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Dear Wine Lover
Friend:
Our June
WINE LOVER Newsletter is filled with information about
interesting spots around the state as you tour
Virginia's wineries and taste their wines. Features on the
expansion of Prince Michel and Chris Pearmund's plans
for a winery and adult community are continuing evidence
of the growth in Virginia's wine industry. We've also
looked back at some of the exciting events that we
attended in
May. |
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Touring and Tasting in the Virginia
Wine Country
By Patricia
Latimer
One of the delights of early
summer is the chance to go touring and tasting in the
Virginia Wine Country. Its uniqueness in the American
wine story rests with its compelling landscape, its
fantastic blue mountains 150 miles inland from the sea,
its great rising rivers at right angles to these
northerwardly mountains and its extended watersheds
and coastline. The Commonwealth of Virginia
has the distinction of being the first state in
the United States where an
American tradition in winegrowing commenced in 1607.
From the onset, Virginians
modeled their lives after the English country farmer and
gracious lifestyle. With a vision of the big picture,
Thomas Jefferson was the one person who laid out plans for what an
American wine estate should look like both architecturally and physically. His
beloved Monticello features a great home, a winery,
a stable, flowers, fruit,
orchards, gardens, and, of course, vineyards. His
creative mind mirrored the
best of the elegant French chateaux he visited and the
fine wines he tasted there.
Virginians across the five wine
districts we recognize and tour today --
Southwestern
Virginia, Central Virginia,
Shenandoah Valley, Northern Virginia and Eastern
Virginia --
took up the Jefferson challenge
creating wine estates from antebellum plantations,
building modern hi-tech
extravaganzas, or establishing modest artisan farm
wineries.
The conflict that Jefferson faced with growing vitis vinifera
versus vitis
labrusca
continues to this day as
winegrowers experiment relentlessly to discover which
grapes
do well at which locales. With a
better understanding of Virginia's sub-tropical climate,
and a handle on its pests and
diseases wines made from classic Chardonnay and Cabernet
Sauvignon stand out. Headliners such
as Cabernet Franc, Viognier, Merlot and Pinot Noir are popular along with southern
France's Rhone Valley selections and
northern Italian varieties and
hybrids such as Chambourcin, Seyval Blanc and
Vidal Blanc. Norton, a native
American variety, gives Virginia top billing.
To tour and taste, plan your
wine country adventure by using some easy tools.
Go to www.virginiawines.org. Select one of the aforementioned wine regions.
Also consider thematic wine trails
within these regions such as:
www.monticellowinetrail.com
Then check the wineries in
that region on-line, and determine the number you can
visit in one day. Figure out directions on how to get
there using the winery maps or Mapquest. Check
information for hours, special directions, policies,
touring, tasting, picnics, cafes, live
entertainment, child-friendly activities, nearby
monuments, galleries, antique shops and parks. If
necessary, call the winery in
advance, mindful that Virginia is known for its
variable weather, its windy
roads and its deceiving driving distances. When
possible, pack extra food,
water, a laptop and/or cell phone. And, have
fun!
 Patricia Latimer is a writer, author and
founder of Patricia Latimer Associates, a public
relations and strategic planning company located in San
Francisco with a presence in Cleveland. As the former
director of the Sherry Institute of Spain, she advocated
for Spain and Sherry in the western U.S. Latimer is the
current author of Ohio Wine Country Excursions
(Emmis Books, Cincinnati, OH, 2005). She also
authored California Wineries of Sonoma and
Mendocino (Vintage Image Pubs, St. Helena, CA).
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Cabernet Franc: The Local Red
Wine Alternative
By
Dezel Quillen, a true Virginia wine oenophile and
contributor to the Official Virginia WINE LOVER
newsletter
It has been my experience that most
red wine lovers find familiarity with more common red
wine grape varieties such as Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon,
Zinfandel, Pinot Noir, just to name a few. I will be the
first to say that those grape varieties make excellent
wines, hence their popularity. However, on the East
Coast Cabernet Franc holds claim to consistency and
reliability for local growers. So let's put Cabernet
Franc on center stage for an evening, and hopefully onto
your dinner tables.
Cabernet Franc is a classic
European red wine grape variety that is primarily used
for blending in French Bordeaux. In the Loire Valley
(Chinon), Cabernet Franc has been grown for centuries
and regarded as a fruity, smooth, and soft everyday
village wine. Cabernet Franc thrives in cooler climates
and ripens fairly early which explains why the grape is
a popular selection for Virginia and other East Coast
growers.
At its best, Cabernet Franc offers
a signature violet and raspberry bouquet with pleasant
red fruit-filled flavors, hints of black pepper, and
spice with mild nuances of fresh herbs. Compared to
Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc lacks the fullness,
body, acidity, and tannins, and is usually approachable
young, but can also age well pending style. Where
Cabernet Sauvignon can be described as King of the
European Reds, Cabernet Franc is the tasteful Prince who
has won over many a Virginian palate.
In Virginia, you will find that
Cabernet Franc is being made in a wide range of styles.
This variance can be attributed to the quality of the
harvested fruit, winemaking technique, and what may or
may not be blended with the Cabernet Franc. One thing is
for sure, however; Virginia is producing some good to
great Cabernet Francs. As a matter of fact, many locals
in and out of the industry hail Cabernet Franc as the
states flagship red wine, with Petit Verdot and Norton
to follow.
Pending style, Cabernet Franc can
be served with a little chill (fruit forward style) or
at room temperature. Most Cabernet Francs are food
friendly and can be paired with foods such as poultry,
turkey, pizza, lasagna, roasted lamb and braised veal,
and sips nicely on its own.
The Cabernet Francs I recommend
trying, but not limited to, are the
following:
Horton Vineyards:
2000 Cabernet
Franc / Dark cherry and violet aromas with toasty
notes.
Waterford Vineyards:
2002 Cabernet
Franc / Has aged nicely, complex and
elegant. (A must buy if still available)
and 2005 Cabernet Franc / Young and solid,
opens up nicely, top rated '05 VA
Vintage.
Rappahannock Cellars: 2005 Cabernet
Franc / Nice red fruit flavors, soft tannins,
drinking nicely now.
Doukenie Winery:
2004 Cabernet
Franc / Nice integration of soft fruit, herb and
spices.
Pearmund
Cellars: 2003 Cabernet Franc / Dark
cherry flavors, mild herb, aging
nicely.
Winery at La
Grange: 2005 Cabernet
Franc / Subtle fruit, spicy, peppery, soft herb
notes.
Tarara
Winery: 2003 Cabernet
Franc Reserve / Dark cherry, spice, with pinch of
pepper, supple tannins.
Veritas:
2004
Cabernet Franc / Easy drinking, soft, fruit forward
style wine.
Breaux:
2002 Lafayette / Cabernet Franc based wine;
soft red fruit, spicy and peppery. A Cajun
delight!
And for the sweet ending, try
the King Family: Late Harvest
Cabernet Franc 2005 DessertWine. Lovely, slightly
sweet, with dark cherry and cocoa notes. Yummy!
Have fun seeking out and tasting
your local red wine alternative - Cabernet
Franc!
You can contact Dezel or visit his
blog at myvinespot.com. |
A
Finely Aged...Winery: Prince Michel Toasts 25
Years
By Steve Cummings, The Hodges Partnership - Richmond, VA
With a $1 million investment in its
winemaking and an infusion of youthful, unpretentious
enthusiasm, one of Virginia's largest wineries is
preparing to pop the cork on a special anniversary -
25 Years of Virginia Vintages.
Founded in 1982, Prince Michel Vineyard
& Winery has become one of Virginia's most
recognized wineries, not only due to its award-winning
wines but by virtue of its broad popularity at
distinctive retail locations throughout the state. But it's the next 25 years
that has new owners Terry and Kristin Holzman really
excited.
The Alabama and Michigan natives purchased the
vineyard in mid-2005 and have since invested more than
$1 million in upgrading its winemaking facilities and
turning its Route 29 location into a gracious but
unassuming destination for visitors to Virginia's wine
country.
Says Terry, "Our vision for Prince Michel
is to build a reputation around our two principle goals
- producing excellent wines that are a good value and
creating a welcoming place where wine lovers can
experience the very best in both Virginia wine and Old
Dominion hospitality. As we raise a
glass to Prince Michel's silver anniversary, we believe
that our best years - and our best wines - are still
ahead of us."
Over the past eight years, Prince Michel's
wines have won more than 400 awards, making the winery
among the most honored in the East. But the
Holzman's are not resting on the vineyard's
laurels.
They recently purchased a new 16-ton wine press,
a new bottling facility with state-of-the-art robotics
and four new 4500 gallon wine tanks - all designed
to enhance the quality and capacity of the winery's
winemaking.
While Prince Michel historically has
produced a wide array of wines, its focus today is
exclusively on a mix of wines under its Prince Michel
and Rapidan River labels. The new mix of labels allows
more time for winemaker Brad Hansen to focus on Prince
Michel's "single-vineyard designates" which are created
during exceptional vintages and sold only at the winery.
The winery also private labels a variety of wines for
resorts, companies and special events.
Given its prominent Madison County
location astride Route 29 just south of Culpeper on the
way toward Charlottesville, Prince Michel has enhanced
its onsite retail presence and expanded its wine tours
and tastings.
The newly refurbished Wine and Gift Shop includes
a broad cross-section of not only wine-related products,
but also of unique and distinctive gifts.
 "We hope that visitors to Virginia wine
country will come to think of Prince Michel as their
front door to the region, and we will always have the
welcome mat out," says Kristin. "Whether you are
in a large tour group or a couple meandering the
Monticello Wine Trail, we look forward to introducing
you to Prince Michel wines and helping you make the most
of your visit."
Prince Michel was recently accepted into
the Monticello Wine Trail, the fraternity of 22 wineries
in Albemarle, Greene, Orange and Nelson Counties that
share a common viticulture.
The improvements and renovations at Prince
Michel also extend to the internet. The winery's web
site at www.princemichel.com has undergone a complete redesign,
including its online wineclub and store where site
visitors can purchase a variety of wines and items from
the Wine and Gift Shop.
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Grapes, Grub &
Rooftops
(Excepts from the 5/22/07
article in the Fauquier Times-Democrat by Don
Del Rosso)
Chris Pearmund (on the right),
owner of Pearmund Cellars, stands with George MacDonald,
General Manager of Pearmund Cellars, at the
highest point on Alwington Farm, nearly 500 acres of
lush pasture on Route 29 along Warrenton's southwestern
edge. Before him stand 4,000 light blue, plastic
"grow" tubes, aligned in precise rows like headstones in
a war veterans' cemetery, to shield individual white
grapes from pedators (mostly rabbits) and the
elements. The tubes signify the first evidence of
Pearmund's latest and most innovative vineyard and wine
venture.
His vineyard and planned winery
would be a key marketing and lifestyle component of
Centex Homes' planned seniors-only, 298 home, luxury
subdivision at the farm. To Pearmund's knowledge,
the vineyard/winery/subdivision combination would be
unique. "This could be a trend in adult
communities," he said. "Ten years from now
somebody's going to read that it started in
Warrenton. This is really cool."
Pearmund and Centex's
responsibilities would be distinct but
complimentary. Pearmund and his partners would own
and operate the vineyard, winery and a small
restaurant. Centex would develop the Arrington
Knolls subdivision and build and sell the homes.
The vineyard should be fully planted by spring 2009,
said Pearmund who is part owner of La Grange at
Haymarket. First harvest and the winery should be
ready that fall.
Centex has a contract to buy most
of the Alwington Farm property. Through an
agreement with Centex, Pearmund began planting grape
vines at the farm in mid-May. If the Town of
Warrenton and Fauquier County approves the Arrington
Knolls subdivision proposal, Pearmund would enter into a
long-term agreement with Centex to manage the vineyard
land.
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| Weekend
Getaway...Mountain Lake Getaway Resort
At this famous resort in the beautiful
mountains of southwest Virginia you can stay in the
grand hotel or a cozy cabin in the woods. Mountain Lake is
operated in the tradition of the "Grand
Southern Hotel" where guests enjoy land and water
activities, entertainment and adventure, as well as the
opportunity to simply relax as clean mountain air fills
your lungs and cleanses your spirit. A Virginia
tradition since 1936, the resort is known to movie fans
everywhere as the setting for the box office hit "Dirty
Dancing."
June is a perfect time for grilling
and Mountain Lake Hotel's Chef Robert Terrell
shares his recipes for this wonderful summertime
meal. Enjoy!
Here are delicious recipes for
Seasoned Grilled Swordfish with Roasted Corn &
Tomato Relish, accompanied with Emancie Waffle Pomme de
Terres & Saute Zuccini & Squash Julienne with
Kalamata Olives.
Grilled
Swordfish
Season
1-8 oz. Swordfish steak on hot grill. Mark fish with
grill marks approximately 2 minutes. Turn 90 degrees,
continue to cook for 2
additional minutes. Place
steak in pan with a splash of white wine & finish in
oven 350 degrees for approximately 6
minutes.
Corn & Tomato Relish
3 ears of corn with
husk
3 tomatoes -seeded & small
diced
½ cucumber - seeded, peeled &
small diced
1 small white onion - small
diced
2 green onions - tops only -
chopped
1 jalapeno -seeded & small
diced
1 glove garlic - minced
2 tablespoons cilantro -
chopped
¼ cup red wine vinegar
¾ cup olive oil
¼ teaspoon cumin
1/8 teaspoon chili
powder
1 lime - fresh juice
Salt & Pepper to
taste
Soak corn with husk
for 30 minutes in water, then roast on hot grill for
approximately 8-10 minutes. Remove corn
& allow to cool, then cut kernels off of
cob. In a mixing bowl, add all
vegetables & spices. In a separate bowl, whisk
vinegar with oil, then combine with
vegetables.
Waffle
Potatoes
Using mandolin, go on down cut,
then come up with potato & rotate a quarter
turn. Down
cut and repeat.
Drop potatoes in 350 degree fryer until golden
brown, drain & season to taste.
Squash Spaghetti
Saute
Using mandolin, cut to a fine
julienne.
Heat olive oil in sauté pan, add squash &
fresh garlic.
Deglaze with white wine & finish with
Kalamata olive slices.
WINE
RECOMMENDATION: Mountain Lake Chardonnay (dry,
little tart) - by Prince Michel
Vineyards.
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| Order Your Virginia Wine License
Plate Now!
The Virginia Wineries Association has
announced the pre-sale of a new license plate bearing
the phrase, "Virginia, first in wine." Cost of the
plates is $25 (or $35 personalized plates). This is a great
way for people all across the Commonwealth to show their
support for Virginia's vibrant wine
industry.
Before the plates can get into production,
a total of 350 must be presold, and the VWA must
receive completed applications and payment by the
deadline of June 15, 2007. If the number is
not reached, applicants will have their money
refunded. If the tally reaches the 350 mark, the
plates will be available after January 1, 2008.
Like many other specialty tags offered
through DMV, after 1,000 plates are sold, $15 from each
sale is contributed to the sponsoring
organization. The winery plate has a bit of a
twist in that the funds would go to Virginia Tech's
enology research department, a program that supports
Virginia wineries and vineyards by providing soil
testing, viticultural research, and other educational
support. For more information on the
research at Virginia Tech, visit the website www.vtwines.info.
For more information about the wine
plates, contact Tonya Rideout at (703) 373-6000 or visit
the VWA website at www.virginiawines.org. |
AWARDS NEWS FROM VIRGINIA
WINERIES
Gray Ghost
Vineyards
According to a press release
from Gray Ghost, the vineyard swept the 20th
Annual Tasters Guild International Wine Judging in Grand
Rapids, Michigan, winning medals on all nine wines
entered and taking home gold on the 2005 Reserve
Chardonnay and 2006 Merlot. Gray Ghost
earned silver medals for the 2006 Adieu, 2006
Gewurztraminer, 2006 Seyval Blanc, 2006 Vidal Blanc,
2004 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon and 2006 Cabernet
Franc. The
2005 Chardonnay was awarded a bronze. Joe Borrello,
President of the Tasters Guild wrote, "Of the 1,911
wines entered, your wine was singled out by the judges -
a most prestigious achievement." This is the
fifth time Gray Ghost has swept this
competition.
This news comes on the heels
of an extraordinary win in California's prestigious 2007
Pacific Rim International Wine Competition. Gray Ghost's
2005 Reserve Chardonnay was awarded Gold in this
competition, surpassing more expensive Chardonnays from
California powerhouses like Kendall-Jackson, Trefethen
and V. Sattui.
Gray Ghost Winery is located
at 14706 Lee Highway in Amissville
(540-937-4869).
The tasting room is open
Friday through Sunday, 11 to
5.
Got Awards News? E-mail us at
frank@brittmarketing.com. |
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Ye Old Virginia Wine
Shoppe
When you're touring and
tasting in the Virginia Wine Country, stop by
Ye Olde Dominion Wine Shoppe
in Historic Occuquan, Virginia.
Taste Virginia wines and
sample gourmet specialties. Open Monday
11:00-3:00, Wednesday through Saturday
11:00-5:00 and Sunday
1:00-5:00.
408 Mill Street
Historic Occoquan, Virginia 22125
(703) 494-1622
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WINE FESTIVALS AROUND THE STATE IN
JUNE
2007 Vintage Virginia
Wine Festival
June 2-3 at Bull Run Special
Events Center in
Centreville
One of the longest running wine
events on the East Coast, the festival features over 50
Virginia wineries. Includes wine and food tastings, arts
and crafts, children's activities and live
entertainment, headlined by the Dirty Dozen Brass Brand,
Soullive, Jone Cleary and the Absolute Monster
Gentlemen.
Full information at www.vintagevirginia.com.
Wine and Fine Arts
Festival at Locust Grove
Farm
June 9 in Walkerton (King
and Queen County)
Regional wineries offer wine
tastings and artists from all over the east coast
display original art
work.
www.locustgrove1665.com
Summer Celebration
Wine Festival at Lee Hall
Mansion
June 9 in Newport
News
Wine tastings, food, music
and living history.
www.leehall.org
Festival of Wines on
Wintergreen
Mountain
June 16 at The Evans
Center, Wintergreen
Resort
Wine tastings by Central
Virginia wineries. Jazz, light fare
and cool mountain air.
Benefits Wintergreen
Performing Arts.
www.wintergreenperformingarts.org
3rd Annual
Manassas Wine and Jazz
Festival
June 17 at the Harris
Pavilion in
Manassas
Listen to wonderful jazz as
you taste some of Virginia's finest wines and food
provided by local
merchants.
www.visitmanassas.org
Nelson County
Summer Festival
June 23-24 at Oak Ridge
Estate (Nelson
County)
Award winning wines, music,
food, crafts and children's
activities.
www.NelsonCountySummerFestival.com
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WINE LOVER WAS THERE IN
MAY
At America's Cup of Polo, May 12 in
Leesburg
Event organizers
Michaele and Taraq Salahi with Italian Ambassador and
Signora Giovanni Castallaneta
Virginia's Secretary of
Natural Resources Preston Bryant and Liz Bryant of the
Alliance Group Ltd in Richmond
And...At Cooper
Vineyards Lucy's Weekend, May 26 in Louisa
Lucy of Wine Dogs
USA fame and Jacquie Hogge owner of Cooper
Vineyards
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The Official Virginia WINE
LOVER Magazine
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