This past Thursday, the Barone Fini blind taste challenge took place and wine drinkers from all over gathered together and online to taste two different Pinot Grigios. I was excited when Steve from @winetwits invited me to participate. It’s no secret I’m a red wine drinker but I do enjoy a good white and Pinot Grigio is my savior when I’m at a sports bar cheering the Bronco’s on. We were fortunate to be joined by winemaker Giovanni Bonmartini-Fini who led us through the tasting.

Everyone was welcome to participate in this event and all you had to do was visit Winetwits.com, order a tasting kit and jump online Thursday night.The tasting kits included two bottles of wine in paper bags marked with 1 and 2,  tasting sheets for notes on each wine as well as placemats for glasses.

At 8pm, corks were popped and we all gathered online following the #tastechallenge hashtag. I was joined by my parents and some friends who are huge Pinot Grigio fans but had never heard of Barone Fini. I opened both bottles and away we went sipping.

About the wine:

Wine #1

This was a pale yellow in the glass with apple and citrus fruit on the nose. I loved the minerality and crispness of this wine. The fruit was there but the balance and acidity were perfect. It was a light to medium body and reminded me more of a Sauvignon Blanc.

What other’s had to say on Wine #1

• @myvinespot #1 wine, citrus aromas, lemon zest, tree fruit, moderate acidity, smooth texture, has some body #TasteChallenge

• @elizabethdehoff I get lemon custard and orange blossom on the nose of #1, but lots of acidity and verve in the mouth. #tastechallenge

• @melanie0 #tastechallenge #1 just described as “having a light beer” by someone in the group. Agree.

• @italianwinelovr No 1 finish is better more refreshing! #tastechallenge

• @WarrenBobrow1 #TasteChallenge wine one crisp aromatic and quite refreshing

Wine #2

This was also a pale yellow but I got a vanilla, grassy nose on the wine. This was the more elegant wine of the night with apple, lime and a medium body. It was smooth and I immediately wanted to pair this wine with food.

What other’s had to say on Wine #2

• @melanie0 #tastechallenge Okay, I like #2 better. Citrus and green apple.

• @WineHarlots Pinot Grigio #2 Color = pale straw. Nose = sunshine & lemons. Palate = muted flavor, high acid profile. #TasteChallenge

• @amateurwino The Barone Fini pinot grigio is very fresh, very smooth. I’m not the biggest pinot grigio fan but this one is nice. #tastechallenge

• @WCWineGuy Wine 2 (Fini) beat Wine 1 (Santa Margherita) 4-1 in my house. Both were good wines #tastechallenge

• @myvinespot #2 #wine Bright, vibrant aromas, lemon zest, squirt of lime, subtle mineral notes, good acidity, nice finish #TasteChallenge

I admit, I’m in the country and it took the video portion of this tasting a bit longer to pull up so I missed the opening part of Giovanni talking to all of us about the winery. What I did catch was  Giovanni’s description of the terroir. He discussed where the vines are located and the difference between DOC and IGT wines. I was fully aware of DOC but had never heard of IGT so I was intrigued to learn more. Evidently, IGT vineyards are located in the valley below the DOC however there is not a huge difference in taste between the two. To be DOC the government has restrictions on the varietal to ensure it is top quality and meets Italian standards of excellence.  Barone Fini’s vineyards are on terraces along the sides of the Alps where the mountain is made up of many things including seashells and is calciferous. According to Giovanni, this gives the wines tremendous character as well as a mineral aspect. He also confirmed his wine is 100 percent Pinot Grigio.  It was fun listening to Giovanni and you could feel his passion for the wine when he spoke.

I was surprised at the end of the tasting to learn that Wine #1 was the Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio and Wine #2 was the Barone Fini. My family and friends tasting felt there was a big difference between the two wines. The Chardonnay drinkers loved the Barone Fini. Those who like a lighter, crisper wine preferred the Santa Margherita. For me, I enjoyed both and would drink either on a hot day. I was thrilled to finally taste the Barone Fini as it’s a wine that was very popular at Total Wine in Virginia. Price wise it’s the winner and really, it’s a very nice, easy drinking Pinot Grigio with a smooth, delightfully clean finish. Barone Fini retails around $11-$13 and Santa Margherita is around $18. In reviewing all the tweets from the night, it’s clear Barone Fini picked up many new wine fans. I know I’ll be shopping around up here in NY to see where I can get this wine.

Here’s a great picture from the night via: @foodwinechickie Barone Fini winemaker holding the two unveiled wines – one lovingly, one not so much #tastechallenge http://plixi.com/p/86610751

Thank you to @WineTwits for putting on a great event and to Giovanni for taking his time to provide us with great information. I can’t ever learn enough and it’s always special when the winemaker is the one educating on the wine. If you haven’t tried the Barone Fini, I recommend giving it a try. Again, I’m not a white wine girl, but I’d be thrilled if someone offered me a glass of this while being out and about. It’s a good quality,  under $15, everyday kind of wine.

I’ve been fortunate to participate in many online tastings and no matter what, it’s always fun to enjoy wine with friends and wine lovers from all over. This Thursday, March 24, WineTwits is holding the Barone Fini Taste Challenge at 8PM EST and I’m excited to participate in this Twitter event. Blind tastings are a great way to discover new wines.

I received my tasting kit this weekend that included two bottles of premium DOC Pinot Grigio in brown paper bags marked with the numbers 1 and 2. This is a fun opportunity to bring a group of friends together to try these wines. I’m also excited to have my parents participating with me as they are always asking me what these online tastings are all about. My mom is a huge Pinot Grigio fan once warm weather hits and she’s never heard of Barone Fini. I must admit, I know of the wine as it’s a big seller at the Total Wine I worked for in Virginia. I’ve never actually had it so I’m really looking forward to trying the wines. We’ll be joined online by producer Giovanni Bonmartini-Fini as he leads us through this tasting. I’m also excited to learn more about Barone Fini.

All are welcome to join in this event. If you’re interested in participating, tasting kits are available here: http://www.winetwitsdeals.com/

Hope to see you online Thursday night!

It’s been far too long since I’ve written and I apologize for that. I’ve missed writing but following a car accident, being laid off and recently moving, life has kept me busy. I haven’t stopped my wine adventures and will miss having easy access to Virginia wineries. However, upon reading my friend @drinkwhatulike Top 20 VA wine post and seeing that a couple other bloggers posted their top 20, I felt this was a great time for me to get back to my blog.

I love top 20 kinds of lists and it’s no secret I have my favorite Virginia wineries. But it’s hard to put them in a certain order because I love different things about each. With that said, I’m posting my top 20 based on not only the wines I love but also the experiences each offered. I’ll post my top six and the rest are in no specific order. I have so many wineries still to visit but for now, I’m thankful for the wonderful times I had at the following vineyards.

Suzie’s Top Six:

1.    Chateau O’Brien – This shouldn’t be a surprise. I love everything about this winery and have had so many awesome times here from wine tastings to Howard’s birthday party. You can’t beat the reds winemaker Jason Murray is making and I’m eagerly awaiting the release of the Petit Verdot and Malbec I tasted this past winter.

2.    Gray Ghost Vineyards – A consistent stop after hiking Old Rag up in Shenandoah National Park. I love the reds but you can’t beat the Adieu for a well-balanced desert wine. I enjoy the Civil War history, upstairs couches and there’s a wine here for all palates.

3.    Stone Mountain Vineyards – 1700ft above sea level with gorgeous mountain views and vineyards. I have so many happy memories at this winery. I first tasted the wines at Vintage Virginia and was impressed with everything. I prefer reds but loved the Rose. The Cabernet Sauvignon hands down is my favorite followed by the Malbec.

4.    Tarara Winery – I’ll never forget meeting winemaker Jordan Harris in person at a wine festival. I first connected with him on mustlovewine.com and he’s doing amazing things at Tarara. Jordan always educates me on wine and I can’t learn enough. Tarara is producing some of the best reds and whites in the state. I can’t wait for the next release of his Syrah.

5.    Breaux Vineyards – This is the first winery I visited in Virginia. When Jen Breaux Blosser invited me to my first ever vertical tasting at the winery, I discovered just how good the wines are here. You can’t beat the Key West Festival & this is truly a special place.

6.    Pearmund Cellars – What can I say, Chris Pearmund is a blast! I’ve been fortunate to barrel sample so many wines and I’ve had so many great times here. The Cabernet Sauvignon and Ameritage are standards for me when visiting.

Here are 14 more top favorites:

Gadino Cellars – Another favorite post Old Rag hiking stop. I love the Cabernet Franc here.

Delaplane Cellars – One of the newer wineries in VA and it speaks to my love of full-bodied red wines. I love the Sunset Saturdays, views and what winemaker Jim Dolphin is doing.

Hume Vineyards – Another newbie and I’m so happy I got here before moving. I loved every wine I tasted and it was hard to not buy multiple bottles. They offer two reds worth laying down.

Philip Carter Winery – Wine maker Rob Cox is raising the bar here and I love the Cleve and Cabernet Franc. Of course I’m highlighting reds but this winery offers many delicious whites. I had so much fun at the tweet-up held last summer.

Three Fox Vineyards – Baxter’s favorite winery! Need I say more? This is dog friendly, has one of the best outdoor tasting bars, a gorgeous setting and a Sangiovese I can’t get enough of =)

Aspen Dale Winery at the Barn – The first winery that offered bites of food to taste with the wine. My brother and I loved it all along with the views. His favorite was the Sauvignon Blanc and I loved the Cabernet Sauvignon.

Unicorn Vineyards – Another I was inspired to visit following tasting the wines at Vintage Virginia. I love the Cab Franc and you can’t beat the wine slushies on a hot summer day.

Mountfair Vineyards – How can I not love a vineyard with a wine that has a sexy, fun name like Wooloomooloo =) I can’t wait for the next vintage of its release but I loved every red this winery offers.

Narmada Vineyards – This winery has a wonderful setup for musicians along with awesome Indian food and oh yes, delicious wines.

Dry Mill Vineyards – I’m sad I didn’t get back to this winery more than the one visit. I loved the wines, especially the Cabernet Franc and believe it or not, the Rose was delightful too.

Paradise Springs Winery – A winery easy for DC peeps to get to that offers some tasty wines. I love the 08 Norton and the cheddar cheese ball sold here is to die for =)

Rappahannock Cellars – Loved the Cabernet Sauvignon at this winery as well as the views outside on the deck.

Chrysalis Vineyards – I had so much fun working at the Annual Norton Wine and Bluegrass Festival last year. I love the wines, staff and its views. The Papillon and Tannat are my two favorites.

Linden Vineyards – This winery has a deck and views I love but I’m not a fan of the weekend rules. The wines are delicious and I’m a huge fan of the Hardscrabble Red.

I thank all of these wineries for wonderful memories and I will be back to visit! However, I’m very excited for the next adventures that await and will be exploring NY and surrounding areas. Already I’m seeing new wines in stores I haven’t had and couldn’t get in Virginia. I’m also almost fully healed from a severe hamstring strain and back on track to train for my half marathons and marathons. Stay tuned as the Running Wine Girl is coming back and I’m excited to get back to writing.

For me, there’s nothing better than family and I’m lucky to be so close to mine. This past weekend my brother came to visit for the first time since I moved to Virginia. He loves to explore as much as I do and for sure I was planning to introduce him to VA wine country. After a fun Saturday morning of ski movies, we headed out. I planned to take him to Chateau O’Brien, a favorite, but also wanted to try something that was new to us both. Many recommended Aspen Dale Winery and when I saw how close it was to Chateau O’Brien I decided it was time to visit.

Aspen Dale is a cute, 200-year-old barn tucked into the mountains that surround it. The views were beautiful and we were blessed to still have the pretty fall colors. We were greeted entering the tasting room and upon confirming we wanted to do a tasting directed to the end of the bar where a group was finishing up. I loved the friendliness and organization. The tasting room was very pretty and comfortable with plenty of indoor seating. My brother was impressed and excited to see how his first tasting at a VA winery would go. He’d only been to wineries in Long Island before this trip.

The tasting was $7 for five wines and we could keep our glass. We were also presented with a small plate of cheeses and meats to pair with the wines. This is the first winery I’ve been too in Virginia to do this and I was thrilled about it. We started with the 08 Mary-Madeleine’s Rose, a blend of Vidal Blanc and Cabernet Sauvignon. It’s 2 percent residual sugar and was paired with the cheddar cheese. On the nose I got strawberry but was pleasantly surprised to find this wasn’t as sweet as I expected. More medium body, this was fruit forward but well-balanced and made me want to be at the beach. The cheddar was delightful, balancing well with the sweetness and an awesome introduction to the wines. Sarah’s Chapeau was the second wine, a blend of Vidal Blanc and Sauvignon Blanc with 2.5 percent residual sugar.  This wine was paired with the Brie cheese. The nose was floral with honey. On the palate, this was light, crisp with lots of melon. The cheese brought out more of the fruit and balanced out well with the sweetness. I loved the pairing.  We moved onto the Hildersham Sauvignon Blanc and this was paired with a white chocolate chip and sage derby cheese. This was a crisp white with a flinty taste that was clean and refreshing. When paired with the white chocolate chip, I found a delicious surprise in my mouth. Next, I tried it with the sage derby cheese and yum, this was amazing with the wine. I got so many ideas for food pairings. My brother loved this wine and he like me, is a red wine drinker. In his words:

“I don’t know why I have a glass of white but I love this. It’s my kind of wine.”

The last two wines were the reds and I was impressed at this point to see our glasses rinsed with the wine we were about to taste each time. We were poured the Parris Country Blend 08 Merlot. Primarily Merlot, a little Cabernet Franc is blended and we paired this with pheasant sausage. On the nose I got pepper with a little dark fruit. On the palate, I got bacon, pepper and blackberry. This had great complexity to it but the finish was smooth and it was delightful with the sausage. The last wine was the Rockawalkin’ Cabernet Sauvignon blended with some Petit Verdot and Malbec. This wine was my favorite overall. I loved the structure, dark fruit, complexity and smooth finish. This was paired with goat cheese and dark chocolate meant to be eaten together. I was a good sport and tried a little piece of the pair but it confirmed how much I really don’t like chocolate.  It was awesome with the goat cheese solo. My brother loved it so if you’re a chocolate fan, you want to try this pairing.

Live music was playing and to finish the day I had a glass of the Cabernet while my brother had the Sauvignon Blanc. We sat outside to enjoy the views and warm fall day. The music was playing through speakers and it was a delightful afternoon filled with great conversations.  I can’t think of a better way to introduce my brother to a VA winery. We had so much fun and for sure I’ll be going back. If you haven’t made it here yet, I recommend visiting. Not only are the wines wonderful but it’s also close to Chateau O’Brien, Linden, Fox Meadows, Philip Carter and Hume.

I was excited when @myvinespot invited me to join a crew for the “Discover Monticello” first ever Virginia Taste Live event this past Monday. Up until then, the only wine from the Monticello region I’d had was from Stone Mountain, one of my favorites in VA. The wineries participating in this event were Afton Mountain, Mountfair, Blenheim Vineyards, Jefferson Vineyards, Keswick Vineyard and Kluge Estate. I’d been tweeting on and off with both Afton and Keswick for a while but still haven’t made it to any of these wineries. I was thrilled to join fellow VA winos @alleigh, @winecompass, @elizabethdehoff and @grapevine4wine.  We were also lucky to have the wineries online to answer questions throughout the night about the wines.

@myvinespot was a wonderful host and gave us some fun details on Monticello including:  “Monticello consists of 22 wineries — overall we have 160+ — these guys in Central VA (Monticello AVA) are rocking premium wines!”

The night began with the 07 SP Rosé from Kluge Estate and it was a gorgeous pink in the glass. The nose didn’t win me over but I was impressed when sipping as I found this to have some body and complexity to it. It was a doughy wine with plenty of red fruit and while crisp it wasn’t as light as so many others. I’ve said it before I’m not a Rosé fan but this sparkling Rosé is one I’d take home for the holidays or open to enjoy on a hot summer day.

Kluge Wine Tweet:
@KlugeEstate @RobBralow This wine ages on the lees for 21-24 months giving it complexity

The second wine of the night was the 09 Viognier from Keswick Vineyards. I got a lot of pear on the nose and on the palate tasted apple and lemon. For me this is a food wine and I can think of a number of chicken and fish entrées that would pair wonderfully with this wine.

Keswick Wine Tweet:
@Keswickvineyard @robwineconsigliere We wanted to keep the wine crisp and clean but still get the richness that the barrel imparts

The 09 Reserve Chardonnay was wine #3 for the night from Jefferson Vineyards. I was curious about this wine but cautious asking for a small pour due to being tired of Chardonnay. However, this had a toasty nose with apple and the smell was amazing. When sipping I tasted apple pie with cinnamon and loved that it was medium body with a delicious finish. This was a pleasant surprise for me and I asked for a second pour while time allotted.

Jefferson Wine Tweet:
@th_Jefferson @amateurwino The fruit in this Chard varies. We use the best from our estate and the best from our partner growers.

Onto the 09 Gewürztraminer from Afton Mountain and I was super excited to finally taste a wine from this vineyard. I tweeted immediately that I could smell this wine all night it was so yummy. I got kiwi on the nose and on the palate tasted a touch of spice with fruit and some lemon. This was delicious and I will get a bottle before it’s all gone, which means a trip to the winery. No doubt this is a great Thanksgiving wine but I’d drink it year round.

Afton Wine Tweet:
@AftonMountain: Three different harvests of Gewurz in ’09, separate harvests to ensure acidity, flavor, and ripeness across the board

That was the last of the whites and onto the reds we went for wine #5, which was the 09 Seven Oaks Merlot from Blenheim Vineyards. This has a lovely nose of dark fruit and I was thrilled to discover it was a fuller bodied Merlot than most. I tasted black cherry and loved the structure and intensity of this wine. I tweeted that it had me craving red meat, mashed potatoes and fresh green beans. A bottle or two will find its way into my wine fridge at some point.

Blenheim Wine Tweet:
@BlenheimWines: 100% Merlot from a vineyard called Seven Oaks in Crozet, VA, 75% aged in older french barrels for 9 months

The last wine of the night was one I’ve wanted to taste and have been hearing about for a while. I love saying the name and a bunch of us tweeted how fun and sexy it is for a wine. Of course I’m talking about the Mountfair WooLooMooLoo, a full-bodied red wine that was gorgeous in the glass. On the nose I got lots of dark fruit and tea. It made me want to sip immediately. On the palate I tasted plum, currant and a little raspberry. I loved the dark fruit and complexity of this wine. It was decanted beforehand although I’m not sure for how long and will have to find out.

Mountfair Wine Tweet:
@MfVvinotweets @winecompass Partner vineyard 3 miles down the road – mature vines, great quality 4 years straight

The participation for this event was great and the local CBS channel in Charlottesville covered it. Viognier trended on Twitter while tasting the Keswick Viognier and I think many of those who aren’t familiar with Virginia are seeing that great wines are made in this state. A huge thank you to all the participating wineries and to @myvinespot for being an awesome host and providing us with some tasty treats to end the night. I can’t wait for the next taste live event.

It’s been a crazy couple of weeks and I can’t believe October is almost over. Sunday’s are normally for hiking/wine adventures but this last week wore me out and happily my hiking companion agreed to have a lazy Sunday of wine tasting. I got a seven mile run in using that time to figure out where to go for the day – yes, that’s still lazy for me lol. I had received a note on Facebook earlier in the week from my friend, who is also part of the duo known as Chatham Street, saying they’d be playing at Narmada. I always pass that winery when driving to Old Rag and decided it was time to see what it was all about and say hello to my friends.

Narmada is in Amissville and not far past Gray Ghost Winery. When pulling into the long driveway, I wasn’t sure what to expect but upon parking and looking around, all you could see were beautiful views and fall colors. I was thrilled to see Baxter could sit outside with us. The winery is pet friendly as long as dogs are on leashes and they don’t go inside the tasting room. I left Baxter in the car with water and the windows down. Tastings are short & I told him I’d be right back, which had him smiling. I was happy to see others doing the same thing and we all commented we’d be back fast to get our dogs.

Walking up to the tasting room, the winery was decked out for Halloween and my friends of Chatham Street were walking out while setting up to perform later that day. Walking inside, we were greeted and I was in love with the beauty and comfort of the tasting room. Winter is coming and I’m always looking for wineries with lots of indoor seating as well as outdoor. Narmada has a gorgeous tasting room with plenty of tables and a stage for live music. I also had the pleasure of catching up on football with the flat screen TV that was playing the Redskins game.

The tasting consisted of 10 wines; five red and four whites with the choice of either the red dessert wine or white for $5. If we wanted to keep the glass the tasting was $7.  The tasting started with Chardonnay aged in French Oak for nine months and going through partial malolactic fermentation. I got apple and butter on the nose and on the palate tasted apple and touch of oak that was perfectly balanced and delicious. I’m not a big Chardonnay fan but this was wonderful. Next was the Viognier aged seven months in French Oak. This had a floral nose and I tasted melon on my palate. It was a refreshing wine. Mom was the name of the next wine and this is a Vidal Blanc/Chardonel blend dedicated to all mothers. I loved this off-dry white that was full of tropical fruit. My favorite of the whites was the last one of the group, the Traminette. Fermented in stainless steel, this had a floral nose and I have delicious written three times next to it. It was fruity but not sweet and it made me want cheese.

The first wine for the reds was the Gulabi, a Rosé that is a blend of Merlot and the Concord grape. The Concord only comes out slightly on the palate otherwise this is a medium bodied Rosé that to me tasted like cherry pie. With food I think this will be wonderful. Reflection was next and this is 100 percent Chambourcin. I enjoyed this wine although it is lighter in body but has plenty of dark fruit. The Mélange, a blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Merlot was next. Yes, this is my favorite out of all the wines. I love my big reds and this was delicious. I tasted lots of dark fruit including raspberries with a long, velvety finish.  The Cabernet Franc was also delicious with just a touch of spice but overall smooth with black cherry and raspberry. The reds ended with Midnight, an off-dry Chambourcin with 1.5% residual sugar. This is the perfect wine to make Sangria.

I had a chance to meet Sudha, who owns the winery with her husband, and enjoyed talking to her about the winery and her plans. She let me know around Father’s Day next year the winery will release its first Port, first to wine club members. She also filled me in on the differences between the two dessert wines, which I appreciated as it lead me to decide on the white wine. My friend went with the red, which apparently goes well with chocolate. I’ll trust people telling me that since I don’t like chocolate. The white dessert wine was amazing. Not too syrupy and not too sweet. I have delicious written three times next to it.

The tasting ended with a glass of the Mélange and I decided to try one of the Indian dishes. This winery has an impressive list of food options and I noticed that everyone was buying not only wine but also ordering food. It’s not expensive and all looked delicious. Choices range from Indian fare to gourmet cheeses and meats. I had the Aloo Tikki, two handmade spicy mashed potato and vegetable cakes with an Indian yogurt sauce for $5. It was so yummy and went well with my wine although the spices paired even better with the Traminette. Baxter joined us on the gorgeous deck while we listened to Chatham Street play. I first saw this Duo at Paradise Springs earlier this summer and try to see them whenever I can. They just released their first album with all original songs they wrote.

I am so happy I finally made it to Narmada and it was the perfect place to enjoy the gorgeous, warm day we had last Sunday. Everyone was so friendly and the staff was delightful.  The winery is still fairly new and has only been around for a year. It’s a perfect place to go to relax or stop by when heading back from Shenandoah National Park. Gray Ghost and Gadino Cellars are also close by making for a fun day of wine tours. I can’t wait to go back and recommend visiting.

I swear the days go faster and faster with every month. Friday is October and I’m still wondering where September went as well as the gorgeous fall weather that’s disappeared. Virginia Wine Month officially begins and I’ve been asked what I plan to do to celebrate it. To begin, I’m going to return to a winery I first enjoyed this past June at Vintage Virginia and then again on a couple of lazy, summer Friday’s. Stone Mountain not only has a gorgeous view of the mountains and vineyards but this winery produces one of my absolute favorite Malbecs.

When I first tweeted that I was planning to visit, a number of wine bloggers warned me about the one lane, gravel road that takes you up the mountain to the entrance. I grew up driving roads like that and after my fair share of trips up I-70 in white-out conditions to get to Vail, little scares me. However, this road is one to take seriously but the end of it is well worth it.

It’s a gorgeous tasting room and I was greeted immediately upon entering it. On this particular Friday, no one was there and I admit it was nice having the place to myself. I immediately went outside to the deck to enjoy the view before starting my tasting and picked out the table I’d be sitting at with a glass of something later.

I tasted all 10 wines but will only run through my favorites. To begin, I tasted the 08 Pinot Grigio aged in stainless steel. This was crisp with tropical fruit on the palate and a refreshing finish. I wrote a perfect summer wine next to it although I could honestly enjoy this coming off a day of serious skiing. The 08 Chardonnay Reserve was another white favorite as I’m a girl who loves a creamy, buttery wine. This wasn’t too rich but had a great balance of vanilla and apple on the palate. The 08 Chardonnay aged in stainless steel was also tasty and for those who don’t want the vanilla and creaminess, that’s definitely worth trying. I was intrigued with the Maquillage, a blush wine that I really enjoyed. It’s off-dry but well-balanced and overall a refreshing wine that I’d serve as an aperitif or a late night sipper.

Onto the reds and no matter how hot it is, I’m a girl who loves her big reds. At Vintage Virginia I brought home the 07 Reserve Cabernet as it’s full, smooth, with blackberries and intensity I look for in a Cab. The 08 Malbec was the star for me and it’s my standard glass of wine every time I go to the winery. This is full with black cherry, great intensity and a delicious finish. I love it alone but it was wonderful with steak too. I was fortunate to taste the 05 Nebbiolo before it sold out and I’m looking forward to the next release. This was a delicious wine with a nice balance of spice and dark fruit. I enjoyed the end of the day with a glass of Malbec and had a lovely conversation with some people who came in late that afternoon.

I have every intention of getting back to this winery in October to enjoy the view from 1700 feet and the fall weather. It is a bit of a trek from Northern Virginia but a pretty one. If you haven’t been here yet, I highly recommend visiting. It’s a different world and a great way to enjoy Virginia Wine Month. Cheers!

This past weekend was another sunny gorgeous one in Virginia and I’m loving the crisp fall air. For almost two years a friend and I have been doing a Sunday hiking/wine adventure. Taking advantage of the weather, we decided to hike Old Rag, a 7.5-mile hike complete with a serious rock scramble. This was my third time hiking the trail and I love it more every time. There are so many vineyards near it and it was time to visit a new one. I’ve been tweeting with @rcellars for a few weeks and I decided to visit Rappahannock Cellars to see what this winery was all about.

It was easy to get there from Old Rag’s parking lot and I loved how pretty and charming the scenery was driving into the winery. Upon entering the tasting room we were immediately greeted and directed to the tasting bar. The tasting was $7.50 for seven wines and the choice of one of two dessert wines.  We started with the 09 Seyval Blanc, fermented in Stainless steel. On the nose I got tropical notes and it was crisp and clean on the palate. Those who like a dryer wine will love this white. It had me thinking of seafood. The second wine was the 09 Viognier, aged in neutral French Oak barrels. The wine had a floral nose and was medium bodied with apricot and a nice clean finish. I have delish written once next to it and would love to have had this earlier this summer on one of the hot, humid days that had all of us melting. The 08 Chardonnay was yummy and my kind of Chardonnay. I loved the caramel and butter I tasted on my palate. It was medium bodied with a nice creamy finish. The 08 Noblesse Viognier was the final white and with 1.6% residual sugar, this wine wasn’t too sweet but very well-balanced. I’m not one for the sweeter wines but thoroughly enjoyed this wine. It’s perfect for a hot summer day or the hot tub after a day on the ski slopes.

I was excited to move onto the reds. This is the first winery I’ve been too that offered different glasses for the reds and whites. It was nice to see glassware being taken into consideration while tasting wine. The 08 Cabernet Franc was the first, aged 14 months in Eastern European oak barrels and it was a nose full of pepper. On the palate it had a nice balance between spices and dark fruit. Those who love peppery or spicy wines will want to give this a try. The 07 Meritage, aged 16 months in French and American oak, consists of 63% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Petit Verdot, 2% Merlot and 2% Malbec. Oh yes, this was my favorite. I do love my Cab based wines and this was truly delicious. I tasted black cherry and raspberry and loved the structure and smooth finish. I ended up having a glass after the tasting and brought a bottle home with me. The 08 Norton was the final red and consists of 75% Norton and 25% Cabernet Sauvignon aged for six months in French Oak. I got raisins on the nose and on the palate this was an inky, intense, wine with plenty of dark fruit. It was super smooth and had a nice finish.

We were fortunate to taste all of the dessert wines including one not on the tasting sheet.  The first dessert wine was the 08 Vidal Blanc and I have delicious written twice next to this wine in my notes. It was perfect in sweetness and I got apricot on the nose followed by peaches on the palate. The 07 Port style Red Dessert wine blew me away. I do not like port anything but this was wonderful and something I could easily sip after dinner. The Solera was the surprise dessert wine. It is Vidal Blanc but, according to the girl doing out tasting, they take the grapes and let them bake in the sun. I was a little scared when it reminded me of port on the nose but on the palate I tasted a wonderful burnt caramel and toasted pecans. This was very rich and delectable.

It was great to finally meet Allan Delmare, who is the son of the owners, the marketing director and doing the tweeting for the winery. He opened up two Cabernets for us to taste as an extra treat. Both are wines for club members only and I’ll be looking into joining. The first Cabernet is made from estate grapes in Virginia. The second Cabernet is made from grapes that come from Allan’s Uncle’s vineyard in Napa Valley. It was fun to do a side by side tasting and I have to say, I enjoyed both Cabernets but they were different.  My friend preferred the Virginia Cabernet. I liked them both equally and wouldn’t know which to choose over the other.

We also tasted the 08 New World Red, a blend of 75% Napa Cabernet Sauvignon and 25% Estate grown Cabernet Franc. I have delicious written three times next to this wine. It was full, smooth with dark fruit and a wonderful long finish. The 08 Chapelle Charlemagne Cabernet Franc was the final bonus wine and it was smoother with less spice than the 08 Cabernet Franc. For me, this was my favorite out of the two Cab Francs.

I was intrigued to learn a little of the history including the story of this family coming to Virginia from California. They owned and ran a winery in the Santa Cruz Mountains.  I love the passion I saw for Virginia and enjoyed meeting winemaker, Jason Burrus.  It was a great time and a great way to relax after an awesome hike. I can’t wait to come back and enjoy the views and wine outside on the deck. I was thrilled to see a pet area and for sure, Baxter will be with me next time. This is a great winery to pack up a picnic with friends or family and spend the afternoon. If you haven’t visited, I recommend going and for those who love to hike, this is a great recovery place after a day playing at Shenandoah. Cheers!

I continue to love how wine and social media connect people. Thursday, September 2 was Cabernet day, where, thanks to Rick Bakas and St. Supery, wine lovers from all over this world gathered to enjoy their favorite Cabernet Sauvignon.  It’s no secret Cabernet is a favorite and I can’t get enough of it. I was so excited when a friend of mine out in Paso Robles gifted me with the 06 Pomar Junction Cabernet. I’d never heard of this winery and I love a good California Cab so I was so excited to try this wine.

I was enjoying this day with friends who also appreciate wine. However, upon opening the Pomar, I admit, I was given a pilsner glass to drink it out of and knew I wouldn’t get the full benefits of tasting this wine from the wrong glassware. Happily a wine glass was discovered but it wasn’t until later when I got home that I truly tasted this wine and it was delicious. I broke out my Riedel glass and yes, it really does make a difference. On the nose I got blackberry and it was a gorgeous ruby red in the light. On the palate, I tasted blackberry and black cherry. This wine is intense, full and has a delicious velvety finish. I love it and will be ordering more. That night we paired it with Bison burgers and garlic mashed potatoes. It was yummy.

The next night I finished the bottle, pairing it with grilled chicken I marinated in a garlic, balsamic, white wine marinade. It was wonderful with the balsamic, which surprised me. I need to continue to explore the wineries in Central California. While talking to my mom and looking at a map, we realized that we’d be around that area when I was a child and are now talking about going back to visit the wine country. In the meantime, I’m looking into other wineries and seeing what I can get my hands on. No doubt California is continuing to produce excellent reds.

As for Cabernet day, it was a huge success and shows how much wine and social media connect this world. When looking at stats from the day on WTHashTag here’s what I found for the past seven days:

In the last 7 days:
6,280 tweets
1,615 contributors
897.1 tweets per day
10.5% come from “The Top 10″
33.1% are retweets
68.6% are mentions
22.0% have multiple hashtags

I learned about so many new Cabernets and connected with so many new people. It’s a great opportunity to get together with fellow wine lovers and mingle while sipping something delicious. I’m excited for the #Holidaywines event coming up in November. Come out and join us!

I’m an adventurous girl who loves to explore and try new things. It was on my way to Chateau O’Brien that I first saw a sign for Hume Vineyards and my curiosity rose as I’ve not seen or heard a thing about this winery. This past weekend I had Saturday free, which is rare, and decided it was time to explore some more Virginia wine country. Off to Hume I went and I was excited to see what this brand new winery had to offer.

A perk to this winery is it’s close to so many others. You pass Philip Carter and there are signs to both Oasis and Rappahannock Cellars on the way. The trip into Hume is pretty and again has it’s own charm and beauty like many VA wineries. Upon entering a cute but simple barn with a tasting bar and nothing else, the owners, Stefan and Andrea Baldi, greeted me and let a group of us know they’d be right with us. It was a warm and fun atmosphere with energy and I couldn’t wait to start tasting.

I was happy to have Stefan pouring for the group and we started with the 09 Vidal Blanc. I immediately picked up grapefruit on the nose and was surprised when sipping to find this is more medium bodied than I expected. I tasted kiwi on the palate and found this to be really refreshing and delicious. Everyone at the bar was smiling about it when tasting. Next we moved to the 09 Chambourcin, aged six months in neutral oak, and I was a little nervous after getting raisins on the nose. However, on the palate I tasted dark fruit, a touch of spice and a velvety finish. I had to swirl this a lot and while doing that Stefan told me that he typically recommends people aerate it first. I agree but regardless this was a wonderful red.

The third wine of the day was the 08 Detour, a blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Merlot and aged 18 months in neutral oak.  I have delicious written twice on my tasting sheet for this one, which isn’t a surprise being that this blend is primarily Cabernet Sauvignon. It was a little tight at first but the dark fruit came out with the wonderful structure. There is complexity in this wine that will come out with age and I’ll be laying a bottle down for a few years. I really loved it.  The 08 Cabernet Sauvignon finished the tasting and this was my favorite. It was earthy with black cherry and vanilla to balance that out followed by a velvety finish. I did bring a bottle of this home with me and I’ll be bringing more home the next time. All of these reds can be laid down for 3-5 years. I loved everything I tasted and watching other’s taste and leave I’m not alone. Everyone had a glass or two there and left with bottles of wine.

Towards the end of the day, I had the pleasure of talking to Stefan, who is from the wine country of France.  The winery had its grand opening this past July 10, so they are still in the midst of constructing around the grounds. He will be harvesting grapes this year and is currently buying grapes from Breaux. He is also consulting with Dave Collins, Breaux’s winemaker. What I loved hearing is that the wines being offered are the grape that are growing. This winery knows what they are doing and when I asked if he was growing in a more old world or new world style, I was told it was more old world style.  Currently Stefan is growing Merlot, Voignier, Petit Verdot, and Chambourcin. He plans in the spring to plant Sauvignon Blanc and down the road Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. I look forward to it all and can’t wait to go back. This is a dog friendly winery, which means Baxter can join me. I always like that.  If you haven’t made it here yet, I recommend packing a picnic and visiting.