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Don't miss the 27th Annual
Vintage Virginia Wine Festival
May 31-June 1 at Bull Run!
Virginia Wine Marketing
Office
Find a comfortable place
to relax while
away.
VIRGINIA TOURISM
CORPORATION
Live passionately.
Open up and breathe.
Visit Virginia wineries.
Premier designer and
builder of residential
and commercial
wine
cellars.
new Virginia
wine
each month.
Testimonials:
"The Mayhurst
Inn was featured in the October issue of the Virginia
Wine Lover E-Newsletter. We booked two
reservations based purely on that write-up! Thanks
Wine WINE LOVER for spreading the good news about wines
and B&B opportunities in
Virginia."
Jack North,
Owner
Mayhurst Inn-Orange,
VA
____________________
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Lover e-newsletter is quickly becoming a must read for
all Virginia Wine Fans. The diversity and strength
of the content with a wide ranging distribution list
provide the industry with a critical mechanism for
spreading its news. As an advertiser we have seen
a very strong response in a short period of time.
We look forward to the continued growth of the Official
Virginia WINE LOVER."
G. Willis
Logan
Wine of the Month Club
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thank you for the opportunity to sponsor the July
edition of Virginia WINE LOVER E-Newsletter. The day
after the newsletter went out, visits to my web page had
doubled and page hits had tripled. This
immediately showed me that
people who received the magazine electronically looked
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stayed longer and looked at more
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Gray Ghost Takes Two Golds in
California
Gray Ghost Winery's 2007
Adieu and 2007 Vidal Blanc won gold medals at the 23rd
Annual Pacific Rim International Wine Competition held
in San Bernardino, California in April. It's 2006
Reserve Chardonnay was awarded silver.
The Pacific Rim announcement comes on
the heels of three medal wins at California's
prestigious Riverside International Wine
Competition. Gray Ghost's Adieu, Vidal Blanc and
Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon all took home bronze.
The Adieu was also awarded bronze at San Diego's
International Wine Competition.
_____________________
ECLIPSE
WINERY TO LOCATE IN MONTGOMERY COUNTY
Eclipse Winery, LLC recently
announced its decision to locate in Montgomery
County between Radford and Riner Virginia. Owners
Richard & Melissa Obiso will spend the next several
years developing the vineyards and choosing a site for a
future tasting room. Plans are underway to open in
the summer of 2012.
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Vol. III, No.
6 June 2008
It's the season
for events, events, and more
events! |
Dear Friend of Virginia
Wine:
Events, Events, Events..it's the
season! Read about the May wine events we attended
in "We Were There." And, make plans to attend
those upcoming events featured in "June Festivals and
Events", especially the granddaddy of them all...the
27th Annual Vintage Virginia Festival! You'll also
find current winery listings in Virginia Wine
Lover magazine.
Response to the magazine has
been overwhelming, and we thank everyone who has
supported and encouraged us. If you haven't
already subscribed, you can do so by scrolling down to
the end of this newsletter.
Cheers!
P.S. First time subscriber
to the newsletter? Please share this issue with
your friends and associates...just click on the
Forward to a Friend button below. Feel
free to e-mail us your comments at info@vawinelover.com.
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WINE COMPETITION
WINNERS ANNOUNCED
By Staff
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Potomac Point Winery wins Best of Show at
the Wine Competition. Pictured left to
right: Cindy Causey, Chelsea Causey and Skip
Causey.
Winners
of the Virginia Wine Lover Magazine Wine Competition
were formally announced at the Land Rover
America's Polo Cup held May 9 and 10 at Historic Morven
Park in Leesburg, Virginia. Each winning winery
was presented their distinguished award during a
presentation hosted at the "Rockin' the Runway"
challenge Friday evening.
Best of Show
Potomac Point
Winery Petit Verdot
Red
Wine
Gold: Potomac Point Winery
Petit Verdot
Silver: Pearmund Cellars
Cabernet Franc
Bronze: Pearmund Cellars
Ameritage
White
Wine
Gold: Winery at LaGrange
Chardonnay
Silver: Villa Appalaccia
Simpatico (Pinot Grigio)
Bronze: Lake Anna
Winery Totally White
Jennifer Breaux-Blosser (center) pictured
with co-publishers of Virginia Wine Lover
magazine, Randy Thompson (left) and Frank Britt (right)
after accepting her gold medal for rose wine.
(Photo courtesy of Dezel Quillen.)
Rose, Blush & Pink Wines
Gold: Breaux Vineyards Syrah
Rose Silver: Chatham Vineyards Church
Creek Rosé Bronze: Tarara Winery
Rosé
Sparkling
Wine
Gold: Kluge Estate SP
Rosé
Silver: Kluge Estate SP Blanc de
Blanc
Bronze: Chateau Morrisette Star
Dog
Late Harvest & Dessert Wines
Gold: Williamsburg Winery
Late Harvest Vidal
Silver: Breaux
Vineyards Soleil
Bronze: Gray Ghost
Adieu, Winery at LaGrange Snort and First
Colony 1607 Edicao Limitada
Wines were judged double-blind using the modified
UC Davis 20-Point system. The panel evaluated each wine
on its relative merits within the category and assigned
a number value to each with a highest possible score of
20.
Judges for the competition, considered among the
best in the field of Enology and Sensory Evaluations,
included:
Dr. Andrew Waterhouse - professor
of enology, University of California, Davis,
Calif.
Jim Barker - founder/president,
Washington Wine Academy, Alexandria
Peter Coe - founder, Taste
Unlimited, Virginia Beach, Virginia
Marcel
Desaulniers - chef/owner, The Trellis
Restaurant, Williamsburg
Ben Eubanks
- director of restaurants and wine program, The
Jefferson Hotel, Richmond
Cindy
McGann - former director, Chesapeake Bay Wine
Classic, Virginia Beach
Marc Sauter
- master sommelier, Virginia
Beach |
| A GLASS FOR ALL
REASONS
By Jean
Zuckerman, JZ
Communications |
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The glass raised most frequently in tastings and
toasts at events around the country is from
Fortessa/Schott Zwiesel's Tritan® collections. The
Virginia Wine Expo, for example, made one of the elegant
Forté designs the signature glass for its premiere event
last February.
 Forté stems combine the "must-have" qualities
that enhance the pleasure of fine wines: generously
rounded bowls, with room for swirling or moving the
wine, to release its characteristic flavors and aromas;
tapered shapes to capture the bouquet and keep wine in
the glass during swirling; and sturdy stems that fit the
hand comfortably. Crafted of Tritan, a unique crystal
glass noted for its brilliance, strength and resilience,
the Fortessa/Schott Zwiesel stems combine a dazzling
clarity with exceptional durability. A major
appeal for wine experts is the
break-resistant qualities of the titanium-fused
Tritan crystal. Equally important, all Tritan
glassware can go safely into the
dishwasher. Designs in the line are shaped
and sized to bring out the taste and essence of specific
varieties.
With its list of assets Fortessa/Schott Zwiesel
stemware makes a case for taking a place on the home
table for all dining occasions - and for indoor or
outdoor entertaining this
summer.
Fortessa, Inc.
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17 TASTING ROOM
TIPS
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Spring is here, the sun is shining, and the flowers
are blooming, and many of you will be coming out of
hibernation and planning weekend trips to Virginia's
award winning wineries to sample the new
releases.
While it is largely up to the Virginia
wineries to have a friendly and knowledgeable staff
on hand to make you feel like part of the wine
family, I decided to share some tasting room
tips so you can have a great time while
visiting Virginia tasting rooms this spring and
summer.
(Photo courtesy of Dezel Quillen)
- Before starting your wine tasting adventure, limit
or do not use any perfume, cologne or lotions.
They will definitely affect your ability to pick up
the aromas of the wine, which will alter your
perception of its taste.
- Many Virginia wineries have limited hours, and
some even go by appointments (especially for large
groups and tours). Make sure they will be open and
ready to pour.
- Have a designated driver. This is a
prudent decision for a carefree day of wine
tasting. There are also many local tour services
available that are fun and affordable. I
recommend Deidra at www.vawineadventures.com.
- If you plan to picnic, call the winery and
ask if they allow baskets. You can also call the
winery and find out what types of foods they
offer.
Read a
dozen more tips... |
| WHAT'S IN A BOTTLE OF VIRGINIA WINE?
By Terri Cofer Bierne, Esq.,
McCandlish Holton. Counsel to Virginia Wineries
Association |
|
 Virginia licenses both wineries and farm
wineries, although a farm winery must have a producing
vineyard. A farm winery is allowed to offer
tastings and make on-site sales, and can use those
privileges remotely at wine festivals and other events
across Virginia. At least 51% of the grapes
or juice used to make farm wine must be from Virginia
land owned or leased by that farm winery. In
addition, no more than 25% of the grapes or juice used
to make farm wine can be from outside
Virginia.
Appellation of Origin - Federal law requires
that all wine labels list an "appellation of origin" ---
the country, state or region/viticultural area where the
dominant grapes used in the wine were grown.
Virginia has six recognized American Viticultural Areas
(AVAs) with similar soil, climate, history and geography
that define their wines: 1) Eastern Shore, 2) North Fork
of the Roanoke AVA, 3)
Northern Neck George Washington Birthplace, 4) Rocky
Knob, 5) Shenandoah Valley and 6) Monticello. An
AVA on the label indicates that at least 85% of the wine
was produced from grapes grown within the named
area. "Estate bottled" means that 100% of the wine
came from grapes grown on land owned or controlled by
that winery, which must all be within an AVA.
Varietal Designation - For a Virginia wine
to carry a varietal designation (Viognier, Cabernet
Franc, etc.) and not be labeled, for example, table
wine, at least 75% of the grapes must be of that variety
and that entire 75% must come from Virginia. In a
bottle of Monticello Viognier, at least 75% of the
grapes must be Viognier and 85% of all the grapes used
in that wine must have been grown in the Monticello
AVA.
|
| TARRAGON SHRIMP WITH VIRGINIA
WINE BEURRE BLANC SAUCE
By Chef Patrick
Evans-Hylton |
|
|
Across the Commonwealth, more than 130 wineries
offer hundreds of varieties of vintages, including red,
white, rose, sparkling and dessert. It's not just the
quantity of wineries that has increased over the years -
it is also the quality of wine they produce that
continues to make headlines. In fact, last year,
Travel+Leisure magazine named Virginia as one of the
five hottest wine regions in the world.
We love all things local including vegetables,
fruits, seafood and wine. Regardless of a quaffer's
affinity with wine from California, France, or
elsewhere, there is definitely a wine made in Virginia
that they would enjoy as well. There are many
reasons why eating Sustainable, Organic and Local are
important, but two of the main reasons are that you are
helping out neighbors and the area's economy, and you
are certain of the source and quality of your food. As
in today's recipe, remember, we recommend using
delicious Virginia-grown and made products whenever
possible.
Our Tarragon Shrimp with Virginia Wine-Beurre Blanc
Sauce used a Pinot Grigio from Barboursville Vineyards.
Fresh steamed shrimp pairs with perfectly al dente pasta
and is married with a rich, buttery sauce with a spark
of citrus and brightness from the Pinot Grigio.
SHRIMP & PASTA
INGREDIENTS
2 dozen shrimp, de-veined and
steamed
1 pound fettuccine pasta, prepared
Olive
oil
Small bunch fresh tarragon, leaves torn, and a
few sprigs left whole
VIRGINIA WINE-BEURRE BLANC SAUCE
INGREDIENTS
3/4 cup white wine; we like
Pinot Grigio with this recipe
2 teaspoons shallots,
minced
2 sticks unsalted butter, cut into 1
tablespoon pieces
Freshly squeezed lemon juice
Salt
White pepper
Small bunch fresh tarragon, leaves torn
I like to buy my shrimp at Farm Fresh, where
the folks in the seafood department will steam them for
you while you shop. Later, it is just as simple as
heating them a bit before serving. Purchase 2 dozen, or
about a pound, of shrimp and put aside while the pasta
and sauce is being prepared.
Prepare pasta according to package instructions.
Prepare just before making sauce.
For the sauce: put the wine and shallots in a sauce
pan on medium high heat and cook until wine reduces and
becomes thicker and syrupy. Reduce to low heat, and
whisk in one tablespoon at a time. The key is to add the
butter slowly, and whisk continually so the sauce will
become smooth. Do not allow the sauce to boil. Squeeze
in a small amount of fresh lemon juice. Add salt
and white pepper to taste and keep on very low heat
while finishing shrimp and pasta.
In a separate sauce pan, heat a small amount of
olive oil and add shrimp, cooking just long enough to
heat.
In a large bowl, add prepared pasta. Add torn
tarragon to sauce and stir, then drizzle over pasta.
Toss to coat. Add shrimp and garnish with whole tarragon
sprigs.
 Chef Patrick Evans-Hylton is the Editor
of Virginia Wine Lover magazine. Chef Patrick
recommends using fresh Virginia-grown produce whenever
possible. |
BED & BREAKFAST OF THE
MONTH:
THE II GEORGES INN,
DANVILLE, VA
By Jack North,
President, B&B Association of
Virginia |
|
|
The II Georges Inn, located in Danville is a
premier gourmet bed & breakfast offering the best in
fine lodging, dining and a variety of fine Virginia
Wines. Decorated in a Victorian style with period
antiques, luxury linens, fireplaces, and an historic
ambience, the II Georges Inn is the place for a perfect
romantic getaway.
This 1885 solid brick Queen
Anne Victorian home, listed on the National Register of
Historic Places, has been restored to its original
grandeur. It is situated just off of Danville's
Millionaire's Row and in the heart of one of Danville's
fine historic districts.
 New to The II Georges Inn is a chef's tasting
dinner that consists of six courses and includes a
bottle of wine for two. Several Virginia wines
are featured for our dinners and for afternoon wine
and cheese/fruit
refreshments. Whether you are celebrating a special occasion,
taking in the sites and sounds of Danville, or just
looking for some rest and relaxation, savor these
moments, and some Virginia wine, at The II Georges
Inn.
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JUNE FESTIVALS AND
EVENTS |
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May 31-June 1: 27th Annual Vintage
Virginia Festival11 am - 6 pm Bull Run
Regional Park, Centreville Festival, Wine Education:
One of the oldest and longest running wine festivals,
promoted by the Virginia Wineries Association. Featuring
over 50 Virginia wineries and fine entertainment. Great
outing for the entire family. (540) 745.FEST www.VintageVirginia.com
June 4-8: The Virginia Wine Experience:
Jefferson's Dream to the New World
Scene University of Virginia,
Charlottesville
Unlock the secrets of Thomas Jefferson's fondest
yet most elusive dream...one sip at a time.
Fascinating lectures and face-to-face interactions with
some of America's leading wine experts,
behind-the-scenes vineyard and winery tours and gourmet
dinners each evening! Call now to reserve your
spot! 1-800-FIND UVA www.virginia.edu/travelandlearnJune 7: Chesapeake Bay Wine
Festival11 am - 6 pm White Fences
Vineyard, Irvington, Virginia Ten award winning
wineries provide free tastings of their best
wines. Live music, barbecue, Chesapeake Bay
Seafood and more! (804) 438.5559 www.chesapeakebaywinefestival.com
June 14: Wine & Art
Festival10 am - 5 pm Locust Grove Farm,
Walkerton, VA Wine tasting, artwork, children's
activities, art auctions, great food vendors and music,
along with artists and Virginia farm
wineries. 804.769.8201 www.locustgrove1665.com
June 14: Annual Cajun Festival
& Crawfish Boil
11 am - 6 pm
Breaux Vineyards, Hillsboro, VA Jambalaya, Gumbo
& Muffaletta. Wine tastings, live music,
hayrides and children's
activities. 540-668-6299 www.breauxvineyards.comJune 14: 6th Annual Pig
Roast
Noon - 4 pm First Colony Winery.
Charlottesville, VA Authentic pig roast with all the
works. Wine tastings, live music,
hayrides. Pre-paid reservations
required. 434-979-7105 www.firstcolonywinery.com
June 14: Festival of
Wines
Noon - 5:30 pm Wintergreen Resort,
Nelson County, VA An afternoon of wine, jazz, light
fare and cool mountain air. Over a dozen of
Virginia's best wineries. 434-325-8292 www.wintergreenperformingarts.org
June 14-15: Wine, Beer, Cider and
Mead, OH MY!
Blue Ridge Wine Trail Sat 11
am - 6 pm; Sun 11 am - 5 pm Chateau Morrisette,
Villa Appalachia, Blacksnake Meadery, AmRhein Wine
Cellars, Shooting Creek Farm Brewery and Foggy Ridge
Cider collaborate to present a food and drink
progressive pairing. Travel with a handy map to each
site for food and beverage pairings with expert advice
on flavor combinations. Tickets in advance or at any
participating location. 540.593.2865 www.blueridgewinetrail.com
June 15: 4th Annual Manassas Wine
& Jazz Festival
11 am - 6 pm Harris
Pavilion, Old Town Manassas, VA Featuring jazz
artists Marcus Johnson, Keith Wesby and L'tanya
Mari'. Wines from 14 award-winning wineries,
merchant booths and upscale food concessions.
703.361.6599 www.visitmanassas.org
June 21: Central Virginia Wine
Festival
12 noon - 6 pm
Innsbrook
Pavilion, Glenn Allen, VA
Twelve Virginia wineries
and live music from Copper Sails, Jubeus, and
Pennyshaker. Specialty vendors, food and beverage
concessions. Hosted by Virginia Tech Alumni Association,
Richmond Chapter.
804.257.0788
www.richmondhokies.orgJune
21: 7th Annual Summer Solstice Wine
Festival
12 noon - 6 pm James River
Cellars, Glenn Allen, VA Cooper Vineyards and two
other guest wineries. Wine tastings, live music, craft
vendors and B & B Seafood (crab cakes, BBQ or hot
dogs). Picnics always welcome. 804.550.7516 www.jamesrivercellars.com
June 28: Second Annual
"Celebration of The Vine" Wine Festival
11
am - 6 pm Boulevard Flower Gardens, Colonial Heights,
VA Virginia wines, good food, a beautiful setting and
everyone's favorite music add up to a great festival in
Chesterfield County. 804.744.4481 (Carl
Duffy, Festival Chair) www.chesterfieldchamber.com
June 28: 2nd Annual Song of the
Mountain Bluegrass Festival
Davis Valley
Winery and Vineyard, Rural Retreat, VA Celebrate the
music of the Southern Appalachians. Visit website
for full details. www.Festival.SongoftheMountains.org
June 28-29: Nelson County Summer
FestivalOak Ridge Estate, Nelson County,
VA Blue Ridge wines (8 wineries), live music, crafts,
kids activities, food court and market place. All
on the grounds of historic Oak Ridge
Estate. 800-282-8223 www.nelsoncountysummerfestival.com
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WE
WERE THERE!
|
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VIRGINIA VINTNERS BARREL
TASTING
May 6, 2008
The
Trellis Restaurant, Williamsburg, VA
For some three decades, The Trellis Restaurant in
Williamsburg has celebrated Virginia wine and food on
its creative, seasonal menu under the direction of
chef/owner Marcel Desaulniers. Twenty-eight of those
years have included the Virginia Vintners Barrel Tasting
dinner, a pairing of no less than a dozen wines with
delicious dishes.
This year's wine dinner, held May 6, was also the
launch of the inaugural issue of Virginia Wine Lover
magazine. More than 150 patrons, including many
winemakers and others in the industry, poured through
the first issue of the magazine while wines from
Rockbridge, Potomac Point, White Hall, Kluge,
Wintergreen, Oakencroft, Barboursville and others -
poured into waiting glasses.
"It's a wonderful magazine," says winemaker Michael
Shaps, whose 2007 Viognier was paired with Soup of
Sorrel and Smoked Salmon. "This is what we've needed. I
know it will do well."
The Trellis is at 403 Duke of Gloucester St.,
Williamsburg. Call 757-229-8610 or visit www.thetrellis.com. 
AMERICA'S POLO CUP
May 9-10, 2008
Historic Morven Park, Leesburg, VA
On May 9 and 10 the Land Rover America's
Polo Cup was held at Historic Morven Park in Leesburg,
Virginia. This event was highlighted by the USA
versus Italian Polo team match, as well as live concert
performances, spectacular aerial flyovers, stunning
parachute jumps, an Italian versus USA gourmet food
competition and announcement of the Virginia Wine Lover
Wine Competition winners. This event, spearheaded by
Tareq Salahi, founder of Oasis Winery, benefited
the Journey for the Cure Foundation - a nonprofit,
charitable organization supporting the MS Society
and Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.
Steve Mills, Philip Carter
Strother and Jack McNalley from Philip Carter Winery
enjoy the day at America's Polo Cup.
(Photos courtesy of Nick Khazel of Visual
Initiatives, Dezel Quillen and Virginia Wine Lover
staff.)
1ST ANNUAL FOOD AND WINE
FESTIVAL
AT NATIONAL HARBOR
May 17-18,
2008
National Harbor, Washington, D.C.
The 1st Annual Food and Wine Festival was the
highlight of the National Harbor's grand opening
festival on May 17 and 18.
Food and wine lovers were there from Maryland,
Virginia, and Washington DC. The festival showcased a
number of Old and New World wines, beer and spirit
tastings, delicious food samples, artisanal and organic
products, culinary demonstrations, and wine seminars
hosted by industry professionals. The Washington
Wine Academy was on hand pouring select Virginia wines
from Barboursville Estate, Blenheim Vineyards, Delfosse
Vineyards, Naked Mountain Vineyards, Rappahannock
Cellars, Pearmund Cellars, and Williamsburg
Winery.
(Photos courtesy of Dezel
Quillen)
WINTERGREEN FOOD & WINE
FESTIVAL
May 25, 2008
Wintergreen Resort, Wintergreen, VA
WINTERGREEN WINE
FESTIVAL
May 25, 2008
Wintergreen Winery
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NOW! |
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| ADVERTISE IN THE MAGAZINE! |
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Travel and Leisure
Magazine names Virginia one of the top five new
travel wine destinations in the world - July 2007.
 If
you are interested in advertising in Virginia Wine Lover
magazine, contact us at info@vawinelover.com.
| |
If you would like to contribute
an article to our WINE LOVER E-Newsletter, please send
information to news@vawinelover.com.
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