Membership at Prince Michel‘s wine club has its benefits, and we took advantage of this by attending the recent barrel tasting exclusive to club members. In the process, we also met winemaker Brad Hanson. Barrel tasting provides a sneak preview of future wines, and we were eager to sample away!

We joined Brad Hansen, the winemaker, in the private tasting room located in the lower level of the tasting facility. The private tasting room is both practical and elegant. Murals depicting French rural life lined the walls. Heavy furnishings that would have been at home in a French chateau and dim lighting completed the sense of country elegance. As we secured our glasses and plates of cheeses, olives, and crackers, Brad opened the tasting with a brief history of Prince Michel Vineyard and Winery. Not surprisingly, the original owners were from France; the current owners purchased the facility and it’s vineyards in 2005. Since then, Prince Michel has adapted its vineyards located predominantly in Charlottesville; these vineyards are better situated to produce high-quality fruit, and the results are evident in Prince Michel’s award winning wines. Prince Michel currently produces 40,000 cases of wine each year.

Though this event was a barrle tasting, we actually began with the already bottled Petit Manseng. This is a new member to Prince Michel’s wine portfolio, and this first attempt was quite pleasant. Done in a dry style, the 2006 Petit Manseng presents a citrus bouquet with grapefruit and lemon flavors in the mouth. This would be rather nice with shellfish and salads. Warren placed a star next to this one and will anxiously await its release!

Now on to the barrel tasting. The one fact to remember at barrel tastings is that the wines are being tasted in their earliest stages and will not be bottle-ready. As Brad grabbed the wine thief, we moved over to the Chardonnay barrel that will become the 2006 Barrel Select Chardonnay. This had been in the barrel for only six months and thus well short of its two year process in the barrel. Oak dominated here with faint apple flavors. It was obvious that this will be a full-bodied white wine, and the fruit will develop over time as the oak resolves itself into the buttery/nutty characteristics associated with a full-bodied Chardonnay.

Next up was a Syrah. Of the wines we barrel sampled, this one was the most developed. It possessed earthy/plummy notes and provided a lingering finish. Some spice was noticed too as is characteristic of Syrah. Brad revealed that the Syrah will be blended with a small amount of Merlot to provide complexity. This one will be bottled after the summer months.

The final wine we tasted was a Cabernet Sauvignon. Tannins dominated here with peppery overtones. As we swirled it around a bit, there were some hints that dark fruit flavors were beginning to emerge, and we concluded that the tannins will begin to soften over time. Brad shared with us that this Cabernet Sauvignon will be used for blending with the Symbius, a Bourdeaux-style red that is blended with Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Petit Verdot.

With our session completed, we decided to enjoy a glass of the 2004 Barrel Select Chardonnay from the tasting bar. The expansive tasting room includes tables with checker boards, and we played a few games of checkers as we debated which wines to purchase. (A bottle of the 2004 Cabernet Franc and the 2005 Chardonnay now have new homes!) Please visit Prince Michel, and be sure to mention that Virginia Wine Time sent you.