Skip to main content

Virginia Wine Tasting - Monticello AVA @VAWine

photo

“We could, in the United States, make as great a variety of wines as are made in Europe, not exactly of the same kinds, but doubtless as good”.  
- Thomas Jefferson

The original colonies were mandated by England to grow vinifera and to make wine. They failed miserably. Even Thomas Jefferson struggled for 30 years to grow vinifera, without success. After a great deal of hard work and experimentation that has all changed.

By invitation, I enjoyed another Virginia Wine Chat wine tasting with host Frank Morgan of Drink What You Like. This Virginia wine tasting featured three different wines from the Monticello AVA. Virginia is an exciting wine region, one I've grown fond of after visiting in 2011.


photo
Jefferson's Monticello.

Jefferson’s vision has been realized by the success of 255 Virginia wineries. Virginia is now the fifth largest wine producing state in the United States. Quality is strong. Producing 500,000 cases annually, Virginia can't produce enough wine to meet demand.

The Virginia wine industry employs 4,700 people and contributes almost $750 million to the Virginia economy each year. Virginia is well on its way to becoming a world class wine producing region. It may have taken a couple hundred years for Virginia to reach this point, but they are now making wines I like and wines which should be coveted and collected.

Featuring Wines from the Monticello AVA

In 1984 the counties surrounding Monticello were designated the Monticello Viticultural Area (AVA), in recognition of the region’s distinguished and burgeoning wine industry. Today the parent organization of the Monticello Wine Trail, the Jeffersonian Wine Grape Growers’ Society, is an association of the largest concentration of wineries in Virginia, with 30 wineries within 25 miles of Charlottesville producing wines of national and international acclaim.


Tasting Notes #VAwinechat Wines of the Monticello AVA


1. Veritas Viognier 2013 Monticello AVA

Veritas is a family-owned and run farm winery nestled in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Color: Pretty medium gold.
Nose: Toasty, pineapple, stone fruit, mineral edged.
Palate: Textured, silky, with weight mid-palate, stone fruit, lively, lingering finish.

Day two: Mineral fresh with stone fruit, lemon, mango skin and toast on the nose. Peach across the palate, with lemon, grassy note, nice viscous quality. Tasty.

Thoughts: A wonderful food wine. Pair with chicken, turkey, and fresh seafood. Recommended.

Blend: 95% Viognier, 5% Petite Manseng, barrel aged in neutral oak
Note: De-stemmed, short cold soak 9-14 hrs. Lot of acid from the Petit Manseng, early harvested for liveliness.
RS: .75%
ABV: 13%
Closure: Screw cap
Winemaker: Emily Felton
SRP: $24

Veritas Vineyard & Winery
151 Veritas Lane
Afton, VA 22920
tel: (540) 456-8000
fax: (540) 456-8483
email: contact@veritaswines.com
website: www.veritaswines.com
Andrew & Patricia Hodson, Owners

2. Grace Estate Winery 2012 Cabernet Franc, Monticello AVA

All Grace Estate wines are made from grapes grown on site at Mount Juliet Farm in Crozet, Virginia. The vineyards are as old as 14th leaf, are planted on various soils, and are between elevations of 750-1,000 ft.

Color: Plum.
Nose: Smoky, cherry, brambly, bacon, red berry. After 40 minutes a hint of green olive juice.
Palate: Smooth, fluid, front palate focused, red berry, friendly smoky finish. After 30 minutes, fine tannin on gums. Lighter style red. Would be lovely with lightly seasoned steak (not grilled) or with a mixed green salad with pickled vegetables. Cigar might work well too.

Day two: Bakers chocolate, earth, cherry, holiday spice, raspberry nose. Fluid, almost creamy, fine tannin, dry cherry, bright red apple skin into the finish. Relaxed on day two, tannin and brightness more prevalent.

Thoughts: I would pair with seafood and pasta dishes with red sauce. Very good with black forest ham, pork belly or a BLT with thick cut bacon would be good too. Enjoy with food. Definitely a food wine. Recommended.

Blend: 90% Cabernet Franc, 10% Petit Verdot
Closure: Natural cork
ABV: 13%
Winemaker: Jake Busching
SRP: $23

Grace Estate Winery
Mount Juliet Farm
5273 Mount Juliet Farm
Crozet, VA 22932
tel & fax: 434-823-5014
web: www.graceestatewinery.com



3. King Family Vineyards 2012 Meritage, Monticello AVA

King Family Vineyards is a family-owned and operated boutique winery located in Crozet, just fifteen minutes from Charlottesville at the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Color: Dark ruby.
Nose: Cherry, leather, orange skin, chocolate.
Palate: Well done. Drinkable, medium body, balanced, dried cherry, good texture. Chocolate on the finish. Showing well after 45 minutes. Fine tannin on dry finish. At 50 minutes showing off, lovely in the mouth, fluid, silky, delicious.

Day two: My speed, dark fruit, tar, licorice, cinnamon spice on the nose. Candied, cherry-apple, silky smooth, creamy tannin, fresh finish.

Thoughts: Impressed. Crowd pleasing style. Craved beef Carpacio and Wagyu beef. Hit all my buttons. Strongly Recommended.

Blend: Meritage 42% Merlot 27% CabFran 25% Petit Verdot and 6% Malbec -
Closure: Natural Cork
ABV: 13.5%
10K cases total production
Winemaker: Matthieu Finot since 2003
SRP: $30.95

King Family Vineyards
6550 Roseland Farm
Crozet, Virginia 22932
tel: (434) 823-7800
fax: (434) 823-7801
email: info@kingfamilyvineyards.com
website: www.kingfamilyvineyards.com
David and Ellen King, Proprietors




Virginia Wine Resources:

Virginia wine country should be on every wine enthusiast must visit list. It goes without saying that when you see a Virginia wine, you should buy it. These wines would be wonderful wines to show off and enjoy at your Thanksgiving and Holiday meals.

Thank you!

Popular posts from this blog

Review: Sho Chiku Bai, Unfiltered Sake

Last month in Seattle, I purchased a bottle of Nigori sake at Uwajimaya. Uwajimaya is one of the largest Asian grocery retailers in the Pacific Northwest. I’ve been visiting Uwajimaya for almost 40 years. When I was much younger, I’d buy model ship and plane kits, Japanese comic books (manga) and I never left without at least one steaming Humbow in hand. Today I buy the manga for my son; while I still enjoy the tasty steamed Humbows, now I never leave without at least one bottle of Sake in hand. Uwajimaya has a terrific selection of imported sake. This most recent visit, I left with a bottle of Sho Chiku Bai Nigori sake. Nigori sake is generally the sweetest of all sakes, with a fruity nose and a mild flavor, making a great drink to complement spicy foods or as a dessert wine. Typical sake is usually filtered to remove grain solids left behind after the fermentation process; however Nigori sake remains unfiltered, resulting in a cloudier beverage. Before serving, the bottle ...

Spirit Review: Ole Smokey Tennessee Moonshine White Lightnin' @OleSmoky

Today I have crossed the line from wine to spirits. At 100 proof the Ole Smokey Tennessee Moonshine is definitely turning up the volume (ABV 50%). "Moonshine, white lightning, mountain dew, hooch, and Tennessee white whiskey are terms used to describe high-proof distilled spirits, generally produced illicitly...The word "moonshine" is believed to derive from the term "moonrakers" used for early English smugglers and the clandestine (i.e., by the light of the moon) nature of the operations of illegal Appalachian distillers who produced and distributed whiskey." Source Wikipedia My family is no stranger to Moonshine.  That is, my great-grandfather and grandfather were not strangers. Evidently the family occasionally produced their own spirits on their Oregon ranch. My grandfather told me about his younger brother getting into his dads stash with predictable results. Grandmother also told me stories about midnight runs and secretive deliveries d...

Col Solare Cabernet Sauvignon. The style has changed.

“There is something special going on at Col Solare." In mid-June 2022, I began working for Col Solare winery on the Red Mountain AVA in Washington state. The Red Mountain AVA and Col Solare are famous for stunning Cabernet Sauvignon. That I knew going in.  We are not here to make more wine... We are here to showcase place. At the end of June 2022, Col Solare winemaker Darel Allwine retired. Darel had been winemaker since 2013. Prior, he had been Col Solare assistant winemaker for Marcus Notaro. Marcus had been Col Solare winemaker when the Red Mountain facility opened and was winemaker before we had our Red Mountain facility.  On July 1, 2022, Col Solare assistant winemaker, Stephanie Cohen, was promoted to Col Solare winemaker. I was present for this change. It was the end of one chapter and the beginning of a new one. Col Solare is the third winery I have worked for. I chose well.  Often, I am asked by Col Solare guests, as I was last week, “Tell me about Col Solare. Wh...