Tag: Gray Ghost Vineyards

Corks and Cheese at Gray Ghost

/ Paul / 2 Comments

On Saturday we attended the Christmas Cork and Cheese Celebration at Gray Ghost Vineyards. This event is their kick off to the holiday season.

We began with a tasting of the current wines on the tasting list. We love them all but the 2017 Chardonnay and the Ranger Reserve were among our favorites. We were given the Christmas glass for our tasting. This year the design is a castle, which is also the cork art that Al Kellert created for the event. One part of the event is guessing how many corks Al used to create the piece of art. We guess every year but never come close.

After our tasting we picked up our plate of cheese, crackers and bread and our glass of wine. While enjoying the cheeses, we looked at all the cork art and determined our guess for the year.

As usual, this is a very well attended event. We always enjoy ourselves. We purchased a few of our favorites before leaving. If you haven’t attended an event at Gray Ghost, you should think about putting one on your calendar. They have events all year long. And when you do attend one, tell them Virginia Wine Time sent you!

Wacky Winter Weather Doesn’t Stop Bloggers!

/ Warren / Leave a comment

Wintry mixes, gale force winds, and wild temperatures have not deterred us from hitting the wine trails in 2018. In recent weekends, we visited Tarara Winery, Gray Ghost Vineyards, and Rappahanock Cellars; along the way, we met up with fellow bloggers Kurt and Carol of Wine About Virginia and supreme oenophile/good friend Susan McHenry.

Our trip to Tarara Winery was threatened by a winter advisory that was issued for later in the afternoon. However, we decided to go with the intent to get their early and then leave early before the winter weather arrived. Danielle, our wine educator, gave us an expert tasting of winemaker Jordan Harris’ excellent wines. Of the white wines, the 2015 Viognier and the 2013 Neveah White were my favorites. The Viognier presented floral aromas with notes of tropical fruit and honey. On the palate, I noted tropical fruit with a nice, round mouth feel. The Neveah White is a blend of Chardonnay and Viognier; it displayed ripe pear and pineapple characteristics with a touch of oak on the finish. Favorite red wines included the 2015 Long Bomb 9, a red blend led by Cabernet Sauvignon followed by Merlot, Syrah and Tannat. Notes of tobacco, clover, blackberry and anise gave way to a fruity palate with pepper on the finish; it was also a bit “chewy”. I’d recommend decanting before serving. The 2012 Neveah Red was a juicy treat with elements of blackberry, currants, tobacco and cedar. Oh—-the wintry mix? In keeping with the fickle winter that has been 2018, it never materialized.

However, our winter hurricane did strike the area, and many wineries were closed due to power outages. Gray Ghost Vineyards was able to operate thanks to a generator, so we were able to attend their annual barrel tasting. Here we met bloggers Kurt and Carol Jensen and dear friend Susan McHenry. Group favorites were the 2016 Petit Verdot and the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon. I was also a fan of the lighter-bodied and fruity 2017 Cabernet Franc that was still in the barrel but oh so ready to enjoy. From Gray Ghost Vineyards we made our way to Rappahanock Cellars. Rappahanock Cellars has added sparkling wines to their lineup of quality wines, and I enjoyed the Sparkling Rose with its strawberry flavors and bright acidity. The dry Rose Reserve and the 2015 Cabernet Franc were other standouts; however, at the end of our tasting, the group was in the mood for Chardonnay, and the 2015 Chardonnay did not disappoint. Pear flavors with a rich mouth feel and an oak kiss paired well with the platter of cheeses that we ordered to finish the wonderful (and less windy) afternoon.

Spring is around the corner, and the finicky winter of 2018 will be history. Plan to visit these wineries as we transition to warmer days and spring landscapes colored with fragrant blossoms. Of course, mention that Virginia Wine Time sent you.

Gray Ghost Vineyards

/ Paul / Leave a comment

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!

Black Friday Shopping

/ Paul / 2 Comments

Instead of fighting the crowds at the mall on Black Friday, we decided to do our shopping at some wineries. We decided to head to two of our favorites, Gray Ghost Vineyards and Gadino Cellars.
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It’s become somewhat of a tradition to go to Gray Ghost Vineyards the day after Thanksgiving. Warren’s parents visit for Thanksgiving each year. His mother makes Al a pecan pie and we take it to him the day after Thanksgiving. During this visit we did just that. Al always enjoys the pie and we enjoy catching up with the Kellerts. Al even did our tasting!
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We always enjoy all of the wines at Gray Ghost but this time we were there to taste the newly released 2014 Petit Verdot. It was the released the day before Thanksgiving. I’m a huge fan of Petit Verdot and Gray Ghost’s is one of my favorite. We noted blackberry, dark currents and blueberries as well as a lengthy finish. We think this vintage will stand up to aging and maybe could even use a little time before enjoying it. Do what I did and get a case so that you can enjoy the changes over time.
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After our tasting we enjoyed some lunch nibbles with the 2014 Reserve Chardonnay, another of our favorites. I opted for a glass of the Petit Verdot as well, you know, for research and note taking. Before leaving we purchased our favorites and promised to return December 3rd or 4th for the Christmas Cork and Cheese Celebration. We always enjoy our time at Gray Ghost. And we always encourage our readers to give them a visit sometime.

Our second stop on our Black Friday shopping was Gadino Cellars. After a time since our last visit, it’s always nice to see Stephanie when we walk in the tasting room. We
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Stephanie conducted our tasting. One of our favorite whites on the menu was the 2014 Petit Manseng. We noted the bright pineapple and citrus palate and the dry style. Another favorite was the 2013 Chardonnay. Warren noted the granny smith apple and the creamy finish. The favorite red on the menu was the 2013 Delfino Rosso. This is a blend of cab franc, petit verdot, and cab sauv. We noted blackberry, cherry, anise, and fruit through the palate. Warren noted some vanilla on the finish. I noted the smooth ending. I quickly decided I needed to bring some of this home.
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After our tasting I enjoyed a glass of the Delfino Rosso and Warren enjoyed the Chardonnay on the deck while we watched the sun lower in the sky. The view was gorgeous. Before leaving we purchased our favorites and said our goodbyes. We had a great time shopping on Black Friday! We hope you’ll check out the wines at Gray Ghost Vineyards and Gadino Cellars soon! And tell them Virginia Wine Time sent you!

Winery Happenings

/ Warren / Leave a comment

As 2015 comes to a close, I wanted to catch up on a couple of celebratory events that occurred at local wineries in the past couple of months. In early November, Old Westminster hosted a “vine” cutting event to celebrate the official opening of its new tasting room; later in the month, Gray Ghost Vineyards held a gala to toast the release of its gold-medal winning 2012 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon.

Paul and I try to frequent Maryland wineries when the calendar allows us to do so. One Maryland winery that is always on our must visit list is Old Westminster. We’ve written about this winery in the past and always with glowing remarks. On November 5, Old Westminster cut the vines to open a new tasting room to accommodate the growing crowds that visit the winery. Mother Nature provided a crisp fall afternoon for the ceremony that opened with remarks from Kevin Atticks, executive director of the Maryland Wineries Association. Al Spoler, host of the radio program Cellarnotes, continued the accolades first offered by Kevin Atticks. Finally, Drew Baker, vineyard manager and spokesperson for the Baker family, took to the podium to extol the virtues of value added farming and its future in Carroll County, Maryland; he also thanked sister Lisa for her expert winemaking. Drew also acknowledged that the success of Old Westminster was due to a family effort to craft wines in a state that is just appearing on the radar as one that can indeed produce quality wines.
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The Baker family and other guests then cut the “vine” to officially open the tasting room. Guests were then treated to a buffet lunch paired with the winery’s Greenstone, a blend of Viognier and Sauvignon Blanc, and Revelry, a red wine blend.

Gray Ghost Vineyards’ fans were excited to celebrate the gala release of the winery’s 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve. A reserve cabernet was not produced in 2011 because Cheryl and Al Kellert, owners and winemakers at Gray Ghost, did not feel that the 2011 vintage met the standard for a reserve wine. However, the 2012 vintage was a different story, and the Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon has already taken a gold medal at a California wine competition. The gala proved to be an wonderful evening with lovely fall table settings providing an elegant atmosphere for the event. Heavy hor d’oeuvres and decadent chocolates paired well with the complex Cabernet Sauvignon and its notes of dark cherry and plum. Silk tannins presented a wine that can be enjoyed now but will be appreciated more if aged for a few years.
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Plan a visit to these local wineries and sample their award-winning wines. Purchase their wines to serve over the holidays or to give as gifts. Please mention that Virginia Wine Time sent you.

Black Friday Shopping

/ Paul / Leave a comment

Warren’s parents came in town last weekend to enjoy the Thanksgiving weekend with us. We had a great Thanksgiving day with some wonderful wines. On Black Friday we decided to do some shopping like half of the United States. We visited Gray Ghost Vineyards and Gadino Cellars.
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Our first stop was Gray Ghost Vineyards. As long time readers know, Gray Ghost is one of our absolute favorites. We always get a warm greeting when we enter the tasting room. Every year Warren’s mother brings Al Kellert a pecan pie and this year was no different. Al was very happy to see that pie in her hands.
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After catching up with Amy and Al and Cheryl, we did a tasting of the current line up of wines. We love all the wines at Gray Ghost but of course there are always stand out wines. In my opinion the 2014 Chardonnay is one of the best. It presents tropical flavors with creamy notes and subtle oak notes. My favorite red is the 2013 Ranger Reserve. This is a true Bordeaux blend. I noted lots of dark fruit and coffee notes. The tannins were smooth and nimble. I thought of big red meats and some hard cheeses. I wanted a small chunk of dark chocolate to enjoy with this one. The Petit Verdot was not on the regular tasting but it was another stellar wine.
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After our tasting we enjoyed some lunch nibbles with a bottle of the Ranger Reserve which we thoroughly enjoyed and paired well with our lunch items. Before leaving we purchased our favorites and picked up a case for Warren’s parents. We said our goodbyes knowing we’d be returning in one week for the Holiday Open House on December 5th and 6th.
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Our second stop was Gadino Cellars. We hadn’t been there in a very long time. We began our tasting and then Stephanie entered the tasting room. We always enjoy talking wine with Stephanie. She told us how the 2015 harvest was and what upcoming wines we might want to check out. Gadino is another winery where we enjoy all the wines on the tasting menu. Of course we have our favorites as well. We all really enjoyed the 2014 Pinot Grigio. Light and crisp and reminded us of warm Spring afternoons. We were all also big fans of the 2012 Cabernet Franc Riserva. We noted lots of cherry, spice, and pepper. A classic cab franc from Virginia. After our tasting we each enjoyed a glass of the cab franc on the deck while taking in the last moments of the sunny Friday afternoon.
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What a great way to spend our Black Friday! If you haven’t been to Gray Ghost Vineyards or Gadino Cellars in awhile, plan a trip soon. And when you visit, tell them Virginia Wine Time sent you!
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