Archive for WINE ARTICLES
Philip Carter Winery of Virginia
2008 Cabernet Franc
$23
Philip Carter Winery
Cabernet Franc has established itself as Virginia’s best red wine grape, expressing the character of the fruit consistently from vintage to vintage. The Philip Carter ‘08 offering is a medium weight red displaying cherry and raspberry notes with a touch of pepper on the finish, all classic markers of Virginian grown fruit. Serve with Italian meatballs and spaghetti on an upcoming chilly fall evening. Drink now through 2013.
The Philip Carter Winery of Virginia is located at 4366 Stillhouse Road in Hume. The picturesque winery sits on expansive, rolling country side outside the village of Hume surround by vineyards. The tasting room is opened daily, April through November, from 11am to 6pm and from December through March Thursday through Monday, 11am to 6pm. (540) 364-1203. http://www.pcwinery.com/
Obscure Self-made Millionaire Created Nation’s Wine Industry
In 1803, a penniless young man arrived in a frontier town called Cincinnati on the banks of the Ohio River, a log village of 800 brawling, whiskey drinking ruffians. A glass of wine was the furthest thing from their minds.
Forty-eight years later, the gentleman was one of the richest men in America and his winery—the first successful commercial one in the United States—was garnering reviews from around the world, including one from the 1851 Great Exhibition in London that proclaimed, “Cincinnati has become the chief seat of wine manufacture in the United States.”
To prove his gene pool ran long and deep, seventy-two years further into the future his grandson, bearing his name, was elected the 43rd Speaker of the United States House of Representatives and was eventually memorialized by having one of the current House office buildings named in his honor.
Nicholas Longworth
This wine patriarch was affectionately known as “Old Nick” at the height of his career but history records him as Nicholas Longworth, an American wine icon.
True enough, grapes were planted and wine produced in states as divergent as California, Virginia and Texas for as long as two hundred years before Ohio tossed its hat into the wine ring. But none of these early efforts resulted in a viable wine industry. Often the finished product tasted terrible, or if palatable, was used for religious purposes. Dropping by a general store and grabbing a bottle of wine for dinner was not an option for our forefathers. When entrepreneur Longworth appeared on the scene, he permanently changed the domestic wine landscape.
The Longworth family dated to the early days of our nation’s history. During the Revolutionary War they remained loyal to the British Crown rather than join the fevered cause of independence. The price they paid was the destruction of their estate in New Jersey. Following the war, Nicholas headed west to clear the family name of loyalist taint and to rebuild the family fortune.
Standing just five feet tall and blessed with a passion for hard work, framed by modesty and likeability, he quickly began making his mark in the turbulent river town of Cincinnati. One of his contemporaries wrote that he was, “shrewd, sagacious, quick-witted; with great common-sense and acquisitiveness.” The man would have been quite comfortable in today’s executive suites.
An Agrarian Dream
Much like Thomas Jefferson, Longworth believed the future of the United States lay in the building of an agrarian society of stable farm families, not industrialists and merchants. In retrospect, it was a charming vision that would not prevail. In the early 1800s, the second Industrial Revolution was just emerging and widespread use of steam and locomotive power was still a few decades off. Farming the land was seen as the path to establishing a strong nation.
Ironically, his first major business success came as a real estate investor. Shortly after moving west, he turned to the practice of law. One of his early clients could not pay his legal fees and Longworth accepted a deed to fourteen acres of land on the outskirts of town as payment. The value of the property quickly skyrocketed and our future wine icon began a career in land speculation that eventually made him a multi-millionaire. He now had the money to pursue his philosophy of expansive land cultivation. Enter wine grapes.
Exhibiting another Jeffersonian belief, Longworth abhorred the consumption of hard liquor. Today, we under appreciate the reasoning behind the temperance movement. But in the mid-1800s, alcohol abuse was rampant, along with its associated ills of destroyed families and careers. Wine was a naturally made alcoholic drink that fostered civility while eliminating the heartbreak of distilled spirits. Its consumption perfectly matched Longworth’s agrarian vision.
If at First You Don’t Succeed
His first attempts at vine growing met with typical failure. Disease and weather took a heavy toll on most palatable wine grapes. To make drinkable wine that did not turn bad after bottling, distilled spirits were often added. This technique did not comport with Longworth’s desire to produce a naturally fermented, modest alcohol beverage. Eventually, he settled on growing the red Catawba grape and producing a musky smelling dry wine. His only problem was nobody wanted to drink it. Only sweet and fortified wines were marketable to the rustic, frontier population.
He observed that the odd aroma of the Catawba grape came from the skins so he tried fermenting the wine without skin contact, creating a blush libation that the local German population enjoyed. However, Longworth wanted wider acceptance of his wine and began experimenting with hundreds of varieties, including the classic European grapes. They all succumbed to the difficult climate and insect life of the Ohio Valley. Then a fortunate accident of fate occurred.
Catawba Grapes
In 1842, a cuvée of his Catawba—a grape resistant to the cultivation problems of most grapes—underwent an accidental secondary fermentation producing a champagne-like wine. It tasted far better than his previous efforts. He committed to produce more but needed the expertise of French winemakers. Now a wealthy man, he hired professional winemakers from the Champagne region of France to create a sparkling wine using the traditional méthode champenoise.
Soon he was bottling a substantial amount of his Ohio sparkler but the process came with some serious drawbacks. One major hiccup was the unfortunate side effect of exploding bottles. Since a second fermentation occurred in the bottle—creating all those zesty bubbles—it produced significant pressure inside the vessel. In one of his first years in producing the wine, forty-two thousand bottles exploded in his wine cellar. Can you imagine how much fun it must have been to work at his winery? “Duck!” was likely shouted numerous times a day as bottle after bottle sprayed wine and glass all over the cellar.
Success and Then…
Undaunted and rich enough to indulge his passion, Longworth started buying thicker bottles, employing even more experienced winemakers and dramatically increasing the volume of his sparkling Catawba. Soon not only the locals but wine lovers from around the country began to purchase the unique wine. He never claimed it was champagne out of respect for the original French product but more that one critic claimed it was a superior product.
By the mid-1850s, he was producing nearly 100,000 bottles annually and running advertisements nationwide. As expected, the wine caught the attention of the Europeans. One British writer with the Illustrated London News wrote that the wine “transcends the Champagne of France.”
Ohio Wine Country
Longworth’s success triggered a growth in vineyards throughout Ohio and by 1859 the region was producing nearly 600,000 gallons of wine, or three million bottles. There were over 2,000 acres under vine in not only Ohio but also portions of Kentucky and Indiana. The American wine industry had been born.
But as is the case with many success stories, it did not endure. Over time, the Catawba grape, which was a hybrid of an American native and classic European grape, began to succumb to the pressures of black rot, downy mildew and insect depredations. During dry years the problem was held in check but humid, rainy summers took their toll. During the 1850s, only three vintages were dry enough to produce quality wine. The industry began to fade back into obscurity.
In 1863, Longworth passed on to the Valhalla vineyard in the sky leaving behind the legacy as the first successful commercial winemaker in the United States. His estate was valued at ten million dollars, an enormous sum of money in the 1860s, and valued today at more than a quarter of a billion dollars. By any measure, the man was a success, and especially as the Father of American wine.
Among his last words was his lifelong dream of discovering, “a new vine,” one that “would neither mildew nor rot.” His son-in-law later wrote that, “He never found it in this world.” Today, in all fifty states a vibrant industry free of diseased vineyards is thriving.
Notwithstanding his failure of achieving permanently healthy vineyards, Nicholas Longworth demonstrated that quality wine could be produced and marketed in the United States. Shortly after his death, winemakers around the country slowly began to build upon his success. Today, his single winery has grown into an industry of over 6,500 wineries producing 711 million gallons of wine a year and is the third largest wine producing nation in the world.
The man embodied the American Dream and the dream prevailed.
Published in the 2011 winter edition of the Virginia Wine Gazette.
Fox Meadow Vineyards
2009
FMV Le Renard Gris
$20
2009 Le Renard Gris
Owners Dan & Cheryl Mortland—and their widely respected consultant Tom Payette— have been clever as foxes in blending 40% chardonnay, 40% Vidal Blanc and 20% Pinot Grigio to create their Le Renard Gris. Bright, crisp, and fruit forward, the wine showcases peach, grapefruit and lemon notes. This exceptionally clean white is captured sunshine in a bottle. Pair with grilled marinated prawns and fresh melon salsa. Drink now.
Fox Meadow Vineyards is located at 3310 Freezeland Road, Linden, VA. The tasting room features an expansive deck with adjoining gazebo offering impressive views of the Blue Ridge Mountains. The winery is opened Monday through Friday 11am to 5pm and on weekends 11am to 6pm. (540) 636-6777. http://www.foxmeadowwinery.com/
Billions Are used Annually but Humble Vessel has Fascinating Past
In the mid-1600s, the Dutch produced square wine bottles similar to our traditional olive oil bottles of today. It enabled wine to be stored and shipped more efficiently. But for some unknown reason the idea went down a rabbit hole and was never heard from again.
But that’s getting ahead of our story.
Glass was in use during the Roman times but was rare and expensive. The Romans even used cork occasionally to seal such containers but with the collapse of the empire the technology would not be rediscovered until the 1600s. The second time around its advantages was so obvious that the marriage of bottle & cork continues to enjoy a passionate relationship to this day.
Fact is, without a wine bottle sealed with an almost airtight closure, wine could not age or blossom into something greater than its original self. During the long history of wine production—some 9,000 years—the libation had to be enjoyed within in a year of its production. If it wasn’t, it would be quickly consumed by a variety of nasty bacteria rather than thirsty humans. “Drink up” had a very real meaning in the good old days. The stuff tasted terrible after a year or so.
Wine Bottles---Then & Now
When the bottle was first widely adopted, it was used mainly to convey wine from the cask to the table. Its shape was similar to a large light bulb with a flat bottom. During its evolution it was first known as the “globe and spike” and then the “onion,” rather perfect descriptions of their actual shapes. Over time, the bulbous shape was drawn out and made thinner and longer to enhance the storage capability of the bottles.
Early versions of wine bottles produced in Italy were quite fragile and thus wrapped in straw, wicker or leather baskets to protect them during shipping. The word “fiasco” in Italian means flask or bottle but it morphed into “failure” when cheap glass resulted in wine bottle breakage. Truly, a real fiasco.
Tradition Rules
The wine bottle is so laden with tradition that some of its features are still uselessly built into its design. For example, the “punt”, or indented part of the bottom of each bottle, was originally where the blowpipe was attached to the molten glass during its production. As a glassmaker finished each bottle, he spun it and indented the hot glass to disengage his pipe from the vessel. This created a firm base and an area where sediment could be captured.
Today, there’s no significant reason for the punt’s existence other than the traditional look it provides a wine bottle. Interestingly, one wine analysis revealed that the deeper the punt the higher the quality of wine (caution: don’t faithfully take this advice to the bank, uh, wine shop. It was only one study). But if it’s true, most likely the reason is that winemakers who charge big bucks for their product want to consumers “feel” they are getting their money’s worth. In other words, the deeper your pockets the deeper the punts.
Another feature of the modern bottle that dates to three hundred years ago is the capsule. This is the tin sleeve at the top of each bottle. Its origins was born out of necessity when uncapped bottles were exposed to weevils and rodents that ate their way through the corks in dank cellars, exposing the wine to damaging oxygen. The capsule was a protective measure and surely irritated a host of little critters intent on living off of the tasty cork. Today, the only purpose the capsule serves is cosmetic. It makes the finished product look…er, finished.
There is no date certain when folks actually began sticking a cork in a wine bottle. The late 1600s seems to be when it began gaining wider acceptance in the marketplace. Nonetheless, in 1598 Shakespeare penned the following words for Rosalind in his play As you Like It: “I pray thee take thy cork out of thy mouth, that I may drink thy tidings.” Clearly, even then the cork was being inserted in other openings than just the mouth. We’ll assume it included wine bottles.
Name that Bottle
Perhaps one of the more fascinating pieces of bottle lore was the naming many of the various sized bottles for biblical characters. To this day the historical names are still in use. A “Jeroboam”—named after the First King of Northern Kingdom—contains three liters. Other names employed for obscure reasons were Methuselah, Mordechai, Salmanazar, Balthazar and Nebuchadnezzar. The eleventh bottle in the long list is appropriately called Solomon—the King of Israel, Son of David. And it would be a decision worthy of Solomon to consume its contents in one sitting since it holds 20 liters—or 676 ounces—of the transformed grape.
Happiness Spent!
Over the centuries, the shapes of wine bottles have evolved into four basic sizes, each containing 750 milliliters or 25.6 ounces.
- Bordeaux: straight-sided and high shouldered with a pronounced punt. Normally used for reds, except Pinot noir.
- Burgundy: fuller bodied with sloping shoulders. Many whites and one red call these bottles home, especially Chardonnay and Pinot noir.
- Rhine or Hock: Tall, narrow and with a flat bottom. German Rieslings and many off-dry wines are housed in these sleek vessels.
- Champagne: Thick-walled and wide with a deep, pronounced punt and sloping shoulder. These bottles must be sturdy to withstand the pressure of the naturally carbonated liquid. An unimpeded cork leaving a champagne bottle is traveling at over 50 MPH.
So with over three hundred years of history bottled up in the traditional wine receptacle, can we expect it to endure for centuries more? Not necessarily. Even as we peacefully sip our Sauvignon Blanc, creative minds are planning a possible overthrow of the glass bottle.
A small but growing segment of producers are beginning to use plastic. The weight of such containers are dramatically less than glass and are cheaper to make and ship, taking up to 20% less storage space. The bag-in-the-box technology is also advancing, with sleeker, more attractive packaging designs catching the eye of younger consumers. And there is Tetra Pak technology—used in packaging soy milk and chicken stock—that some vintners are also eyeing. Many of these innovative materials can also be shaped into square containers—just like milk—enhancing storage and shipping capabilities.
But hey, wait a minute. Didn’t somebody already think of the square wine container back in the 1600s?
Hmmmm…what goes around comes around.
Published in the Culpeper Times.
Intriguing new study sheds light on the connection between wine and health
On November 17, 1991, an event occurred that caused the single biggest boost for red wine consumption in America.
A Presidential Executive Order to drink up? Free wine distributed nationwide? Wine shops agreeing to stay opened day and night?
None of the above. It was the airing of a segment on Sixty Minutes called “The French Paradox”. Within a year, red wine sales in the United States skyrocketed 44%.
The essence of the television piece, reported by Morley Safer, was the counterintuitive findings of a French scientist, Dr. Serge Renaud, that the French enjoyed a low incidence of heart disease despite a diet relatively rich in saturated fats because of their love of red wine. Americans began to look at the fermented grape with new appreciation.
Since that fortunate bit of reporting, many health studies have touted the benefits of wine drinking. Science has reinforced that antioxidants, free radicals, resveratrol and other healthful components found in red wine provides protection from heart disease, the leading cause of death in the United States.
But is it the wine itself that creates this life giving benefit?
It seems a new study—conducted by another Frenchman, Dr. Boris Hansel, an endocrinologist who specializes in cardiovascular prevention at Hopital de la Pitie-Salpetrière—claims that moderate wine consumption, indeed, results in a lower risk for developing cardiovascular disease. But it’s not due to the wine.
What’s the connection? The researchers say that people who drink moderately tend to be better educated, have a higher social status, exercise more, suffer less depression and enjoy overall better health than heavy drinkers or teetotalers. A daily glass or two of vino is apparently a reliable marker for an overall healthier lifestyle.
If you are a wine lover, you can pause here and give yourself a shout out, “I told you so!”
The findings of the study were recently published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition and drew the conclusion that a causal relationship between cardiovascular risk and moderate wine drinking does exist, but challenges the idea that wine gets the credit.
The study examined the health status and drinking habits of nearly 150,000 French adults. The volunteers were placed in four categories: teetotalers, low-level drinkers, moderate drinkers and heavy drinkers. The study revealed it was the low to moderate drinkers that had an overall healthier lifestyle than teetotalers and heavy drinkers.
Previous studies failed to account for the fact that sensible drinkers were more likely to have developed a better approach to life in general; they exercised more, ate more fruit and vegetables and were more likely to engage in activities and exercise that reduced overall tension and stress in their lives.
Specifically, the findings identified that low to moderate male drinkers have less stress and depression, were slimmer, had lower body-mass index, lower fasting triglycerides, lower blood glucose and lower blood pressure. Their female counterparts has slimmer waists, lower blood pressure, higher amounts of good cholesterol (HDL) and lower levels of bad cholesterol (LDL).
It is believed that heavy drinkers avoid going to doctors as often as they should. It seems they do not want to be lectured about correcting their bad habits. As a result, they do not enjoy the benefits of regular medical care as much as low to moderate imbibers do.
While the findings of this latest study are good news for wine drinkers, it once again reinforces the time-tested adage, “everything in moderation.”
We’ll drink to that.
Published in the Harvest 2010 edition of the Virginia Wine Gazette.
Certain Wine Grapes Are Not Often Seen in the Old Dominion
Virginia’s ascendency in the world of fine wine has been dramatic. Over a span of some forty years we have gone from zero to almost 170 wineries. Why for?
Perhaps the single most important impetus for success has been the ability to grow and vinify the Vitis vinifera grape, which produces 99.9 percent of the world’s wines. Think Chardonnay, Viognier, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot and many other popular bottlings.
Can you imagine a thriving wine culture if we only were selling Alexander, Catawba, Niagara, Rayon d’or, Villard Foch, Villard Noir and Scuppernong? In the not so distant past, those wine grapes were grown in Virginia. And it’s one of the key reasons why so few commercial wineries existed.
Not only did these grapes make less than stellar wine, getting the public to buy a bottle made from strange sounding grapes was difficult. In the 1970s, American wine was breaking away from its reputation of making cheap, fortified and sweet wines and commanding international attention for producing a product that could compete with of best France. Virginians demanded the same.
When the challenge of producing wines in the commonwealth from classic grapes was overcome, the public’s curiosity turned to intrigue and tasting rooms began appearing like fireflies on a soft summer evening.
Notwithstanding this dramatic success, certain classic grapes—and their finished wines—are still not often seen in the Old Dominion. True enough, there are a few adventurous wineries out there growing such grapes. But most vintners elect to devote their talents to fruit more likely to produce consistent quality.
Our hot humid summers, abundant rainfall and dense clay soils create an environment that taxes the skills of the most gifted vineyard manager. Introduce certain ultra sensitive, high strung grapes into this climate and the challenge becomes almost insurmountable. Let’s find out why.
RIESLING
Considered one the “noble” grapes, Riesling is native to Germany where it has been grown for as long as 2,000 years. Its aromatic, flowery, almost perfume-like nose and high acidity produce wines ranging from dry, to semi-sweet, to sweet. The grape is highly terroir expressive, with different soils producing a variety of flavors. It demands a cooler climate with calcareous slate, sandy clay or sandy loam soils. It especially excels in thin soils with poor fertility.
The wine is often naturally fermented using no commercial yeast, rarely blended and receives no malolactic fermentation or oak aging. It’s considered by many wine enthusiasts as the greatest white variety.
PINOT GRIGIO
The actual name of this grape is Pinot Gris (Gree), but most wine lovers know it by its Italian name Pinot Grigio. Gris means “gray” in French and the clusters produce grapes with a silvery blue to grayish violet hue. It’s the most popular imported wine in the United States and widely known and loved as a crisp, easy drinker. It is thought to be a clone of Pinot noir and shows faint flowery aromas of honey, rose and orange rind.
It is widely grown in areas as diverse as Italy, France, Australia, New Zealand and Oregon. The grape desires a cool climate with long mild summers. Cooler temperatures help the grapes fully develop. Among connoisseurs, much of the wine is considered uninteresting. However, Oregon produces some very tasty Pinot Gris. The grape thrives best in warm and fairly sandy soil and in loose soil lying on top of bedrock.
Pinot Grigio is a wine some Virginia wineries, in fact, do produce. But plantings are generally limited to the cooler regions of the Piedmont and you will not find many renditions appearing on local tasting notes.
PINOT NOIR
This thin skinned beauty produces some of the greatest and most expensive wines in the world. Consider that in 2007, a Sotheby’s auction saw a case of 1990 Romanée-Conti go for $262,000…almost $22,000 a bottle. The grape is a beast to grow almost anywhere, including Burgundy. Andre Tchelistoheff, the dean of American winemakers in the post prohibition era, said, “God created Cabernet Sauvignon whereas the devil made Pinot Noir.”
The grape thrives in cooler climes, and likes a long growing season with sufficient amount of warm days and cool nights. Grown in a hot, humid climate the wine will produce an overripe, cooked flavor. It is very susceptible to spring frosts due to its early leafing propensity. It thrives in well-drained chalky clay and marly loam soils.
ZINFANDEL
Considered California’s red wine grape, it’s not widely grown elsewhere in the world. Its colorful history dates to the gold rush days when it was introduced to America by Italian prospectors from 1852 to 1857. The berries are medium sized and thick skinned and produce a wine that is full-bodied, showing briary flavors with black fruit, plum and raisin notes. It is a moderately vigorous vine and requires a long, warm and abundantly sunny growing season. Hot days and cool nights aid flavor development and help maintain sufficient acidity.
It ripens early but notoriously unevenly, with green berries and raisins often co-mingled in a cluster of ripe grapes. It thrives best in thin, minerally, well drained soils which help curbed its vigorous productivity. The grape shares DNA characteristics with Italy’s Primitivo, not too surprising considering how it found its way to California.
While these four wines are not readily available in Virginia, we should not feel deprived. Our state is home to a majority of the world’s best grapes. If we need to visit a wine shop occasionally to fill in the missing gaps, what’s the issue?
The search for great wine should lead us to a variety of sources. Diversity is one of the libation’s greatest attractions. Our hunt for a good bottle of wine should be as enjoyable as the capture.
Published in the 2010 Harvest edition edition of the Virginia Wine Gazette.
Owner of Barrel Oak Winery Shares Secrets to His Success
Barrel Oak Winery
Brian and Sharon Roeder opened the doors to their Barrel Oak Winery—BOW—in Delaplane, VA in the spring of 2008. Since then, 120,000 guests have sipped, picnicked and chatted away in their tasting room or on their patio or spacious grounds. Recently, Brian carved out an hour of his 100 hour work week to talk about why so many folks visit—and then return—to his kid and dog friendly winery. In 2010, BOW will produce 8,100 cases of wine, well on its way to a goal of 10,000 cases annually.
How did you and Sharon end up in the wine business?
We both were leading professional lives far removed from the world of wine. I was involved in small business development focusing on construction, property management, and nonprofit organizations. Sharon worked for a government affairs consulting firm. About four and a half years into our marriage, we realized we both had similar dreams. Sharon wanted to farm a vineyard and make wine and I had always wanted to own a winery. Barrel Oak was born.
Did you name the winery with the dog theme in mind?
Yes. But truthfully, we didn’t think it would resonate with the public as quickly as it did. When our beloved Golden Retriever “Bogart” died of Lyme disease at the age of eight, we called our breeder and purchased a pup just days before we opened the winery. On opening day, Sharon was not letting go of her new baby and carried the puppy all around the winery. Our customers loved it and asked if they could bring their own dogs. But of course! Word began to spread that we embraced kids, dogs and fun. The tasting room business took off.
Dogs and kids alone can’t build the volume of business you’ve generated. What else is in play here?
Think of a target with each widening circle contributing to our growth. First it’s our family and friends, then a network of twenty-six partners, followed by barrel club members, then regular wine club members, and finally, a growing email list that currently has 10,500 addresses. All of these forces are spreading our BOW message of quality wine and fun. In fact, our motto is: Farm, Family, and Fun.
In addition, Sharon and I are actively involved in working the tasting room and cellar each weekend. I personally like to greet our customers at the front door. I circulate throughout the tasting room, patio and grounds asking folks if they are enjoying themselves and what they think of our wine. We also conduct tours in our cellar. Everyone has a dream and we’re showing others they can live theirs; even if it means a lot of hard work.
Barrel Oak Tasting Room
There are some people—both in and outside the wine industry—that think Barrel Oak is operating a night club or bar type of business. How do you respond to those accusations?
With disappointment. For us, wine has always embodied the good things in life. Our staff works hard to create an environment that is accommodating, clean and safe. Anyone who visits us on a busy weekend can see we are a community. Hard working people and their families need a place in the country with scenic views and a relaxed atmosphere to act as a counterpoint to their hectic working lives. I’m proud we’ve extended our hours to 9pm on Fridays and Saturdays. We provide a welcoming atmosphere and it’s the key to our success. It’s also good for the growth of the state’s wine industry. We’ve introduced a lot of people to the world of Virginia wine.
On the other hand, there is a demand for wineries that take a different approach to their business. Some people like a quiet tasting room with the focus primarily on the wine. We understand and appreciate that. At barrel Oak we combine the energy of a fun loving place with quality wine. I think our success shows there is opportunity for both types of establishments.
Finally, we are sensitive to any actual or perceived negative impact in Fauquier County. We have good relationships with all our neighbors and I personally respond to and fix any situation that might be of concern to the local community. We live full-time on our farm. Being a good neighbor comes first.
Brian Roeder
Why do you hold charity events?
For the first time in our lives we are in a position to help worthy causes. We’ve raised over $120,000 for charitable organizations since we opened two years ago. Each of these events creates new friends and supporters and spreads the word about what’s happening here, so it also makes good business sense. Simply put, raising money for a just cause is the right thing to do.
How do you handle large groups of tasters on busy weekends?
We have seating for up to five hundred people and on some weekends we are full. But, no one should have to wait to enjoy a tasting or purchase wine. At peak times we have forty people on staff working four tasting bars, nine sales registers and serving fare such as cheeses, meats and hummus. We also focus on maintaining clean grounds and keeping an eye out so guests don’t drink too much. People come here to relax, not to get agitated standing in long lines or waiting for service.
Pet Peeves?
Clean restrooms. Every aspect of Barrel Oak should speak quality. A clean and attractive restroom sends a powerful message of quality and commitment to our customers. I push my staff to look at things through the “eyes of the owner.” I know it can be difficult for an employee to take that view but I preach it and reinforce it often.
Biggest misstep when opening the winery?
I’m a guy that tends to speak with authority. In the early months of our operation I shared my formula for success with other Virginia winery owners. Frankly, I don’t think many of them wanted to hear it. I probably ended up offending some folks. I did not intend to tell them how to run their businesses but I think that was the perception. I regret that.
I also wish I had built the winery twenty percent larger. You always think you are planning correctly but in retrospect that was an element I misjudged.
Closing thoughts?
The future of Virginia wine is unlimited. We need to focus on quality and produce wines that are authentically Virginia. I would love to see Fauquier County join forces with its wineries and attract out-of-state investors to open additional wineries. A national advertising campaign extolling the business advantages of locating a winery in Fauquier County would be a sound way to preserve our scenic countryside. If we don’t develop such strategies, the goal of keeping Fauquier green will be paved over with shopping centers and subdivisions. What we have here is too valuable to let it slip away to commercial rather than agricultural growth.
Cabernet Franc Grapes
Published in the August 26,2010 edition of the Culpeper Times.
Barrel Oak Winery
Norton
2009
$27
Barrel Oak Winery 2009 Norton
Norton is Virginia’s own grape with a storied history dating to the 1820s. Winemakers Sharon Roeder and Rick Tagg have captured the unique character of the grape with their 2009 rendition, aged—in what else—Virginia White Oak. The wine casts a deep garnet hue in the glass and displays floral and chocolate notes on the nose with a blueberry and a coffee spice palate. Pair this hearty Old Dominion red with baby back ribs and homemade fries. Drink now through 2013.
Barrel Oak Winery is located 3623 Grove Lane, Delaplane, VA. The winery is opened Wednesday thru Monday 11am to 6pm; Friday and Saturday 11am to 9pm; and closed on Tuesdays. (540) 364-6402. http://www.barreloak.com/
New Wine in Old Bottles as 2010 Grape Harvest Nears
2010 Typical Summer Lawn
Hot and dry describes the Virginia summer of 2010. All of us can look at our lawns and appreciate what the power of the sun and the lack of rain can create, or more accurately, destroy. Rock hard and brown is not a reference to the well-muscled twenty-somethings populating our local swimming pools and beaches, but to the earth from which wine grapes spring forth.
As a result of this summer’s climate—can we blame it on El Niño or La Niña?—procuring quality grapes in Virginia will be a challenge. White grapes are nearing optimal harvesting conditions but it’s a bit unclear as to the caliber of the fruit.
In 2003, France experienced a similar blistering summer. It produced some excellent red wines but not whites. Not until early next year will we know for certain how the wines will fare given this scorching summer. For more on this subject visit http://www.hagarty-on-wine.com/OnWineBlog/?p=2674
But, weather cannot be controlled so the winemaking challenge has to be considered part of the fun.
Empty Carboys Eager to Receive New Wine
All of my 2009 wines are now in bottle and my empty cellar awaits the coming new fruit. It’s an exciting time of the year for winemakers—both amateur and professional. Will the grapes easily produce gold medal winners or will alchemy (and some luck) be needed to create quality libations. Only time and successful winemaking will tell.
Recycled Bottles Awaiting Next Year’s Wine
As a home winemaker, I reuse a substantial portion of my bottles. It is perhaps the most meaningful recycling program I am committed to. Quality bottles are expensive and over the years I have reused them after the nectar contained therein has been drained. I am certain I have bottles in storage that have held three or four vintages. It would be great if commercial wineries could engage in such recycling, but it’s not physically or economically practicable.
As for my last year’s wines, I am generally pleased with the 2009 vintage; among my whites I have received favorable comments on my Seyval Blanc and virgin Chardonnay—meaning no oak or malolactic fermentation. In fact, in 2010 I will increase my production of light, clean, crisp whites. I rarely find a commercial bottling of a full-bodied, buttery chardonnay interesting anymore. Give me razor sharp acidity and bright flavors any evening.
My red wines are also pouring nicely but are still aging in bottle to round out some of the oak edges and soften the palate. One bottling I dubbed “Cashmere” is a blend of fifty percent Cabernet Sauvignon and fifty percent Cabernet Franc. It is a fruit forward, soft and smooth wine, almost, er, Cashmere-like in texture. I have received several compliments on it already, telegraphing it will be a family favorite this coming winter.
Perhaps the most telling sign that I will soon be deep into winemaking was the arrival of my lab supplies last week. Each year I replenish these items to assure fresh yeasts, additives, and cleaning supplies are in stock. Now, I am simply waiting for the phone call, “We are harvesting the Seyval this morning.”
Soon, there will again be new wine in old bottles.
Hagarty Cellars Wine Lab
Hospice of the Rapidan Benefits from Local Artisanal Winery Winefest
On July 31 and August 1, the first annual Festa Rappahannock wine & food festival was held on the grounds of Rappahannock Cellars in Huntly, VA.
The two-day event, attended by several hundred wine lovers, was a celebration of locally grown and produced wine. Grass fed beef & free range chicken on the grill complimented the wines, and live music was performed in a Civil War era barn providing added entertainment to the festive two-day celebration.
After an extraordinary long and hot summer, the event’s weather crystallized into a perfect summer weekend with low humidity, soft breezes and moderate temperatures. If you tried to dial up a better combination for success, you’d have had to bribe a meteorologist.
The festival officially launched the “Artisanal Wineries of Rappahannock County”, Virginia’s newest and most unique wine trail. The group is a collection of five family run wineries who have joined together to offer a premium wine tasting experience rooted in small lot, handcrafted wines. All five of the participating wineries are located in Rappahannock County, just a short scenic drive from one another, and only an hour from the DC beltway. This is boutique and casual wine tasting at its best and provides a sharp contrast to the hustle and bustle of Northern Virginia.
Tasting Tent
The group’s wineries include the Jung Family of Chester Gap, the Gadino Family of Gadino Winery, The Patil Family of Narmada Winery, the Delmare Family of Rappahannock Cellars, and the East Family of Sharp Rock Vineyards. These dedicated winemakers invite the public to experience their individual family’s hospitality, artisanal wines and uniquely intimate environments. For more information visit: http://www.artwinerc.com/events/
The funfest was held in support of the Hospice of the Rapidan, a nonprofit community organization providing skilled medical care, social work, bereavement care, volunteer support, and spiritual support to terminally ill patients and their families residing in Culpeper, Fauquier, Madison, Orange, Rappahannock and surrounding central Virginia counties. Hospice of the Rapidan offers services to everyone who qualifies for hospice care regardless of their financial resources.
Plans for an even bigger and more entertaining Festa Rappahannock next year are underway. Stay tuned. The fun has just begun.
Ruth Pavlik and Jan Deshceyes man the Hospice of Rapidan Tent
New Hume Vineyards Producing Virginia Wines with French Touch
Stéphane Baldi grew up in France and lived in some of the most respected wine regions in the world. His family owned farms in Burgundy and later moved to the Loire Valley. But, they never grew grapes or made wine.
Nonetheless, the blood of a winemaker courses through Baldi’s veins. Perhaps there is a genetic throwback to his passion. Shortly after graduating from college his love affair for the fermented grape began to blossom in earnest; first as a consumer, then a collector—and following its natural evolution—a winemaker and owner of the new Hume Vineyards.
The young entrepreneur does not fit the profile of many of today’s Virginia winery owners who are enjoying second careers after successfully retiring from their chosen life’s work.
Stéphane, and his wife Andrea, are a couple that might be mistaken for up and coming, inside-the-beltway professionals, out for a day of winery hopping. And indeed, that is part of their current lifestyle as they delve into the art of winemaking and its marketing. But they are hopeful of transitioning their current business careers into full time winery owners.
If the past is prologue, success seems likely. Stéphane holds a PhD in social science and is a principal in a Georgetown firm doing work in the field of education for the federal government. Andrea also has a PhD and works for a research and consulting firm in McLean. Given the nature of their jobs, they are able to live full time on their fifty acre farm, commuting back to the city occasionally to meet with clients. The dovetailing of their professional careers and winery ownership provides them financial stability while launching their new business.
The Vision
The Baldis have a tightly focused vision for succeeding. “We want to be a boutique-styled winery producing small lots of quality wine that we only sell in our tasting room and at selected high-end wine shops and restaurants. Our goal is to ultimately produce around 5,000 cases annually. But, we are going to grow slowly and maintain quality,” states Stéphane. Currently, their production is 500 cases a year spread about evenly over four bottlings; Vidal Blanc, Chambourcin and two distinct Cabernet Sauvignons.
“During our travels, we fell in love with the wines of Paso Robles and Santa Ynez in California. Many of the best were coming out of smaller wineries creating exceptional wines. We wanted to produce a Virginia version of this exciting region,” Stéphane explains.
Tasting Room
The winery is located off Leeds Manor Road in Fauquier County, a few minutes from the historic village of Hume. It’s a bit ironic that folks are now imbibing wines in their tasting room which is located minutes from the old Barbee Tavern built in 1787, where travelers and locals alike sipped eighteenth-century refreshments such as cider, beer and whiskey. Quality Virginia wine was still a few centuries away.
The couple evaluated some 200 properties before making the decision to purchase the land. “We wanted to be about sixty miles from DC but in a relatively undeveloped area that emphasized the beauty of a rural, agricultural region. Hume met all our needs,” explains Andrea.
Historic Land
The farm dates to 1883 and was established by John Carper whose family has a long history tied to the early days of Virginia farming. He built a log cabin on the site of the current farm house which has been renovated into a modern colonial style home. “During the course of expanding the home, built in the early 1900s, we found evidence of the original log cabin,” Andrea says. John Carper was laid to rest on the property and his grave overlooks the young grapevines, a crop he would have likely never seen during his lifetime.
In 1901, the Wright family purchased the farm and kept it in continual agricultural production until the Baldis purchased it three years ago. Thus, the legacy of farming the land will continue into the twenty-first century.
Currently, the winery has five acres of vines consisting of Merlot, Viognier, Petit Verdot and Chambourcin. Future plantings will include Sauvignon Blanc, Grenache, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon, growing the vineyard to eleven acres of fruit.
The Winemaking
For most new wineries, the first few vintages are often produced using purchased fruit and the assistance of an experienced winemaker. This is somewhat true for the Hume Winery. The steep learning curve in cultivating vineyards, producing wines and opening a tasting room can be leveled under the tutelage of a professional.
“My relationship with our consultant is different than most. I am producing all of our wines and seek input on an as needed basis. I control the wine growing and winemaking and utilize a consultant to deepen my understanding of the nuances of the art,” Stéphane emphasizes. His skill as a vineyard manager and vintner is evidenced by the high quality of his first bottlings.
For the Baldis, the winery is a passion with callused hands. They manage every aspect of the business and are emblematic of a family run farm operation. There is no staff to provide assistance. Moreover, the winery commitments are balanced with the demanding requirements of their professional lives. “We only travel into the city as necessary. Our ultimate goal is to be working here exclusively. I love the farm. This was not Andrea’s dream originally, but mine. Now she has become an integral part of our winery and we are working together to make it a reality,” says Stéphane.
After visiting the peaceful setting of the Hume Vineyards, it’s easy to appreciate why one would want to abandon the rigors of a high pressured job requiring an extended commute. Even if it means working harder than ever.
Stephane & Andrea Baldi
Hume Vineyards
2009
Chambourcin
$19
A popular French-American hybrid grape grown widely in the mid-Atlantic region, the Hume Vineyard’s “Sham-boor-san” stands above its typical rendition. Possessing a strikingly deep garnet color and alluring aromas of spice and plum, the wine engages the palate with smooth, even creamy, flavors of black cherry, spice, pepper and licorice. Pair this beauty with barbecue short ribs and corn on the cob. Drink now through 2014.
The grand opening for the Hume Vineyards was July 10. It is located just south of the village of Hume, off Route 688 on Washwright Road. The tasting room is opened on weekends from noon to 6 PM on Saturdays and noon to 5 PM on Sundays. (540) 364-2587. www.humevineyards.com
We live in an age of science. A rational explanation exists for everything. Anyone relying on unproven tales from the past is simply out of step with the technology gods.
True? Well, not exactly.
We all love to cling to personal theories, home remedies, conjecture or simply “gut feel” to help us navigate through our world of insecurities.
A few examples: Most body heat is lost through the head. The darker the beer the higher the alcohol. Newton was hit on the head with an apple. Salem witches were burned at the stake. You must drink at least eight glasses of water a day. Cracking your knuckles causes arthritis.
All classic beliefs. All false.
OK. You get the idea. Now, let’s have some fun puncturing holes in a few wine myths.
Wine Improves with Age
Wine changes with age but for most moderately priced bottlings it does not improve in flavor, especially whites. Today, most wine is vinified to be enjoyed the day it was purchased—displaying fruit forward traits and bright, fresh tastes. As whites age they tend to oxidize, turning a golden hue and losing most of their youthful exuberance. Reds also lose fresh fruit characteristics and become somewhat flat as the years roll by.
Of course, high quality—read expensive—reds and whites from world renowned vineyards will evolve over time from a fruit and acidity center to ones with more compelling aromas and tastes. It is not unusual to discover notes such as earth, cedar, tar, pencil shavings, mushroom and similar complex characteristics in a twenty-five year old bottle of First-Growth Bordeaux. But, if you are paying less than twenty dollars for a bottle, drink up. Your purchase is not an investment, it’s tonight’s dinner companion.
Critics Know All the Answers
There’s no denying trained professionals know quality wine. But experience has shown that often the wines preferred by the experts are not the ones attractive to the average wine drinker. Pros have developed a more acute palate and tend to favor more complex tastes, traits the average person is not looking for in their wine.
Use the experts as a guide but rely more heavily on what your own taste buds are telling you rather than what a slick and expensive magazine purports as good. Better yet, develop a “go to” relationship with your local wine shop. Owners of these establishments work hard to identify your flavor profile and will consistently guide you to wines that create smiles.
Smelling the Cork is Important
The tradition of smelling the cork actually originated in France in the early 1900s when wine fraud was rampant. Shysters would bottle cheap wine in used expensive bottles and pawn it off as the real thing. An easy way to spot such fraud was to examine the cork and see if it bore the same châteaux name as on the label.
Over time, this evaluation test morphed into the practice of smelling the cork. Smelling the cork will tell you very little about the quality of the wine therein. When offered the cork by a waiter, accept it graciously and set it aside. Wait for an actual sip to learn if the wine is good.
White with Fish & Red with Meat
Years ago this was a faithful guide when ordering a dinner wine. Today, restaurant meals are often a fusion of many styles, opening up the possibilities for a variety of wine/food matches. While the old adage still has some merit, do not be bound by its restrictive guidance. Seek matches that also marry the weight, color, or spice notes of the wine with your entrée. Some examples are Pinot noir with salmon, dry Rosé with rosemary chicken, off-dry Riesling with Indian cuisine, and even champagne with potato chips. An almost endless number of wines will pair well with an array of dishes. Have fun discovering new matches.
Wine and Cheese Are a Perfect Match
Most everyone will agree that wine and cheese are tasty companions. But it can also lead to a diminution of wine flavor when the sipper coats his palate with the fat and protein of the cheese, thus disguising the true taste of the wine. One improbable study was conducted by Professor Hildegard Hildmann with the Sensory-Science lab at US Davis in CA a few years back. The professor found that when wine and cheese were tasted together in a laboratory environment, the wine came off a little less oaky and a little less fruity.
Hildmann also discovered every cheese she tested had the same dampening effect on every wine in the study—Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, whatever. It seems if you really want to assess the true flavor of a wine steer clear of all food, including cheese. But, hey, are we seeking a technical evaluation of our dinner wines or trying to meld the flavors of our food and wine for maximum enjoyment. So technically, this myth is, indeed, a myth. But who cares.
A “Reserve” Wine Means Quality
Surely the word “Reserve” on our bottle of wine means its special, right? Well, maybe. Or, maybe not. No one other than the winemaker knows for sure. The use of the word “Reserve” in the United States can mean anything the producer wants it to. There are no laws regarding its use.
Typically, it connotes a wine of higher quality, aged longer, vinified with better quality fruit and other conventional benchmarks used to identify fine wine. What is doesn’t mean is a guarantee that it possesses any these particular traits. Since there is no restriction on its use, be careful basing your buying decision solely because the word appears on the label.
The list could go on and on. The world of wine is replete with misinformation. The point is, when it comes to “facts” involving our beloved social lubricant challenge everything. You are your own best critic because only you know what you like.
For beginners, don’t be brow beat into thinking a White Zinfandel or a 3 liter jug of Burgundy is the height of poor taste. Yes, most ardent wine lovers steer clear of these inexpensive offerings. But many passionate drinkers started their early sipping career downing lesser known—and lesser respected—vinous products. Think Boone’s Farm.
In this age of science, rely on the most trustworthy expert available. Your own palate.
Published in the July 8 edition of the Culpeper Times.
From a distance it often looks like an enormous green flag lying softly upon the land. Row upon row of sculpted grape vines undulating over the hills and swales. The vineyard beckons.
We know the scene well because countless works of art have depicted the iconic view. It embodies all that is rewarding about working the land. Woodie Guthrie memorialized it in his song Pastures of Plenty with the line, “Cut the grapes from your vine…to set on your table your light sparkling wine.”
But like many of life’s visions, there is the reality of it all. Especially in Virginia. Growing European wine grapes in the Old Dominion can be as difficult cultivating corn in Alaska. Well, maybe not quite that hard.
Virginia’s emergence as a promising wine powerhouse has been a long time coming. About 400 years long. The English colonists who landed at Jamestown in 1607 recognized the lucrative potential in winemaking. Their new home abounded with native grapes and within two years they had produced the first wine. It tasted awful.
Thus began a 350-year trail of tears, as generation after generation of winemakers tried to commercially produce wine in our state. The vintners encountered a host of problems, not the least of which was our climate, soil, and varied insect life, or what the French call terroir…the “somewhereness” of the fruit’s cultivation.
One of the major hurdles that could not be breached was the disappointing aroma and flavor of our native grapes. Yes, they grew in profusion and still do. But achieving anything resembling a quality bottle of wine from them was not possible. One of the abiding characteristics of indigenous wine is its foxy aroma and taste, or more pointedly, “wet dog” nuances. Taste a cabernet sauvignon along side a scuppernong and you would not be spending a lot of time fermenting the latter.
An interesting cultural phenomenon emerged because of this failure to produce wine in America. Our nation was launched on a path of beer and hard liquor consumption. Since fruits, grain and corn were cultivated with relative ease, folks fermented or distilled these agricultural products so as to have an alcoholic drink at hand. Alcohol was consumed in prodigious amounts in our nation’s early history. Think of it as that era’s social libation, plus an over-the-counter painkiller and physic drug cabinet, containing Prozac, Zoloft and Valium. Alcohol was the genie in a bottle and it granted our ancestors many wishes.
After the initial failure to produce palatable native wine, French vines were imported, followed by French vinegrowers, or vignerons, to work their magic. This time the vines did not even reach maturity before they withered and died. It became apparent wealth was not going to be amassed pursuing winemaking. Instead, the colonists decided to plant a crop that grew like a weed, tobacco. And while it was commercially viable, it also destroyed the land not to mention countless addicted smokers.
So what were the mysterious problems the early winemakers encountered? Why couldn’t they make decent wine? Let us count the ways.
First, ninety-nine percent of all wine is produced from the grape species Vitis vinifera. The grape is commonly referred to as the Eurasian grape vine because its origins were at the meeting point of Europe and Asia. Over eons the fruit developed traits enabling it to thrive in these environs. Unfortunately, this was not the grape species our colonists stumbled upon.
When the delicate European plant was shipped to America it landed on hostile shores. Cold winters, hot humid summers and a host of above and below ground insects were lying in wait for the tasty, little plants. No matter how experienced a winegrower was, successfully growing such tender fruit was not in the cards. Most vines succumbed within a few years of planting. An entire vineyard could be defoliated in a matter of days by beetles alone. It must have been heartbreaking for those early winegrowers to encounter failure year after year, while gazing at the thriving native grapes all around them.
Even Thomas Jefferson, our nation’s first wine connoisseur, tried to grow the European grape for over thirty years without success. Nonetheless, over time, the native grapes did hybridize with its high-class kin to produce wines that were more acceptable to the taste buds. But American hybrids never achieved more than regional curiosity status.
Then in the 1970s, vine growing embraced science and a wine industry began to emerge. One early leader was Dr. Konstantin Frank, a winegrower from New York State who expounded the idea that the delicate Vitis vinifera grape could thrive in the mid-Atlantic region. The good doctor traveled to Virginia and instructed a small group of dedicated growers on the methods of deep vine planting, proper root stock selection, correct trellising systems, canopy management, targeted spray programs and a host of other techniques he had perfected in the Empire State.
Virginia began to take some tentative steps into the world of serious winemaking. It was a thrilling and scary time for these wine pioneers as they rolled grapes onto the roulette wheel of fine wine production. It was also when the technique of keeping your fingers crossed while holding a wine glass was perfected.
After proper rootstock selection, canopy management and spray programs are the keys to the successful production of the classic wine grapes. Because Virginia’s soil is largely clay, it easily retains water and stimulates excessive vine vigor. Unless relentlessly pruned, the unchecked foliage can swamp a vine, denying the fruit of much needed air and sunlight to ripen the berries. It also can incubate lethal funguses and mildews waiting to spread across a vineyard, defoliating vines and limiting the cover and nutrients necessary for successful fruit maturation.
So with today’s vineyard successes, is this end of our story? Not at all. ‘Tis just the beginning. What started as an embryonic industry with one commercial winery in 1975 has blossomed into some 160 Virginia wineries and 3,000 acres of vineyards. The next ten years will see even greater progress and recognition of our wines as the caliber and knowledge of our viticulturalists and winemakers advances even further.
Indeed, Virginia is poised on the threshold of wine greatness. Our first winemakers must be softly smiling.
Published in the Summer 2010 edition of the Virginia Wine Gazette.
Northern Virginia winemakers sip together before selling independently
It’s a bit risky…maybe even threatening, but several times a year a group of professional winemakers gather to discuss and evaluate each other’s wines.
Baby Wines
The bottles they pour from are not the classy ones sold at their wineries. These nascent wines come in unadorned vessels with handwritten labels and have been drawn directly from tanks and barrels. It’s the ultimate, “So tell me, what do you think,” exercise.
And they do it all for us wine lovers.
In February this year, with snow on the ground, some thirty winemakers gathered at Breaux Vineyards in Loudoun County to discuss and evaluate their new red wines. As they filed into the expansive cellar, chatting and recognizing each other with vigorous handshakes and animated conversation, it was obvious camaraderie—not competition—would be the spirit of the day.
Unlike most businesses in today’s competitive world of commerce, Virginia winemakers are supportive of each other’s efforts to build the reputation of the state’s wines. It’s not an easy task.
Notwithstanding the surge of wine quality in the Old Dominion, there are many outside the state that still view the industry as provincial. With a preponderance of the state’s boutique wineries averaging around 3,000 cases a year—Gallo, by the way, sold 68 million cases last year—much of the supply is consumed by Virginians who know and enjoy the wine.
As a result, there is precious little product to sell to the rest of the country. If you can’t taste or buy a Virginia Viognier or Cabernet Franc outside of our state, building a national reputation becomes a formidable challenge.
The pursuit of excellence is critically important to achieving national recognition. Quality will beget quantity if the public demands greater production. Today, there are over 6,000 wineries nationwide. Virginia has less than 170. And as amazing as the explosion of tasting rooms has become, today’s production amounts to just a few drops in the bottom of the nation’s wine bottle.
Enter the Northern Virginia Winemakers Roundtable. The group’s membership is largely comprised of Loudoun County wineries, but membership is open to all winemakers in the northern part of the state. There is a similar group in the Charlottesville area.
As the meeting began, attendees settled in at long rows of tables set up in a canyon of tall stainless steel tanks lining both sides of the cellar. Jim Corcoran, proprietor of Corcoran Vineyards is the group’s organizer. Dave Collins, winemaker at Breaux Vineyards, was the day’s host.
Collins spent the first hour sharing his perspective on winemaking. His discussion ranged from vineyard practices—“One technique I use to determine if the grapes are ripe, is to crush them between my fingers and see if they bleed red,”— to an in-depth discussion of his fermentation processes.
While all winemakers employ the same fundamental procedures, there is a wide variety of techniques—from yeast selection, fermentation temperatures, barrel or tank aging, and other important minutiae—that differ between them. Collins described his best practices and answered questions from his colleagues.
The heart of the meeting began with the distribution of a sheet describing three different flights of wines to be evaluated: Cabernet Franc; Varietals (75% or more of a single grape); and Blends. Each flight consisted of about five different offerings.
With empty wines glasses and a plastic pour cup set before each participant, staff from Breaux Vineyards began pouring an ounce of wine into every glass. The first flight of Cabernet Francs featured five wines from four wineries. After a few minutes of sniffing and sipping, Collins commented on the wine. After his assessment, observations from the assembled vintners began to tumble out.
Throughout the afternoon, the language of winemakers resonated around the cellar: “Nice color and good fruit with firm acidity. Should age nicely.” “Spicy with a touch of Jalapeno on the mid-palate.” “Very dense color with a rich mouth feel. Balanced.”
One immediately noticed observations were couched in terms not meant to offend, but rather constructively interpret aromas and flavors. “I pick up a touch of H2S on the nose,” states one evaluator (that’s hydrogen sulfide, a flaw that produces a rotten egg aroma). Almost in unison, the room hoists the targeted glass and sniffs deeply. “There might be a bit of it, but it should blow off. I’d suggest some splash racking and additional barrel time,” responds an experienced vintner.
After all of the comments are aired, Collins turns to the vigneron who produced the wine and asks for a summary of how it was made. This triggers a few more questions. “Did you use medium toasted French oak or medium plus,” inquires one person. Another query seeks to understand, “Is this all oak or oak and steel aged?” And so it goes throughout the afternoon, with information exchange in full mode.
The second round of wines is varietals. In the United States, a wine can be labeled by its varietal name, say Cabernet Sauvignon, if it contains at least 75% of that grape. This requirement offers winemakers an opportunity to enhance palate flavors by blending in small percentages of other wines. It would not be unusual to taste a Cabernet Franc enhanced with 20% Merlot and 5% Petit Verdot, or similar type blend.
Collins again offers comments on the first wine in the flight and then asks for additional reactions. Here it becomes apparent, as with most group dynamics, certain individuals are the first to respond. Often, these are the more experienced bulls with years of accumulated industry skill.
The third and final flight focuses on blends. Typically, extensive “bench trials” have been conducted to achieve a blended cuvee.
The wines being evaluated range from very small producers to some of the largest wineries in the state. When asked how a particular wine was aged, one winery owner responds, “Carboys.” These are six and seven gallon glass vessels that are typically used by only the smallest and newest wineries. Nevertheless, it showcases the diversity of size among the industry participants, and reinforces the value of group feedback, especially for the newcomers.
As before, each wine is quietly evaluated and then openly discussed. During the entire process there is no food served with the wines, not even crackers. Only a bottle of spring water is used to cleanse the palate between flights. This is an exercise in concentration.
As the meeting draws to a close, everyone is thanked for his or her participation. Yet, there is no rush for the doors. Small groups of winemakers chat animatedly as if attending a family reunion. It’s evident friendship and respect knits this assembly together—all in search of world-class wine.
So the next time you’re sipping wine in a Virginia tasting room you might ask, “Who’s your winemaker?” And perhaps the answer will be, “The Northern Virginia Winemakers Roundtable, of course.”
But if you don’t get that response, one thing’s for sure, the group’s spirit will certainly be in the glass.
Evaluating Wine
Published in the 2010 summer edition of the Virginia Wine Gazette.
