Posts Tagged ‘Blenheim Vineyards’
Don’t Leave Home for Viognier: A VA Virtual Tasting
Posted by The Editorial Desk / Thursday, July 14th, 2011
(Image: Shebeko/Shutterstock)
Virtual tastings have become all the rage. For this virtual tasting, the Wine Board has chosen to focus on Viogniers (a.k.a. the red drinker’s white) as the viognier grape has recently been declared the official wine grape variety of Virginia.
As noted by Forbes.com, here are some Twitter tasting advantages:
- Comments are brief and to the point.
- “All voices are at the same volume.” No one will drone on trying to convince you how much they know about wine and how much you don’t. (Reminds me of a terrible first date I witnessed at a winery, but I digress . . . )
- If you are a klutz, you don’t have to worry about “apologizing for spilling wine on someone else’s rug.”
- And most importantly, there is no risk of drunk driving.
So how does this virtual tasting work?
First, you need the wine. Here are the featured Viogniers for tonight, and the order in which they are being tasted along with a few tasting notes from the winemakers.
1) Horton Vineyards NV Sparkling Viognier: If you keep reading, you will see this is the only sparkling Viognier on the list. “This bubbly dry white (Brut) sparkler is made Methode Champenoise.”
2) Blenheim Vineyards 2010 Viognier: Yes, this is Dave Matthews’s winery (no relation). Tasting notes -”nose of honeysuckle leads to gentle notes of apricot and pineapple with a bright but smooth citrus finish.” 20% barrel aged in French oak.
3) King Family Vineyards 2010 Viognier: 70% is fermented in stainless steel, 30% in neutral oak. Tasting notes - ”cantaloupe, honeysuckle and orange zest on the nose and mouth with a hint of apricot.”
4) Barboursville Vineyards & Winery 2009 Viognier Reserve: 100% stainless steel, so no oak aging. Tasting notes – “Juicy and bright pear, passion fruit, and hints of citrus on a gently herbal frame.”
5) Cooper Vineyards 2010 Viognier: Tasting notes – “Tropical aromas of papaya and fresh mango give way to floral pear and honeysuckle with a bright palate of pineapple and stone fruits.”
6) Delaplane Cellars 2010 Maggie’s Vineyard Viognier: Aged in neutral French oak barrels. Tasting notes – “peach, apricot and honeysuckle together with a rich mouth feel.”
Also, as the Washington Post helpfully notes, you can”chime in with your tasting notes for other Virginia viogniers” if you aren’t able to get your hands on the ones above, but still want to participate.
Next, you need to go on to Facebook and “like” Viognier Night: A Virtual Tasting of Virginia Viogniers. When you sign on to Twitter, follow the Twitter hashtags #VAWine, #VAViognier, and #WBC11. Wine bloggers and consumers will pose questions and winemakers will answer. It is also hoped that consumers will contribute photos of the Viogniers as they are partaking.
For more on tonight’s virtual tasting, and for a list of bloggers to follow, click here. Now sit back, relax, and taste/tweet to your heart’s content!
-Johnisha M. Levi
Posted by The Editorial Desk / Wednesday, March 10th, 2010
Not to be outdone by the now near-constant flood of event dining opportunities, local vintners hope to take center stage during Virginia Wine Week (3/22 – 3/28).
Participating restaurants/retailers are obliged to feature at least three Virginia wines by the glass.
But many hospitality purveyors we’ve spoken to are taking the opportunity to trot out a bevy of regional pours, including:
* Capital Ale House: plan to offer Afton Mountain Vineyards Gewurztraminer (bottle only), Autumn Hill Vineyard Chardonnay ($6.95), Autumn Hill Cabernet Franc Vineyard ($7.95), 2005 Blenheim Vineyards Meritage ($8.95), Blenheim Star Chardonnay ($10.95), Burnley Vineyards Riesling ($8.95) and Green Springs Winery Sweet Rose ($6.95).
* The Dock at Lansdowne: plan to offer 2008 Horton Vineyard Viognier ($8), 2006 Barboursville Vineyards Cabernet Franc ($8), 2007 Breaux Vineyards Chere Marie ($8), Breaux Equation Merlot ($8) and 2006 Prince Michel Chardonnay ($8).
* The Majestic: plan to offer Thibaut-Janisson Blanc de Chardonnay ($18), Pollak Vineyards Cabernet Franc ($13.50), Pollak Chardonnay ($11), Boxwood Winery Boxwood blend ($14) and a wine flight ($18) featuring Thibaut-Janisson, Boxwood and White Hall Vineyards Viognier. “We have featured the wine flight before and it has been quite popular,” Majestic manager Maria Chicas said.
* Vinifera: plan to offer 2006 Horton Vineyards Viognier ($9), 2006 Gabriele Rausse Cabernet Franc ($9), 2008 Loudoun Valley Vineyard Vinifera Red and Vinifera White ($28 each per half bottle).
* Vintage 50/Vintage 51: chef Aaron McCloud assured me they’ll be pouring something from Fabbioli Cellars and said they were still vetting other potential wine partners.
* The Wine Kitchen: plan to offer Kluge Estate New World Red ($3.50 – taste, $9 – glass, $31 – bottle) , 2007 Michael Shaps Chardonnay ($3 – taste, $11 – glass, $42 – bottle) and Tarara Winery Long Bomb Edition Two ($4 – taste, $7 – glass, $28 – bottle), as well as a discounted flight ($7) featuring all three.
A Virginia Wine Marketing aide said they’ve recruited over 160 participants to date and hope to cross into the 200s before registration closes on Monday, March 15.
Meanwhile, we’d like to know: does your favorite restaurant serve Virginia wine? And if not, might this promotion entice you to sample something local?
–Warren