Our first stop was Keswick Vineyards, and while I have nothing but good things to say about all of their wines, I do have to recommend their 2008 Consensus.  Each year, Keswick brings in the members of their wine club and they spend a day mixing wine that was either left over, wasn’t what Keswick was looking for, or that they didn’t get enough yield from to have a single varietal.

After spending the day mixing and breaking for food, the members all come back and taste each of the wines that has been made, voting on the best one, which Keswick then releases as their Consensus.  Because of that, each year the wine is different and this years blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (60%), Chambourcin (28%), and Petite Verdot (12%) is enough to make me want to join their wine club.

Dark cherry flavors mix well with a finish that is smooth thanks to the Petite Verdot, and yet gives you the hit in the back of the mouth that you would expect from a good Cabernet Sauvignon.  A great wine worth picking up.

Our next stop was Jefferson Vineyards, whom I will admit I wanted to visit simply because at the Virginia Wine Expo they weren’t tasting their Petit Verdot and I had wanted to bring some home.  While they offer several very good whites, including their Vin Blanc and Pinot Gris, at Jefferson it really is all about the Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot for me.

Next up was Kluge Estate and Winery, whom you should visit during the warmer months if only because of their gorgeous outdoor area where you can taste wine and relax.  I will say that Kluge wasn’t on our list to visit originally but we stopped there for two reasons.  First, while at Keswick we purchased a tasting pass that, for $10 each, got us tastings at Keswick, Jefferson, and Kluge.  I highly recommend this pass.  Second, we were going to visit Blenheim Vineyards, which you get to by driving past Kluge.

At Kluge, April and I set up outdoors for our tasting.  While several of the wines were enjoyable, a few bear remarking.  The first thing we tasted was a Sparkling Rose’ which I have to admit was refreshing on the warm day.  Also worth mentioning, especially as we took it home, was the Albermarle Rose’.  My notes on this wine literally read “obnoxiously good.”  I’ll be the first to admit that I have had a prejudice against pink wines in the past, but ever since my trip to California back in October, I’ve been finding Rose’ wine more and more enjoyable, especially as the weather begins to change.

Also worth mentioning is their Albermarle Simply Red 2005.  We also tasted the 2003, but April and I liked the 2005 better and so brought home a bottle of that.  If you’re looking to stop for a picnic, Kluge is a great spot as they also have a great selection of cheeses to compliment their selection of wines.

Our final stop for the day was Blenheim Vineyards.  In many ways they were the impetus for this whole mini-vacation as I was such a fan of theirs at the Virginia Wine Expo and regretted not buying more of their wine.  I would be remiss if I didn’t mention how beautiful their tasting room is and how friendly and personable their Winemaker and General Manager Kirsty Harmon was to both myself and my wife.

As for their wine, I had bought two bottles of their Viognier at the Wine Expo, and so I didn’t pick up more of that while visiting (though I recommend it to anybody that is visiting), but I can’t recommend their 2005 Meritage enough.  At $10 it’s an amazing blend of merlot, cabernet franc, and petit verdot.  Speaking of Petit Verdot, Blenheim’s single varietal Petit Verdot is spectacular, along with their Cabernet Franc.  Their King Family Merlot may have actually made a merlot drinker out of my wife with its earthy flavors.

Our first day in Virginia Wine Country was amazing, and trust me, the second day was just as much fun.  Thanks to Keswick, Jefferson, Kluge, and Blenheim Vineyards for being so welcoming and to all my readers out there – please go and support these amazing vineyards.

Stay tuned for Day 2 of George and April’s Mini-Vacation in Virginia Wine Country.

Varietal: Meritage (Merlot; Cabernet Sauvignon; Petit Verdot)
Region: California – USA
Cost: $22

Deeply colored and full bodied.  Blackberry, cassis, and jammy red fruit flavors pair well with a variety of foods such as lamb chops, chicken marsala, Osso Bucco, steaks, pork, BBQ, or day old meat loaf.

Recommendations: First of all, I want to clear something up.  It’s Meritage (as in “heritage”)…at the Virginia Wine Expo two weeks ago, where there were several Meritages, this became a topic of debate at several tasting tables.  Ok…now on to the review.

The Surfrider Red is good.  The alcohol on the nose did give way as the wine opened up more into aromas of fruit and cherry, and the red fruit flavor finished with a combination of bold tannins and earthiness that I rather enjoyed, especially since the alcohol that was on the nose didn’t come through on the palate.

Paired with a dinner of grilled BBQ chicken and some mixed veggies, the full-bodied, earthy flavor of the wine did a great job of enhancing the natural smokiness of the food without overwhelming the chicken or being overwhelmed by it.  It did what wine is supposed to do – complimented the meal.

While this wine certainly isn’t life-altering in any way, it was very enjoyable both with the meal and after, and was perfect with the BBQ – something that I feel will be a bigger issue as the weather begins to warm.  For those getting ready to start grilling, the Surfrider is definitely one to consider.

Special thanks to the International Wine of the Month Club for providing the wine for this review.

Athena Vineyards (http://www.athenavineyards.com)
Athena Vineyards is worth going to just to check out their unique bottle designs.  Owned by former nurses, Athena Vineyards offers a great deck wine in their Lighthouse White and a nice Meritage with a good pepper finish.

Potomac Point Winery (http://www.potomacpointwinery.com)
I’ll be the first to admit that I went to Potomac Point just to pick up a few bottles of their La Belle Vie 2008 for when the weather turns warm.  This year they’ve introduced a La Belle Vie Rose that was enjoyable, but not as good as the original.

White Hall Vineyards (http://www.whitehallvineyards.com)
I’ve been to White Hall Vineyards before, and if you’re ever our in the Charlottesville area, I certainly recommend visiting them.  While there weren’t any of their wines that I disliked, I came away with 3 bottles of their Cabernet Franc and 3 bottles of their Viognier.

Rosemont Vineyards (http://www.rosemontofvirginia.com)
Rosemont was the first vineyard I visited to give me some truly unique flavors.  Their Vidal Blanc offered up a herb, mint finish that was new and refreshing.  Their Meritage has a clove finish that I will admit reminded me a bit of high school.

Pollak Vineyards (http://www.pollakvineyards.com)
Lime in their Durant White reminded me of South American Sauvignon Blanc.  Their Cabernet Franc had a more subtle pepper finish than many I had during the day, while their Cabernet Sauvignon offered a touch of eucalyptus.

Mountfair Vineyards (http://www.mountfair.com)
Most notable from Mountfair was their slightly effervescent Stickdog Riesling with a slight mineral finish.  Fairly refreshing and one worth considering as the weather turns warm.

Blenheim Vineyards (http://www.blenheimvineyards.com)
I really enjoyed Blenheim, and while I didn’t dislike any of their wines, I enjoyed their Viognier and Cabernet Franc the most, bringing home two bottles of the Viognier and one of the Cab Franc.  I already wish I had grabbed 3 bottles of each.

Tarara Winery (http://www.tarara.com)
I was really looking forward to Tarara, and was sadly sort of disappointed.  I went there looking forward to their Long Bomb, and while I really enjoyed their Charval with a slight mineral finish and found their 2008 Cabernet Franc to be great, but their Long Bomb Edition 2 was a bit of a let down.

Lake Anna Winery (http://www.lawinery.com)
I’m a huge fan of Lake Anna, and while I went there to try and pick up their Spotsylvania Claret (3 bottles), I can’t help but recommend their Totally White and Totally Red as quality table wines.  The Bellhaven Chardonnay is very refreshing and definitely worth considering as well.

Villa Appalaccia Winery (http://www.villaappalacia.com)
While I’ve never made any secret of the fact that I favor red wine for most occasions, I was blown away by the whites offered by Villa Appalaccia.  Not to take away from a great Toscanello (a great blend of Cab Franc, Sangiovese, and Primitivo), their Pinot Grigio, Pinot Grigio Reserve, and Simpatico are worth buying.  The Pinot Grigio is a great deck wine, and there’s not much seasfood that I wouldn’t pair the Reserve with.

First Colony Winery (http://www.firstcolonywinery.com)
The two most worth it to me were the Viognier with its light floral flavor and their Cabernet Franc with its combination bell pepper white pepper finish.

Grayhaven Winery (http://www.grayhavenwinery.com)
While certainly not the last winery that I visited, it was another one that I went to with a certain wine in mind.  Just up the road from my home, this is a vineyard that I’ve visited several times for their great, homey tasting room.  Their Cabernet Franc is always one to love, with a light color and great pepper finish.  They have a Sauvignon Blanc that I have yet to taste, but as it’s always sold out I’m assuming it’s pretty good.

Vino Curioso (http://www.vinocurioso.com)
Three years ago I found Vino Curioso at the first Virginia Wine Expo.  All these years later and I’m still in love with their Cabernet Franc (Franc the Tank) and their Cabernet Sauvignon (Snake’s Den).  Another one that I’ve never tasted the Sauvignon Blanc of because they are perpetually sold out of it.

Jefferson Vineyards (http://www.jeffersonvineyards.com)
Like many of the vineyards at the Virginia Wine Expo, I hit up Jefferson Vineyards looking for a specific wine – their Petit Verdot – which they didn’t have.  Granted, their Cabernet Franc was as good this year as it was last, but them not having their Petit Verdot available was a bit of a let down.

The 2010 Virginia Wine Expo was another roaring success, with great vineyards presenting great wine.  If you’re in the Central Virginia area, or even if you’re not, and you’re not already planning to attend next year, you’re missing out on a great opportunity to not only learn about varietals that you might not get from California, but certainly ones that taste different than those you are used to.

New Kent Winery Meritage

Varietal: Meritage

Region: Virginia – USA

Cost: $18

Earthy aromas is a contrast to the mellow flavors of this red.  The light red color belies the dryness of the wine, one that would pair well with red meats, strong cheeses, or red pasta sauces.  As New Kent Winery is a new winery, this Meritage is a respectable offering.

Recommendation: Only available at the winery for now, if you’re there, this will be the wine to get.  That being said, as Meritage’s go, this isn’t the best you can find in Virginia, especially for the price.