Tag: Jefferson Vineyards

Celebration and Summer Favorites

/ Warren / Leave a comment

In the next two posts, I will conclude a wrap up of wineries that we visited while celebrating our marriage which took place in February. Since we were in the Monticello area in June, our focus was find summer-appropriate wines; of course, we kept an eye out for wines that could be poured during cooler weather or those we thought were aging in the cellar.

Barboursville Vineyards: We always plan to stop here for a tasting; however, we always put a visit here at the top of our itinerary for the day to avoid the crowds in the tasting room. As a result, we always enjoy our tasting experience and get to ask the pesky questions that we always ask. Anyway, a mix of warm weather and light fare requires fruity, crisper wines and the Chardonnay 2014 that is cold fermented in stainless steel gets the nod here. However, I appreciated the more complex Vermentino Reserve 2013 with its notes of lemon/lime, mango, and hay as well as the Viognier Reserve 2013 with its floral aromas and tropical fruit palate. Both of these reserve wines should partner well with poultry, pork, or shellfish. I did purchase a bottle of the Nebbiolo Reserve to rest a bit on the wine rack. Lovely aromatics of violet, tobacco and plum were noted; it’s still young, so I’d advise aging for a bit or decanting to those who are more impatient!
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Cardinal Point Vineyard and Winery: We were greeted by Sarah Gorman who invited to taste the latest releases in the tasting room. The 2014 Green seems destined to please in the midst of any heat wave; it is a mix of 50% Petit Manning and 50% Chardonnay. However, this is not a blend; rather, these are co-fermented. The result is a crisp wine that presents elements of lime, apple and pear. For those who enjoy vino verde wines, this one should be a pleaser. Spicy stir fry dishes or grilled poultry topped with a tangy sauce might pair better with the 2013 Quattro, a sweeter pour that is a blend of Riesling, Gewurztraminer, Viognier, and Traminette. It boasts a residual sugar level of 2 % along with a lovely floral nose and a fruity palate. Burgers or barbecued ribs on the grill? The 2014 Rockfish Red with its ripe cherry flavors and subtle spicy note would be the perfect partner; it is made from Cabernet Franc grape—-enjoy now!
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Jefferson Vineyards: The Chardonnay 2014 was my pick for favorite summer sipper; fermented in stainless steel, it presented apple and soft peach notes as well as a refreshing acidity. Paul preferred the Rose 2014 and its palate of strawberry and melon; he envisioned a Wolftrap concert with this one, so a bottle of it made its way home. For fall or winter fare, we both thought that the Petit Verdot 2013 deserved a space on the wine rack. Its smoky nose and aromas of plum and leather gave way to flavors of plum and dark berries. I also caught a trace of mineral toward the end.
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And I’m not done yet—-more wines to recommend! In my final wrap up, I will include a visit to the new Gabriele Rausse tasting room, special barrel tastings from winemaker Stephen Barnard, and favorites from King Family. Stay tuned——in the meantime, visit the wineries reviewed in this post, and mention that Virginia Wine Time sent you!

Birthday Wines

/ Paul / 3 Comments

Warren turned 50 on Sunday! Happy birthday, Warren! On Saturday evening we had some friends meet us at Al Dente restaurant for dinner to celebrate. One reason we enjoy Al Dente is because they have a pretty good Virginia wine list. For dinner we selected a bottle of the Petit Verdot NV from Jefferson Vineyards and a bottle of the 2007 Nebbiolo from Breaux Vineyards. Everyone enjoyed the wines and thought they paired well with their meals. After an informal survey of the wines, the 2007 Nebbiolo from Breaux Vineyards was the favorite wine.
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After our delicious dinner we went back to Warren’s house for some cake and ice cream. We toasted the birthday boy with the Brut from Thibaut-Janisson. It seemed like the bubbles never quit! We love the Brut! Warren enjoyed his birthday very much as well as all the wines we celebrated with! Of course we’ll do this again in a few months when I turn 50!
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Jefferson Vineyards Celebrates Jefferson’s B’day

/ Warren / Leave a comment

And what better way to celebrate the Founding Father of Virginia wine’s birthday than tasting the exquisite Meritage blends at Jefferson Vineyards. Winemaker Andy Reagan hosted this event; of course, we had a great time.

The oldest wine poured at this event was the 2002 Meritage; the youngest, the still evolving 2010 Meritage. We attended last year’s Meritage tasting, and as I recall my favorite was the 2007 Meritage that was a blend of Cabernet Franc (39%), Merlot (26%), Cabernet Sauvignon (18%) and Petit Verdot (17%). This year’s favorite? The complex 2007 Meritage! Brambleberry characteristics with earthy nuances and a smooth finish made for a wine that can still get better with age. Paul’s own fave was the 2004 Meritage. No surprise here—Merlot comprises 70% of the blend, and Paul is a Merlot addict. Cabernet Franc (20%), Cabernet Sauvignon (7%) and Malbec (3%) completed the mix. Paul noted cherry flavors and a whiff of dried herbs.

Andy also offered samples of his Meritage Reserve wines. These are his special blends. One reserve was a blend of the 07, 08, 09 vintages; the other, a mix of the 08, 09 and 10 vintages. Each vintage was aged separately in new French oak puncheons for 48 months, 36 months and 24 months respectively. Of these, my preference was the first blend—dark fruit elements with aromas of sweet tobacco suggested a complex, heavy pour. Meat and cigars are mandatory partners with this one!

The tasting stations offered foods to pair with each Meritage. Grilled beef, duck, and an assortment of cheeses added to the tasting experience. Of course, Paul gravitated to the sliced duck breast, but he does enjoy duck with complex wines. Now if only he would eat asparagus!

Other distinguished guests included the dynamic duo who write Swirl, Sip, Snark. We enjoyed comparing notes and chatting about wine. Andy was a generous host who answered all of our questions and engaged us in all sorts of banter. Of course, we wondered when Paul would stop eating all of the duck!

Be sure to pay Andy Reagan a visit at Jefferson Vineyards, and mention that Virginia Wine Time sent you.

Finding Some Favorites

/ Paul / Leave a comment

After our stop at Trump Winery on Veterans Day weekend, we visited two more of our Charlottesville favorites, Blenheim Vineyards and Jefferson Vineyards.

At Blenheim they only had five wines to taste because of great sales lately. Of those we tasted, we really enjoyed the 2010 Chardonnay and the 2010 Cabernet Franc. The 2010 Chardonnay presented notes of pear and melon and had a crisp, refreshing ending. This one is 38% Chardonnay that is aged for five months in French and Hungarian barrels. The 2010 Cabernet Franc had a candy fruit nose and presented notes of dry herb, toffee, and a pepper end.

Towards the end of our tasting, Kirsty Harmon joined in and told us how challenging the 2011 season was for Blenheim. The amount of rain they got at the end of the season made it a difficult harvest. However, Kirsty is confident they’ll have some nice wines when they are released later this year. Kirsty also gave us a sample of the yet to be released 2010 Petit Verdot. I love Petit Verdots and this one promises to be just as nice as the 2009. After our chat with Kirsty we enjoyed a glass of the 2010 Chardonnay on the balcony. The views were beautiful with the fall colors coming to an end.

After our stop at Blenheim, we headed over to Jefferson Vineyards. We hadn’t been there since the bloggers conference in July. Unfortunately Andy Reagan wasn’t there. However, Allison, who we met at the bloggers conference was and she conducted our tasting. We always enjoy the wines at Jefferson.

From the tasting menu our favorites were the 2010 Chardonnay Reserve 2010.This is Warren’s kind of chardonnay. It presents notes of pear, apple and honey with just enough of an oak presence to stand up to food. This one always makes us think of a creamy pasta dish. Our other favorite was the 2008 Meritage. We noted dark fruit, herbs, cassis, and a smooth ending. As with other vintages of Jefferson Meritages, we think of thick filets. What a nice compliment a big piece of meat.

After our tasting I enjoyed a glass of the 2010 Chardonnay and Warren enjoyed a glass of the Chardonnay Reserve 2010. The fall colors and crisp afternoon went very well with the wines.

On your next trip to Charlottesville be sure to plan a visit to Blenheim Vineyards and Jefferson Vineyards. And be sure to tell them Virginia Wine Time sent you!

Gathering at Jefferson Vineyards

/ Paul / Leave a comment

One of our last events (unofficial) from the Wine Bloggers Conference was to attend a small gathering of bloggers at Jefferson Vineyards. Andy Reagan explained his reason for an after conference gathering on Frank Morgan’s Drink What You Like blog:

“One of the main reasons I hosted the post conference gathering was to get some real time with individual bloggers and try to get my message across, and talk about Jefferson wines, where they’re at, the foods they need to be paired with, etc. before there is an opinion written.”

We spent a few hours socializing with other bloggers, talking with Andy about his wines, and enjoying tastings of some of this wines. We were able to taste the 2007 Viognier, 2010 Vigonier, 2007 Chardonnay Reserve, 2010 Pinot Gris, 2001 Cabernet Sauvignon, 2007 Reserve Cabernet Franc, and the 2007 Meritage. This wasn’t a time for us to review the wines so we just enjoyed what we tasted and didn’t take any notes. I will say though, that I really enjoyed the 2010 Pinot Gris. It was a hot day and this wine helped ease the heat.

Here are some photos from the event. A big thanks to Andy for inviting us and sharing his food and wine with us that afternoon. It was a great way to end the conference.

Meritage Vertical

/ Warren / 3 Comments

On April 13 2011 , third president and wine visionary Thomas Jefferson would have turned 268 years old; fittingly, Jefferson Vineyards remembered the event on April 16 with a Meritage Vertical Tasting. On display for tasting were Meritage blends from 2002 to 2009; of course, Virginia Wine Time was there swirl and sip!

Winemaker Andy Reagan greeted us in the refitted barrel room where the tasting was held. This facility is located across from the tasting room, and it now includes a fireplace with comfy sofas and bar space. Barrels continue to share some of the space to create a hip environment for tasters to enjoy these kinds of events. In keeping with this informal vibe, Regan wisely planned a decontructed tasting which allowed guests to visit different bar stations to sample Meritage vintages while noshing food pairings appropriate for each vintage. The result was an unpretentious evening of well-crafted wines, excellent food and great company!

Station #1 featured the 2004 and 2006 Meritage partnered with ham biscuits. Paul and I both favored the earthy 2004 Meritage with its mixed berry and dried herb elements. I found it to be elegant yet rustic enough to enjoy with the salty ham. Station #2 featured the 2005 and developing 2009 vintages, and these were paired with seared duck breast. Paul favored the rich 2005 Meritage blend with its amoras of dark fruit and spice. While I also enjoyed this one, I recognized the potential in the 2009 Meritage. Both the 2005 and 2009 vintages were products of hot, dry summers, and I suspect that the 2009 vintage will be a blockbuster wine. It was already rich with dark plum and cherry fruit complimented by earthy notes that will create a complex pour. Of course, this one is still in the barrel, but I expect that Reagan will earn several medals with this one.

So on to Station #3 where we sampled the 2008 and 2007 Meritage blends. Unlike the Merlot- based blends that dominated the Meritages at Stations #1 and #2, these featured Cabernet Franc in the starring role. This was a coin flip for me; however, I reached a more nuanced conclusion. Both were excellent, but the 2008 Meritage is more accessible and could be enjoyed now. If cellaring is the goal, then opt for the 2007 Meritage, the product of a stellar growing season with extreme drought conditions, reduced yields, but more concentrated flavors (sounds like 2010?). Complex fruit with earthy elements of tobacco and cedar made for a rich, bold wine that should age quite well. (I made a note to take home a bottle each of the 2007 and 2008.) Oh, and these were partnered with a sliced beef tenderloin—quite divine!

The tasting ended back in the tasting room with a sip of the 2002 Meritage and the blockbuster blend of Meritage 7.8.9 crafted by Reagan from a blend of the 2007, 2008, and 2009 Meritage vintages. The 2002 vintage was produced from yet another stellar growing season; dried fruit, licorice and tobacco characteristics prevailed here. The latter blend will be BOLD—wait for the release in April 2012 but anticipate the need to either decant or age. Of course, take my course of action and buy two bottles—decant one bottle to serve upon purchase and save the other for a future occassion. These were paired with strong cheeses and dried fruit.

As always, these events seem to fly by very quickly, and we were able to join this tasting with Frank Morgan of Drink What You Like and the dynamic duo who write Sip Swirl Snark after the tasting. Andy gave us a preview tasting of the 2010 Viognier. Amazing! We can’t wait for the release! It might even rival the 2007! Andy was a gracious host and spent much time with us to present the vintages as they were poured. We always have a great time with our fellow wine bloggers and Andy and his crew. We could not think of a better way to celebrate the birthday of Thomas Jefferson, and he would be quite proud of the Meritage blends poured in his honor at Jefferson Vineyards.  Plan a trip to Jefferson Vineyards, and mention that Virginia Wine Time sent you!