Virginia Wines

[winediva1]

I am adding this message to start conversation about the excellent wines now being produced in Virginia. If you have a favorite, or have traveled the Virginia Wine Trail, feel free to post here.

[zin1953]

I'm not sure I'd say "excellent." Then again, I'm not sure I'd use such a blanket statement about ANY wine-producing region.

That said, White Hall, Linden, and of course, Horton -- among others -- do indeed produce wines well worth seeking out.

[Bill Hunt]

Going back to the last trip to DC, where we actually had a moment of extra time (about 8 years ago), we enjoyed Oasis for their sparklers. Their Millennium was a major let down, but it was going out the door (prior to the 1999-2000 change) at an unbelievable rate. There other offerings were far better, though not so popular.

Grey Ghost had some very interesting and enjoyable dessert (Late Harvest in their case) wines, and was probably the highlight of the trip.

Meradith was a poor showing with very weak wines, that did not exhibit good varietal character. The wine maker, Dr Archie Smith, was a bit of a pill, also. I've spent time with some of the old-guard of Napa, and Dr Smith was eccentic, at best. His wines lacked anything that we have come to love from the varietals, that he was producing from.

There were three others, but I cannot recall them, right now. I know that I have their handout sheets on file, someplace, but could not access them quickly.

There are some more highly-regarded wineries to the south, but we did not have the time to get to them. Maybe the trip, after the next to DC, will allow a few days to do more Virginia wines.

My general impression was that they were coming along and doing some interesting things with the varietals, that seem to flourish in that latitude and elevation. I need to go back, and would gladly do so. To compare the best with some of the lesser Central Coast wineries in CA, would be a mistake, with the exceptions of Fess Parker and Firestone, who have yet to offer me a drinkable wine - maybe some day?

Hunt

[winediva1]

Ok, so maybe excellent was too much of a blanket statement, but I must say that for the east coast these wines are really doing well. Pehaps the most enjoyable Cab Franc I have EVER had was at Rappahannock Winery in the north.

[szeglin]

Barboursville is a favorite. I love their Chardonnay and Octogon. I also really like Rockbridge. They make some tasty reds.

[Bob W]

I'm probably a bit biased since I live in Loudoun County, which has a thriving wine industry (21 wineries last time I checked), so any $$ spent on Loudoun County wines probably helps me a wee bit. Having said that, we've had plenty of good VA wines. I'd recommend looking for Viognier and Cabernet Franc, two varietals that seem to do very well in VA. Chrysalis, just east of Middleburg, makes a very nice Viognier.

[szeglin]

I really like Tarara and Fabbioli in Loudoun.

[Bill Hunt]

That sounds great. We were unimpressed by the number of FR/US hybrids, and too many of the wines from these grapes. I am glad to see some vintners moving on to other varietals.

Next time in DC, we've got to get over to VA and explore again. It has been too many years, and then we were located in a small geographical area.

Thank you,

Hunt

[Chinon00]

Drink "Naked".

[Bill Hunt]

Speaking of Virginia wines, I see that a couple, who had something to do with Oasis Winery visited the Whitehouse recently. Not sure of the status of the winery, or this couple's relationship to it.

Going back to about '99, we visited. I thought that their sparklers were pretty good. There was one, however, that I was unimpressed with. This was the one that they were hawking, their Millennium Cuvée. I found it to be several levels below their other wines.

Now, it seems that Oasis is no more.

Hunt