Tag: King Family Vineyards

Solstice Paired With Virginia Wines

/ Warren / 1 Comment

Buy Alprazolam Pills Paul and I made our annual summer trek to the Charlottesville area, and this year it coincided with summer solstice, the official start of the summer season. These longer days allowed us to enjoy late dinners and wine on the porch at our favorite Stay cottage located on the Afton Mountain Vineyards property. In this post, I offer a review of favored wine varieties, blends, and sparkling wines that we sampled from various wineries in the Charlottesville area. Notice a special focus on summer wines since stocking up on these was our mission; however, any wine can be enjoyed in all seasons, and we do note some wines that some may find to be more appropriate for cooler weather.

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White Wines/Rose/ White Blends/Sparkling:
Albarino: Pay attention to this grape in Virginia because it shows promise. Afton Mountain’s 2021 release features classic citrus notes and a leaner palate. A different twist will be offered by Jake Bushing’s 2021 Albarino that saw some time in oak barrels and thus presents a fuller-bodied palate.

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Chardonnay: Always my favorite. Full-bodied treatments of this grape can be enjoyed at Septenary (2019), King Family Vineyards (2020) and Hazy Mountain (2019). Sippers who prefer a medium to lighter-bodied style may want to consider the releases from Pollak (2019) and Keswick (LVA 2021).

Sauvignon Blanc: This is another grape that has potential in Virginia. The 2021 offering from Septenary captures classic notes of boxwood and citrus with a refreshing acidity. Similar characteristics were noted in the current 2021 release from Jake Busching Wines. Sauvignon Blanc is also the key component in two white blends from Blenheim Vineyards. 2020 On The Line also includes Rkatsiteli, Chardonnay, and Petit Manseng while the 2018 Painted White incorporates Chardonnay and Petit Manseng. I will add that these two blends convinced me that Petit Manseng with its tropical fruit notes, acidity and texture brings much more to the table (or the bottle) as a blender than a stand alone.

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https://oevenezolano.org/2024/08/bqrtqrdcd3g Rose: Dry rose for us, please. Thankfully, Virginia wineries can deliver here too. We can recommend current releases now offered at Blenheim Vineyards (2020) King Family Vineyards (2021), Hark Vineyards (2021) and Septenary (2020). While rose conjures images of beaches or picnics, be sure to have Rose on hand for all seasons—-rose is versatile and can pair with almost anything.

https://sugandhmalhotra.com/2024/08/07/u6age0g0 Sparkling Wine: Any occasion or no occasion at all calls for sparkling wine. Try the 2018 Brut from King Family Vineyards produced from 100% Chardonnay, the Sparkling Amelie Blanc de Noir from Keswick Vineyards and/or the Sparkling Rose from Septenary.

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Vidal Blanc: Once a driver at most Virginia wineries, Vidal Blanc seems be less common these days. Fortunately, the 2020 Virginia Verde from Hark Vineyards keeps Vidal Blanc alive, and it screams summer.

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Red Wines: Cabernet Franc: This is probably the one red wine that is another all season gift. Enjoy it with light grilled fare in summer or with Thanksgiving turkey in the fall. I tend to prefer lighter style Cabernet Franc that presents juicy red berries with little interference from extensive use of oak or blends with other varieties. Blenheim’s 2020 release fits that bill. Pollak Vineyards’ 2019 bottling sees a bit more time on oak with a noted presence of black pepper; however, it too can be served on its own or with food. Septenary’s Cloverplains 2017 is a blend that leads with Cabernet France but includes Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Petit Verdot. Bright seed berries, sweet tobacco and subtle black pepper nuances offers a complex wine that can be enjoyed now or later.

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Petit Verdot: This is another winning grape for Virginia. However, there are those who prefer this one on its own, while others would rather enjoy it as part of a blend. (Review my Petit Manseng comment). The 2018 vintage from Pollak Vineyards was surprisingly juicy and rich given the rather wet 2018 growing season. Hark Vineyards’ 2017 release is dark and brooding—-decant now or hold for a bit longer. Don’t ignore the 2019 vintage from DuCard Vineyards, especially if you are tracking down the gold medal winners from 2022 Virginia Governor’s Cup. Looking for a Petit Verdot-dominant blend? Give 2018 Blended Red from Blenheim Vineyards a try. It includes an equal part of Merlot followed by Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon.

Others: We always grab a bottle (or two, three) of Bacco from Afton Mountain Vineyards. This one always includes Sangiovese, and the 2017 is delicious. If your library includes the 2016 Meritage from Pollak Vineyards, it is still showing quite well. Drink or hold. I bought a bottle to join its sibling on our wine rack. One will be enjoyed soon and the other will be poured in another year or so. Our 2013 Merlot from King Family Vineyards has definitely gathered dust, so it was a treat to try a sample of this one at the winery. I would put this one in the drink now category but made sure to purchase another one. Can it hold on for another year or two? We’ll find out.

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Xanax Online Reviews Our front porch dinners paired with a perfect Virginia wine were lit with late sunsets followed by starry skies and dancing fireflies. Another treat was the cooler than usual night temperatures that allowed us to open the windows to enjoy cool nighttime breezes. If Mother Nature was treating us to a solstice concert, then she put on a stellar performance.

Plan to visit the wineries mentioned in this post to sample these well-crafted wines for yourself this summer. Let us know if you find others that you enjoyed but not described here. Of course, please mention that Virginia Wine Time sent you!

Dinner Wine

/ Paul / Leave a comment

Buy Bulk Xanax Online Recently we had a wonderful dinner of filet mignon topped with port reduction sauce served with sautéed potatoes sprinkled with tarragon. Of course it was delicious but we needed a wine that could stand up to such a dish. Warren selected the 2014 Meritage from King Family Vineyards.

https://transculturalexchange.org/315wp72 We noted Blackberries, currants, a whiff of cedar on the nose. It was well balanced and elegant. Warren noted it had the acidity characteristic of the 2014 vintage. It paired nicely with our meal. It’s always fun to find a gem from years ago. We are finding that we are really enjoyed the 2014 reds right now.

If you travel to King Family Vineyards we’re sure you’ll enjoy all their wines. While there, tell them Virginia Wine Time sent you!

Visiting Old Favorites

/ Warren / 2 Comments

A recent visit to the Monticello area offered us the opportunity to sample releases from favorite wineries. Here we present wines (and the wineries) that we enjoyed most:

https://oevenezolano.org/2024/08/nyfrk59 Barboursville Vineyards: I always pay attention to the reserve wines at Barboursville, and this time was no exception. The Sauvignon Blanc Reserve 2016, Vermentino Reserve 2016, Viognier Reserve 2017 and the Cabernet Franc Reserve 2017 all earned my top scores. Perhaps it was due to the hot day, but I particularly enjoyed the Vermentino Reserve 2016 with its floral notes and nice mouth feel. I did, however, leave with a bottle of the Octagon 2015 to add to our collection of the Octagon line on our wine rack.

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https://nedediciones.com/uncategorized/6lsr7tm6z4p Blenheim Vineyards: We always hope to run into winemaker Kirsty Harmon when we visit Blenheim Vineyards, and we were in luck this time around. The Albarino 2018 was my favorite; faintly floral with orchard fruit on the palate, it should complement light fare, shell fish, and fresh fruit. The light-bodied Cabernet Franc 2017 with its cherry notes is destined to please with grilled fare, comfort foods or on its own with sliced deli meats and cheeses.

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Cardinal Point Vineyard and Winery: On a hot day, it was hard to not appreciate the 2018 Quattro, a blend of Riesling, Gerwurztraminer, Vidal Blanc, and Viognier; however, this fruity blend should also come in handy during the upcoming Thanksgiving or Christmas holidays—-never to early to think about future menus! Be sure to sample the 2017 Clay Hill Cabernet Franc—-red berry notes and a bit of spice on the finish reminded us why Cabernet Franc is one of Virginia’s signature grape varieties.

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Gabrielle Rausse Winery: We continue to be impressed with this winery, and I always seem to leave with a bottle (or two) of the Vin Gris de Pinot Noir, and this time from the 2018 vintage. The Rose 2018 produced from Cabernet Sauvignon was another favorite; strawberry flavors were noted with a dry, crisp finish. The non-vintage Cabernet Franc can be described as very berry; a light-bodied, fruity palate make this one delicious to sip on its own or with food.

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https://polyploid.net/blog/?p=5wjn3fyve4 King Family Vineyards: We expect to see lots of rose produced from the 2018 growing season, and were not disappointed to see the Crose 2018 on the tasting menu here. This is always one of our favorite roses, and we stock up whenever to visit King Family Vineyards. Loads of bright red berry notes and flavors with a crisp finish aptly describe the Crose 2018; buy to enjoy now or throughout the year—-rose is versatile! I made certain to purchase the complex Meritage 2017; it presented dark fruit aromas and flavors with a note of tobacco and cedar. It is still young and a bit tannic—-buy now and decant or store and enjoy later.

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https://foster2forever.com/2024/08/l74hf2ir.html https://aiohealthpro.com/mijhzub9z0 Pollak Vineyards: Yay for Chardonnay and the 2017 Chardonnay from Pollak Vineyards; tropical fruit notes and a crisp finish make for a lovely representation of this grape without the oaky presence. And yes, Rose 2018—-this one driven by Cabernet Franc, I noted flavors of strawberry and watermelon and appreciated its crisp acidity. The 2015 Meritage showed quite well; expect dark plum, black cherry and currant characteristics with spice on the finish and a bit of a tannic “chew.”

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https://udaan.org/dmth5ph4.php Our next post will feature new favorites (or at least new to us.). In the meantime, visit these excellent wineries while in the Monticello area. Please mention that Virginia Wine Time sent you!

King Family 2014 Meritage Wins Governor’s Cup

/ Warren / 1 Comment

Congratulations to outstanding winemaker, Matthieu Finot, for winning the Virginia Governor’s Cup. It was Finot’s 2014 Meritage that earned the coveted Cup!

https://mandikaye.com/blog/skqu2yfc We are fortunate to already have a bottle of the big winner on our wine rack, and we intend to hold on to it for a while longer. Merlot leads the way with this blend (50%) followed by Petit Verdot (23%), Cabernet Franc (21%), and Malbec (6%).

Be sure to visit King Family Vineyards to experience this top of the class red blend for yourself, and please mention that Virginia Wine Time sent you!

3 For 3

/ Warren / 1 Comment

Time flies when you are having a blast with your best friend who also happens to be your spouse. That is the only way that I can describe the past three years with my best friend and husband, Paul. Well, to be completely honest, it has been 13 years since we have been friends and partners; however, three years ago we decided to marry on the exact date of our first date. That occurred on February 20, 2005 when a reluctant Paul agreed to a date with me to view art exhibits at the National Gallery of Art. Later that evening, we had charcuterie and cheeses with a bottle of red wine—-a Merlot from Gray Ghost Vineyards to be exact. This year is our third wedding anniversary and we thought it appropriate to celebrate with a Virginia red wine aptly named 3.

3 was a joint venture of three highly regarded Virginia wineries that included King Family Vineyards, Veritas Vineyards, and Grace Estate. The 2010 vintage was our last bottle of this joint effort. Virginia wine aficionados may remember that the 2010 growing season resembled Napa more so than Virginia. The summer was hot and dry, and drought was the word being bandied about by weathermen at the time. Virginia red wines from this vintage tend to be fuller bodied but higher in alcohol; in fact, we have opened very few Virginia red wines from the 2010 vintage. However, 3 struck us as appropriate for the occasion, and we were not disappointed with our decision to open it. I plopped an aerating device atop the bottle and then poured it into the decanter about an hour before dinner; we gave 3 a lot of time to breathe. Dinner included filet mignon served beside potatoes au gratin and roasted asparagus.

So what were our impressions? We poured 3 from the decanter into Bordeaux glasses (ok—-we were trying to be pretentious), and I noted aromas of blackberry, menthol and cedar. Generous blackberry jam greeted the palate with a bit of blueberry noted at mid-palate. A nice, lengthy finish complemented our meal. Our only regret was that this was the last bottle of 3 in our collection. Note to readers who still have 3 on the wine rack—-this is still aging well, so hang on to it for a bit longer if you wish.

We enjoyed celebrating three years of marriage with 3. It gave us the chance to visit memory lane to recall our time together. Virginia wines have always been a special part of our lives together. We hope that readers can recall similar special moments. Visit these three excellent wineries, and mention that Virginia Wine Time sent you.

Back To Charlottesville

/ Paul / Leave a comment

Over the Memorial Day weekend we went to Charlottesville to re-visit some of our favorite wineries and to check out a new one.

Our first stop was King Family Vineyards. We last visited in October 2016. Since our last visit they have built a new area for tasting. The new room is called the Polo Room. It is available for events, overflow for the main tasting room, and large groups. It was empty when we arrived so we elected to do our tasting in the new room.


Our tasting associate was very knowledgeable about King Family wines and guided us through our tasting like a pro. Our favorite white was the 2015 Viognier and our favorite red was the 2014 Meritage. Another favorite was the Crose. We like to take the Crose to Wolf Trap to enjoy while attending a concert. The new Polo Room has a beautiful patio that wraps around the building. We decided to enjoy a glass of the Viognier while enjoying the views. It was a beautiful day and the King Family grounds provide an amazing view of the surrounding mountains.


We always enjoy our time at King Family. The wines are perfect, the view is memorable and the staff are always welcoming and full of information.

Our next stop was Pollak Vineyards. I’m a club member there so it’s always fun to return to see what is new. And it’s always nice to see staff we know and who know us.

Of course we did a tasting. We tasted many new wines and enjoyed all of them. Some stood out to us though as wines we’d like to bring home. We noted the 2016 Pinot Gris, the 2014 Chardonnay, the 2014 Merlot and the 2014 Petit Verdot. We were there on a Saturday and the 2015 Cabernet Franc was going to be released on Monday. Nick decided to let us taste it as well. We noted a fruity palate, some dust, nice acidity, cherry notes and a hint of herb. Nick also let us purchase a bottle early!

After our tasting we sat on the patio and enjoyed a glass of the 2015 Cabernet Franc with a baguette. We watched the clouds roll by and noticed the new planting in the front of the building. Nick later informed us that it was Sauvignon Blanc. What a surprise! But it won’t be ready to make wine with until probably 2020. Before leaving we ended up buying a case of our favorites.

Our final stop of the day was a new winery to us, Valley Road Vineyards. It’s not far from both King Family and Pollak Vineyards. Valley Road Vineyards was started by a group of friends who love Virginia and wine. Matthieu Finot from King Family Vineyards is the wine maker. They have a really nice tasting room with plenty of room for lots of tasters.


All the wines are solid, clean and ready to enjoy. We had a wonderful tasting with the tasting room manager. We both agreed the 2015 Chardonnay was a favorite. We noted pear, pineapple, with a citrus burst. It would be perfect on a warm spring or summer day. The 2015 Torn Curtain was our favorite red. It’s a blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon and 50% Chambourcin. I’m not a chambourcin fan but the flavors were so well integrated, I barely knew there was Chambourcin in the blend. We noted ripe red cherry, fruity palate. It was an easy drinking wine made for pizza, pasta or burgers.

We enjoyed our time at Valley Road and plan to return. Before leaving we purchased our favorites. Valley Road Vineyards is the 181st winery we’ve visited. It was worth the visit!

If you haven’t been in the Charlottesville area lately, plan a trip soon. When you do, consider visiting King Family Vineyards, Pollak Vineyards, or Valley Road Vineyards. And when you do tell them Virginia Wine Time sent you!

6 Tasters, 5 Cabernet Francs, 1 Winner

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Paul and I hosted a blind tasting of five Cabernet Francs from Virginia (of course). Our amateur team was provided with a simple scoring sheet and after a brief discussion about the Cabernet Franc grape and its characteristics, the tasting began. The wines were wrapped in paper bags so that our tasters did not know which wines they were tasting, and these included the 2012 Barboursville Reserve, the 2013 Marquis de Lafayette by Breaux Vineyards, Gadino Cellars’ 2012 Cabernet Franc, a 2013 offering by King family, and 2013 Cabernet Franc by Zephaniah. Light fare was served as the tasting and scoring was conducted, and these allowed our team to see how the wines paired with cheeses, dried meats, and prosciutto-wrapped dates.

So which Cabernet Franc won the contest? Here is how they ranked:

Gadino Cellars 2012
Barboursville Vineyards 2012 Reserve
Breaux Vineyards 2013 Marquis de Lafayette
King Family Vineyards 2013
Zephaniah Vineyards 2013

Our team of sippers appreciated the brambleberry and tobacco notes of the Gadino Cabernet Franc; it also offered a generous length. I found it to be very lively with vibrant fruit elements. The Barboursville Reserve was a close second but was a bit tight at the beginning compared to the winner; lots of swirling coaxed out the cedar and pepper notes and eventually dark berry aromas and flavors.

Once the official tasting was done, we feasted on braised lamb shoulder chops flavored with fresh mint and green olives, couscous, and roasted green beans topped with roasted almond slivers. These paired quite well with the wines that were poured for the tasting.

It was fun to showcase one of Virginia’s premier grapes at this taste off. We did not take ourselves too seriously, and we enjoyed the conversation that the wines engendered.

Seek out these or other Cabernet Francs and hold your own wine tasting with family, friends, and food. Of course, always mention that Virginia Wine Time sent you! Watch the video of our tasting below by pressing play.

Old Favorites and an Old Friend

/ Warren / Leave a comment

As summer begins to give way to fall, we conclude our roundup of winery visits to the Monticello area. Here we summarize our visits to two favorites and a meeting with an old friend. Read on to find out more!

Blenheim Vineyards: We always look forward to a tasting here. We enjoyed all of the wines that we tasted, but we must select favorites. Paul favored the Chardonnay 2013 with its characteristics of citrus, apple and pear. This Chardonnay was a blend of barrel-aged wine (25% barrel aged for 5 months) and tank aged (75%) to present a wine crisp yet presented a nice mouth feel. I preferred the Painted White 2012, a blend of Viognier (44%), Roussane (30%), and Marsanne (26%); it was aged for 10 months in French, American and Hungarian oak barrels. Floral notes with elements of tropical fruit and hint of mineral made for a more complex white wine. We were both fans of the dry Rose 2013 which was produced from a blend of some unique grapes in Virginia—Mouvedre (21%), Petite Syrah(21%) and Pinot Noir (4%). Merlot made up the rest of the blend. The Painted Red 2012 captured our attention as we look forward to fall menus. A blend of Cabernet Franc (29%), Merlot (29%), Petit Verdot (21%), Cabernet Sauvignon (18%), and Mouvedre (3%), the Painted Red gave aromas of clove and nutmeg along with notes of blackberry and plum. Roasted fare should pair quite nicely with this one.

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King Family Vineyards: It would be easy to say all of the above here as all of Mathieu Finot’s wines are well crafted. I was a fan of the Chardonnay 2013 that was aged for 9 months in French oak barrels with full malolactic fermentation. Pear notes and a fuller mouth feel were complimented by a hint of fall spices. With fall about to arrive, it was hard to ignore the plumy Petit Verdot 2012 with its whiff of violet and notes of cedar and spice. Game meats should play well with this Petit Verdot. However, summer is still hanging on, and we did not forget the sample the Crose 2013. Dry and crisp with flavors of strawberry and melon, this versatile rose is always a crowd pleaser regardless of the season.

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Old House Vineyards: It was here that we met an old friend, Andy Reagan. Andy is now the winemaker at Old House, and we got to catch up with Andy while we were in the tasting room. Andy seemed eager to take the helm as winemaker at Old House, and we know that the vintages crafted by Andy will be as superb as his wines at Jefferson Vineyards. We also got to sample the current releases at Old House, and our favorite was the Clover Hill, a dry Vidal Blanc with peach notes and a mineral presence on the finish. Chambourcin fans will love the smoky Wicked Bottom 2012 that was aged for one year on American oak. Flavors of candied cherry presented an approachable red wine; however, a bit of spice on the finish provided some complexity that made it very food friendly wine.

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Celebrate the final days of summer with a visit to these wineries, and be sure to mention that Virginia Wine Time sent you.