Archive for the ‘Virginia Wine Expo’ Category
Varietal: Cabernet Sauvignon; Merlot; Syrah
Region: Virginia – USA
Cost: $12
Winemaker’s Notes: Our top-selling wine! Spice and fruit in the aroma give way to a soft, slightly sweet finish in this versatile red wine. Also great with BBQ and for picnics.
My Review: I’d nearly forgotten I had picked this bottle up at the Virginia Wine Expo back in February until this past weekend when my wife and I were looking for something to sip on in the evening while relaxing in our basement. Since we’d already started with some red earlier for dinner, we thought it would be a good idea to stick with it and popped this bottle open.
Varietal: 100% Chardonnay
Region: Charlottesville – Virginia – USA
Cost: $14
Winemaker’s Notes: Aromas of honeysuckle, pineapple and citrus herald this clean crisp wine. Notes of caramelized pear, melon and peach are followed by a smooth, subtly sweet finish. Aged 5 months in French and American oak.
My Review: I don’t think it’s any secret by this point that I’m a fan of the wines produced by Blenheim Vineyards and their winemaker Kirsty Harmon. Because of that, during the Virginia Wine Expo back in February, my wife and I made sure to grab several bottles of wine from the Blenheim booth, and last night we opened up one of them to go with our dinner.
Varietal: Cabernet Sauvignon
Region: Charlottesville – Virginia – USA
Cost: $20 (SRP)
Winemaker’s Notes: Velvety accents of plum, raspberry and lilac charm the nose while flavors of lively tangerine and red apple dance across the palate. Aged in French and American oak.
My Review: I have, in the past privately amongst friends and family, and publicly on this website as well as several others, made it quite clear how big a fan of Blenheim Vineyards and their winemaker Kirsty Harmon. Thanks to the 2009 Blenheim Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon the streak is still alive.
During the latest Virginia Wine Expo, I made it a point to stop at the Blenheim Vineyards booth where Kirsty was kind enough to take myself and my family through the tasting which of course lead to a certain inevitable ending – I came home with wine. Last night while the wife was out with a friend (read: abandoned the dog and I to our own devices), I tossed a steak on the grill and opened up a bottle.
Varietal: 100% Cabernet Franc
Region: Charlottesville – Virginia – USA
Cost: $30
Winemaker’s Notes: Deep purple color with aromas of dark blackberry and currants. Soft flavors of concentrated berries with hints of vanilla and oak. Pairs well with steaks, chops, or hamburgers.
My Review: I’ve been sitting on this review for a few days because I was thinking of the best way to approach it. Given that the wine I was drinking was in a box, I clearly wasn’t drinking it in a single sitting (I’m not that irresponsible), so I couldn’t do my usual bit on what I liked or didn’t like about the wine and how it went with what I was eating. So I’ve decided to take a more…general view of it.
I picked up the 2009 Virginia Wineworks Bag in the Box Cab Franc at the Virginia Wine Expo last month. While walking around the Expo I saw their booth and immediately knew I was going to visit them as I had heard they were offering a boxed wine, something I’d never heard of a Virginia vineyard doing before. Read the rest of this entry »
So the 4th annual Virginia Wine Expo has come and gone and after going over my notes and trying to remember the heady mix of wines and crowds, I think I’m ready to share my overall thoughts on it. Before I delve into the wine itself, I feel as though I should address the expo itself.
While anything could be better than the first year of the expo (not using the entirety of the venue was a major misstep), I felt as though the 2nd and 3rd year of the event were better than this one. That’s not to say that this year was bad – quite the opposite, just that a few regulars that I was hoping to see and some of my favorite vineyards bringing a limited selection of wines was somewhat of a let down.
All that being said, I had a great time at the 2011 Virginia Wine Expo, the staff and volunteers were great, and the venue continues to be a great choice with a great layout that facilitates the large number of people (10,000 people were expected through the weekend) that are looking to sample Virginia wine.
Now…on to the wines. Read the rest of this entry »
It’s Virginia Wine Expo time, and before I attended the 2011 Virginia Wine Expo (thoughts to come later), I had the change to taste the gold medal winning wines that were vying for the 2011 Governor’s Cup for red wine. Those wines were:
- 2008 Hiddencroft Vineyards Cabernet Franc
- 2008 Fox Meadow Vineyards Le Renard Rouge
- 2008 Cooper Vineyards Norton Reserve
- 2009 Keswick Vineyards Cabernet Franc
- 2009 Afton Mountain Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Estate Reserve
- 2008 Barboursville Vineyards Petit Verdot Reserve Read the rest of this entry »
