Archive for WINE ARTICLES
Family memories drive passion for fine wines
Bill and Aleta Gadino’s inspiration for winemaking casts back to the early 1900s when both of their immigrant grandfathers made wine for family and neighbors.
“Wine was part of our lives growing up in New Jersey. I remember drinking wine with meals when I was a young boy. It was served in a small glass that was originally sold as a cheese container. A lot of the other kids weren’t allowed to drink wine but we were permitted to have a glass with Sunday and holiday meals,” recalls Gadino.
Wine with food would remain an integral part of the Gadinos’ lifestyle. After successful careers in the Navy and as a defense contractor, Gadino shifted from amateur to professional winemaker, opening Gadino Cellars in 2005.
“During part of my military career we were stationed in California. Aleta and I had fun visiting the growing number of wineries. Back then there was no just going directly to a tasting room. You learned about the grapes first and at the end of the tour you got to taste the wines,” says Gadino.
An engineer by profession—retiring as a Navy Commander—Gadino began to see winemaking as both art and science. The more he learned the more he wanted to get involved. The tipping point came in 1982 while visiting Simi Winery in Healdsburg, CA where he purchased the classic winemaking book Grapes into Wine by Philip Wagner.
End of Harvest
“I read that book cover-to-cover. The pages were getting worn out,” says Gadino. The next year some friends joined him in making his first wine; a Zinfandel from fresh grapes. “It was very drinkable and at 15% alcohol I was hooked,” says Gadino laughing.
In the mid-80s, during a tour in Washington DC, he decided to add winegrower to his amateur vintner resume and planted ten vines of Seyval blanc—a French-American hybrid white grape–in the backyard of his Fairfax home. Growing fruit and making wine led to taking courses in viniculture and winemaking with Jim Law, owner of Linden Vineyards and one of the most knowledgeable winemakers on the East Coast.
Going Pro
Upon retirement from the Navy in 1989 and shifting to defense contracting work, the Gadinos purchased property in Rappahannock County while still living in Fairfax. The weekend commutes to their emerging vineyard began a dozen years of growing grapes for sale to a local winery and for their home use. The leap to professional winemaking began to unfold when they moved permanently to their Little Washington farm in 2002 and then opening Gadino Cellars in 2005.
The family vision, now including their daughter Stephanie and son-in-law Derek was to produce food friendly wines in the tradition of their ancestors. “We wanted to create wines that people would invite home to dinner. Our goal was to focus on flavorful wines with crisp acidity that would pair well with food, says Gadino.
Given the winery’s reputation for bottling clean, fresh tasting wines that goal has been achieved. The Italian tradition of “family first” is evident in the management of the winery. Aleta Gadino, who holds a degree in horticulture, manages the winery’s grounds. Daughter Stephanie is the tasting room manager. Son-in-law Derek Pross, is the winemaker and Bill Gadino devotes himself full-time to the care of the thriving six acre vineyard.
Typically there are seven wines showcased in the tasting room including two Virginia classics, Viognier and Cabernet Franc. In addition, limited quantities of an elegant Italian Nebbiolo reinforce the family’s old world heritage.
The winery produces about 2,000 cases annually, placing it in the smaller category of Virginia wineries. “We never wanted to be a big. My father owned a small diner in Westwood, New Jersey. It was a working man’s restaurant and customers had fun eating there. I have wonderful memories of the place.
“When we opened our winery I wanted the same atmosphere. Guests are welcomed to bring their own food, enjoy a game of bocce ball, walk the vineyards, enjoy the views and take one of our wines home for dinner,” says Bill Gadino.
For information on hours of operation and special events visit http://www.gadinocellars.com/
John’s Pick of the month
Gadino Cellars
2011 Viognier
$23
This month’s selection is a gold medal winner from the prestigious Indy International Wine Competition. The wine displays tropical fruit aromas framed by citrus notes and is redolent of kiwi, melon and peach on the palate. It is emblematic of the crisp, clean Gadino Cellars lineup. Drink now.
Virginia and other fine wines are available in Culpeper at the Crofburn Market, Culpeper Cheese Company, Tyme in Culpeper, and Vinosity.
Published in the November 11, 2013 edition of the Culpeper Times.
Opal winery garnering accolades early in the game
Granite Heights Orchard & Winery opened just two years ago, but Toni and Luke Kilyk have burst upon the Virginia wine scene faster than a cork being pulled from a bottle of their wine.
It’s not a surprising achievement for the two over-achievers and their passion for creating. Be it their successful business careers or producing wine, jams, jellies and honey, the couple brings proven character traits to producing quality farm products.
Toni Kilyk
Luke Kilyk is the winemaker. Toni Kilyk is his assistant and manages the orchard’s production and the business. And if you were to compliment them on their early success you’d likely to get a “We’ve been very fortunate” response. Interesting how good fortune follows hard work.
The high energy couple has been a married team for twenty-three years while advancing their primary careers. Luke Kilyk is a full-time Intellectual Property Law attorney who owns his own practice focused on patent, trademark and copyright law. His office is in Warrenton.
Toni Kilyk is a family practice physician who had an office in Manassas for nine years before shifting much of her focus to managing their farm. She still works two days a week at the Fauquier Free Clinic in Warrenton for a small salary. “I do it more for the love of it. The clinic serves individuals below the poverty level. Our patient load has increased from 100 to over 600 in the last six years,” she says.
Country life calls
Life before farming was similar to other professional couples living the harried suburban life in Northern Virginia. In 1997, while residing in Centreville, the Kilyk’s purchased a 55 acre forested property off Opal Road, built a home and in 2001 moved permanently to the country. They cleared three acres of land adjacent to their home and planted a fruit orchard and formal flower gardens.
“We both like to keep busy and can’t sit still,” says Toni Kilyk. What they’ve achieved underscores that assessment.
About a decade ago Luke Kilyk fell in love with winemaking. As is often the case, he started with home wine kits and soon advanced to wine made from fresh fruit. In addition to his law degree, he is a chemistry major, providing a sound foundation for making commercial wine. “Luke is like Thomas Jefferson. Whatever he does its like it’s been his career all his life,” emphasizes Toni Kilyk.
The winemaking operation moved from their home to a small cabin on the property but soon became a “hobby on steroids” as Toni Kilyk says smiling. The fruit operation was also expanding, producing numerous bottles of jams and jellies made from blackberries, peaches, blueberries, strawberries and other fruits. Honey was produced from their honey bee hives. Clearly, more room was needed to accommodate the nascent business.
Farm grows exponentially
In 2006, a 168 acre farm located directly across the street from the Kilyk’s home went on the market. The couple made an offer on the property but the developer wanted to subdivide it and build homes. Then the recession hit and the project stalled. By 2009, it was obvious new home construction was going nowhere and the farm came back on the market.
“I was going to work at the free clinic one day and saw the For Sale sign again,” Toni Kilyk recalls. “I called Luke and said, ‘It’s back on the market!”. He said, “Well, maybe it’s meant to be.” And indeed it was with their quick purchase of the farm.
In 2010, the winemaking operation was moved across the street into a new processing facility and the stage was set for a larger production of fine wines. Country music artist and actress Reba McEntire once said, “It’s very important to surround yourself with people you can learn from.” The Kilyk’s embodied the philosophy and embraced two iconic talents in the wine industry: Jim Law and Lucie Morton.
Law, owner of Linden Vineyards, is one of the most respected winemakers on the East Coast and Morton is a vineyard consultant of international renown. The Kilyk’s enrolled in Law’s winemaking classes to learn first hand the skills required to produce quality wine. They also hired Morton to assist in planting their ten acre vineyard on the newly purchased farm.
Morton is an advocate of high-density planting of vines. Typical Virginia vineyards are planted at a density of 600 to 800 vines per acre to aid air flow and fight humidity. Morton’s vineyards are likely to have 1,600 to 2,000 vines per acre to help promote even ripening by reducing the amount of fruit per vine. Many award winning wines are produced off of her high-density vineyards.
The vineyard is host to Chardonnay, Vermentino, Petit Verdot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Barbera grapes; all French clones. While they purchased wine fruit from other Virginia vineyards in the first few years, it is their goal to be mostly sustainable with their own grape crop.
Tasting Room
Interestingly, the couple’s relationship with Morton deepened when they agreed to let her live in the late 1800s farm house that would eventually become their tasting room. “Lucie wanted to write a book and she came here to live for a year to complete it. We were following her philosophy and she liked us because we were self-sufficient. She still stops by on occasion to take a gut check on how we are doing,” says Toni Kilyk.
Self-sufficiency is a hallmark of the winery and orchard operation. The couple performs virtually every task on the farm. Toni Kilyk explains that often a retired couple will open a winery and hire a winemaker, vineyard manager and other personnel and be compelled to start selling wine quickly to help pay down the heavy debt.
“We perform all of the work ourselves,” she says. The physical labor involved is intense; planting the vines, pruning and spraying the vineyard, making the wine, tending the orchard, bottling the wines, jams and jellies, mowing the property weekly during the summer months and the ubiquitous office work.
The only person they’ve hired tends the tasting room on weekends so the Kilyk’s can keep up with the endless farm chores. This is particularly true for Luke Kilyk who works full-time at his law practice. Weekends provide the only time to stay head of the work.
To protect their vineyard investment the Kilyk’s next purchase will be two 30 foot high wind fans to safeguard the vines from the threat of spring frost. The last frost date in Virginia is around May 10 but bud break can occur in early April. It is a tense six week period if grape vines have no protection. A single night’s chilling air can wipe out an entire vineyard and deprive a winemaker of the fruit needed to make the next vintage’s wines.
Early recognition
It’s not unusual for new wineries to take several years to develop quality wines and garner the coveted recognition for its efforts. The science and art of winemaking is often a trial and error process that, hopefully, results in the caliber of wine a winemaker seeks. Quality is the reward for hard work and patience in the cellar.
Granite Heights is an exception to the rule. Their dedication was a given but within two years the devotion to farming grapes and making wine began to attract the attention of the wine cognoscenti. Positive feedback from industry professionals spurred further commitment and the Kilyk’s attention to quality is evident in their current bottlings.
While Lucie Morton was living in their future tasting room home, she was impressed with not only the Kilyk’s work ethic but the wine that was emerging from their cellar. Given her reputation within in the industry she contacted David Schildknecht, a wine critic and full-time employee of the Wine Advocate, a global bimonthly publication that publishes 12,000 wine reviews annually.
The publication was founded by Robert M. Parker Jr, the most influential wine critic in the world and creator of the 100 point wine rating system. Parker’s reviews can make or break a winery. His nose and palate are insured for a million dollars.
To be employed as a critic by Parker places an individual at the pinnacle of wine evaluation. Schildknecht operates in a rarefied realm of wine appraisal.
Last year Morton sent Toni Kilyk an email saying she wanted to bring Schildknecht out to the winery to taste the wines. “I was working at the clinic that day and when I read Lucie’s message my heart jumped in my throat because here was this big, important guy coming and he worked for Robert Parker,” say Toni Kilyk.
Her fears were unfounded. Schildknecht liked the wines and later wrote in the Wine Advocate about their 2010 Humility, a full-bodied red blend, “When I tasted it from the barrel, I was shocked that wine of such promise—very much fulfilled in the bottle—could come from young vines and inexperienced part-time growers, not to mention from Warrenton, Virginia.”
He went on to enthuse, “But when you start talking with Toni and Luke Kilyk about what they are doing, their meticulousness and determination are evident. The Barbelo—a blend of Merlot and Barbera—is as original as it is delicious.”
Soon after such high praise the wine columnist for the Washington Post, Dave McIntyre, stopped by and later wrote, “Granite Heights Winery. Atop a ridge near Opal, between Culpeper and Warrenton, this newcomer is already producing some intense Bordeaux-style blends.”
Given the early praise it’s noteworthy that unlike almost every winery in Virginia the Kilyk’s refrain from describing the aroma and palate flavors of their wines. The tasting notes state, “We try not to characterize our wines with what you should be smelling or tasting—it is like leading a witness or reading a book and knowing the ending beforehand (that is not our style)—we want you, the taster, to discover and decide.”
Toni Kilyk underscores the accolades to date are likely to continue. The couple submitted their 2009 Lomax Reserve—a Bordeaux-style red blend–in Virginia’s 2013 Governor’s Cup wine competition. It was “the first competition we had entered and it won a silver medal,” she says. Their 2011 Petit Manseng won “Best in Category” at the 2013 Atlantic Seaboard Wine Association competition. The couple will attend a Capitol Hill reception for all the ASWA winners in September to receive their award.
Business verus lifestyle
There are over 8,000 wineries in the US today. A small percentage produce the majority of wine sold nationwide. In Virginia, there are about 240 wineries but many are also not making sizeable profits. The line often heard in the Old Dominion is, “If you want to make a small fortune in Virginia wine, start with a large one.”
It typically takes eight to ten years before a profit is realized given the cost of buying grape-friendly land, planting a vineyard, purchasing the myriad production equipment and building a winery. So what draws people to the business? Often it is the lifestyle and the creative urge to make a libation enjoyed by a surging number of Americans.
“Luke wouldn’t be doing this unless he could make wine as good as he can. He wouldn’t be doing this if he had to hire a winemaker or go fully commercial and make ten thousand cases a year. Basically it’s a big hobby and we have to share it,” says Toni Kilyk.
So is there payback to running a winery making less than a thousand cases a year? Yes. But it comes in the form of building a following of wine lovers who enjoy what you’ve produced and receiving serious recognition for its creation.
The Kilyk’s straightforward goal is to retire and have the winery cover its operating costs. The payback of large profits is less critical.
Like many successful artisans, a professional wine career is established over time and “profit” can be accrued both monetarily and emotionally. If the Kilyk’s early recognition continues, the future will bring them fulfillment personally and appreciation from their customers.
And that will be money in the bank for these two Virginia wine and orchard farmers.
Granite Heights Winery is located at 8141 Opal Road, Warrenton, VA. The tasting room is open on weekends from 12 noon to 5 PM. Call (540) 349-5185 or visit http://www.graniteheightsorchard.com/ for further information.
Published in the Fall 2013 edition of the Piedmont Business Journal.
Winery attractions keep mounting after decade in business
What do you call two Type A personalities? Pat and Allyson Kearney.
The owners of the first and closest winery to Culpeper are a perpetual motion machine. Consider what they’ve achieved in ten years:
- Purchased a seventy-five acre abandoned alfalfa farm and fully restored a 1800’s era farmhouse into a tasting room.
- Planted twenty-one acres of wine grapes around a bucolic lake.
- Built a 4,000 square foot lakeside pavilion.
- Built a personal residence on a small rise overlooking the vineyards.
- Installed a 40-person lakeside flagstone patio with fireplace.
- Ramped up production to over 33,000 bottles of wine annually.
But wait, there’s more. Another flagstone patio has just been completed behind the farm house with a covered tasting bar featuring a built-in waterfall and a brick pizza oven. “I’ve waited ten years for my patio and Pat did a wonderful job with the assistance of local landscaper Dave Marciniak, owner of Revolutionary Gardens.
Allyson Kearney
“On October 6, we officially start serving brick oven pizza when guest Chef Luigi from Luigi’s Italian Restaurant fires up our new oven,” says Allyson Kearney.
Pizza Oven
The patio will see duty deep into the fall because heaters will keep wine lovers cozy when the chilly air arrives. Wine, pizza and a comfy patio will likely see weekend visitorship increase above the 300 tasters typically hosted on busy weekends.
All of this activity has been achieved while Pat Kearney operated Kearney & Associates on the property. His firm specializes in creating display cases, artifact mounts and dioramas for museums nationwide.
So how do they top their achievements to date?
Grapes into Grappa
Tapping into the resurgence in hand-crafted liquors, Pat Kearney will open his own on-site distillery next June. Using fruit from his vineyard he will produce brandy, vodka, gin, grappa and French-style liquors. “Everyone is excited about the distillery. I hope they don’t forget about me and the tasting room after it opens,” says Allyson Kearney.
Fat chance. The winery-distillery complex will offer myriad social lubricants appealing to an even wider audience.
“We are just an adult Disneyland out here,” says Allyson Kearney laughing. And the owners are having as much fun as their guests. The proof? The last three months of this year have been the busiest since Old House Vineyards opened in June 2003. With each new amenity, word spreads and business grows.
Love Locks
One example is the twenty weddings they host annually. The lakeside pavilion and patio is a perfect location for a bride and groom seeking a romantic spot to exchange vows. The actual nuptials are performed on an island located in the middle of the lake. Details are everything in the wedding business and one small feature is the “love lock” gifted to each bride and groom.
“We present an engraved lock to each couple and they permanently lock it to a chain on the lakeside pier and throw the key into the water as a symbol of their commitment. Ed’s Awards in Culpeper engraves the locks.
“The love locks have become very popular and we invite any couple who wants to bring a lock and toss a key to do so. There’s no charge. There are so many locks on that chain now,” says Allyson Kearney.
When asked how she would describe the dream setting she and her husband have created Allyson Kearney says, “It’s a little piece of heaven right here in Culpeper.”
For information on hours of operation and special events visit http://www.oldhousevineyards.com/
JOHN’S PICK OF THE MONTH
Old House Vineyards
Wicked Bottom Chambourcin 
$18.95
In the yesteryears, a field located near the winery was notorious for its horse racing, cock fighting and gambling, earning the moniker “Wicked Bottom”. Today, it’s the name of one of the winery’s most popular red wines. Made from Chambourcin, a French-American hybrid grape, the wine casts a deep garnet hue in the glass and displays rich, fruit-forward cherry and smokey notes on the palate with a soft, lingering finish. Drink now and till 2017.
Virginia and other fine wines are available in Culpeper at the Crofburn Market, Culpeper Cheese Company, Tyme in Culpeper, and Vinosity.
Published in the October 3, 2013 edition of the Culpeper Times.
With a little knowledge you can graduate magna cum tasty
Virginia is home to some 230 wineries; up from zero since the mid-60s and making the Old Dominion the fifth largest wine producing state in the Nation. In Fauquier County twenty-five tasting rooms grace our bucolic countryside.
Morais Vineyards & Winery
If you haven’t already visited one—or only rarely—there are a few things that will enhance your experience when dropping by a local vineyard. Tasting wine is fun but there’s even more enjoyment awaiting you once you’re armed with a little wine savvy.
First, the infamous “wine snob” is a rare creature seldom seen in front of or behind a tasting bar. Intimidation is not something you are going to encounter at a Virginia winery. Owners and employees are eager to share their knowledge in a down-home style. And why? Because they are genuinely nice people, of course. But they also want you to come back. Having fun is a sure draw for follow-up visits.
So the first rule in wine tasting is to relax. This is not going to be a scary experience.
Second, there are two types of wine enjoyment: tasting and drinking. The former is devoted to understanding the nuances of the wine before you. The latter is to simply drink up. Both are acceptable ways to appreciate the nectar of the gods but combining the experiences will double your pleasure and double your fun.
Tasting
Have you ever encountered a tasting note similar to this:Displaying flavors of clementine and candied grapefruit peel, with touches of dried apricot and pine needle. Hints of honey and smoke weave through the seamless texture and resonate on the long finish.
All that in a sip of wine? Come on, get serious.
One can be forgiven after reading many of today’s wine descriptions, if a giggle is followed by a low muttered, “Yeah, right”. It’s difficult to believe that anyone could actually taste the exotic things they purport to write about. It all seems a bit too frou-frou.
Most of us do not focus on the subtle flavors in food and drink. Our wine descriptors fall more along the lines of…crisp, fruity, sweet, spicy, dry, and hopefully, delicious. The art of tasting is largely a learned skill. And taking the time to try and understand the aroma and flavor of wine will deepen your appreciation of this ancient beverage. That’s the primary job of your winery host.
As you progress through a flight of wines, the aroma and palate descriptions in the wines will be described in the tasting notes and by the employee pouring the wine. See if you can pick up any of the sensorial elements being expressed. The moment you realize, by gosh, that does taste like black cherry will be a memorable one.
Here’s an easy four step method to help you reach tasting nirvana:
Eyes
The beauty of wine begins with its colors. From the pale straw gold of a sauvignon blanc to the ruby hue of a cabernet franc. When you pour your first glass, take a moment to embrace the clarity and depth of color of the wine. Holding the glass against a light and letting it catch the various angles of natural and house lighting sets the stage for what you are about to further explore.
Nose
Swirl the glass to release its aromas. Place the glass under your nose and breathe deeply. Come on. You can stick your nose in deeper that that! Inhaling through you nose begins telling the wine story. Smell the taste. In fact, you might do this several times before you take your first sip. Build tension—it has its rewards.
Mouth
Now comes the heart of the wine experience–your first sip. Take a few small sips and roll the wine around your mouth a bit. It may seem odd, but all those flavors you are about to enjoy are actually a result of your olfactory bulb. What? OK, your nose.
The olfactory bulb is located at the top your nose and actually sends signals to your brain about what you are tasting based on what you are actually smelling. Our palates only have four taste sensations: salt, sweet, sour and bitter. The apricot, lemon, pineapple, raspberry, cherry, mocha and sundry other tastes are simply aromas rising off your palate and passing through the olfactory bulb. The more you swirl the wine in your mouth the greater perception of flavors will emerge.
Throat
After tasting, swallowing the wine comes naturally. No instructions needed here. However, look for a sensation on your palate that experts call a “finish.” Wine comes with an aftershock, albeit a nice one. In fact, the longer a quality finish remains on your palate the better a wine is rated. World-class wines can linger on the tongue for up to a minute after they are swallowed.
A sip of Cabernet might start out as a bit sweet and tannic and then blossom into black cherry, chocolate and smoke as the aromas pass over our olfactory epithelium. Messages are sent to your brain to confirm the aromas as specific flavors. Taste and smell work together to create our perception of flavor.
On to the drinking
Once the tasting is over it’s time to purchase a glass or bottle—assuming you’ve found a wine you liked—and adjourn to the lounge or deck for some convivial conversation with family or friends. The “educational” portion of the winery visit is over and its time to simply enjoy your purchase. Within a few minutes you’ll begin to experience the power of wine as a social lubricant.
While the tasting segment of your winery visit has passed, take a moment here or there to re-experience what you discovered at the tasting bar. Hold your glass against the light to again embrace the color of the wine. Pause from time to time to smell and enjoy the aromatics. See if the honeysuckle or black cherry flavors are still on the palate from when you first tasted the wine. Simply put: extract as much value from your purchase as possible.
Excursion tips
So what other advice might wine newbies benefit from as they work toward their wine tasting degree?
Take your time. Your understanding and appreciation of the wines you taste will reveal themselves more fully if you simply slow down. Plan on visiting no more than three wineries on a given day. The old chestnut, “haste makes waste” should become your three-word management plan for extracting maximum enjoyment from each winery visit.
Take at least three or four cellar tours during the early months of your tasting odyssey. You will gain greater insight into how wine is produced, enriching your understanding of both the simplicity–and complexity–of winemaking. By availing yourself of these free educational tours you will deepen your delight of the fruit of the vine.
Barrel Oak Tasting Room
Make written comments on tasting notes so as to learn which wineries you have enjoyed visiting. A simple file kept at home will refresh you on the wines you found most delightful. It can also lead to a compilation of your “Top Ten” favorite establishments.
Another fun way to better understand Virginia wines is to drink them along side a bottle of the same varietal, from another state or country. Sound wasteful or over indulgent? Not at all. For instance, at home, open a bottle of Virginia Chardonnay and a bottle of California Chardonnay and sip and compare them side by side. Then, use a rubber stopper and pump (available at any wine shop) to keep the remaining wines fresh for the next few days and enjoy the experience over again.
Comparing wines enhances your appreciation and knowledge of like varietals hailing from different wine producing regions.
Engage your fellow tasters during your tastings. Often wonderful exchanges unfold as complete strangers begin a conversation about their mutual love of wine. And don’t be surprised if your new found friends hail from distant states, or even overseas. Tasting room guests are drawn from points worldwide.
Ask questions freely. Your hosts will enjoy educating you in a variety of wine related subjects. And if they don’t know the answer to a query, it should send them scurrying to get the information.
Most winery employees enjoy being stumped with a wine question. It presents an opportunity to grow their knowledge and be ready when the same question inevitably crops up again. But you are not going to trip them up very often. These folks know their stuff.
Finally, if you find your love of all things wine increasing, consider seeking a job behind the tasting bar yourself. Many wineries are looking for part-time employees, especially on weekends and holidays when the crowds swell.
You are typically offered generous discounts on wine purchases and will be in the company of fellow enophiles. And the best part is the infectious camaraderie you will experience among both the guests and employees. It makes for a most enjoyable work environment.
Your local continuing wine education program is being sponsored daily by the wineries in your area. Enroll today and be the first on your block to receive a wine tasting diploma. Cheers!
Published in the 2013-2014 Guide to Fauquier.
Vintner earned hundreds of medals during tenure
As 2012 came to a close, so did Andy Reagan’s seven year stint at Jefferson Vineyards in Charlottesville. Last year’s wines are still in barrel and tank but Reagan will not be bottling them.
“Let’s say I had a difference of opinion with the owners coupled with a desire to build my own brand. After twenty years in the industry I’m looking forward to creating my own vision of Virginia wine,” says Reagan.
Andy Reagan
The man will have a challenge to equal and exceed the wines he produced at the historic site on the outskirts of C’ville. Italian winemaker and industrialist Fillipo Mazzei planted grapes on the winery’s grounds in 1774, with the help of Thomas Jefferson who invested in the new venture.
Last year Wine Spectator observed, “Jefferson winery produces 12 wines from 25 acres and has one of the region’s most consistent track records.” Similar accolades poured in from around the state and nation since Reagan took control of the cellar in 2005.
During his time at Jefferson, Reagan’s emphasis on quality wine resulted in more than a doubling of production and an increase in net profits of 250%. He credits his multiple roles as General Manager, vineyard manager and winemaker to his success.
Reagan is now looking for both a site and financing to open his own winery which will be called AJUDE Wine Company. Jude is Reagan’s middle name.
“To succeed in this business you need to produce quality wine at a great location. I intend to stay in the Charlottesville region because it’s home to some top wineries and has the best winegrowing land in the state. Being near two or more quality establishments is key to a successful venture,” he emphasizes.
Reagan underscores his success will be achieved by starting small and performing most of the work himself. Major investments and large annual case production can often lead to over supply and the inability to sell a warehouse full of wine. Reagan’s first year production will be 500 cases with an ultimate goal of 2,000 cases annually, numbers that are clearly in the boutique winery category.
The winemaker has written a business plan and identified possible properties to purchase but securing financing is his primary goal; not an easy task in a tough economy. While his preference is to obtain a full loan for the venture, he is also open to investors bankrolling his dream. “I’ll talk with anyone interested in producing limited quantities of very high end wines,” he says.
His intent is to pursue varietals that he built his reputation on: Chardonnay, Viognier, Pinot Gris, Cabernet Franc, Syrah and Petit Verdot.
Not only has Jefferson Vineyards recently lost its winemaker but Rappahannock Cellars, Boxwood, Chrysalis, and Ingleside vintners have also moved on for various reasons. The early months of winter are prime time for a change of winemakers. The past vintage’s wines are sleeping safely in the cellar and its months before the next harvest will commence.
Reagan asks any readers who may have an interest in becoming part of his vision, or know someone who is, to contact this writer at Hagarty-on-wine.com.
Early reports point to fruitful vintage
On August 25, I received an email from my wine juice supplier in Charlottesville: viognier and chard to you next week.
That was my cue to convert my basement family room into a fermentation farm. It was time to start making wine again.
Late August is a bit ahead of previous white harvests but there’s been a trend in the recent past for early ripening fruit in the Old Dominion. This is especially true this year given the sweltering July heat.
Doug Fabbioli
Word from winemakers around the state echo my experience. Doug Fabbioli, owner of Fabbioli Cellars in Loudoun County, says, “Things are early and moving along well. Chard came in from Charlottesville two weeks ago; Viognier is coming in as we speak.
“I see Merlot coming off next week if the moisture from Isaac does not mess us up too much.” The tropical storm dumped much needed rain in the Midwest but generally avoided Virginia. Doug’s Merlot must be pleased.
Fabbiolo also opines that, “I am hoping to get some separation between varieties so we can press one grape off the skins without holding up harvest on the next grapes going into the fermenter.” Simultaneous ripening of multiple varietals can be a headache for winemakers.
Too much fruit coming in too fast with too little capacity makes for a cranky vintner; not to mention the endless hours of physical labor spent on the crush pad. Harvest is the most demanding time of the year for winery workers and a blitzkrieg harvest is hyper-exhausting.
Rick Tagg, winemaker at Barrel Oak Winery in Fauquier County, says, “I am excited about our Chardonnay; the fruit is clean and I anticipate a nice yield—four to five tons. This is the most uncertain time of the year when all the hard work we do to grow great wine comes to fruition. We need a little more time to get the grapes in while they are not soaking wet.”
Heavy rains in 2011 reduced the quality of the red harvest. Too much water swells the berries reducing sugar levels and creating opportunities for black rot and other unwelcome fungi.
Tagg goes on to say, “Things always look great this time of year. Let’s all hope they continue to look good for the next two months. It helps if I don’t check the weather forecast every 15 minutes.”
As for Hagarty Cellars, my email alert to pickup both Viognier and Chardonnay was a bit premature. The Viognier did come in and was beautiful at 23 Brix—or 23 percent sugar level—and decent pH and acidity. I am hopeful I can duplicate my 2011 Viognier. It was one of the best renditions of that grape I have created in the past eight years.
Barrel Oak Winery
Conversely, the Chardonnay harvest did not materialize. An unusual dump of six inches of rain unrelated to Isaac slowed the maturing fruit. But today, I received word it has arrived at the winery. I will be in C’ville tomorrow morning with four empty pails in tow.
Meanwhile, my Viognier is bubbling along nicely. The five six-gallon pails are fermenting slowly to help retain aromatics and palate flavors. I keep the nascent wine at about sixty degrees by immersing each pail in an insulated tub of cold water. Ice and blocks of Blue Ice motors my refrigeration units. The big boys use glycol jacketed stainless steel tanks to achieve even cooler fermentation temperatures.
This vintage I will trim back production given my bumper crop of fruit last year. I will produce about 300 bottles of white and a somewhat lesser amount of reds for a total of 45 cases of wine. I will pick up the slack in wine production by continuing to pursue my new hobby of home brewing.
Do I have a problem or what?
Fermenting Viognier
Statute likely to be challenged
On July 12, the Fauquier County Board of Supervisors passed a controversial ordinance regulating the hours of operation and the type and number of events that can be held at the county’s 26 wineries. The public hearing saw 53 people speak in support or opposition to the proposed law. It takes effect January 1, 2013, assuming there are no challenges.
But that might be a bad assumption.
It seems many of the proponents and adversaries of the law aren’t happy with the legislation. The chances it will be reconsidered by the county either voluntarily or by law suit appear to be good.
Three players with strong interest in the ordinance shared their views on the issue.
Linden Vineyards
Jim Law
Jim Law Law is winemaker and owner of Linden Vineyards and one of the most respected vintners on the East Coast. His support for the ordinance runs counter to most of the other county wineries. Moreover, his vocal endorsement of the legislation at the final hearing strongly disappointed his fellow winery owners who felt his record was clear and speaking publicly was unnecessary and harmful to the industry.
His take on the reaction is philosophical. “I’ve not really heard much since the hearing. I’m not plugged into the blog thing. People tell me some things but I’m just mostly out in the vineyard and don’t follow the issue. This is the fourth time I’ve spoken at the hearings so my position was nothing new to those who know where I stand.
“Many of my neighbors and concerned citizens tell me Linden is an ideal winery. When I hear the ordinance is going to put wineries out of business, I think it’s ridiculous. Some people say I held such events in my early years and don’t appreciate where the newer wineries are coming from. It’s true. I did hold a few events in the early nineties but soon stopped it.
“One time I had a jazz band performing in my wine cellar when they started playing Jimi Hendrix. I knew then that events would change the nature of my winery and I mostly stopped them. I did some after that but they were related to wine education. I even wrote an article on my position several years ago.
“I think the ordinance is good zoning and the Board is being unfairly bashed. The beauty of this countryside is attributed to good zoning. We don’t have houses scattered everywhere and businesses located helter-skelter. The law takes a very thoughtful approach and the supervisors really took their time in passing it. They probably dragged it out more than they should have,” Law states.
Landowner
John Richardson practices law in DC and owns a 100-plus acre cattle farm in Happy Valley near Delaplane. He has followed the winery issue for several years. He underscores that he speaks as an individual but many of his views mirror those of the 400 or so citizens who supported the ordinance.
“I’m a wine drinker, as are many of my neighbors, and we support the industry. Some wineries are attractive and others are event centers. The essential business seems to be toward event centers rather than a vineyard or winery.
“Oasis was probably the catalyst for our efforts. Most people did not want that type of winery replicated. The county has an historic and environmentally protected heritage. Many people sympathized with our view, including the Piedmont Environmental Council and the Citizens for Fauquier County.
“Our concerns are noise, night lights, air pollution, water pollution and possibly unsafe buildings that do not have to pass inspection as part of a farm winery law. One lady at the hearing described how she won’t let her children play in her front yard because it’s perfectly obvious drivers are impaired as they pass her home after visiting wineries.
“But when the draft ordinance first hit the street last year, we knew it wasn’t harmless. If you give to one group, you take from another. Many of us don’t like the ordinance but its better than none at all. I think it needs to be revisited because it’s not a law than floats all boats.
“I would like see more flexibility in the ordinance. I would take a completely different approach. All the wineries are different; all neighborhood situations are different. I much prefer an ordinance that recognizes those differences and encourages cooperation rather than conflict.
“My preferred approach is to give the wineries the authority the state gave them but anything else would need a special dispensation from the county. I would have the wineries go their neighbors and see if they could reach accommodation then go to the county and say we all agree with this. The county would then say, OK you’re blest, go forward and do it that way.
“Nobody likes the ordinance. I think it’s a bad ordinance. It’s incumbent for everyone to come up with an alternative,” says Richardson.
Barrel Oak Winery
Brian Roeder
Brian and Sharon Roeder are owners of Barrel Oak Winery in Delaplane, or BOW, emblematic of the dog friendly atmosphere in the tasting room. BOW has met with considerable success since opening four years ago. It also may experience the harshest impact under the new law.
“If this new ordinance was in effect when we first opened and we received no administrative permits or special exceptions, it would have reduced our income by $1.8 million during that period,” says Brian Roeder.
“Business hours are a core issue for Barrel Oak. We are open till 9 PM on Friday’s during the winter months and 9 PM on Fridays and Saturdays in the spring, summer and fall. Next year, based on the new hourly restrictions our revenue predictions—after allowing for full special exceptions and administrative allowances—it will cost the winery $411,000 in revenue. And that doesn’t include lost revenue from our food carts and arts and crafts.
“We have operated from day one without one complaint from anyone. I’ve reviewed the Sheriff’s police report for the last two years. We searched the data base for the word ‘winery.’ Of all of the wineries in the county, there has been only one instance of where the word winery and DUI show up together. One.
“We are not talking about neighbors approaching wineries with complaints. We’re talking about ‘concerned citizens’ who are not necessarily neighbors of the wineries.
“I think it was a mistake on the part of the wineries as much as the Board of Supervisors. The Board became convinced the wineries were going to sue so they decided to throw everything and the kitchen sink into the ordinance and let the courts sort it all out. That assumes the small family winery community can afford to foot the bill. This is highly destructive.
“It places the burden on the wineries to prove the ordinance is illegal and we don’t have the money. It’s functionally designed to force wineries out of business. The county has defined every single marketing activity of our businesses as an event. If you do anything other than tastings at your bar, it’s an event according to the ordinance.
“BOW will be forced to sue the county to protect our legal rights. I will file a suit because I am required by law to challenge it within thirty days of passage. But it will not be ‘served”, which means we will continue to work with the county. I believe another suit will be filed by the Wine Council, but can’t say for certain.
“I also believe the Governor’s office will get involved based on the state’s interest in the matter.
“I seek a re-visitation of the ordinance that takes into account the enormous financial impact upon wineries. The law requires that the economic impact be taken into consideration. That’s never been done. They also need to show the impact on health, safety and welfare and that’s never been done.
“Our winery encompasses 270 acres and we have the support of our neighbors. I am certain there will be modifications or elimination of this ordinance as it is written. It is so illegal it will not be able to stand.
“Finally, I don’t fault the Supervisors directly on this group effort. I don’t blame them. They are all good people trying to do the right thing. We need to differentiate between the actual impact and the implied impact of the new law,” says Roeder.
Passions run strong on all sides of the issue and it appears certain the ordinance will be given further scrutiny in the months ahead.
Let’s hope the adage, “The best wine makes the best vinegar,” doesn’t hold true for Fauquier County wineries.
Published in the Autumn 2012 edition of The Piedmont Virginian.
The Internet is a marvel. Recently, I received an email from Wildlife Tours Australia in Melbourne inquiring about the Virginia wine scene. The small firm sponsors a host of unique tours, including winery visits. I invited employee Leigh Franklin, who had discovered my website, to share his take on winery touring in Australia. Given the recent controversy surrounding the Fauquier County Winery Ordinance, I was particularly struck how wineries in his region embrace tourism. Read on.
Wine Tourism Down Under
Australia is no longer just a country known for its Outback and wildlife. It is also emerging as a world contender for quality wine because of its diversity and premier wine regions like the Yarra Valley. While Aussies consider the history of their wine production “long,” it’s nothing compared to the history of Virginia wine.
The quality of wines in our country has undergone remarkable advancement because of the industry’s drive to compete globally. Although the country still offers wines that may not please everyone’s palate, it has an array of respected wines that have earned international accolades. Wine producers worldwide are learning by watching how the Aussies are improving quality and expanding market share.
The principal wine grape of the country is Shiraz. Although it did not get much recognition in the past, there are now numerous Shiraz wines in Australia that compare favorably to those produced in California or the Northern Rhone Valley. The country also has several good Cabernet Sauvignons and Chardonnays, along with some surprising offerings of Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc and Riesling. Semillon, which is widely produced in the country, is known as the flagship white grape wine.
While Virginia wines are quite different from Australian in a lot of areas, I’ve found in travelling the world there is no better way to appreciate local wines than to sign up for a winery tour. If you want to see and taste the quality of local wines in Australia, there are a number of wine tours offered. The great thing about our tours is that the establishments just don’t let you taste the best wines of the region but typically offer food to compliment the tastings.
You are guaranteed to have fun on a winery tour especially if you are traveling with family and friends. A small group environment makes sure that you really get to relax during your visit to the vineyards.
Events at Aussie Wineries
Unlike some places around the world that have had trouble holding events at wineries, Australia is a lucky country. If you want to hold a wedding or other big event, you should have no trouble in Australia.
You won’t hear about the locals complaining about noise or traffic. Australians are use to wine tours and other affairs such as charity dinners or weddings. They welcome the tourism it generates. Because of the wide spaces of the vineyards and winery estates, there is plenty of room for everyone. No one will be interrupted or bothered by any festivities. Locals are thankful for the tourism and the visitors that are spending their money into their communities.
Franklin is a passionate wine lover who also enjoys the outdoors and wildlife. He works at www.wildlifetours.com.au and often takes the opportunity to enjoy the company’s Yarra Valley Wine Tours.
A fulfilled vision for some but money & hard work are the reality
The scene is repeated throughout the Old Dominion: undulating rows of verdant vines surrounding a tasting room where convivial conversation and tinkling wine glasses unfold before a backdrop of blue skies and mountain views.
But is the scene a mirage? What’s the reality behind calling yourself a winery proprietor?
With well over two hundred wineries gracing the rural landscape of Virginia, the dream has come true for a growing number of entrepreneurs seeking an income producing bucolic lifestyle. But be certain you aren’t wearing a pair of rose-colored wine goggles before taking the plunge. Measure twice cut once.
“Most people have no idea how complicated starting a winery can be,” says Dr. Bruce Zoecklein, Head, Enology-Grape Chemistry Group at Virginia Tech. “Before I agree to meet with a potential owner, I require them to complete a business plan.”
Zoecklein has written a comprehensive document, Winery Planning and Design, that guides a person through preparing such a plan. The CD formatted publication is available through the industry trade journal Practical Winery and Vineyard.
Preparing a business plan is de rigueur for any commercial undertaking but is particularly important when venturing into the wine business. Most people contemplating the trade have little or no agricultural experience and making wine is grounded in farming.
Today in the Old Dominion, the supply of grapes is tight and growing more so each year. The blossoming number of wineries is outstripping planted acreage. A successful venture demands a consistent supply of fruit and owning both the tasting room and vineyard is key to a sustainable business.
The numbers
So what is the financial investment required to greet guests in a tasting room and pour them a glass of wine? For a winery to be profitable, production should ultimately be around 5,000 cases annually—60,000 bottles—or higher. Producing wine below these levels often does not cover costs.
The investment will vary, but assuming that a quality—not high end—facility is built and outfitted with commensurate equipment, here are some cost estimates:
*Purchasing land suitable for grape farming can run from $10,000 to $15,000 an acre, well above the price of average farmland. High quality vineyard land is not found in abundance; some experts estimate less than ten percent of the state’s rural land is suitable for growing delicate wine grapes. In addition to agricultural considerations, land that possesses scenic views is important in attracting paying guests. Overall, to provide for expansion, purchasing a twenty-five acre site is a sound decision. Cost: up to $375,000.
*Planting a ten-acre vineyard with six varietals and installing trellising, well, irrigation system and purchasing a tractor and sprayer. Cost: $275,000.
*Building a 6,000 square foot winery with crush pad, cellar, tasting room, point-of-sale software and computers, crusher-destemmer, press, pumps, hoses, stainless steel tanks, oak barrels, forklift, lab equipment, office furniture, wine glasses and various additional supplies. Cost: $900,000.
*A newly planted vineyard does not produce sufficient fruit to make wine for three to five years. In the interim, the winery will need to invest in grapes, bulk wine and bottling operations to build its inventory annually until wine can be made from the owner’s vineyard. If an owner wants to maintain an inventory of 5,000 cases of finished wine and an equal amount of bulk wine, prices can leap dramatically until the vineyard is supplying the needed fruit. Cost $75,000 to $500,000.
*After the initial investment on infrastructure and wine, an operating fund of $100,000 should be available to sustain operations through the first five years. Typically, small to medium size wineries can take up to seven years or more to show a profit.
Tallying up the capital required for the basic operations comes to around $2 million. True enough, a much smaller winery will cost significantly less but also likely run in the red for an extended period of time. Building sales quickly to 5,000 cases annually is the shortest path to profitably.
Chris Pearmund
“Yes, for a bit less than $2 million a winery can open its doors. But, truthfully, I would encourage a serious entrant to marshal its resources and commit to a $3 to 5 million investment to do it right. Virginia needs larger producers to advance the state’s reputation and produce a rapid return on their investment,” says Chris Pearmund, owner of Pearmund Cellars.
Route to success
So how can a newly smitten winery owner lower the cost of his personal investment? Sweat equity and investors. Performing more of the work, hiring fewer employees and attracting capital from friends and business associates are proven ways to control expenses.
Unless an owner acts as both vineyard manager and winemaker, it can add an additional $100,000 or more annually to operating expenses to hire talented wine professionals. One viable approach for smaller operations is to perform these functions in-house but have a consultant guide them through critical production stages.
Outside money can also ease the burden of using personal funds, the challenge of qualifying for bank financing or having to pay top dollar for needed services. “When I seek out investors, I am looking for both money and talent. I try to attract an array of people with cash and business skills, says Pearmund.
“I want professionals in law, accounting, marketing, heating & air conditioning, food services, and landscaping to name a few. While these individuals are not going to work for free, they can provide guidance and a quick response to critical business questions. And when they do offer their services it’s at a good price,” he explains.
In Virginia wine, the 80/20 business rule generally applies as it does elsewhere; eighty percent of the business is generated by twenty percent of the accounts. While never an exact division, the rule holds true in most industries. Last year,Virginia’s 203 wineries produced 462,000 cases of wine, an increase of 11% over the previous year.
But just a half a dozen wineries produced over 200,000 of those cases; add in twenty or so second-tier wineries and the figure jumps to around 300,000 cases. That leaves around 175 wineries generating just 160,000 cases annually, or around 1,000 cases per winery, well below the profit generating level.
How do they survive? An owner performing much of the daily labor themselves is the key to viability. “Passion drives the success of smaller wineries,” say Zoecklein. “If a vineyard needs spraying at 3 in the morning, a committed owner will do it.”
And selling the finished wine can be even more demanding. The success of Old Dominion wine is closely linked to agritourism. There are very few wineries that can make money dealing with wholesalers.
Wine must be sold in the tasting room at retail prices to succeed. That requires spending hours at the tasting bar on weekends and holidays with wine lovers that are often escaping the rigors of stressful jobs and long commutes. Making their relaxation time a pleasant experience can be demanding on owners.
Pearmund says, “If a customer visits ten or twenty wineries over the course of several months and chooses not to return to your winery, ask why? If you can’t answer the question, do not expect to meet success.”
John Delmare
“A majority of wineries in the state are not operating as businesses per se,” says John Delmare, owner of Rappahannock Cellars. “And that’s not necessarily a bad thing. These are people who are enjoying a rural lifestyle, often with the help of their adult children and may be opened only three days a week. It’s a business model that succeeds through their labor and zeal.”
“But to create a business focused on the bottom line the work is significant. In the early years of building my winery, I worked eighty hours a week, seven days a week.”
Pearmund echoes his sentiments saying, “The work is endless, from securing ABC permits, label approvals, producing promotional materials, managing employee hiring and payroll, overseeing fruit purchase contracts, hosting wine dinners and much more.”
Zoceklin underscores the importance of enthusiasm in the business given its demands. “When an individual prepares an elaborate business plan and runs it by his accountant the reaction is often, ‘Wow, maybe you should just invest in condos in Vail.’ But that misses the point. If running a winery makes their heart sing, it’s not just a business decision. Some of the greatest satisfaction can come from building an enterprise from scratch and leaving it to their children as a legacy,” he states.
A somewhat controversial approach to building revenue involves hosting entertainment-style functions to build quick, steady revenue. Bachelorette parties, weddings, fundraisers and other large group events are a relatively easy sell given the bucolic setting of many wineries. Newer businesses can generate critical cash flow to help service debt by marketing such entertainment functions.
But balancing business needs with the concerns of local residents and county governments is important. Noise and heavy traffic on rural roads can raise the ire of nearby citizens and create a host of problems for an offending winery. As a whole, the industry is sensitive to such criticism and strives to act responsibly. But the issue further crystallizes the demands placed on many struggling young enterprises trying to succeed.
So what if an owner ultimately decides his decision to enter the industry is more work and less rewarding than envisioned? Does he simply sell and move on? “Selling a winery today and recovering your costs is problematic,” says Delmare. “There is not a vibrant market out there for even a profitable business. On the other hand, if owners can slowly build the business, their expenses will decline and sales increase. Most can survive and become prosperous. Patience is key.”
Today,Virginia is the fifth largest wine producing state in the Nation. Winery owners across the state can take pride and satisfaction in what is unfolding here and the role they are playing in achieving national recognition.
But as author David Bly ably wrote, “Striving for success without hard work is like trying to harvest where you haven’t planted.”
Published in the Summer 2012 edition of the Piedmont Business Journal.
Step back in time while tasting the wine
John Marshall was considered the Babe Ruth of the Supreme Court. He wrote or co-wrote over a thousand legal decisions during his thirty-four year span on the court and was the longest-serving Chief Justice of the United States.
John Marshall
He was also related to Thomas Jefferson, his political adversary. While they often opposed each other on a range of national issues, it’s likely they shared a glass of wine on occasion given Jefferson’s reputation for hosting numerous White House dinners.
On July 14, the home of John Marshall will open to the public for the purpose of tasting the best of Virginia and international wines. The legendary Chief Justice would likely have cast a vote in favor of his home’s new purpose; perhaps even calling it a wise decision.
The home, Oak Hill Estate, is located adjacent to Barrel Oak Winery and was built by Thomas Marshall, John’s father, in 1773. The home is reached by entering the Barrel Oak property in Delaplane and following the signs. While not as impressive as Monticello or Montpelier, the seven-room frame house was nonetheless a home of note in its era. John Marshall took ownership of the estate when his father moved to Kentucky in 1785.
Today, the home has been restored but not extensively. Given the likely millions of dollars required to bring the property back to its original condition one can understand the scale of restoration.
One week prior to its official launch, Brian and Sharon Roeder, owners of Barrel Oak Winery and creators of the John Marshall Tasting Experience, hosted friends and valued customers to a preview of the unique tasting. My wife Jean and I and our friends Fred and Betsy accepted the special invite. We’re glad we did.
Oak Hill
After entering the home through the front entrance—with views of the rolling Piedmont countryside—we were escorted upstairs to a seated tasting. Our host, Andy Melton, a winery partner, explained how a guest would typically select one of five distinct flights of wines. However, only three flights were available for the preview audience given the gratis invitation.
Each flight appropriately had a legal theme:
The Circuit Tasting—“Sweet Piedmont”; four off-dry or semi-sweet wines from Virginia’s Piedmont. $25
The Superior Tasting—“Best of the Piedmont”; four wines representing top wines from the region. $35
The Appellate Tasting—“Best of Virginia”; four selections from quality producers statewide. $55
The Supreme Tasting/Reds or The Supreme Tasting/Whites; four quality wines from around the world. $75
Each flight opened with a sparkler, the Fitz-Ritter Riesling Extra Trocken NV (extra dry) and ended with a Blandy’s 5 Year Malmsey Maderia; all six selections were served with artfully presented and tasty food pairings.
Everyone in our group selected The Appellate Tasting that featured:
2011 Rappahannock Cellars Viognier—Ducard Vineyard
2010 Jefferson Cabernet Franc
2008 White Hall Cuvee Des Champs
2009 Barrell Oak Winery Reserve Petite Verdot
The wines were paired with spicy raspberry preserves on brie; chocolate filled farm raspberries; rolled stuffed cucumber, and prosciutto wrapped dates.
Andy Melton & Mike Bunt tend to our needs
The flight was served on a modified aroma wheel tasting placemat reflecting the palate profile and tasting notes of each wine.
While we leisurely sampled the wine and food pairings for more than an hour, I was struck how unique it was to be sitting in an historical home in one of the most storied states in the Nation. History is my passion—along with wine—and the experience was enhanced given its location.
All the wine and food selections fulfilled our expectations but I anticipated more attention being given to the home and its history. While our knowledgeable host answered my inquiring-mind queries, I would have enjoyed a more docent-like explanation of the home and its former residents.
I could even envision a period costumed performer, similar to “George Washington” at Mount Vernon, ambling from room to room describing the home and its history.
The John Marshall Tasting Experience is offered by appointment each weekend from 11am till 6pm, through October. For more information, visit the Oak Hill Estate web site.
Oak Hill View
Fauquier County vintner positions himself for career shift
Tracking Chris Pearmund down can be a challenge. The man is seemingly everywhere as he expands his wine realm.
Case in point: This writer recently placed a call to the wine maven and after the eighth ring heard him answer with a groggy, “Hello?”
Did I catch him at a bad time? “No, no, it’s four o’clock,” he responded. Indeed, it was exactly 4:05 p. m. “Not here. It’s four in the morning. I’m in Beijing.”
Ooops. Sorry about that.
But the ill-timed call was not surprising. The peripatetic wine merchant is constantly on the move as he consults, buys or sells wineries at a brisk pace.
His latest move is placing his original business, Pearmund Cellars, on the market. The asking price is $5 million. The property includes his home, twenty-five acres of land—fifteen in productive Chardonnay vines—and the winery. He has tasked two real estate agencies with extensive experience in the Virginia wine trade to find a buyer.
And if the new owner wishes to retain Pearmund as a consultant, he will oblige.
In January, Pearmund sold a seventy-five percent interest in his Winery at La Grange in Haymarket to a major Chinese firm, Beida Jade Bird. “The sale was valued at $5.6 million and I retained 25% ownership. I currently run the operation as the managing partner,” he said.
Pearmund’s quest is to advance the Virginia wine trade beyond the state’s borders and believes China is one of the lucrative markets. But he’s not limiting himself to just Virginia wine.
“There is a growing class of wealthy Chinese who are interested in an upscale lifestyle, including wine. Annual per capita consumption in China is less than one liter. Europe enjoys a 35 liter consumption rate and the US an eight liter. China has a huge potential for growth,” he says.
To underscore his point, he recently sold a container of Washington state wine—14,400 bottles—to a wealthy Chinese businessman who intends to gift a bottle to each of his employees. Pearmund will ship the wine with a customized corporate label affixed.
Chris Pearmund
Why his involvement in wine other than from Virginia? “I’d love to sell more Virginia product overseas but, frankly, there’s not enough of it. Over the last several years there’s been a five-fold increase in wineries in the state but only a two-fold growth increase in productive vineyards. There’s a looming shortage of fruit with a commensurate opportunity for growers,” he explains.
In the interim, Pearmund will shift gears and focus on both domestic and international sales of Virginia and other wines, primarily those from Washington State, where he has close ties with some of its industry leaders.
In addition, Beida Jade Bird has hired him as its consultant and spokesperson. The multi-billion dollar corporation is a high technology enterprise focused on the production of software and advanced technologies and has made a commitment to pursuing the wine trade. “The firm is eager to advance their wine business but needs resources to make that happen. I’ll be providing my expertise,” he says.
Pearmund explains his latest ventures were driven largely by Lyme disease he contracted two years ago. “I lost a year of productive work. Lyme robs you of both physical and emotional energy. I pretty much turned the operations of my wineries over to my senior staff, Melissa Stephan and DJ Leffin. They performed beautifully. When I began to recover my strength, I realized I didn’t have to manage on a day to day basis. It reduced my stress and opened doors to new projects,” he says.
One of those projects was attending the fifth annual wine show in Beijing where he was awakened by an inquisitive reporter. “It’s an amazing scene here. There are hundreds of wineries from around the globe pouring thousands of wines for Chinese buyers. Only five are from the US, and only one from Virginia—me,” he says.
With his vision extending well beyond the borders of the Old Dominion, will Pearmund be leaving the area? “I have no intention of moving out of Fauquier County. I’ve lived here since ‘84 and love the area and its people.”
By moving into international business, the former substitute school teacher and native from Great Britain is paralleling his father’s career, who is a senior vice president for a world banking association. “Not many people know my family is exceptionally successful. My father has been to China dozens of times over the last several decades. He’s pleased to see me make this move, especially with my focus on China,” he says.
And as for his health? “I’m almost fully recovered from the Lyme attack. I’ve been walking five miles a day here in Beijing, my diet is nutritionally sound and I’m still enjoying wine daily. I’m eager to see what I can accomplish in this new arena.”
Published in the April 27, 2012 edition of the Fauquier-Times Democrat.
Philip Carter Winery Vineyards
Author of New Wine Book Muses on Virginia’s Industry
Richard G. Leahy grew up in a Foreign Service family and was exposed to European wine and food culture at a young age. Being a natural raconteur, he can spellbind a person with tales from his colorful life.
One fascinating story involves a trip on the Orient Express at the age of 15 with a buddy that resulted in both being tossed off the train because of passport issues. The duo then grabbed a series of freight trains and arrived safely at the Black Sea eighteen hours later.
“I particularly remember that adventure because the next day we had dinner on the Danube. Two teenagers with access to unlimited wine soon turned the repast into a smashing good time. It was an early object lesson in moderation in all things,” he recalls smiling.
Fortunately, moderation did not inform Leahy’s work ethic and sense of wonder. After recovering from his first wine dinner, he went on to become a world traveler, earning a Masters Degree and doing stints as a hospital administrator, educator, wine steward & judge, wine journalist, home winemaker, and producer of winery trade shows. His latest trade show was the successful Eastern Winery Exposition held March 7 & 8 of this year in Lancaster, PA.
Recently, I caught up with this Renaissance Man to discuss his latest book, Beyond Jefferson’s Vines, The Evolution of Quality Wine in Virginia.
Richard Leahy
So how did the idea for the book come about?
I’d been thinking about a treatise devoted to Virginia wine for sometime. In the 1990s, I was Mid-Atlantic regional editor for the Oxford Companion to Wine and had the honor of working with its author Jancis Robinson. Then last year, Carlo Devito, a noted wine journalist and publisher, asked me to pen a book on Virginia as a follow up to another author’s work on the Finger Lakes region. My desire to write a book was fulfilled with an actual request and the project took shape.
You travelled extensively throughout the state to gather portraits of proprietors and winemakers. How long did it take to write the book?
Negotiations with the publisher extended over several months but when it came time to start writing, I learned I had somewhat over a month to complete the volume. It resulted in a whirlwind tour of the Old Dominion that worked in my favor. I devoted myself full time to travelling and writing. It was fun. I had no time for writer’s block to set in.
Why did you create a travelogue format to tell the Virginia story?
The Commonwealth’s wine industry is diverse in both players and terrior. I felt that by profiling its men, women and vineyards it would best convey to readers what was unfolding here. And I surprised myself with the scope the industry now encompasses; from Northern & Central Virginia, to the Shenandoah Valley, the Eastern Neck and the Southwest. The state’s enterprise covers all points on the map.
At times one hears that Virginia wine is overpriced. Your thoughts?
I don’t think it’s valid. Look at any artisan producers worldwide and you will see prices commensurate with Virginia. Can the state compete with wineries producing 200,000 cases or more a year? No. The economy of scale simply isn’t there. But our wines are not homogenized either. There is a terroir distinction to Virginia and to bring these unique wines to market in limited quantities requires a substantial investment. I think most buyers recognize the good price to value ratio.
What’s your take on wine tourism?
Tourists are also wine drinkers. When I wrote my book eight months ago, there were about 200 wineries. Today, there are some 230. I believe much of that expansion is fueled by rising quality combined with tourism. Some wineries do not embrace the tourist trade but for many it is a channel to success. Our reputation can grow through a diverse group of travelers who visit, taste and return home with words of praise for what is happening here; each visitor has the potential to be an ambassador for the industry.
How else can Virginia grow its reputation?
The Virginia Wine Board Marketing office is seeking to build market share in the Mid-Atlantic region and I agree with the strategy. I don’t think we can simply leap to the national stage without expanding regionally first. There’s simply not enough wine to make that happen.
Advancing our status through acclaim from regional wine critics and sommeliers in major markets like Washington and New York is important. Also, more vineyards need to be planted to match demand from the increasing number of wineries. I think we should seek new markets on the East Coast first and let national expansion unfold from there. Finally, we shouldn’t under estimate the power of online sales to stoke growth. You don’t have to have product in a shop in Chicago to sell wine there.
Closing Thoughts?
Thomas Jefferson spent the better part of his life unsuccessfully trying to advance the cause of wine consumption in the United States. Today, his dream is being fulfilled. We are now the largest wine consuming Nation on earth and Millennials—folks under 30 years of age—are fueling much of that expansion.
The future for Virginia wine and other emerging domestic wine markets couldn’t be better. It’s an exciting time to chronicle the Old Dominion’s success. Perhaps I should start thinking now about a sequel to the book. It’s fascinating to contemplate where the industry will be in another decade.
Love of the vine produces best wine in Virginia
On February 24, Governor Bob McDonnell announced the winner of the 2012 Governor’s Cup Wine Competition. “I raise my glass to Glen Manor Vineyards, whose 2009 Hodder Hill Meritage is a stunning representation of the best in Virginia Wines,” the Governor said. The wine trumped more than 400 other entries.
Jeff White
Accepting the award was Jeff White, owner and winemaker at Glen Manor Vineyards in Front Royal. Uncharacteristically, White was dressed in coat and tie instead of his ubiquitous farmer’s overalls.
But if the award winner had walked on stage in brown denim with pruning shears in his hip pocket, he would have been instantly recognized by those who know him best. The man is a farmer, first and foremost.
White’s love of agriculture might well be genetic. His great grandparents purchased his farm in 1901 and worked the hardscrabble property growing apples, peaches, wheat and corn and tending both dairy and beef cattle. They lived off the land emblematic of early rural America.
Decades later, early childhood visits to the homestead transitioned to full-time farming when White opted out of a Beltway defense contracting job in 1990. Wrestling with what crops to raise his Dad suggested wine grapes. There were sixty wineries operating in the state at the time and he reasoned a market for the fruit existed. Today, some 230 tasting rooms dot the Old Dominion landscape and White has evolved into both grower and winemaker.
But what does it take to make the best wine in the state? Like most thoughtfully posed questions, the answer is subtle and layered. But it begins with a passion for growing vines. A critical component of a well-made wine is the winemaker’s shadow falling frequently in the vineyard.
An aptitude test taken in the third grade identified White as an adventurer, thrill seeker and farmer; widely divergent traits. He engaged in rock and ice climbing as pastimes early on but farming turned out to be his abiding interest.
A winemaker’s education
Once he committed to growing wine he educated himself for over a decade. White recalls, “I sought the advice of many folks but two important influences were Tony Wolf, the Virginia state viticulturist, and Jim Law, the respected East Coast winemaker and owner of Linden Vineyards. In my twelve years of working for Jim, I came to more fully understand what it takes to produce superior fruit. Jim was also instrumental in educating my palate. If you are going to make great wine, you need to know what it tastes like.”
The 2009 Virginia vintage was good overall but exceptional for Glen Manor’s Hodder Hill vineyard. “There was considerable rain around harvest time but most of the storms missed our farm. We harvested clean fruit. A perfect vintage year would be cool, sunny weather followed by a dry harvest. It doesn’t happen often but ’09 was close to perfect for us. Weather and our vineyard site produced quality fruit that year,” says White.
But how is a Governor’s Cup winner actually crafted? It starts in the vineyard. There is irony in the fact White’s great grandparents purchased land good for only subsistence farming. It is not rich, fertile farmland but thin-soiled, rocky and steep; ideal for growing wine grapes. The best grapes come from soil that stresses the vines. It might be called “tough love”. Colors and flavors deepen as the vine is forced to thrive in such conditions.
At harvest time, White double hand-sorted the fruit, removing any rotten or unripe grapes. He only destemmed the clusters and did not crush the berries. “I also cold soaked the fruit in its juice for about four days to extract more color before inoculating with yeast in open bin fermenters. We punched down the carbon dioxide created hard cap twice a day to assure full juice-to-skin contact.” he explains.
Secret to a winning wine
Once fermentation begins it might be assumed cellar alchemy is employed to produce a winner. But White says, “The secret to my wine success is that there is no secret. I let the fruit fully express itself with minimal intervention. I make no sugar, acid, or tannin additions. I only add a malolactic culture to encourage a necessary secondary fermentation and use a minimal amount of sulfur to control harmful bacterial growth. All my wines are unadulterated. In reality, the more one manipulates a wine the harder it is to make a great wine; less is literally more.”
Aging is also an important element in producing red wine and small sixty gallon casks were used to bring the best out in his reds. For the 2009 Hodder Hill, White aged it mostly in new French oak barrels for ten months. He then continued the process for an additional five months in older, neutral barrels to increase palate depth and enhance mouth feel.
Blending was a critical element in making the wine. Like the French, this winemaker believes a blended wine is greater than its individual parts. His Cup winner was 63% Cabernet Sauvignon; 25% Merlot; 6% Petit Verdot and 6% Cabernet Franc. “We conducted blending trials for three months tasting and re-tasting all of the potential blends before committing to the final cuvée. We produced 200 cases or 2,400 bottles.” he says.
So might a future Governor’s Cup be lurking in Glen Manor’s cellars? Vintage 2010 was one of the best statewide in a decade. “I have some very nice wines barrel aging now. I’d be pleased if we could garner further recognition for what we are doing here in the vineyard and cellar but only time will tell,” says White.
Glen Manor’s tasting notes describe the 2009 Hodder Hill as “a complex wine with ever-evolving aromas of dark red berries, eucalyptus, licorice, tea leaf, cassis and fresh ground coffee beans.” Given that description,Virginia wine lovers will be looking forward to the 2010 rendition.
For more information on Glen Manor Vineyards wines and hours of operation, visit http://www.glenmanorvineyards.com/
Published in the 2012 Spring edition of the Piedmont Virginian.
Congratulations to 2012 Governor’s Cup Wine Competition winner Glen Manor Vineyards for its 2009 Hodder Hill Meritage and the twelve other gold medal winners.
- Jefferson Vineyards 2010 Cabernet Franc Gold
- Sunset Hills Vineyard 2009 Cabernet Franc Gold
- Bluestone Vineyard 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon Gold
- Keswick Vineyards 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve Gold
- White Hall Vineyards 2010 Gewurztraminer Gold
- Delfosse Vineyards & Winery 2007 Meritage Blend Gold
- Glen Manor Vineyards 2009 Meritage Blend Hodder Hill Gold
- King Family Vineyards 2008 Meritage Blend Meritage Gold
- Potomac Point Winery 2009 Meritage Blend Heritage Reserve Gold
- Veritas 2010 Meritage Blend Vintner’s Reserve Gold
- Keswick Vineyards 2010 Merlot Gold
- Trump Winery 2008 Sparkling Kluge SP Blanc de Blanc Gold
- Tarara Winery 2010 White Vinifera Blend Honah lee Gold
Likely Warmest March on Record Poses Threat to Virginia Wine Industry
Spring is perhaps the scariest time of the year for vineyard managers. As life springs forth everywhere—driven by rising solar energy—a bracing northern chill can bring it to an end.
Frost. It’s a chilling thought.
Farmers of a variety of crops can be hurt by a spring freeze but growers of delicate wine grapes are particularly vulnerable. If a vine’s tender buds are frozen, they cannot recover as some plants indigenous to Virginia can.
From March 1 through the 22nd, over 6,000 daily temperature records have either been broken or tied across the Nation. And as tempting as it may be to cry “Global Warming”, experts finger the cause to an unrelated high pressure ridge from the tropics that has moved as far north as Canada. This air movement has been further amplified this past week as we saw temperatures soar into the eighties. Where’d I put that can of sunblock?
The effect of the warmth is obvious…things start to blossom and grow. Lawns are being cut and the beautiful redbuds and forsythia are arrayed in purples and yellows. In the vineyards, many vines have begun to bud.
The Old Dominion’s Chardonnay and Cabernet Franc are among the first vines to stir. In February of last year, I posted a story about one vineyard that sustained a mortal blow. The forecast for tomorrow night calls for temperatures around 32 degrees. ‘Tis scary.
Ironically, some vineyards at higher elevations may be more protected than their lowland cousins. A sloping vineyard permits cold air to run off the vines and pool outside the growing area. Conversely,vineyards that are on flat terrain or slightly depressed are particularly defenseless to frigid air settling in and freezing the tender shoots.
Actions can be taken to protect the vines ranging from using wind machines, spraying the vines with water to insulate the buds—or for deep-pocket vineyard owners—employing helicopters to force warmer upper air down on the vines. Nonetheless, many vineyards will remain unprotected if cold air comes calling.
With forecasts around the state calling for a possible freeze tomorrow evening, it’s nail biting time for many vineyard shepherds. And the last expected frost date in Virginia is May 10, some six weeks off.
So here’s a plea to all Virginia wine lovers: please keep your wine glasses crossed for the next month or so.
American Wine Society Recognizes Two Virginians for Industry Contributions
The American Wine Society–originally organized in 1967 at the winery of the legendary Dr. Konstantin Frank—culminated its 44th national conference in Rochester, NY on November 11, 2011 by honoring two men with close ties to the Virginia wine industry.
Gordon W. Murchie received the Award of Merit, the highest honor bestowed by the society. Murchie, one of the most recognizable wine names in the Old Dominion, has forged a storied second career promoting Virginia and the Eastern US wine industry since his retirement as a Foreign Service Officer in 1993.
Murchie’s numerous accomplishments include:
- President of the Vinifera Wine Growers Association from 1989 to 2008.
- Executive Director of the Virginia Wineries Association from 1999 to 2005.
- Preeminent leader and advocate in the growth and quality-focused development of both the Virginia and Eastern U.S. wine industries.
- Served on the board of the National Wine Coalition in 1991 and as its Executive Director from 1993 to 1996. In this role, he laid the groundwork for the U.S. Congressional Wine Caucus.
- Executive Director of the Licensed Beverage Information Council and legislative Chairman for the World Association of the Alcohol Beverage Industries, Inc.
- Tireless advocate on behalf of the wine industry to U.S. Congresses, administrations, Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau and international organizations since 1993.
One notable achievement familiar to Virginia wineries was Murchie’s role in founding the Mount Vernon Wine Festival, held twice yearly on the grounds of our first President’s home. Selection to participate in the festival is one of the more coveted honors a Virginia winery can receive.
Jim Law Winter Pruning
“I appreciate the time and effort Gordon has devoted to advancing the industry for two reasons: one, I don’t do it nor do I have the time; and two, I’m in awe of those who contribute to the extent he has. Gordon has actively advanced the growth of East Coast wine for the last few decades and his commitment has borne ripe fruit,” says Jim Law, owner of Linden Vineyards and one of the Mid-Atlantic’s leading vintners.
Lucie Morton, an international vinicultural consultant and lecturer, says, “Gordon Murchie has been a rootstock in the renaissance of Mid-Atlantic wine growing.” Praise from the likes of Law and Morton is not easily earned and reflects the respect the gentleman has earned in the Commonwealth and beyond.
“It’s gratifying to receive this award. My wife Anita and I have enjoyed our work on behalf of the industry. Over the years, we have met untold numbers of wonderful people in the East Coast wine scene. The memories are treasured,” Murchie says.
Dave Barber received the Outstanding Member Award at AWS’s annual conclave in recognition of his valued service. Barber is the business consultant for Hartwood Winery in Fredericksburg, VA. He is also an International Certified Judge, participating in a number of wine competitions.
His award highlighted his many achievements, including:
- Chapter Chairs of the Philadelphia and Northern Virginia AWS; the latter position he has held from 1986 to present.
- Coordinated the 1989 AWS Amateur Wine Competition.
- Served as Virginia Regional Vice President of the AWS for eight years beginning in 1992.
- Graduated from the Wine Judge Certification Program in 1988. He has been an instructor for the program from 1990 until the present. His dedication as a leader and mentor raised judging standards and assisted the AWS in achieving a reputation for qualified judges and reputable wine competitions.
Barber says, “It is truly an honor to be recognized by the American Wine Society. My work with AWS has been one of the most rewarding of my life. I look forward to many more years of advancing our region’s cause.”
Murchie and Barber are also active in the Atlantic Seaboard Wine Association, ASWA. Murchie serves as President Emeritus for the organization formerly known as the Vinifera Wine Growers Association, and is an elected member of the Virginia Wine Council. Barber is a member of the ASWA Board of Directors.
The association’s current president is Carl G. Brandhorst, an illustrious wine educator and a certified wine judge with national credentials. Brandhorst is also regional officer of the American Wine Society, Chapter Board Member of the German Wine Society, and travels widely in furtherance of his wine expertise.
ASWA is the preeminent East Coast wine association with numerous achievements, including:
- Organized in 1973 as the Vinifera Wine Growers Association, it was among the first wine trade associations on the East Coast.
- Promoted the planting and harvesting of the European Vitis Vinifera wine grapes inVirginiaand the Mid-Atlantic.
- Organized and conducted the first Virginia wine festival and competition.
- First organization to present Virginia and other East Coast wines at the WineTECH/grapeTECH, and Unified Wine and Grape Symposiums, as well as conduct public wine tasting lectures on the West Coast.
- Organize and conduct the annual wine awards and tasting reception on Capitol Hill in cooperation with the U. S. Congressional Wine Caucus.
Men such as Gordon Murchie and Dave Barber have done much to advance the cause of East Coast wine. Mid-Atlantic wine lovers are fortunate to have such talent and commitment working on their behalf.
Published in the Spring 2012 edition of the Virginia Wine Gazette.
