The holiday season is officially upon us (hope everybody had a great Thanksgiving), and that means it’s time for a great giveaway in time for the holidays. The folks over at Underground Cellars have been kind enough to offer up a $50 gift card to one lucky winner – all you have to do is sign up in the widget below. It’s that easy. The contest runs until the 18th of December, so don’t forget to get your entry in and tell your friends so they have a chance to win and can share some of the wine with you.

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Through the Underground Cellar online community you can interact directly with crazy prestigious vintners and aficionados, get access to private stashes of small-production wines from high-end wineries and receive free upgrades on your wine purchases. Join today at http://www.undergroundcellar.com to start reaping the benefits!

Tags: rafflecopter, underground cellars, wine giveaways, wine raffle

Varietal:  Zinfandel; Syrah; Cabernet Sauvignon; Petite Sirah
Region:  California – USA
Cost:  $11 (SRP)

Winemaker’s Notes:   A compelling blend of California’s finest plantings of Old Vine Zinfandel, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petite Sirah, this wine surpasses all expectation for pure enjoyment and approachability. Calling on their years of experience and tradition, Bogle winemakers have delivered a wine with RICH, enticing layers of complexity, starting with that first irresistible sip. RIPE fruit, intense with flavors of boysenberries and sweet cherries. LUSCIOUS vanilla, caressing the palate from barrel aging in American and French oak. JUICY and silky throughout, with a finish that lingers of black licorice and spicy pipe tobacco.

My Review:  Not too long ago I was able to try the 2010 Bogle Vineyards Essential Red, so getting to try the new vintage so close to the previous allowed me to better look for any differences between the two that could cause me to recommend  one over the  other should have you have the opportunity to buy either vintage.

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Tags: boysenberry, cherry, pipe tobacco, value wine

Here in Virginia we make more than just wine, and while I enjoy beer as much as the next person, I’ve decided not to write about it. Cider, on the other hand, feels like a more natural fit for me, and this past weekend, with friends visiting from out of town, I visited a new cidery that’s opened up here in Richmond – literally 15 minutes from my home.

After doing an entire tasting we picked out one to take home with us – the Charred Ordinary. Oh, I should specify, we picked up the 500ml bottle ($10.25), as it is also available in 750ml ($15.50). The next evening we decided to open the bottle to pair with some baked brie that we were having for dinner.

Made with heirloom variety apples, the Charred Ordinary is a nice and light color in the glass. I picked up aromas of apple (I know…I know), nuts, and a bit of yeast. This is a great, dry, crisp semi-sparkling cider that’s refreshing, easy to drink, and went great with our baked brie, but would also be a great pairing with salty foods, ham, poultry, and a variety of cheeses.

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Tags: blue bee cider, charred ordinary cider, hard cider, heirloom apples

If you’d asked me to describe a Virginia vineyard tasting room nine years ago my immediate response would have been “farmhouse.” Mind you that wouldn’t have been an indictment of them, but it was typically accurate and was an easy to let somebody know what to expect when visiting the tasting room of one of my state’s fine wine establishments.

In recent years, however, that has changed. Tasting rooms have become more elaborate, comfortable, and welcoming. They’ve also evolved from a place where you could taste a handful of wines to somewhere to pair wines with food and spend an afternoon. Perhaps nowhere is that more evident, at least in my experience, that at Pippin Hill.

Last week I was invited out to Pippin Hill for lunch. My wife and I had visited them once last year and enjoyed their wines, so I was excited to spend an afternoon enjoying some of their food and wine now that new vintages had been released. Now when I say lunch I do mean lunch. Most vineyards offer food now, and while what that constitutes varies, at Pippin Hill that means a seasonaly rotating menu that’s created by their amazing chef and prepared in their full kitchen. Continue Reading »

Tags: Cabernet Franc, food and wine pairing, Merlot, pippin hill farm and vineyard, rotating menu, sparkling rose', vineyard event space, virginia wines

Varietal:  100% Chardonnay
Region:  Clarksburg & Monterey, CA – USA
Cost:  $10 (SRP)

Winemaker’s Notes:  Chardonnay grapes grown in Clarksburg are known for their characteristic apple and pear aromas. Bogle winemakers have captured these refreshing and ripe notes will allowing them to develop and intensify through stainless steel fermentation. Additional grapes are vinted using the techniques of barrel fermentation, sur-lies aging, and partial malolactic fermentation, which creates an equal counterpart to the fresh fruit with tones of spicy vanilla and nutmeg. The creamy mouthfeel adds just the final touch on the finish, reminiscent of an apple and pear galette. Enjoy this wine with just about anything.

My Review:  Chardonnay, the one varietal that can be either a success or a failure in my house. With my wife disliking Chardonnay that has spent time in oak, my enjoying it, it’s arguably the one wine that we spend more time debating than any other. Fortunately my wife is always willing to try an oaked Chardonnay to see if it’s too much for her, and in the case of the 2012 Bogle Vineyards Chardonnay, I think we just managed to squeak in with what she can tolerate.

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Tags: apple, new american oak, pear, toast, vanilla

Varietal:  100% Sauvignon Blanc
Region:  Monterey & Russian River Valley, California – USA
Cost:  $10 (SRP)

Winemaker’s Notes:  Vibrant on the nose with notes of lemon grass, mowed hay, and a touch of jalepeno, this wine awakens the senses before the first sip. Lively, exotic flavors of passion fruit and kiwi are quenching and delightful, with a touch of softness in the mid palate. Mouthwatering gooseberry and lime finish clean and bright, and ready for another sip. Pairs well with a wide range of appetizers and light dishes, especially fish and shellfish, spring greens, goat cheese, and fruit salsas.

My Review:  I seem to be on something of a Sauvignon Blanc kick lately. Oh well, c’est la vie. This time our Sauvignon Blanc is from right here in the United States, courtesy of Bogle Vineyards and a media pack they were kind enough to send out. I’d tried some Bogle recently courtesy of my Thumbs Up Winefinder App, and was interested to try some of their whites, given that I found the 2010 Essential Red to be a great value.

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Tags: clean, crisp, gooseberry, jalepeno, lime, refreshing