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.

By:  Sara Kahn, Founder of The Cheese Ambassador.

Whether you are hosting a soiree or a casual get-together this holiday, your mission is to provide your guests with warm hospitality, lively conversation and a delectable spread of food and drink. Whether the menu is complicated or simple it better be delicious. Serving a sumptuous gourmet cheese course is perfect as a starter or centerpiece of the meal. Not only is the preparation simple (no cooking!) but more importantly, your guests will enjoy discovering and savoring new favorites. As a wine lover, you want to impress with the right pairings but the overwhelming selections of wine and cheese can make your head spin. Relax. There are no hard and fast rules when it comes to choosing the right combinations of cheese and wine. Just keep in mind a few simple considerations.

A cheese course is about observing and enjoying contrasting and complementary flavors. For a foolproof gourmet cheese course, select 3 – 5 cheeses that vary in texture and flavor. Add some crusty bread, fresh or dried fruit, olives and nuts and voila!

Remember, wines are meant to cleanse the palate, wash away the tongue-coating richness of the cheese and prepare your mouth for the next delicious bite. It’s important that your selections don’t overwhelm the cheese and vice versa. Essentially, you’ll want to match wine and cheese of the same intensity level. Just remember “like for like”.

Take a look at the gourmet cheese categories and wine recommendations below for guidance. You’ll see how easy it is to serve an elegant wine and cheese course. For best results, just add friends and family.

Fresh – These cheeses are not aged and usually are white and light in flavor, smooth and sometimes tangy. Try chevre (goat cheese), feta and smoked mozzarella.
Beverage Pairings – Acidic white wines stand up to the tang and milky flavors of fresh cheese. Try a Viognier or a lightly oaked Chardonnay with French goat cheese, Boutari (a white Greek wine produced on the island of Santorini) with Greek Feta and Pinot Grigio with mozzarella.

Bloomy – Encased in a whitish, edible rind, bloomy gourmet cheeses are often velvety, gooey with a mild flavor. Add Brie, Camembert or Pierre-Robert to the cheese board for a decadent treat.
Beverage Pairings – Seek out a carbonated beverage to refresh the mouth from the rich and creamy flavors. Traditionally, bloomy cheeses are served with French Champagne but also try Cava from Spain and Prosecco from Italy.

Washed Rind – During the aging process, washed-rind cheeses are usually bathed in a brine or washed with liquor such as wine, beer or a spirits. It’s this brining process that gives the cheese an aromatic quality. Almost all have orange or reddish hued rinds. Not mild and not sharp, washed rind cheeses are full-flavored. Give Taleggio, Drunken Goat, and Epoisses a taste.
Beverage Pairings – The fruity and tannic flavors of red wines work well with the stronger flavors of washed rind cheeses. Try Italian reds such as Barolo and Brunello di Montalcino with Taleggio, a Spanish Rioja with the Drunken Goat and a Cabernet Sauvignon with Epoisses.

Semisoft – These supple cheeses are rich, creamy with stronger flavors. Fontina is herbal and nutty while Morbier offers sweetness with greater pungency.
Beverage Pairings – Sample these with light and fruity reds such as a Pinot Noir or fruity whites such as Sancerre.

Firm – Typically, firm cheeses are still pliable and packed with flavor. The best are a bit crumbly and aged for robust, nutty goodness. Cheddar, Gouda and Gruyere are crowd pleasers.
Beverage Pairings – A pint of English ale is the traditional beverage of choice for Cheddar but a Sauvignon Blanc is complex enough to complement. Gouda is great with a Syrah/Shiraz and drink Beaujolais with Gruyere.

Hard – Hard cheeses are dry, crumbly and aged for intensity. Piave, Parmigiano-Reggiano and Aged Comte boast salty, caramelized, nutty flavors.
Beverage Pairings – You’ll find hearty wines can hold their own against these cheeses. Try a Barbera or Chianti with the Piave and Parmigiano and Merlot with the Comte.

Blue – The bluish-green veins give blue cheese its punch. Listed from strong to strongest in pungency are creamy Gorgonzola, nutty Stilton and salty Roquefort.
Beverage Pairings – Intense gourmet cheeses like blues can be tamed with sweet dessert wines, liqueurs and even a fruity beer. Port and sherry are traditional blue libations. For a unique treat, try a raspberry flavored beer like Belgian Lambic (look for Lindeman’s Framboise). All can be savored while lingering over dessert.

About Sara Kahn
Even though her passion for gourmet cheese was undying, Sara Kahn found shopping for it to be overwhelming, time consuming and confusing. She established The Cheese Ambassador to offer a simple way to select and serve the world’s finest cheeses. Their cheese gift baskets provide the perfect combination of exquisite cheese along with a comprehensive cheese course guide, enjoying gourmet cheese is now a deliciously enriching experience.

Varietal: Pinot Grigio
Region: California – Anderson Valley – USA
Cost: $20

Fruity with bright orange and melon aromas.  Light, lemon and green apples on the palate end in a refreshing acid finish.  Pairs with salads, melon, cheeses, seafood, or by itself.

Recommendations: I’m very hit or miss on Pinot Grigio, preferring Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc for my white wine selections, but I did find this Pinot Grigio to be quite enjoyable.  Purchased by my parents during our trip to California several weeks before and sent home with me, this bottle had been chilling in my refrigerator for a few days while I tried to select something to pair it with.

A meal of salmon and and roasted red potatoes was what my wife and I paired this white with, and it was a great compliment to the seafood and the well seasoned potatoes, the melon and apple flavors, along with the acid finish, cutting through the richness of the salmon.

While I still prefer my Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc, I can say that I enjoyed this Pinot Grigio and would recommend it to anybody in the market for a quality one at a good price.

Light, crisp,  and with an ever so slight citrus flavor, this light white wine will pair with appetizers, seafood, pork, or chicken.

Recommendations: This may sound weird, but while I know this was a Sauvignon Blanc, it tasted more like a Pinot Grigio to me.  Granted a half-way decent Pinot Grigio (especially for the price), but it lacked the citrus and acidity that I usually associate with Sauvignon Blanc.

Much like the Charles Shaw Cabernet Sauvignon, it’s hard to argue against this wine for the price if you’re already in Trader Joe’s, but it’s also not hard to do better than this Sauvignon Blanc for the price (Ponga and Terra Andina are both under $10 and taste better)

If you’re already in Trader Joe’s it’s worth it to pick up a bottle of this to pair with an afternoon snack (my wife and I drank this wine with cheese, crackers, hummus, bread, and sausage), but keep in mind that you can do better for not much more money.

Varietal:  Pinot Grigio
Region:  Virginia – USA
Cost:  $16

A dryer pinot grigio, this white is more in the Italian style, with a very golden color and light flavors of melon.  Pairs well with chicken, pork, or with light appetizers.

Recommendations:  As I’ve moved more into dryer wines, I’ve moved away from pinot grigios as a general rule, preferring Sauvignon Blanc and Reserve Chardonnay for my whites.  That being said, I’m actually a big fan of the Stone Mountain Pinot Grigio.   A fairly dry pinot grigio, this white is great for enjoying with food, light appetizers, or just by itself, and will please dry wine drinkers that are looking for a lighter white.  Perfect for a Spring day on the deck.

Voga Italia Pinot Grigio

Varietal:  Pinot Grigio

Region:  Italy

Cost:  $9.99

From Northern Italy, this white wine is on the dryer side of the pinot grigio scale, with citrus aromas and flavors, and a nice crisp finish.

Recommendation:  For under $10, you can’t beat this wine.  A dryer pinot grigio, this white wine has nice citrus flavors and a clean, crisp finish that will go perfectly with well seasoned seafood or chicken.  Perfect for enjoying on a hot day, this wine is great for pairing with food or for drinking by itself.  If you happen upon this wine in your store, I would recommend grabbing it for a try.  It’s an excellent substitute for a sauvignon blanc.