Archive for the ‘Virginia Wine’ Category
Varietal: 100% Merlot
Region: Virginia – USA
Cost: $18
Winemaker’s Notes: A nose of chamomile, toasted marshmallow, and campfire entice the nose. Hints of red plum, dried apricots, anise, and soft cedar combine for a smooth, lingering finish.
My Review: I don’t think it’s any secret that I’m a big fan of Blenheim Vineyards and the wines that their winemaker, Kirsty Harmon, is making. So it should probably come as no surprise that during my last visit to the vineyard while hitting some vineyards with my wife that I grabbed a couple of bottles, including the 2009 Seven Oaks Merlot.
Warning: As I stated previously, I am not nearly as kind in my reviews as the Guru is… I lost the ability to sugar coat years ago. That being said:
A few weekends ago I had a girlfriend visiting from out of town and since it was a beautiful day outside we thought maybe a little boutique shopping and wine tasting in a great part of the city sounded like a great way to spend an afternoon. While the weather didn’t disappoint, the shopping wasn’t every successful and the wine was extremely disappointing. I have attended the Carytown Food and Wine Festival on two other occasions and I seem to enjoy it less and less each time I go. There are always a few “usual suspect” vineyards who choose to attend every year with a rotating set thrown in which seem to be comprised of the smaller, lesser known vineyards in the state. That wouldn’t be a problem except those vineyards are in my opinion lesser known because they’re wines are of a lesser quality.
Wednesday night was the announcement of the 2011 Governor’s Cup winner for white wines. Back in February I was invited to attend the media tasting for the red wines, so I was pleased to see I was invited back for the whites.
The entire event was held at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts (VMFA), with the media portion of the evening (which I continue to be surprised to be considered a part of), being held on the outdoor terrace of Amuse, a restaurant within the museum. There we had the opportunity to sample the 7 gold medal winners that were vying for the Governor’s Cup. They were: Read the rest of this entry »
Virginia is for Wine Lovers
Sure I just spent some time in California, but at the end of the day I live in Virginia, and while I don’t write exclusively about it, I certainly do try to promote it as much as possible because, well I live here. For those that aren’t aware, October is Virginia Wine Month, and with that in mind, the Virginia Tourism Board is going to show some love to a Virginia Winery.
While you can read all of the details by clicking on this link (http://pressroom.virginia.org/pressroom/release.asp?id=304), what it really boils down to is that on September 21st, between 8am and 5pm, on Facebook, you can vote for your favorite Virginia Winery. The winner will get the LOVE statue (pictured above) at their winery during Virginia Wine Month.
In case you were wondering I will be voting, but I won’t tell you who I’ll vote for, but I do recommend anybody and everybody go out and vote and support Virginia Wine. If you don’t want to read the press release, here’s a direct link to the Facebook page to vote: http://www.facebook.com/VirginiaisforLovers
So the first day of the Wine Bloggers Conference was insane, I think my first post did a good job of pointing that out. So how were the second and third day? Much like the first, with so much to do and experience. Here’s a recap:
Early Morning Speeches
I was disappointed in the 9am conference about the Geology, Business, and History of Virginia Wine. Not in the speakers, who were great, but in the low attendance. I know we all partied the night before, and I certainly woke up with a headache and wondering where a few bottles of wine had come from, but I still managed to drag myself to the conference – and I wasn’t even staying in the hotel where the conference was being held.
That being said, the speakers were great and it was educational even for somebody that lives in Virginia. Anybody that didn’t make it missed out.
Wine Country Buses
As a rider on Bus 3 (the “Fun-vee”, not the “HumDrum-vee” according to the 1WineDude), I had a great time. We stopped in at Virginia Wineworks, run by Michael Shaps, which I had not been to before, but had on my list to visit as I live his Bag in a Box wines that are incredibly approachable and affordable. After that it was on to First Colony which offered up a couple of interesting reds, but some kinda disappointing whites. Finally it was on to Blenheim and Kirsty Harmon, which I think everybody knows I love. A great tasting, a great walk around the vineyard, and an amazing lunch were a great way to wrap up the tours.
So I’m sitting here in the morning of the second day of the 2011 North American Wine Bloggers Conference and I’m thinking back on yesterday and thinking about what to say here. It’s honestly a bit overwhelming since there was so much to see, hear, and (of course) drink. So what were my take-aways from the first day?
Spitting is a Must
Walking in I knew I would need to pace my sipping and be sure to spit and pour out. This was driven home not 10 minutes in as there were so many wines to sample as we waiting for the keynote speech that it would have been incredibly easy to become intoxicated before 1pm. That being said, everybody pouring was very nice and there was no pressure to drink.
Breakout Sessions
I attended two different breakout sessions. The first was about Millenials and wine, the other about aromas. The Millenials panel was interesting, and what they were trying to get at definitely deserved a panel, I just didn’t feel like they really drove the point home.
The aromas panel made me have a new appreciation for anybody that can pick out a wine and the region just by smell and a tiny sip. I did, however, get 3 out of 6 wines correct so I did feel pretty good walking out of that one.
Live Wine Blogging
If you were paying attention yesterday you saw me post 12 times in around an hour. The Live Wine Blogging was essentially speed dating with wine and it was both fun and insane all at the same time. One hour, 12 wines to try, 5 minutes per wine. If you ever have the opportunity to try something like this I recommend it.
Monticello Needs Central Air
Actually the house does have AC. Outside was another story. It’s nobody’s fault that it was 100 and stupid outside, but doing a tasting of Virginia wines outdoors sounded like a terrible idea. I did have fun though, and got t try wine from a couple of Virginia vineyards that I haven’t managed to try yet.
The Other 46
True, Virginia is part of the Other 46, the wine producing states that aren’t California, Washington, Oregon, or New York, but getting to try wine from Maryland and Missouri was interesting. My mother is from Missouri and when I mentioned the tiny town where she grew up the lady pouring at the Missouri table recognized them so she at least got my respect for that.
After Hours Doesn’t Mean All Night
There were plenty of after hours parties in hotel rooms last night. I visited a couple of them and it was nice to get to socialize with other wine people in a setting where none of us felt compelled to take notes. That being said, I was glad I left before midnight as I don’t think I’d be awake writing this had I not.
Day 2 Begins
As I write this I’m getting ready to head downstairs and get some breakfast and then head out for day 2. I took my laptop with me yesterday and I won’t be making that mistake again (it’s damned heavy and my shoulders are sore), but I will be live-tweeting throughout the day so make sure you follow me on @TheGoodWineGuru to keep up with what’s going on.
