The Good Wine Guru » potomac point winery

Potomac Point Winery La Belle Vie 2008

George — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 16:00:07 +0000

Varietal: Blended White Wine (41% Vidal Blanc; 34% Chardonnay; 15% Traminette; 10% Viognier)
Region: Virginia – USA
Cost: $15.99

Slight floral notes with flavors of melon and citrus and a hint of sweetness. Pairs well with white meat, appetizers, spicy food, and hot summer days.

Recommendations: My parents live near Potomac Point Winery, so while it’s been a while since I’ve had a chance to go and visit them in person, I am fairly familiar with them and their wines. Because of that, I’m a big fan of their La Belle Vie, always keeping some on hand as the warmer months roll in as it works great as a deck wine.

The floral notes on the wine would lead you to believe there’s more Viognier in it than there is, and while there’s just a hint of sweetness, it’s countered nicely by flavors of citrus and a touch of melon. The wife and I paired this bottle with a dinner of pork chops from the oven, some corn, and a pasta side, but really the ideal pairing for this wine would be either a cheese and meat platter on the patio or a dinner of good Thai food.

That being said, for the warmer months this is a nice alternative to the Sauvignon Blancs that I usually drink, cutting out some of the citrus and adding the floral notes and flavors of Viognier that I’m growing more and more fond of. While Potomac Point is a bit off the beaten path, if you’re in the Northern Virginia area I do recommend a stop in and enjoying a bottle of La Belle Vie on their patio, otherwise, pick up a bottle at several local stores and enjoy it at home.

Virginia Wine Expo 2010 in Review

George — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 16:00:09 +0000

Well, the 3rd Annual Virginia Wine Expo has come and gone. I found some new vineyards and visited some old favorites. Here’s the long and short of my experience.

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.

Potomac Point Winery Cabernet Franc

George — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 16:49:53 +0000

Varietal: Cabernet Franc (2007)
Region: Virginia – USA
Cost: $22.99

Light coloring with a fruit flavors and a finish of dark cherry, spice, violet, and black currant on a medium to full-bodied wine. Will pair well with red meat, pasta, or by itself.

Recommendations: Potomac Point is another of my favorite winerys here in Virginia, and while they’re relatively new, they’re already producing some great wine. Their Cabernet Franc is everything that you would want in Virginia’s signature grape, with nice spice and pepper on the finish and not too much fruit in the beginning.

I paired this red wine with a steak, and the pairing of Cabernet Franc and red meat continues to be one of my favorites. While the only way to currently get this wine is to visit the vineyard or find it in a Virginia ABC store, it’s well worth it if you’re in the area to stop in and pay them a visit. Their tasting room and patio are a great way to spend a day trying this and other great wine. Give this one a shot.

2006 Potomac Point Viognier

George — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 22:49:19 +0000

Varietal: Viognier
Region: Virginia – USA
Cost: $17

A Rhone varietal aged in stainless steel and French oak barrels. The golden color leads into a floral wine that is the favorite of Potomac Point employees.

Recommendation: My wife and I drank this with grilled pork chops, and it was great for that. The floral flavors of the wine are subtle, but weren’t overwhelmed by our meal. Even had I not known it was aged in French oak, the slight buttery taste makes it evident with a bold finish to the wine. Perfect for pairing with grilled white meat or for enjoying by itself, but will probably overwhelm all but the most heavily seasoned fish. Otherwise, a great wine to keep on hand.

2009 Virginia Wine Expo Photos

George — Sun, 15 Mar 2009 16:39:00 +0000

I just realized that I haven’t posted any of the photos I took from the Virginia Wine Expo. Here are just a couple.

Veritas Vineyards tasting booth

I’m a big fan of this vineyard if for no other reason than because my brother-in-law got married here. Anybody looking to get married at a Virginia vineyard should really consider them.

Stone Mountain Vineyards tasting booth

You may take your life in your hand to get to the tasting room, but Stone Mountain offers one of the best places to enjoy a bottle of wine with their deck overlooking the Shenandoah mountains.

Jefferson Vineyards tasting booth

Amazing Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot are reasons enough to visit this vineyard.

Potomac Point Winery tasting booth

Potomac Point is quickly becoming one of my favorite places to visit. With their amazing patio, great wines, and welcoming nature, whether you enjoy their wine or not (and I think you will), you’ll enjoy spending an afternoon at their tasting room.

Tarara Winery tasting booth

I’d never heard of Tarara before the Virginia Wine Expo, but they’ve quickly made their way onto my list of places to visit in the coming year.

Vino Curioso tasting booth

These guys just clearly enjoy making wine. With wines like Franc the Tank and Snake’s Den, there’s nothing pretentious or snooty about their wine, but it’s great quality wine that you’re sure to enjoy time and again.