bottle of the Cabernet Franc, we met Terri, a wine enthusiast who joined us at the cellar tasting. We enjoyed the 2002 Cabernet Franc with spicy cheese, herbed sausage and garlic crackers—what a nice way to end the day! Please visit Fox Meadow, and be sure to tell them that Virginia Wine Time sent you.