Category Archives: Special Wine Event

Virginia vs. France: DC Sommeliers Blind Taste Chardonnay

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How does Virginia Chardonnay compare with Burgundy, the spiritual home of Chardonnay?

I thought about this after I met a group of DC-based sommeliers who were participating in Chrisa Giorgi’s “We the Wine People” documentary about Virginia wine. I picked out a lineup of Virginia wines to blind taste next to comparable French wines, and she filmed the results (FYI – they loved the lineup).

One thing I noted is sommeliers have a different approach to wine tastings compared to my usual audience. While I tend to ask, ‘does it taste good?’, they prefer to ask, ‘does it taste right?’

When I say ‘right’, I’m referring to whether a wine reflects the textbook flavors, structure, and overall profile that a grape or winemaking style is typically associated with. These professionals not only look for that profile but can tease out whether it reflects a specific region.

This puts Virginia wine in somewhat of a bind. While it’s true certain producers tend to make wine that echoes those found in France, Virginia’s ‘sense of place’ is very distinct. I genuinely feel a lot of Virginia wine is…well… “Virginia-esque”, which throws off experts who open a bottle expecting to find a certain profile, and discover it doesn’t match up with their expectations for that variety.

Not only that, but I find the DC wine community tends to only be familiar with the same handful of famous wine producers. Nearly everyone in my audience knew (and had likely visited) Linden Vineyards, Lost Mountain/RdV, probably Barboursville, King Family, and Glen Manor. Almost none were familiar with Pearmund, DuCard, Ankida, Pollak, and Chatham.

For this event I picked out 7 Chardonnays from some of my favorite Virginia producers, many of which were completely unfamiliar to this group (I threw in CrossKeys as a starter wine). I also included 2 French wines, to see if I could fool them. Berry Bros. & Rudd hosted us in their upstairs office.

My main goal was to introduce Virginia wine to an audience that tends to only know the most famous Virginia producers. But a secondary goal was to see if they could distinguish between the French and Virginian wines, and if that made a difference in which they picked as their favorite.

The final lineup was divided into 3 flights of 3 wines (7 Virginia/2 French), all served blind.

Flight #1 (Ankida, Albert Bichot, Shaps ‘Wild Meadow’)

Wine #1/Ankida Ridge 2025 ($35): The group noted multiple fruit related notes, including pineapple cake and melon. A few mentioned they enjoyed the balance and thought it had nice acidity (although at least one mentioned it might be a tad higher on alcohol).

The main drawback was the group wanted more complexity. Overall, it was a crowd pleaser and ‘classic’.

Wine #2/Albert Bichot Pouilly-Fuissé 2021 ($75 at Yanis): Classic Burgundy. “Butterball, salty, and reductive” were mentioned several times, especially the last two of these descriptors. I heard someone mention notes of cream and tang. Integrated and easy drinking.

Wine #3/Michael Shaps “Wild Meadow” 2023 ($40): My favorite descriptor was ‘graceful’. The group noted it had a higher level of acidity. Descriptors ranged from plush, subtle, fat and opulent. I also heard ‘salt’ as a descriptor.

It was one of the better-balanced wines of the lineup, with noticeable oak but textured and well-integrated.

Flight #2 (Pollak, Chatham, Linden Hardscrabble)

Wine #4/Pollak Vineyards 2023 ($32): Approachable, round, fruity. Led with ripeness. Floral and bright. Someone mentioned butterbeer, which elicited agreement on the table. Another mentioned notes of banana, or caramel apple.

There was a lot of discussion on the level of oak. I heard one person mention the integration was impressive, but most of the table felt it had too much (note – this group was consistently hyper aware of any oak usage).

Wine #5/Chatham Steel Chardonnay 2023 ($25): The group quickly noted how different this was from the rest of the lineup.

The consensus was it reflected a cooler Chablis style, with higher acidity and toasty aromatics. I heard various descriptors, including citrus-apricot, salt, and green apple. If anything, it was higher in the acidity than some preferred.

One person unwittingly got it on the nose when he said, “I bet the producer wrote ‘steel chardonnay’ on the label,” which was 100% accurate.

Wine #6/Linden Hardscrabble 2021 ($55): Overall, the consensus was that this was the “most Burgundian” of the flight.

Tasters described it as ‘round’, with a creamy texture. More oak-driven than the others, but this wasn’t a negative in this case. I heard a bitter note mentioned, along with a steady mid-palate. I heard it described as the most savory and subtle of the flight.

Flight #3 (Louis Jadot, DuCard ‘Whetstone Run’, Pearmund 50th Anniversary)

Wine #7/Louis Jadot Chablis 2021 ($25): Various positive descriptors, including ‘savory’, ‘ripe and fresh’, and especially ‘nutty’. There was a brief discussion about its ‘banana foster’ quality. Balanced, tense, and heavy were also mentioned. Overall, a popular pick.

Wine #8/DuCard “Whetstone Run” 2021 ($42): This wine was zesty and easy-drinking. Descriptors included savory, stony, and steely.

Long discussion on this one. It was pretty firmly identified as ‘Virginia’ but it did have a Burgundy-like quality to it, despite several noticing the lees. Several mentioned it also showed an almost Albariño-esque quality (this wasn’t listed as a negative; this wine was appreciated).

Wine #9/Pearmund Cellars “50th Anniversary” ($37): ‘Burgundian’, although few thought it was one of the two French wines in the lineup. The group detected oak but didn’t mind it because it was so balanced.

I heard lots of very complimentary tasting descriptors. The most frequent descriptors included ‘toasty, savory, and delicious’. I also heard sesame, chive, overripe banana, and especially sourdough. Savory and ‘whisky tannin’ were also mentioned.

This 3rd round was widely regarded as having the strongest set of contenders.

Event Favorites

At the end of the tasting, I asked the sommeliers to complete two tasks: pick their top two favorite wines of the entire event, and correctly identify the two French bottles.

For favorites, two wines quickly rose to the top: wine #2/2021 Albert Bichot Pouilly-Fuissé, and wine #9/2023 Pearmund Cellars ‘50th Anniversary’.

By a very narrow margin, the Albert Bichot was the overall favorite (6 votes), with Pearmund a close second (5 votes). Pearmund was also the overall favorite Virginia wine. Linden Hardscrabble and the Chablis were tied for third place.

France won this event – but only by a tight margin. Even so, I think this event was a huge ‘win’ for Team Virginia, when you consider that a $37 Virginia wine scored very well against a $75 Burgundy.

The 50th Anniversary Pearmund Chardonnay impressed everyone, and surprisingly only a handful in my group were familiar with this producer. As a cool sidenote, it was also made from the oldest vines in Virginia (50 years old, hence the name).

Identifying Virginia vs France

In this task, the somms killed it.

The Albert Bichot was easily identifiable as a French wine (8 of 10 correctly guessed), while the group struggled with the Louis Jadot Chablis (5 of 10 correctly guessed).

Not surprisingly, Linden and Pearmund were the most popular alternative picks as the French wine (2 votes each), while Shaps “Wild Meadow” and DuCard also got a vote each. These were universally judged to be the most ‘Burgundian’ of the Virginia lineup.

Takeaways

I won’t say these were ‘surprises’, but there were a few things that stood out.

First, I was not at all surprised that Pearmund, Linden, and Shaps were the most ‘Burgundian’ wines of the entire lineup. That said, very few confused them with ‘actual’ Burgundy.

In fact, the tasting group was very good about accurately identifying the French vs Virginia wines. If anything, I was somewhat surprised I didn’t fool more people. These somms seemed more dialed-in on the French wines than a group of French sommeliers were during an event hosted by Virginia Governor’s Cup Wine Director Frank Morgan.

In May 2026, Frank organized a blind comparison called “Old World, New Roots” in Paris (close to the 50th anniversary of the famous “Judgment of Paris”) where he compared top Virginia wines (including many in my own lineup) with equivalent French wines.

At that event, the judges heavily leaned towards Virginia wines as their favorites. The top Chardonnay was actually the same 2023 Michael Shaps ‘Wild Meadow’ wine I served. According to Frank, at least one French judge was shocked to discover the Shaps wine wasn’t from Burgundy

Based on these comparisons, I believe there is plenty of evidence that top Virginia wines *can* be viewed as equal or even superior to comparable French wines, with there being enough ambiguity for judges to occasionally confuse the two regions.

Now, the bigger question is this – did the DC somms like the ‘top’ Virginia wines because they were ‘Burgundian’…or because they were ‘good’?

In this case, I think it’s a bit of both.

Yes, I think there was something of a bias in favor of the tasting profile that characterizes Burgundy. And yes, the top Virginia picks of my event leaned in that direction, profile-wise. So being ‘Burgundian’ and ‘good’ were often synonymous terms.

Even so, the somms were impressed by the diversity of quality Chardonnay available to them.

It’s true that only a few were ‘Burgundian’ in character. But my personal takeaway is Virginia Chardonnays doesn’t need to be ‘Burgundian’ to be good.

Linden Vineyards Hardscrabble Vertical (2012-2023)

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I like to host my birthday parties in style. So what better way to celebrate than to do a vertical of my favorite winery – Linden Vineyards. Even better, I was assisted by a group of friends with expert-level palates.

I started with a plan for a 9-vintage comparison of their Hardscrabble red blend. That expanded to 11 vintages. Since I was obviously committed, I decided to add a mini vertical of Hardscrabble Chardonnay.

If you’ve read my blog before, you are likely aware I’m a Linden Vineyards fanboy. But for first-time readers, here is a brief background of the winery and the man behind it, Jim Law.

Jim founded Linden in 1983 on an old apple orchard. Their estate vineyard is named Hardscrabble, which has 20 acres of vines planted between 1,100-1,400’. While Linden’s other (much smaller) vineyards – Avenius and Boisseau – have their own advantages, it’s fair to say Hardscrabble is what Linden is best known for.

Tasting 11 vintages is quite an experience. Virginia wine is renowned for its vintage variation, and that variation was on full display. Each vintage had varying levels of ripeness and acidity, as well as (sometimes dramatically) different blends.

But it was more than vintage variation. While Jim may lean “Old World” in style, he’s not afraid to fine-tune his winemaking approach to whatever the vintage requires.

Linden’s Hardscrabble Blog was of great assistance in this writeup. It provides an incredibly detailed record of every wine Linden has ever produced, down to seasonal growing conditions, individual winemaking notes, and recommended food pairings.

Hardscrabble Chardonnay Vertical (2015-2021)

If you ask Jim what his ‘flagship’ wine is, he’d probably say “Chardonnay”. It remains his first love, and arguably the variety Linden is best known for.

We had 4 vintages – 2015, 2017, 2019, and 2021. All were 100% Chardonnay from the estate Hardscrabble vineyard.

What stood out is how these wines are meant to age. Some were a little reductive, but that was a winemaking decision to ensure they had staying power.

2015 Hardscrabble Chardonnay: Wine Advocate would tell you this is a 95-point wine (the highest-rated Virginia wine at the time of the score). My group would say it was “Yummy!”

During various visits I remember Jim praising this wine, which is memorable since Jim is not a man known for being effusive regarding his own work.

The 2015 HS Chardonnay was extremely well integrated, with notes of hazelnut, baked apple, and maybe a bit of brioche. I also heard vanilla and cream.

It was full bodied, with the nutty characteristics I associate with older Chardonnays. It did have a ‘matchstick’ quality initially when we opened, but that dissipated quickly.

Last we spoke, Jim professed he didn’t think this wine would improve with more age. But having just tasted it, it easily has several more years before I’d be worried about a decline.

2017 Hardscrabble Chardonnay: Also outstanding, in a different way. Fresher than the 2015, more aggressive, with more obvious ripeness in the fruit.

Group tasting notes mentioned hay, white flower, lemon peel, and a yeasty/brioche nose.

2019 Hardscrabble Chardonnay: My group notes focus on strong tropical notes, including pineapple and papaya, as well as green apple. Another participant mentioned cream.

It had good acidity, although it had a shorter finish compared to the earlier vintages. Those tropical notes were the first to drop off.

2021 Hardscrabble Chardonnay: I thought 2019 was tropical…until I had a whiff of this one. The nose completely jumped out of the glass.

This was more botanical on the palate, with more fruit than structure. It was relatively straightforward compared to the earlier wines. I hate calling it ‘easy drinking’ because that underscores its quality. But comparatively speaking, it was the easiest drinking of the four.

Hardscrabble Red Vertical (2012-2023)

For the reds, I decanted the 2021 and 2022 bottles for 3 hours each, and the 2023 for 4 hours. This was crucial since I was worried these younger wines wouldn’t show well, particularly the 2023.

In retrospect I wish I had decanted the 2017 and 2019 bottles as well. A late decanting of the 2017 helped it evolve, but by then our ‘favorites’ were mostly selected.

Most of these wines had Cabernet Sauvignon as their dominant grape, although sometimes not by much (only in the 2015 and 2020 vintages was Cabernet equaled by another grape).

Note: there is no 2018 Hardscabble red, so this is 11 vintages over a 12 year spread.

2012 Hardscrabble Red: 56% Cabernet Sauvignon, 34% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Petit Verdot. Aged in new (30%) and slightly used French oak barrels for 21 months. 14.4% alc.

This was one of the best wines of the day, with several participants selecting it as their #1 wine. Rereading Jim’s Hardscrabble blog I can see he was very conservative in his description, listing it as “Drink now till 2021”.

We found the 2012 Hardscrabble red to be surprisingly bright and fresh, with years left on it. It was tannic but not overly so.

Despite being 14 years old it was still showing primary and secondary characteristics. Tasting profile notes list black fruit on the palate that was just starting to evolve into dried fruit. Other descriptors include notes of black raspberry and violets.

The only downside was this wine’s best characteristics faded not long after we sampled it. If you open one – don’t let it sit for long.

2013 Hardscrabble Red: 57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Merlot, and 11% Cabernet Franc. Aged in new (30%) and slightly used French oak barrels for 21 months. 13.7% alc.

Important note here; this was our only 375ml bottle of the day, which impacted the wine’s tasting profile. The smaller format likely caused this wine to taste ‘older’ than it should have (although admittedly it was from a relatively weaker vintage than, say, the 2012).

We felt this wine had lots of tertiary notes, with an emphasis on tannin and structure. But we struggled to find the fruit, so it wasn’t as highly rated as the others. Jim projected a ‘drink through 2023’ date, although that’s hard for me to independently verify given my smaller-format bottle.

2014 Hardscrabble Red: 81% Cabernet Sauvignon and 19% Merlot. Aged in new (50%) and slightly used French oak barrels for 21 months. 12.5% alc.

This wine was somewhat divisive. If you love ‘funky’ Bordeaux-like Old World wines, you’d like this one.

While we found some brett, it wasn’t present at a level we considered a fault (mostly on the nose, rather than the palate).

Group notes mentioned black cherry, and somewhat tart and astringent. It had high acidity but surprisingly it was only 12.5% alcohol. Someone mentioned ‘dainty cherry’ on the nose.

2015 Hardscrabble Red: 46% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, and 19% Cabernet Franc. Aged in new (50%) and slightly used French oak barrels for 21 months. 13.4% alc.

Ranking the favorites afterwards, this was our #3 wine of the day. The 2015 Hardscrabble blog notes Jim was very happy with this year.

The group had plenty of notes; so many it was hard to capture them all.

On the nose someone mentioned a candied quality, maybe violet. Someone else mentioned notes of iron or sanguine. On the palate it had fruit tannin, leaning towards a sweet fruit with a licorice finish.

That finish was something we talked about. It was a surprising “New World” style wine.

2016 Hardscrabble Red: 56% Cabernet Sauvignon, 41% Merlot and 3% Cabernet Franc. Aged in new (60%) and slightly used French oak barrels for 21 months. 13.8% alc.

This was another hit. I’d go so far as to say this wine was the surprise of the day (at least for me).

2016 doesn’t exactly strike me as one of the more memorable years in VA wine history, either for positive or negative qualities. Jim notes it was an uncommonly dry September that produced ripe grapes and mature tannins.

This was one of the softer wines of the lineup. I’m tempted to say this has a ‘drink now’ quality, but keep in mind it’s a 10-year bottle that was showing extremely well. It wasn’t showing any evidence of decline, but the consensus seems to be it won’t get any better.

We thought it had very ripe fruit and soft tannins. I wasn’t able to capture any fruit notes from the group (my excuse is I’m too busy writing things down) but we enjoyed this immensely.

2017 Hardscrabble Red: 57% Cabernet Sauvignon and 43% Merlot. Aged in new (70%) and slightly used French oak barrels for 22 months. 13.7% alc.

“Smoldering” was my favorite descriptor for this wine. I very much regret not decanting it because it went from good to even better over time. Linden’s Hardscrabble blog notes Jim was very happy with this vintage.

This wine has structure and power, with a long finish. Good acidity and ripe fruit were mentioned. Group notes include blackberry, pomegranate, big tannins and a big finish, with the nose becoming even more expressive as it opened.

Pair this with steak (and invite me).

2019 Hardscrabble Red: 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Cabernet Franc and 16% Merlot. Aged in new (70%) and slightly used French oak barrels for 22 months. 13.1% alc.

This wine was ‘showy’, possibly because it was the product of an especially hot year so it just had that ‘come look at me’ vibe (when compared to the smoldering glances of the 2017).

Overall opinions were fairly divided. It had big fruit tannins, wasn’t as integrated as we would have liked. Chewy. Notes of raspberry, black raspberry, and plum.

This was another wine I wish I had decanted. We didn’t love this wine as much as the rest of the lineup, but I suspect that opinion would change if we gave it a few more years and some aeration. The Hardscrabble blog projects drink now till 2030, and that’s more than fair.

2020 Hardscrabble: 45% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Cabernet Franc and 10% Merlot. Aged for 12 months in used French oak barrels for Merlot and Cabernet Franc and new oak for the Cabernet Sauvignon. 13.3% alc.

This was possibly the biggest change in terms of style in the entire lineup because it was 45% Cab Franc; the largest percentage ever in this wine.

This year isn’t a favorite for much of Virginia because of the frost that devastated many vineyards. The year was characterized by fairly mild heat, so ripening was an issue. This was a vintage that favored Cab Franc, so Jim used it appropriately.

I didn’t get many tasting notes; mostly raspberry and an emphasis on it being floral. Perfectly nice wine with dinner, but not the show-stopper of several others in the lineup.

2021 Hardscrabble Red: 95% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Cabernet Franc. Aged for 12 months in used and new French oak barrels. 12.9% alc.

Off the bat we were wowed by this nose. It wasn’t as structured as the other Hardscrabble wines of the day but made up for it by being elegant, hedonistic and delicious.

Tasting notes included flavors of stewed strawberry, blackberry, and cherry. I also heard black raspberry and vanilla.

We had differing opinions on its age-ability. I’d say it was more “New World” in style. If I was going to party and needed a wine everyone would like, I’d bring this.

2022 Hardscrabble Red: 82% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Cabernet Franc, and 2% Merlot. Aged for 12 months in used and new French oak barrels. 13.3% alc.

Another very expressive wine, although some noted it was edging towards being green. I heard differing opinions on its ripeness. The Hardscrabble blog put 2026 as the early window for opening this bottle, although it would benefit from another year of aging.

Tasting notes include a flavor of espresso; first on the nose then the palate. Smoked fruit on the palate, even jalapeno. I didn’t see it initially, but upon a re-taste two days later I understood what Jim meant by how this wine had exceptionally ‘fine’ tannins.

Based on our scoring, this wine wasn’t enjoyed as much as some others. But given it’s one of the youngest, I think that opinion will change over time.

2023 Hardscrabble Red: 62% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Cabernet Franc, and 15% Merlot. 14.3% alc.

It. Was. Just. Gorgeous.

This wine had structure yet plenty of ripeness. Powerful and complex. I heard someone mention notes of Black Forest cake; while another said cherry liqueur. Notes of violet were mentioned.

This was everything you want in a wine right now, yet it’s still going to get better. I admit…I opened a 2nd bottle on the spot to share more.

Important note: for much of 2026 this wine wasn’t for sale to the general public, so I joined Linden’s “Winegrowers Selection” club specifically to access it. It went for sale right after my event, and now I need more.

Overall Favorites

Hardscrabble Chardonnay: By a narrow margin, 4 participants favored the 2017 Hardscrabble Chardonnay, while 3 preferred 2015. No votes favored either 2019 or 2021.

I do have to say; 2015 vs 2017 was close. I started on Team 2017, but after re-tasting 2015 two days later I regretted my earlier vote.

Hardscrabble Red: It was a showdown between 2012 and 2023 for top wines of the evening, with 2014, 2015, 2016, and 2017 competing for 3rd favorite.

For the 2012 vs 2023 comparison, which was favored often depended on when you tried it.

If you went by ‘first taste’ out the gate, then 2012 may have had an edge. But several hours later it faded while 2023 was still going strong.

That said, the 2023 Hardscrabble red was (more-or-less) the top wine of the night.

The 2023 was the only red that all 7 voters selected as one of their “Top 3” wines of the day. That’s remarkable given it was also the youngest wine of my lineup and will only get better with age.

As much as I loved these two wines, I also need to give credit to the 2015, 2016, and 2017 Hardscrabble reds (although if you like Old World funk, you’d go for the 2014).

I know Jim admires the 2015 vintage, so having a 2015 red in our lineup of favorites wasn’t surprising. My understanding is this was a slightly cooler vintage but dry and warm enough for good ripening. Great choice for 3rd overall favorite.

The 2017 Hardscrabble red also had several supporters. It leaned “Old World” in style, to the point that at a separate blind tasting event, my guest from Bordeaux threw down the “I’m from Bordeaux, I can recognize Bordeaux!” line only to be surprised to learn she was wrong.

That said, the 2016 Hardscrabble red was absolutely peaking. Given it was from an otherwise ‘normal’ vintage, this was a shockingly strong showing.

View from the tasting room

Final Observations

A few, but I’ll keep them brief.

First, Linden wines emphasize restraint over power. Even the ‘biggest’, most powerful vintages were unmistakably Linden-esque. It was easy to see Jim prefers “Old World” finesse vs “New World” showy-ness.

Second, Linden’s wines are also especially ageable. This was something I knew going in, yet it was another thing to sample it first-hand. That a 2012 Hardscrabble red and a 2015 Hardscrabble Chardonnay could be so delicious despite being over a decade old was a remarkable achievement.

Third, the 2023 vintage might be one of his best yet. I’ve known for a while that 2023 wines are going to break records for overall quality. The 2023 Hardscrabble red proved it (and at $65 it’s an absolute steal).

Lastly, sleeper vintages were some of our favorites. Linden allows each wine to be an expression of its vintage, so variation was expected. But the reality is that some vintages simply have weather favoring them in a way other years don’t. That led me to privately bet in advance that 2017 and 2023 (two stereotypically ‘good’ vintages) would end up as the night’s favorites.

So you can imagine my surprise at how well received both 2015 and 2016 were. Maybe it was the luck of tasting it at exactly the right moment, but those reds were hitting just right.

Linden Vineyards

Virginia Albarino Showdown 2026

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Albariño is a proven winner in Virginia. It’s currently the 9th most planted grape in the state, going from 61 acres in 2021 to 86 acres in 2025. While the popularity of many varieties have plateaued, growers can’t get enough of this one.

There are conflicting stories who first brought Albariño to the US; Markus and Liz Bokisch of Bokisch Vineyards (in Lodi) or Jenny McCloud of Virginia’s own Chrysalis Vineyards. But there’s no doubt that Jenny had the first local commercial planting, back in 1996.

Jenny explained the idea for planting a Spanish variety was inspired by an American Society of Enology and Viticulture panel on ‘alternative grapes’ led by Dennis Horton and Alan Kinne of Horton Vineyards. But it wasn’t until Jenny visited Rías Baixas that she discovered Albariño, which impressed her with its minerality and acidity.

She may not have realized it at the time, but the weather in Rías Baixas is similar to that of Virginia. Not only do both regions endure high levels of humidity, frequent Atlantic squalls make Rías Baixas one of Spain’s wettest regions. These conditions mean grapes that grow there would likely also perform well in Virginia.

Tasting & Scoring Methodology

A group of friends & I blind tasted 10 wines in 2 flights. All the flights were bagged blind.

We didn’t have a fancy scoring system. The goal was to pick a ‘favorite’ every round, as opposed to rating them and determining ‘the best’ wine.

There’s a reason behind this madness. Qualified wine judges know how to put aside their biases and pick ‘the best’ even if it’s not their favorite. Some tasters at my table have the experience to do that, but not most of them.

Beyond that, I find industry tastings tend to define ‘best’ as ‘the way it’s made in the Old World’, a viewpoint I find to be snobbish.

Experienced tasters prize ‘Typicity’; how clearly a wine shows the distinct traits of the grape. The problem I see with this standard is typicity is often synonymous with how that wine tastes coming from ‘Old World’ regions.

But Virginia’s terroir is different from what you find in Europe, so conforming to Bordeaux/Chablis/ect is a standard we’d always fail. That’s why I insist people judge these wines on ‘is it good’ as opposed to ‘does it conform to the WSET III tasting grid’.

While all my events are often casual, this particular one was especially industry or experience-heavy.

The Albariño contenders:

  1. Revalation Vineyard 2025
  2. Good Spirit Farm 2024
  3. Nokesville Winery 2023
  4. Chrysalis Verde 2024
  5. Ingleside Vineyard 2024
  6. October One Vineyard 2025
  7. Fifty-Third Vineyards 2024
  8. Blenheim Vineyards 2024
  9. Afton Mountain Vineyards 2024
  10. Crimson Lane Vineyards 2023

Most of the above sell for $30-$35. Blenheim and Chrysalis Verde go for $25.

Flight #1

  • Bottle #1: Revalation Vineyard 2025
  • Bottle #2: Good Spirit Farm 2024

Bottle #1/ Revalation Vineyard 2025. The more complex and weightier of the two, and more recognizable as ‘Albariño’. Slightly more golden in color. My favorite descriptor is it had a ‘Piña colada’ quality to it. Rougher acidity, more citrus-grapefruit notes. The finish really carried through.

Bottle #2/ Good Spirit Farm 2024. Pale, with peach and melon notes. Less recognizable as an Albariño; maybe more of a Sauv Blanc or even a Riesling. Several mentioned it had a flintiness to it. More notes of peach and melon, maybe even grapefruit.

Alex: For #1, felt a burst of acidity up front. Detected notes of lemon-lime, maybe as a jolly rancher. For #2, notes of flint.

Ashley: Loved the finish of #1. Detected notes of honeysuckle and peach in #2

Renee: Thought #1 was ‘barnyard-adjacent’ (this wasn’t a negative)

Sedale: Described #2 as ‘green’. Notes of melon and had a flintiness to it

Zena: For #1 detected notes of lime and felt it was zesty and crisp. It started as lime driven

Flight #2

  • Bottle #3: Nokesville Winery 2023
  • Bottle #4: Chrysalis Vineyards ‘Verde’ 2024

This round couldn’t be more different from the first. #3/Nokesville was more Chardonnay-ish than anything, while #4/Chrystalis was the most fruit-driven wine of the day (not that we minded; it was delicious).

Bottle #3/ Nokesville 2023: This felt more like a Chardonnay than an Albariño. One person wondered if it was a little oxidized. But overall, very clean and smooth, with notes of ripe fruit, especially citrus. One person mentioned it has a golden raisin bouquet.

Bottle #4/ Chrysalis Verde 2024: This was the definition of a porch-sipping wine and was unlike any we had in the entire day of tasting.

Tasting notes included very bright and fruit driven. One person mentioned Asian pear; another said it was honey-ish, maybe notes of old apple. It had a distinct ‘pop’ when I opened it since it was a screwcap wine.

Flight #3

  • Bottle #5: Ingleside Vineyard 2024
  • Bottle #6: October One 2025

This was our favorite round. We were convinced both were barrel aged, because there was a roundness and overall complexity to both that we hadn’t seen so far. If some rounds were for casual drinkers, this was the round for wine lovers.

I was able to capture a lot of individual feedback on this round, so I listed them separately as opposed to consolidating them.

Bottle #5/ Ingleside Vineyards 2024: Golden color, and notes of lemon peel.

Bottle #6/ October One 2025: Less floral than #5, but more pepper notes. It was definitely Albariño-ish. It also evolved a lot in the glass.

Kendell: #5 / Ingleside was a little viscous and zesty, notes of lemon peel. He enjoyed the nice lingering finish and called it a ‘wine drinker’s wine’. #6 had a tea note and notable viscosity.

Matt: Loved both; was convinced both were barrel aged based on the roundness. Thought #6 was more mineral driven, with notes of lemon

Renee: #5 was full and ‘round’. Notes of citrus was there but not ‘bright’ citrus. Clearer acidity and nice finish.

Sedale: #5 was ‘warmer’, some citrus notes and weight. #6 was riper and had more acidity.

Zena: #5 was round, pretty, and ‘all the things I like’. #6 had notes of peach, stone fruit, and lime

Flight #4

  • Bottle #7: Fifty-Third Vineyards 2024
  • Bottle #8: Blenheim Vineyards 2024

These two were strikingly similar, at least initially. Over time we found more differences.

Bottle #7/ Fifty-Third Vineyards 2024: We generally agreed this was more similar to a Sauvignon Blanc than an Albariño. Bright, sharp acidity. Lime nose. Someone mentioned bitter almond on the nose, and somewhat on the palate. I detected white pepper.

Bottle #8/ Blenheim Vineyards 2024: This was probably the most Rias Baixas-like wine of the lineup. Very soft and approachable. Citrus notes were there, but not especially potent. One mentioned it was a “lime bomb”.

This was the only wine in the entire day were people consistently mentioned saline as a tasting note. Compared to #7 there was more fruit here, with peach especially mentioned.

Alex: Mentioned #8 had a burst of acidity up front.

Kendell: Thought #8 was accessible and clean. Kept emphasizing his surprise of the saline qualities and genuinely wondered if it was a Spanish wine.

Flight #5

  • Bottle #9: Afton Mountain 2024
  • Bottle #10: Crimson Lane 2023

My wine notes were getting weak by this point, so I don’t have as much to write.

Bottle #9/ Afton Mountain 2024 – faulted bottle! It happens. But let me tell you about this wine, because I was really, really looking forward to trying it.

This was the winner of the 2024 Monticello Cup, plus scored a Gold at the Virginia Governor’s Cup. I set it aside with the intention of using it for my event, but by luck of the draw this particular bottle had issues. Maybe a faulty cork or seal?

Bottle #10/ Crimson Lane 2023: Notes of melon and citrus were mentioned. I heard its high acidity had an almost pineapple quality to it. It also had some salinity to it, with a pithy finish. It was the only wine of the lineup that I heard ‘smoky’ and ‘funky’ as descriptors.

Finalist Round

I put all the wines on the table and allowed for re-tastings. Every participant gave me a ‘top’ wine, a runner up, and a third place. 3 points went to 1st place, 2 points for 2nd place, and 1 point for 3rd place.

We quickly gravitated to 5 wines, with a top 3 being almost universally agreed upon. #1 seemed to die off a little in the finalist round, and we increasingly gravitated to #4. #5 and #6 were almost neck-in-neck.

The scores for ‘Favorite Albariño’

  • Bottle #5: 2024 Ingleside Vineyards (Top wine of the day)
  • Bottle #6: 2025 October One Vineyards (Runner Up)
  • Bottle #4: 2024 Chrysalis Vineyards (3rd place choice)

So Is there ‘Typicity’ in Virginia Albariño?

The short answer – these wines were all over the tasting map.

Of the 9 we sampled (discounting one with a fault), 3 had distinctly non- Albariño tasting profiles. Whether it was that particular vintage, winemaking decisions, or our palates were off, I can’t say.

Most of us agreed that 4-5 were broadly in the Albariño category, in terms of weight, tasting profile, and acidity. Some people mentioned #1 / #3 / #4 / #8 had that saline content that is identifiable as ‘classic Albariño’, but not all agreed.

1-2 were very close to a Rías Baixas wine, especially the #8 / Blenheim which was almost a dead ringer. #10 / Crimson was also mentioned for having a good amount of salinity.

Descriptions of our “Top Three”

Ingleside Vineyards 2024 Albariño: Ingleside is located in the Northern Neck and historically has made one of the better rated Albariños in Virginia. This particular wine scored Double Gold in the San Francisco Chronicle wine competition, one of the largest wine events in the USA.

Tech notes: 100% stainless steel, 12.5% alcohol. Mostly made from older vines.

October One Vineyards 2025 Albariño: Grown at Bluemont, made by Walsh Family Wine, and sold in an urban tasting room in Leesburg. Normally this is a club wine because of scarcity, but I was allowed to buy this one for my event.

Chrysalis Vineyards 2024 Albariño Verde: Chrysalis makes two different Albariños; this one, and a barrel-aged one. Ironically, I prefer the Verde, because it’s just so easy to drink.

At $25 it was also the least expensive wine of the day, yet rated as one of our favorites.

Virginia Cabernet Franc Showdown (2026)

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Looking at recent press praising American Cabernet Franc as a single varietal wine, you’d think this grape has only now been ‘discovered’ by US publications. In 2025 Wine Enthusiast declared “Cabernet Franc is in its “It” Era”. Other articles praise Cab Franc for losing its image as a grape that’s “Always the bridesmaid, rarely the bride” (a reference to how CF is a relatively minor player in Bordeaux).

The reality is winegrowers on the East Coast have long seen Cabernet Franc as one of their signature grapes. For example, New York wineries have become so enamored with this grape they recently instituted a “Cabernet Franc Forward” initiative to highlight its success.

As much as I love the idea, I believe NY is only now recognizing what Virginia has known all along. Cabernet Franc is one of the East Coast’s most reliable, versatile grapes.

Virginia has 629 acres of Cabernet Franc, as reported in Virginia’s 2024 Commercial Grape Report. Cabernet Franc is so important to local viticulture these acres comprise 18.5% of total wine grape plantings in the state (by contrast, it’s barely over 0.5% of California’s total vineyard acreage). It’s also been Virginia’s most widely planted wine grape since 2019.

When I asked Pearmund Cellars winemaker Mark Ward to explain Cabernet Franc’s appeal in Virginia, he put it like this:

“Cabernet Franc is well suited to Virginia from a growing perspective with thicker skins and looser clusters, important factors due to Virginia’s humid weather. It also ripens earlier, avoiding potential late-season rains. It’s flexibility in the cellar reflects a winemaker’s style while still allowing it to be approachable early from the consumer’s viewpoint.”

Not shown is the 2022 Early Mountain Vineyards “Shenandoah Springs”

Tasting & Scoring Methodology

My group blind tasted 10 wines in 5 flights. All the flights were bagged blind (even to me).

The makeup of this particular group of tasters was a bit unusual for my events. While many of my blind tasting participants are already wine professionals, this particular comparison included 5 guests who work as professional somms in DC restaurants or wine stores. While all were broadly familiar with Virginia wine, many of the producers I featured were unfamiliar to them (note: around half these wines were industry gift samples).

One thing that stood out was how important ‘typicity’ was with this group. This was in line with something Matthieu Finot of King Family once told me, that Cabernet Franc must retain varietal characteristics such as pyrazines in order for it retain its ‘soul’. Without those markers, Cab Franc becomes just another red wine.

I specified the goal was for everyone to pick a ‘drink now’ personal favorite, as opposed to selecting wines that met the technical specifications for what should be the ‘best’ wine in a judging lineup. I use this method because that’s how most everyday drinkers choose their wines.

That said, I think the ‘favorites’ skewed towards wines that were more stereotypically ‘Cab Franc-y’, which is important in understanding how we voted. After typicity, the somms tended to focus on balance and integration. I heard more discussions about structure and alcohol levels at this event than probably any other tasting I’ve hosted.

For this event I used a new format. We went through all 10 wines first, then took palate-cleansing sparkling wine break before the ‘finals’.

For the finalist round, I put all the wines on the table to allow re-tastes, then had participants give me their “Top 3” wines.

The Contenders

  1. 2023 Hark Vineyards
  2. 2023 Philip Carter Winery “Nomini Hall”
  3. 2022 Eastwood Farm
  4. 2022 Pearmund Cellars
  5. 2023 Fifty-Third Winery
  6. 2023 Glen Manor Vineyards
  7. 2023 DuCard Vineyards Reserve
  8. 2022 Pollak Reserve
  9. 2023 Stinson Vineyards
  10. 2022 Early Mountain Vineyard “Shenandoah Springs”

Flight #1

Bottle #1 / 2023 Hark Vineyards: This wine had ‘soul’. People loved the aromatics, and noted it had a roasted pepper finish. Others mentioned the red fruit notes, and someone said it had a ‘stem-y’ note as well.

More than anything else, I heard praise for the winemaking style being very clean and fresh.

Bottle #2 / 2023 Philip Carter “Nomini Hall”: This struck us as an ‘old world’ wine (note – Matthieu Finot of King Family made this, so it tracks). It was hard for us to judge initially since it took a long time to open up, so some of these notes came at the end when we did re-tastes.

I felt it had a confectionary note to it. Others in my group mentioned red pepper and pyrazine notes, but we mostly discussed black fruit (especially before it fully opened). Other notes included a pickled spice note and tarragon. Another participant called out a savory note, “sandy” tannins were integrated, and the wine having ‘tension’.

Comparing the two, #1 was more red fruit, higher in acidity, and more obviously “New World” compared to the black fruit and “Old World” quality of #2. The Philip Carter wine was riper, had a longer finish, and had more complexity when we re-tasted it at the end of my event.

Flight #2

Bottle #3 / 2022 Eastwood Farm: Note of Brett on the palate, sharp acidity. I wonder if I had an off bottle, since this was a Double Gold winner at the 2024 San Francisco Chronicle wine competition.

I heard notes of stewed black and red fruit, cacao, coffee notes, and it was richly textured. Another participant said there was some juicy red fruit on the palate, although the Brett and acid did overwhelm them.

Bottle #4 / 2022 Pearmund Cellars: There were more notes given to this wine than perhaps any other of the day. I heard ‘roasted chili and ‘pecan chili’ called out. It was denser than #3 but still balanced. Aromatic, with tart, ripe fruit on the palate. “Long tannins” were mentioned several times.

Overall, this was just a super approachable, elevated wine. I had ‘floral’ underlined in my notes because that was the most popular description. A lesson in balance.

Flight #3

Bottle #5 / 2023 Fifty-Third Winery: Red fruit on the nose. I heard notes of bay leaves, spice, dried fruit on the palate. There was a hot note here; several felt the higher level of alcohol put this wine out of balance. Even so, the flavors were there. It also had an earthy quality to it.

I didn’t get a lot of notes of black vs red fruit, as much as this wine seemed to deliver a moderate level of both.

Bottle #6 / 2023 Glen Manor Vineyards: This wine encouraged a lot of debate. Everyone noted it was a well-made wine, but tasting it now compared to the other bottles seemed to be do it a disservice. But in 3-5 years, this may have been the winner of the day.

In terms of tasting notes, I heard conflicting notes about where to place it. Someone mentioned it struck them as more of a Bordeaux blend vs a full Cabernet Franc, while another said it was more like a California CF vs a Virginia CF.

The GMV was also very structured, with good ripeness. It had fruit notes, but just as importantly the fruit notes and the overall structure were in balance (balance was a key theme for this group).

I also heard ‘beet root’ and notes of graphite (this was one of two wines in the lineup with any mineral notes to it).

Flight #4

Bottle #7 / 2023 DuCard Vineyards Reserve: This was the most “Cab Franc-y” wine of the lineup. Judges who insist on typicity loved it (apparently, I prefer Cab Francs without the soul of Cab Franc, so I was an outlier).

I say I’m an outlier because I don’t love pyrazines, which were here in abundance. But they were the ‘good’ pyrazines you’d expect in a varietally-correct Cabernet Franc, and those pyrazines didn’t throw anything out of balance.

Other tasting notes included cassis and a smoky-chili pepper note. Tannin was there, which gave it some power. The oak was well integrated. Other notes include black cherry, raspberry, and cola notes, as well a beautiful finish.

Bottle #8 / 2022 Pollak Reserve: Sarsaparilla nose. This wine emphasized oak and tannin, which made it atypical to the Cabernet Francs we sampled that day.

The high levels of these qualities came at the expense of fruit notes. One participant noted that while it had moderate acidity, the high level of alcohol did the ‘heavy lifting’ for this wine. I tasted it 3 days later and it was much calmer. Maybe I should have held this wine for several more years.

Flight #5

Bottle #9 / 2023 Stinson Vineyards: This wine was well enjoyed, but the comments focused on it being more of a ‘red wine’ than a ‘Cabernet Franc’.

Group notes included herbaceous qualities such as tomato leaf and bay leaf. It was ‘plum-y’ but still had a red pepper note. The wine was ripe and soft. The somms praised the oak integration here, which they attributed to excellent winemaking. The floral notes also were praised.

I think it’s safe to say this was the most delicate wine of the day. One person mentioned it had a Pinot-like quality to it, sans the earth qualities (winemaker Rachael Stinson Vrooman is married to Ankida Ridge winemaker Nathan Vrooman of Pinot Noir fame, so there might be some truth to this).

Bottle #10 / 2022 Early Mountain Vineyard “Shenandoah Springs”: This wine was intense.

Someone mentioned it had an almost raisinated quality to it, which elicited agreement from the table. Another noted notes of potting soil. It had a higher level of alcohol than we expected in a Cab Franc. It had ‘dusty’ tannins, but the lack of fruit made it feel a bit astringent.

Finalist Round

  • Bottle #4: 2022 Pearmund Cellars (Top wine of the day)
  • Bottle #7: 2023 DuCard Vineyards (Runner Up)
  • Bottle #9: 2023 Stinson Vineyards (3rd place choice)

I tallied votes from our participants, asking them to vote their top favorite, 2nd favorite, and 3rd favorite wines of the day. To keep tally, I assigned 3 ‘points’ to 1st place choices, 2 points to 2nd place choices, and 1 point for a 3rd choice.

In summary, the 2022 Pearmund Cellars wine was our top choice of the day. It was described as the kind of wine you could put on the table and everyone would enjoy, and seemed to appeal to both judges who wanted something varietally correct, and those who didn’t want something overly Cab Franc-y. “Approachable” and “elevated” were its by-words

While this Pearmund wine was generally felt to be the best wine from a ‘drink now’ perspective, I want to give callouts to the other top scorers.

  • The 2023 DuCard Reserve was the top winner for those who want something that screams tipicity (note; winemaker Julien Durantie comes from France). One of the somms refused to consider any other wine than this. It came in 2nd overall in terms of voting.
  • The 2023 Stinson Vineyards was the 3rd top wine of the day for being a stunning red wine (although some naysayers may say it could have been more Cab Franc-y for their palate). The nose was one of the loveliest of the day; almost certainly the favorite of anyone who doesn’t love pyrazines. The oak integration had a ‘goldilocks’ quality of being ‘just enough’.
  • The 2023 Glen Manor Vineyards deserves a special mentioned for its structure. Its main drawback is we felt it needs more time in bottle. In 3-5 years though…this is going to be stunning. The somms noted that while the price point is high, its age-ability makes it worth that price.

So in a way, there were multiple ‘winners’, depending on the qualities you were looking for.

Virginia Sauvignon Blanc Showdown (2025)

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Virginia wine seems to excel in certain varieties. Petit Verdot, Petit Manseng, and Cabernet Franc often come to mind. Tannat and Albariño are up-and-comers, from what I’ve seen.

But if you had told me Virginia was a hotspot for its Sauvignon Blancs, I’d have been…skeptical. The 99 acres currently in the state (according to 2023 figures) is a fairly large planting, but it seems to trail other whites in terms of awards. Only over the last few years have Virginia Sauv Blancs really surged in recognition.

That’s fairly surprising, as I’ve had a number of excellent examples. Linden and Walsh Family often come to mind, but I’ve found others that are also lovely. Unfortunately for me, the Sauv Blancs I most gravitate towards tend to be high-acid, mineral-driven Sancerre styles, which are tough to find in Virginia.

So when the 2025 San Francisco Chronical (SFC) Wine Competition gave two “Best in Class” awards (out of 5 Sauv blanc price categories and 198 bottles) to Virginia Sauv Blancs, and a 3rd Virginia wine was runner-up for one of these “Best in Class” awards, I was equally surprised and thrilled.

The competition judges seemed equally surprised. SFC wine judge Mike Dunne said of Virginia’s entries; “Each year, some wine region of North America sems to gain recognition for a disproportionate share of high awards at the San Francisco Chronical Wine competition. In 2024, it was Virginia”.

Tasting & Scoring Methodology

Every round my guests picked a favorite. After we finished all 8 wines, we voted to decide the Top 2 of the day. By coincidence we had a tie in picking which to go into the Top 2, so Top 2 became Top 3. We took a food break, then revisited the Top 3 finalist a second time

Caveat; there are a few other excellent examples that could have been used here. But being in NOVA my selection tends to be NOVA-heavy. Moreover; I don’t pretend what we chose were the “best”. I’d say that these were the “best” this day, but on another day or vintage, we may have selected differently.

The Contenders:

  1. The Winery at LaGrange 2021 Sauvignon Blanc (Washington State fruit)
  2. Glen Manor Vineyards 2023 Sauvignon Blanc
  3. Veritas Winery 2023 Sauvignon Blanc (2025 SFCWC Best in Class/$30-$34.99)
  4. Linden Vineyards 2021 Hardscrabble Sauvignon Blanc
  5. Walsh Family Wine 2023 Bethany Ridge Sauvignon Blanc
  6. Capstone Vineyards 2023 Sauvignon Blanc
  7. Barrel Oak Winery 2023 Sauvignon Blanc (2025 SFCWC Best in Class/$34 and up)
  8. Endhardt Vineyards 2023 Sauvignon Blanc (2025 SFCWC Double Gold/$30-$34.99)

Flight #1

  • Bottle #1: LaGrange 2021 Sauvignon Blanc (Washington State) (7 votes, round winner)
  • Bottle #2: Glen Manor 2023 Sauvignon Blanc

While the original plan was to do all Virginia wine, we didn’t realize that the LaGrange’s fruit was sourced from Washington State. Oh well; it was made in Virginia, at least.

Looking back we were surprised that #2 was a Glen Manor wine; we thought we’d have enjoyed it more since they have a great reputation overall, but this one wasn’t a favorite.

Bottle #1 / LaGrange 2021 Sauvignon Blanc. This was our “patio wine”. Round; good finish and balanced. Somewhat golden in appearance. Someone mentioned green apple on the palate, plus notes of lime.

Bottle #2 / Glen Manor Vineyards 2023 Sauvignon Blanc. Aromatic and pale. Multiple people commented how fruit-forward this wine was. One said it was like ‘pop rocks on your tongue’. Cameron mentioned the citric acid was too high for his preference; maybe they let the fruit hang too long?

Votes:

  1. Matt: Voted #1
  2. Sarah: Voted #1
  3. Laura: Voted #1
  4. Isabel: Voted #1
  5. Emily: Voted #1
  6. Cameron: Voted #1
  7. Ashley: Voted #1

Flight #2

  • Bottle #3: Veritas Winery 2023 Sauvignon Blanc (3 votes)
  • Bottle #4: Linden Vineyards 2021 Hardscrabble Sauvignon Blanc (4 votes; round winner)

This was the favorite round for several attendees. Stylistically speaking, this was a “patio wine” (#3) vs a “dinner wine” (#4) comparison, and attendees tended to vote according to that preference.

I had more tasting notes than I could easily write down; the mark of a good round.

Bottle #3 / Veritas Winery 2023 Sauvignon Blanc. Lighter in acid, but the acid was definitely there. Comments including grapefruit, green apple, honey, and lime notes, but none were overwhelming present. I felt it had honey and grapefruit qualities.

It had great complexity, which opened up as the chill came off. It was very bright once it warmed up.

Bottle #4 / Linden Vineyards 2021 Hardscrabble Sauvignon Blanc. This was the fullest wine of the day, with more ‘aged’ and/or barrel notes (but definitely not newer oak). A few mentioned it had a caramel finish. Others mentioned candied lemon, stone fruit, hay, and herbs on the nose.

Votes:

  1. Matt: Voted #4
  2. Sarah: Voted #4, although #3 was ‘like a rave on the palate’
  3. Laura: Voted #4
  4. Isabel: Voted #3
  5. Emily: Voted #3
  6. Cameron: Voted #3
  7. Ashley: Voted #4

Flight #3

  • Bottle #5: Walsh Family Wine 2023 Bethany Ridge Sauvignon Blanc (4 votes; round winner)
  • Bottle #6: Capstone Vineyards 2023 Sauvignon Blanc (3 votes)

Bottle #5 / Walsh Family Wine 2023 Bethany Ridge Sauvignon Blanc. Peppery! Notes of honeysuckle and lemongrass on the nose and palate. Tart, citrusy and grassy on the palate. The tartness threw some people off. Smooth texture.

Bottle #6 / Capstone Vineyards 2023 Sauvignon Blanc. Pineapple and mango were mentioned. Had weight. Long lingering finish. We speculated these tropical notes indicated this was the Washington State wine we accidentally included in the lineup (nope; 100% grown in Virginia).

Votes:

  1. Matt: Voted #6
  2. Sarah: Voted #5
  3. Laura: Voted #5
  4. Isabel: Voted #6
  5. Emily: Voted #5
  6. Cameron: Voted #5
  7. Ashley: Voted #6

Flight #4

  • Bottle #7: Barrel Oak Winery 2023 Sauvignon Blanc (4 Votes; Winner)
  • Bottle #8: Endhardt Vineyards 2023 Sauvignon Blanc (3 Votes)

If Round #2 was the group favorite, this round was a close runner up. It also contained a SFC Best in Class ($35 and up), and a Double Gold (which was runner up for the Best in Class) winner.

Bottle #7 / Barrel Oak Winery 2023 Sauvignon Blanc. The color was very light and the nose wasn’t overly aromatic, but this wine packed a punch! Well balanced; notes of citrus and lemon were especially mentioned. I could have written more notes, but I was too busy just enjoying it.

Bottle #8 / Endhardt Vineyards 2023 Sauvignon Blanc. Had a ‘new tennis ball’ aroma to it. Bigger in body and more fruit forward than what we’d seen in the lineup so far (right below #4). Someone mentioned a note of vanilla cream at the end. Apricot on the nose and white peach on the nose and palate. Also well balanced.

Votes:

  1. Matt: Voted #8
  2. Sarah: Voted #7
  3. Laura: Voted #7; liked its smoothness
  4. Isabel: Voted #7
  5. Emily: Voted #8
  6. Cameron: Voted #7; said it had a ‘crescendo’ of different fruits
  7. Ashley: Voted #8

Finalist Flight

  • Bottle #3: Veritas Winery 2023 Sauvignon Blanc
  • Bottle #4: Linden Vineyards 2021 Hardscrabble Sauvignon Blanc
  • Bottle #7: Barrel Oak Winery 2023 Sauvignon Blanc

We tried to narrow it down to a “Top 2”, but we loved several so much I decided to add a 3rd glass to the finalist round. We ended up with #3/ #4/ #7 going into the finals.

#8 was also well loved, narrowing missing the finalist round (I tried, but got outvoted). #6 received a handful of votes as well.

We tasted the finalist and I awarded 3 ‘points’ for people’s 1st place choice, 2 points for 2nd place, and 1 point for 3rd place choice.

The final tally was 15 points for Barrel Oak, 14 points for Veritas, and 13 points for Linden. The 2023 Barrel Oak Winery Sauvignon Blanc was the overall favorite of the day.

  1. Matt: Voted #7 / #4 / #3
  2. Sarah: Voted #4 / #7 / #3. Felt #4 was the most complex; liked the ‘barnyard’ and hay qualities.
  3. Laura: Voted #7 / #3 / #4. Felt #7 was refreshing and smooth, but enjoyed the balance and dryness of #3.
  4. Isabel: Voted #3 / #7 / #4. #3 had developed a sweetness she liked
  5. Emily: Voted #3 / #4 / #7. Agreed that #3 was landing sweeter, while #7 was more consistent.
  6. Cameron: Voted #7 / #3 / #4. Really liked the complexity of #7.
  7. Ashley: Voted #4 / #3 / #7. Really liked the soft, caramel finish of #4.

I asked Barrel Oak winemaker Jeremy Ligon about his 2023 Sauv Blanc, and he shared these tech notes:

“In 2023 we partnered with a local vineyard in Paeonian Springs Virginia to bring in their beautiful Sauvignon Blanc. We harvested 7.57 tons on 8/31/2023. This Sauvignon Blanc is grown at over 700 feet in elevation with rolling hills with ideal airflow and soil conditions. We produce a Sauvignon Blanc that showcases Virginia Terrior, which is closer to a New Zealand style Sav Blanc than California, but still with its very own uniqueness. This Sauvignon Blanc is fermented and aged in 100% stainless steel, we forego malolactic fermentation to retain malic acid creating a bright and crisp wine.”

SFC described the Barrel Oak wine as “ripe and round” and “fleshy and saturating”, while the Veritas was “lithe, dry, citric, and astonishingly persistent”.

Lessons Learned:

A few observations:

The first is the Virginia Sauv Blancs were tried were very reflective of the specific site they came from. This resulted in an assortment of stylistic differences, with some presenting as West Coast-ish, a few as Bordeaux Blanc-ish, and others not fitting any particular regional profile (although none we had today were New Zealand or Sancerre-ish).

That’s not to say Virginia *must* fit into any stereotype. Virginia wine must represent Virginia; not try to copy someone else. Yet the variation was so dizzying that I couldn’t guess these wines were from the same state.

My second observation was how people seemed to separate these wines into ‘dinner’ and ‘patio’ styles, the former being ‘bigger’ and the later easier drinking. My group’s voting tended to fall along these preferences.

My last observation is I was very impressed with the judging of the San Francisco Chronicle. Wine judging in general can be very hit-or-miss, as I’ve seen the same wines get Bronze in one competition but get Double Gold (!) in another, or ‘shiners’ with the same wine but different labels get different scores.

But this time, 3 of the 4 top wines we tried today (except Linden, which doesn’t do competitions) were all Double Gold winners from the 2025 SFC wine competition. Except for Linden, none of the other wines were even close.

The Monticello Wine Trail “Women in Wine” Dinner at The Doyle Hotel

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This June, the Monticello Wine Trail went into celebration mode. Its Wine Week kicked off with a pair of Friday night wine dinners, then segued to a Saturday gala that announced Afton Mountain Vineyard’s 2024 Albariño as winner of the 34th Monticello Wine Competition. This year also featured a number of special events, including a sparkling wine brunch, rosé picnic, and elevated wine tastings.

A key part of Wine Week’s popularity is it allows enthusiasts to mingle with their favorite Monticello winemakers. Recent media coverage of the “the birthplace of American wine” has given these vintners extra reason to celebrate.

Wine Enthusiast has proven to be a huge cheerleader for Virginia wine, crowning Charlottesville and the Monticello AVA as its “Wine Region of the Year” in 2023. More recently it pronounced “Its Ingénue Era Over, Virginia Wine Takes Center Stage”.

Not to be outdone, in late May the New York Times published “Virginia Wine Grows Up”, featuring several Charlottesville winemakers. Decanter, VinePair, Vogue, The Wall Street Journal, and other major outlets have likewise recently spotlighted Virginia wine.

With this backdrop, it would be an understatement saying the mood at the Monticello winemaker dinner on the rooftop of Charlottsville’s Doyle hotel was festive. The theme of the evening; “Women in Wine”, was also a topic near to the audience’s heart.

Dining at The Doyle Hotel

Our 5-course dinner included wine pairings from six wineries, nearly all of them represented by their female owner or winemaker. These vintners mingled with the crowd and shared their stories as their wine was poured.

First up was Shannon Horton, pouring Horton Vineyards’ Sparkling Viognier, paired with our hors d’oeuvres.

Shannon explained how the idea behind this Méthode Champenoise crafted wine is an example of how quickly her father, Horton Vineyards founder Dennis Horton, could improvise.

Years ago, Dennis had an overly bountiful crop of viognier that needed to be thinned before harvest. Rather than waste fruit, he realized these still underripe grapes could potentially be used for sparkling wine. The chemistry was spot-on, and they’ve been making a sparkling Viognier ever since.

We then moved to the dining area where Kirsty Harmon of Blenheim Vineyards poured a 2024 rosé paired with our first course; a strawberry salad with candied almonds.

Kirsty is a big fan of rosés blended from multiple varieties, with this vintage using a combination of Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Malbec (but no Pinot Noir or Syrah this time).

Corry Craighill’s 2024 Sauvignon Blanc from Septenary Winery was our next pairing, served with trout and a charred tomato beurre blanc.

Corry joined my table for a while and explained how owners Todd and Sarah Zimmerman love New Zealand-style Sauvignon Blanc, so she made this wine in a style that’s reminiscent of that region.

While her red wines have yet to hit the tasting room, Corry is the winemaker behind Septenary’s most recent white wine releases. Corry also owns Wound Tight, her personal label where she gets to be more experimental.

Once the starting dishes were finished, the red wine pairings with our main courses were served.

AJ Greely of Hark Vineyards poured our first red; a 2023 Cabernet Franc served with duck confit.

2023 was an exceptional year for Virginia wine, and AJ explained this was Hark’s biggest Cabernet Franc crop to date. I loved how AJ didn’t try to make it into a ‘big’ red and instead let the grape’s varietal characteristics shine through.

AJ hung out at my table for a bit and invited us to visit Hark’s brand new tasting room, which was opening that weekend.

Next to last was Eastwood Farm winemaker Jake Busching sharing his 2022 Petit Verdot, served with wagyu NY strip and potatoes. Owner Athena Eastwood couldn’t attend, so Jake represented in her stead.

Petit Verdot is often thought of as a ‘steak wine’, with tannin and acid that can stand up to heavy foods. While those characteristics often means PVs need time to age, Jake crafted this wine to be fruit forward and easy drinking, enjoyable even without a food pairing.

Jake also told us about Athena’s newest venture, the Virginia Wine Collective. The Collective recently opened in downtown Charlottsville and features a number of micro wine brands that are difficult to find elsewhere.

Owner Laura Lavalle finished the evening with Wisdom Oak Winery’s 2017 Tinto, paired with a triple chocolate terrine.

Laura explained Tinto is Wisdom Oak’s interpretation of a port style wine, using a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and brandy, aged in Kentucky Bourbon barrels.

Recognizing Monticello’s “Women in Wine”

The selection of female hosts to lead this event wasn’t coincidental. The “Women in Wine” theme continues to receive considerable attention in the world of Virginia wine.

In August of last year, local wine promoter Nancy Bauer launched the Virginia Women in Wine (VWW) professional organization. VWW has since partnered with the Monticello Wine Trail and other organizations to host additional events, ranging from winemaker dinners, communications roundtables, and the unveiling of the VWW’s “Closing the Gender Gap” white paper.

A breakdown of the demographics of the Virginia wine industry demonstrates the need for these initiatives. Only 18% of Virginia wineries employ a female Head Winemaker, yet females compose roughly 2/3rds of local winery staff.

The opening of Eastwood’s Wine Collective promises to open additional (cellar) doors for entrepreneurs by reducing startup costs that might bar them from the wine industry.

The Collective’s unique design includes individually rentable winemaking spaces, a shared production area, and a joint tasting room, all under the same roof. This allows participants to control their own winemaking process, while sharing equipment and retail space that would normally be outside the financial reach of a small operation.

This setup is especially important for female and BIPOC entrepreneurs, who often lack the networking opportunities and financial backing open to the majority of the industry. Members of the Collective also have the option to utilize Jake as a consultant to tutor them in winemaking.

Wine enthusiasts that missed Monticello Wine Week will soon have additional opportunities to engage the winemaking community. The Doyle will soon host Oeno Camp, an immersive experience that cultivates and supports BIPOC wine entrepreneurs.

Dining With Erin Nuccio of Evesham Wood

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I recently had the opportunity to join owner/winemaker Erin Nuccio of Evesham Wood for a great dinner that showcased his wine, hosted by The Falls restaurant in Falls Church, Virginia. As a wine nerd it’s hard for me to pass a chance to try a new-to-me winery, especially when I get to chat with the winemaker.

Over a 5-course dinner we sampled 4 Pinot Noirs and a white blend. Just as importantly, I got to hear Erin tell the story of Evesham Wood.

The Vineyards & Winemaking

EW Le Puits Sec Vineyard

Evesham Wood is located in the Eola-Amity Hills AVA, one of 11 sub-appellations inside the larger Willamette Valley AVA. Evesham Wood and its sister operation, Haden Fig, are boutique wineries that focus mostly on Pinot Noir, including several single-vineyard expressions.

It turns out Erin is a local boy who got his start in the wine business at Arrowine, one of my favorite local wine stores. Inspired by the Oregon Pinot he was drinking, Erin made the jump from selling wine to making it, moving to the Willamette Valley in 2007 to pursue the dream.

Erin initially apprenticed under Russ Raney of Evesham Wood, one of Oregon’s oldest wineries. That experience allowed him to start his own wine brand, Haden Fig. Years later, he took over Evesham when Russ decided to move on.

Being unfamiliar with this area, I did a bit of research and discovered the AVA’s name is a brilliant (and accurate) bit of marketing. ‘Eola’ refers to a local town, whose name is derived from Aeolus, the Greek god of the winds.

These cool Pacific winds and the area’s volcanic soil define the area’s terroir. The former help grapes grown here to retain their acidity, while the later provide character to the wines.

Location aside, I found how Evesham Wood grows its wine to be as interesting as where this wine is grown.

Evesham is part of the handful of local wineries that hold an official organic wine certification, which they apply to their vineyard-specific wines. They are also a member of the ‘Deep Roots Coalition’, a grouping of local vintners who don’t irrigate their vines. This lack of irrigation promotes sustainability as well as allows their wine to be more expressive of the local terroir.

Erin explained how he initially didn’t feel strongly about the need to be certificated organic. But seeing how others were describing themselves as “basically organic” only to find they were spraying pesticides, he decided to take the extra step to become certified.

All that said, most of our conversation was about wine. Erin worked with The Falls to prepare a five-course dinner, with each dish paired with one of his wines.

The Wine

2023 Blanc Du Puits Sec. First up was Erin’s 2023 “Blanc Du Puits Sec” (Pinot Gris/Gewürztraminer blend), paired with heirloom tomato salad.

This wine is a field blend from Evesham Wood’s first estate vineyard, planted in 1986. Erin went for a fresh style, with a little bit of spice on the palate and nice texture. I also detected some flower notes on the nose.  

The story behind this wine was just as fascinating. The vines are planted on their own rootstock and are considered ‘old vines’ by Oregon standards. While this means they are susceptible to phylloxera, the louse hasn’t hit this block just yet, so the damage it’s suffered has been minimal so far.

2023 Willamette Valley Pinot Noir. Next up was his Willamette Valley 2023, paired with a risotto made with wild mushroom, kale, and cheese.

This is Evesham’s ‘introduction red’. Fun and approachable, Erin said this wine is designed to “capture the spirit of the season”. 2023 must have been very favorable, since this was darn tasty. I found notes of bramble fruit, especially raspberry. That said, the longer I tasted it, the more earth I detected.

2022 “Eola-Amity Hills Cuvée” Pinot Noir. Our third wine was Evesham’s “Eola-Amity Hills Cuvée” paired with a coq au vin, a French dish made with pomme purée, carrots, bacon lardon, mushrooms and pearl onions.

This was the Reserve version of their Willamette Valley Pinot, aged six months in barrel with a dash of new oak. I found it to be complex and rich, with firmer tannin and more structure. It also had nice dark cherry notes with a more lingering finish. I later opened a second bottle with friends and we agreed this was everything we’d look for in an Oregon pinot.

2022 Temperance Hill Pinot Noir. Our 3rd red was the first vineyard-designated wine of the evening, their Temperance Hill. This was paired with pancetta wrapped pork tenderloin.

This retro-style labelled wine was more restrained than the Eola Cuvée, with more earth notes on the nose. On the palate it started with earthiness but the notes transformed into dark fruit, especially blackberry. Erin mentioned it had some oak treatment, but I could barely notice.

This wine was grown at Temperance Hill, a 100-acre Pinot-heavy vineyard at 800’ ft elevation that produces fruit for a number of local wineries.

2021 Le Puits Sec Vineyard Pinot Noir. Saving the best for last, Erin brought out Evesham’s vineyard-designated Le Puits Sec (served with cheese and charcuterie).

This wine has structure and lift, yet what stood out the most were the wonderful earthy-mushroom notes on the nose that I wasn’t expecting.

More than anything else, this wine has ‘character’. You drink enough wine, you recognize varietals by their stereotypical tasting profiles. What I loved about the Le Puits Sec is I had to pause to think about it, as I couldn’t immediately identify everything I was encountering.

Fortunately, a second bottle enjoyed a week later yielded additional descriptors. That time I found notes of baking spice, maybe harissa. It was also fresh and well-integrated. But that nose – that alone could sell this wine.

The Le Puits Sec Pinot really demonstrates the importance of ‘place’. As it’s a lower-elevation site the fruit ripens earlier than Temperance, which is only a few miles away. Yet these are very different wines, despite similar soils and winemaking.

Evesham Wood & Haden Fig’s tasting room (located around 50 miles south of Portland) is open by appointment. Let me know what you think if you visit!

Virginia Tannat Tasteoff: Virginia vs South America

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Days after I had a blind Virginia vs South America tannat tasting, Wine Enthusiast published an article on Virginia Tannat. Part of me was happy about the publicity. Another part said; “What took you so long to notice?”, as Virginia has made great Tannat for a while.

Tannat was born in the Madiran region of Southwest France. Yet it’s Uruguay that wears the crown as the world’s Tannat capital, growing more Tannat than even France. Dennis Horton of Horton Vineyards was the first to produce a Virginia Tannat, from his 1998 vintage.

As plantings go, Virginia’s 78 acres of Tannat is respectable but far below heavy hitters like Cabernet Franc (661 acres) or even Petit Manseng (200 acres). Tannat’s vulnerability to cold weather force vineyards to be selective in where they plant it, limiting its availability.

Vineyards that do have Tannat treat it like a premium grape, selling at one of the highest price points of any grape in Virginia. One small dash is a great way to beef up red blends with extra tannin and acid. According to Kendell Anderson, winemaker for Bull Run, “Tannat holds its acid but also has good brix. It also calms Petit Verdot without losing its body.”

While it’s increasingly seen in blends, Virginia produces many 100% (or close enough) Tannat wines. Virginia’s first Tannat wines were rustic tannin bombs (the word ‘tannin’ supposedly became bastardized into the name ‘Tannat’), but recent examples are more graceful. In many ways, Tannat is Virginia’s answer to Napa Cabernet, when wine drinkers want something big and bold.

Other than its lack of cold hardiness, Tannat is a great fit for Virginia’s climate. Its high level of acidity means it can hang longer on the vine without losing any punch. It also produces one of the highest tonnages of fruit per acre of any local vinifera. In a good growing site, Tannat can produce an average of 3.5 to as high of 5 tons an acre while still maintaining excellent levels of ripeness.

Lastly, Tannat doesn’t mind excessive water. Jason Murray of Arterra explained Tannat evacuates water from its grapes more quickly than other vinifera; an important consideration considering Virginia’s proclivity for late season storms.

Tasting & Scoring Methodology

Every round my guests picked a favorite. I usually also wrote down the region it came from (if I remembered to ask). After we finished all 8 wines we did a vote to decide the top 2 of the day and revisited them in a ‘Finalist” round.

It was hard to find the specs on many of these wines. I suspect more than a few had a little something else blended in. For half the wines I couldn’t find anything that proved/denied these were 100% varietal wines.

The Contenders:

  1. Walsh Family Wine 2019 Tannat (Virginia) (90% Tannat/10% Cab Sauv)
  2. “1750” Uvairenda 2018 Tannat (Bolivia)
  3. Maggie Malick 2017 Tannat (Virginia) (95% Tannat/5% Merlot?)
  4. Amat 2015 Tannat (Uruguay)
  5. Stinson 2017 Tannat (Virginia) (100% Tannat)
  6. Batovi “T1” 2016 Tannat (Uruguay) (100% Tannat)
  7. Garzon 2022 Tannat (Uruguay)
  8. Narmada 2019 Tannat (Virginia)

Flight #1

  • Bottle #1: Walsh Family Wine 2019 Tannat (Virginia) (5 votes; round winner)
  • Bottle #2: 1750 Uvairenda 2018 Tannat (Bolivia) (2 votes)

Bottle #1 / Walsh Family Wine 2019 Tannat (Virginia). On the nose a variety of notes were mentioned, including cassis, lilac, and/or cocoa. A soft mid-palate with notes of cedar box and smoke. A good balance of fruit and tannin.

Bottle #2 /1750 Uvairenda 2018 Tannat (Bolivia). Slightly more aromatic than the first wine. It started off with a chemical or spice nose, while the descriptor ‘cheesy’ was also mentioned. The spice was there on the palate but wasn’t as prominent as the nose suggested. It had an almost grape-y ‘ripasso’-like flavor to it. The fruit wasn’t very strong here. We guessed it probably had some age to it.

I didn’t take notes on which region people thought the wines came from, but it was pretty obvious that #1 was Virginia because it was ‘familiar’ while the mustiness of #2 implied Uruguay.

Votes:

  1. Dan: Voted for #1
  2. Frank: Voted for #1.
  3. Jeremy: Voted for #1
  4. Kendell: Voted for #2.
  5. Matt C: Voted for #1.
  6. Matt F: Voted for #2.
  7. Sedale: Voted for #1.

Flight #2

  • Bottle #3: Maggie Malick 2017 Tannat (Virginia) (3 Votes)
  • Bottle #4: Amat 2015 Tannat (Uruguay) (4 Votes; round winner)

Bottle #3 / Maggie Malick 2017 Tannat (Virginia). The oak was noticeable, with people saying it was either borderline too much or maybe the oakiness level was right, but it had too high a toast factor on the oak.

That said, after we got past that oak it had nice fruit and lots of acidity. Nutty and toasted oak/violets were mentioned. Some earth notes as well.

Bottle #4 / Amat 2015 Tannat (Uruguay). Bright acidity. Notes of plumb, wildflowers were mentioned. The guests who preferred this wine felt it had a balance of red fruit and leather. Tannins were well integrated. Some felt it was the better balanced of the two. It was also lighter and felt less alcohol-y than #3. Maybe it was a blend, but I can’t confirm that.

Votes:

  1. Dan: Voted for #3; felt it was Virginia.
  2. Frank: Voted for #4; felt it was South America.
  3. Jeremy: Voted for #3; felt it was Virginia.
  4. Kendell: Voted for #3, felt it was Virginia.
  5. Matt C: Voted #4, felt it was from South America.
  6. Matt F: Voted for #4; felt it was South America
  7. Sedale: Voted for #3; felt it was Virginia.

Flight #3

  • Bottle #5: Stinson 2017 Tannat (Virginia) (5 votes; round winner)
  • Bottle #6: Batovi “T1” 2016 Tannat (Uruguay) (2 votes)

This was universally judged to be our favorite round of the day. By coincidence, both went to the ‘finalist’ round. It wasn’t planned that way; I had no idea in advance these two would be ‘ringers’; my pairing just happened to have the top 2 wines in the same initial round.

While most wines of the day were almost always easily identifiable by their country of origin, this round through us for a loop because both had “South America” vibes. We mostly still guessed them correctly, but I wouldn’t judge those who thought the Virginia wine was from Uruguay.

Bottle #5 / Stinson 2017 Tannat (Virginia). “Damn it’s good!” was quickly mentioned. Red and dark fruit notes on the palate. Beautiful depth. More fruity than sweet but with lots of complexity. Tannins were well integrated. Tea leaf on the nose; even a hint of butter.

“I need this with rib eye” was my favorite descriptor. I later learned it was 15.1% alcohol (the highest of any wine in the event), but it was so well balanced we didn’t notice it.

Bottle #6 / Batovi “T1” 2016 Tannat (Uruguay): Lots of great descriptors. Red fruit and ‘nice’ tannin. Creamy, soft texture; even a candied component. Good acidity and mouthfeel. Smokey and complex. Sour cream/sour cherry on the nose.

Someone mentioned this was a ‘sit by the fire’ wine. I was surprised it was 15.1% ABV; it didn’t taste ‘hot’ at all.

Votes:

  1. Dan: Voted for #5; felt it was Virginia.
  2. Frank: Voted for #5; felt it was South America.
  3. Jeremy: Voted for #6.
  4. Kendell: Voted for #5; felt it was Virginia.
  5. Matt C: Voted for #5; felt it was Virginia.
  6. Matt F: Voted for #6; felt it was South America.
  7. Sedale: Voted for #5; felt it was Virginia.

Flight #4

  • Bottle #7: Garzon 2022 Tannat (Uruguay) (5 votes; round winner)
  • Bottle #8: Narmada 2019 Tannat (Virginia) (2 votes)

Bottle #7 / Garzon 2022 Tannat (Uruguay). This wine was tight; we were guessing it was a younger wine. Ruby-esque color made us guess it may have been higher in alcohol. Tea leaf nose; soft tannin; ‘shy’.

It needed time to open up, but when it did we had descriptors of smokiness with some intensity and alcohol notes. Soft on the palate but drinkable. Hint of cocoa. Raspberry nose/ dark chocolate palate.

Bottle #8 / Narmada 2019 Tannat (Virginia). This was smoother and more ‘neutral’ compared to #7. Notes of prunes, cocoa spice, and licorice were mentioned. Soft palate, velvety, quaffable.

Votes:

  1. Dan: Voted #7
  2. Frank: Voted #7
  3. Jeremy: Voted #8
  4. Kendell: Voted #7, thought it was Virginia
  5. Matt C: Voted #7; thought it was Virginia.
  6. Matt F: Voted #8; thought it was South America
  7. Sedale: Voted #7

Finalist Flight

  • Bottle #5: Stinson 2017 Tannat (Virginia) (5 Votes; Event Winner)
  • Bottle #6: Batovi “T1” 2016 Tannat (Uruguay) (2 Votes; Runner Up)

Wines #5 and #6 were voted to advance to the ‘finalist’ round. After a 2nd tasting I did a poll of our favorite wines, and #5/Stinson was the event winner. The vintage was so strong, winemaker Rachel Stinson Vrooman later told me, “It made itself.”

#6/Batovi was the runner up. There was a consensus that Walsh Family’s 2019 Tannat was the third favorite, although we also liked Amat and Maggie Malick.

The Stinson and Batovi wines opened up just enough to make our 2nd tasting just different enough to make some of us rethink our votes. Most kept theirs, but Dan and I switched teams (him to Uruguay, me to Virginia).

I don’t know if this is surprising or not, but the top 2 wines were 100% Tannat. I still suspected several had something else blended in (the Walsh Family Wine definitely did; I suspect Maggie did as well).

In summary, the Stinson was judged to be a “I want this to drink by myself” wine (preferably with steak), while the Batovi was more versatile. It was a very tough choice to pick between the two. Dan of MyNoVaWineBlog was VERY happy he brought the winner!

  1. Dan: Voted #6/Batovi
  2. Frank: Voted #5/Stinson
  3. Jeremy: Voted #5/Stinson
  4. Kendell: Voted #5/Stinson
  5. Matt C: Voted #6/Batovi
  6. Matt F: Voted #5/Stinson
  7. Sedale: Voted #5/Stinson

Lessons Learned:

Both Virginia and Uruguay (with an assist from a Bolivian wine) presented very well. 2 rounds went to Virginia, 2 for Uruguay, and the ‘top’ wine was Virginia.

In terms of a tasting profile, the Virginia wines tended to be heavier on oak than their South American counterparts. All of them had some cedar box on the nose and trended towards dark fruit on the palate.

We felt the South American wines didn’t consistently have the same tasting notes, although most had notes of dried fruits/raisins. We also felt they may have spent at least some time in steel.

Yes – Virginia makes amazing Tannats. Nice to see Wine Enthusiast noticed!

Barboursville Vineyards Wins 2025 Virginia Governor’s Cup

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On March 13th, Governor Glenn Younkin announced Barboursville Vineyards’ 2023 Vermentino as the winner of the 2025 Virginia Governor’s Cup. Ever the advocate for his home state, Barboursville winemaker Luca Paschina told the audience, “When you go to your favorite restaurant, you must demand they carry Virginia wine!”

Barboursville is one of Virginia’s oldest and most prestigious wineries, and Luca has been its Estate Director and winemaker since 1990. He is also the record holder for most Governor’s Cup wins, taking the trophy home three times since the event was revamped in 2011.

Vermentino is a variety that’s rarely found outside Italy, mostly planted in the maritime regions of Liguria and Sardinia. While not as recognizable as Barboursville’s other Italian grapes, Luca’s team has been successfully growing vermentino since 2009.

“It’s the favorite of a lot of people who visit, even if they don’t know what it is,” Luca said of the event’s top wine. “The acidity isn’t very high, but it has great minerality and phenolics. It does well in Virginia because it likes heat, but it doesn’t mind Virginia’s rainy periods either. I’ve made 14 vintages so far, and it’s always been very consistent, even in a wet year like 2018.”

The underappreciated nature of this variety means it’s a great value for your money, selling for $23 a bottle at the winery. A zesty, light-bodied white, Barboursville’s 2023 Vermentino hits a sweet spot between pinot grigio and sauvignon blanc, with notes of Asian pear, white flowers, and an underlying salinity.

Barboursville’s Vermentino has long been a contender for the Cup, having entered the Governor’s Case (composed of the event’s top 12 wines) seven times but missing the top prize until now. Their 2017 Octagon red blend also made it into the Case.

Ten other wineries entered the Case, representing a cross-section of the local wine industry.

DuCard Vineyards and The Winery at La Grange became first-time entrants into the Case. Valley Road winemaker Corry Craighill also took her place on the Cup finalist stage for the first time.

The remaining Case members were veterans of previous competitions. Michael Shaps Wineworks now boasts 15 Case wines, with King Family not far behind. 50 West, Paradise Springs, Potomac Point, Trump Winery, and Veritas also added notches to their tallies.

This year’s Governor’s Case also set a record for its high number of white wines. The event guidelines require the Case to include a minimum of four non-red wines. This year’s Case included six whites and a sparkling.

The strong showing by white wines and lighter-bodied reds is likely a tribute to the quality of the 2023 vintage, often regarded as one of the best in recent Virginia history. Not only do 2023 vintage wines make up over half the Case, they’ve also brought home many “Best in Class” awards in national-level competitions that California typically dominates.

Daring Wine & Cider Company’s Crab Apple blend was awarded Cider of the Year. A new “Best in Show” category was also unveiled, recognizing the best examples of major varieties or styles that didn’t make it into the Case.

The 2025 Virginia’s Governor’s Case

  1. Barboursville Vineyards, 2023 Vermentino (Cup Winner)
  2. 50 West Vineyards, 2021 Aldie Heights Cuvée
  3. Barboursville Vineyards, 2017 Octagon
  4. DuCard Vineyards, 2023 Cabernet Franc Vintners Reserve
  5. King Family Vineyards, 2021 Mountain Plains Red
  6. Michael Shaps Wineworks, 2023 Chardonnay
  7. Paradise Springs Winery, 2023 Cabernet Franc, Brown Bear Vineyards
  8. Potomac Point Winery, 2023 Albariño
  9. Trump Winery, 2018 Sparkling Rosé
  10. Valley Road Vineyards, 2023 Petit Manseng
  11. Veritas Winery, 2023 Monticello White
  12. Winery at La Grange, 2023 Petit Manseng

Behind The Scenes Changes Help Even The Playing Field

A total of 622 medals were awarded in 2025, including 155 golds. While popular varieties and styles such as red blends, cabernet franc, and petit verdot dominated the medal count, several hybrid wines such as an organically-made cayuga from Loving Cup Vineyard also earned gold.

While the public’s attention is focused on the medal winners, the event was elevated by less-obvious changes in the submission and judging process.

For the first time, wineries were limited to a maximum of six entries. This increased the quality of the field by forcing wineries to be more selective in what they submitted.

This change wasn’t popular in all quarters. One owner confided he worried this limitation would undermine the event by encouraging wineries to only send wines with proven track records, rather than take risks with lesser-known varieties. Fewer entries also meant wineries could miss potential marketing opportunities.

The format under which wines are judged was also revamped. Director of Judging Frank Morgan wrote an extensive article outlining changes he instituted when he took over the role two years ago. The most notable change was having more judges in the preliminary round, mitigating the risk that palate fatigue would impact scoring.

As the stature of the event grows, Frank has correspondingly expanded its network of judges. “This year, we had four judges who hold the Master of Wine designation (the most ever), one Master Sommelier, and renowned wine writers. I now have a list of over 100 wine professionals from around the U.S. who have contacted me to express interest in serving as a judge,” Frank explained.

The final medal count demonstrates this combination of fewer entries and additional judges meant more nuanced wines showed better. In 2024, the event had 752 entries, 138 of which earned gold (18.4%). In 2025, the competition had 626 entries, 155 of which earned gold (24.8%).

Additional changes may be in the pipeline. The current Governor’s Cup format is somewhat inaccessible for micro-producers, or winemakers who make experimental styles that don’t show well with traditional judges. Frank hopes to eventually showcase these wines as well.

Virginia Pinot-Palooza

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I was recently the emcee for a Virginia Pinot Noir event that I nicknamed “Pinot Palooza”. A considerable portion of Virginia’s community of Pinot growers gathered to share one another’s wines and discuss their vineyards. It was probably the single most diverse tasting of Virginia Pinot Noir that has ever occurred.

Wines we sampled

  1. 12 Ridges 2021 Pinot Noir (VA)
  2. 12 Ridges 2022 Pinot Noir (VA)
  3. Savigny-lès-Beaune “Vieilles Vignes” 2018 (Burgundy)
  4. Ankida Ridge 2022 Pinot Noir (VA)
  5. Cave Ridge 2023 Pinot Noir (not released) (VA)
  6. Cave Ridge 2024 Pinot Noir (barrel sample) (VA)
  7. Ox Eye 2022 Pinot Noir (VA)
  8. Hazy Mountain 2022 Pinot Noir (VA)
  9. DuMOL Pinot Noir (CA, Russian River Valley)
  10. Cross Keys 2022 Pinot Noir (VA)
  11. JBR Vineyard 2021 Country Gentleman Red (Pinot) (VA)
  12. JBR Vineyards 2021 Springdale (Pinot) (VA)
  13. Trump Vineyards 2022 Pinot Noir (VA)
  14. Antiquum Farm Pinot (Oregon)
  15. Bluestone 2023 Pinot Meunier (VA) (the only non-Pinot Noir of the day)

While this sounds like it would be a big gathering, in reality we only shared 11 Pinot Noirs from 8 separate Virginia wineries, in a state that possesses around 15 growers. Of these, only a handful typically make a full Pinot Noir every year (the remaining focus on sparkling or rosé).

It’s difficult to say which Virginia winery first planted Pinot Noir, although several including Barboursville and Swedenburg tried in the 1990s and early 2000s. These viticultural pioneers didn’t yet realize Virginia’s warm summers would cause these sites to struggle. Dennis Horton, a man famous for introducing multiple varieties to Virginia, reportedly once said: “I don’t think Jesus Christ could grow Pinot Noir in Virginia. You can do it, but it doesn’t taste like Pinot should.”

The data shows not many have tried. Side by side metrics from Virginia’s 2008 and 2023 Commercial Wine Grape reports demonstrate that Pinot remains a niche grape in the state.

  • In 2008, there were 28 acres of Pinot Noir (25 bearing, 3 non-bearing) out of a total of 2,500 acres of grape vines in Virginia (barely over 1% of the total)
  • In 2023, there were 41 acres of Pinot Noir (30 bearing, 11 non-bearing) out of 4,318 acres of vines in the state (just under 1%).

Yet these metrics only tell part of the story.

According to conversations with various winegrowers, it appears much of the Pinot that existed when the 2008 report was written has since been torn out, as these growers couldn’t bring their grapes to full ripeness. Most of the vines that were planted from 2008 onward were planted in the Shenandoah Valley and Blue Ridge Mountains.

The key change from the wines that Dennis Horton tried was these newer vineyards focused on higher-elevation sites, often 1,600 feet and above. Such elevation ensures a constant flow of cool air and moderate temperature swings, which protect Pinot’s tightly-bunched clusters from damage and allow them to evenly ripen.

Membership in this ‘high elevation club’ is very select. Ankida Ridge planted their first vines in 2008, while Ox Eye Vineyards planted in 2009 based on advice from Finger Lakes grower Hermann Wiemer. Hazy Mountain started growing Pinot at its Swoope vineyard in 2016, and 12 Ridges Vineyard founded their site in 2019. Around the state, even more wineries followed.

Our tasting included a broad mix of vineyards, planted anywhere between 850 to 3,300 feet elevation. We asked ourselves; did this elevation make a difference, and what other factors influenced the wine in our glass?

Virginia Pinot Noir Growers

*Note: The Shenandoah Valley has around half of all Pinot Noir grown in Virginia, with smaller plantings at various locations along the Blue Ridge Mountains. Trump Winery has the largest single planting of Pinot Noir in Virginia, but in most years, it’s exclusively used for sparkling wine.

The Tastings

We sampled 15 different Pinots in flights of 3. I ensured nearly every flight had a non-Virginia Pinot for comparison purposes. My apologies for having better notes on some wines that others; at times I couldn’t write fast enough.

Flight 1:

  • 12 Ridges 2021: Lighter on nose and harmonious on the palate. Good complexity of aroma, tannins, and finish. One of the most ‘delicate’ wines of the day, and one of the favorites.
  • 12 Ridges 2022: Bolder, more fragrant than the 2021 vintage.
  • Savigny-lès-Beaune “Vieilles Vignes” 2018: Fleshier, more concentrated than anything else I tried that day.

Flight 2:

  • Ankida Ridge 2022: Floral nose. Notes of earth, specifically wet dirt. The wine had some heft to it but was well balanced. It also had just the right amount of oak, tannin, and structure.
  • Cave Ridge 2023: Not yet released! Clean, flawless, fruity, but needs some bottle age. Notes of red plumb and cherries. Less earthy than the Ankida. Owner Randy Philips explained he was going to only make a sparkling wine, but his daughter Megan loved the 2023 so much they decided to make it as a still wine. This was the first time he’d made a regular Pinot, which makes it all the more impressive.
  • Cave Ridge 2024 (barrel sample): This was so young it was hard to judge, but we had fun sampling it. Some attendees actually thought the 2024 was better than the 2023, or would be in time.

Flight 3:

  • Hazy Mountain 2022: Lighter in color, fresh mouthfeel. It had some earthiness to it and nice tannin.
  • Ox Eye 2022: Very charming and approachable. At $27, this was one of the best values of the entire event. Owner/winemaker John Kiers doesn’t make a still Pinot every year, but his $35 Blanc de Noir is a great alternative.
  • DuMOL Pinot Noir (CA, Russian River Valley): One of the fullest wines of the day. The ripeness made it stand out as a California wine.

Flight 4:

  • JBR 2021 “Country Gentleman Red”: Light and fruity, lots of strawberry notes. Unfiltered? At $15, this was made for a crowd looking for something that’s easy drinking.
  • JBR 2021 “Springdale”: More intense than the “Country Gentleman”, and closer to the traditional Pinots we are accustomed to.
  • Trump Winery 2022: Good body and structure, but at the expense of the fruit. Trump only infrequently makes a Pinot Noir, but you can usually find these grapes as a Blanc de Noir.

Flight 5:

  • Antiquum Farm Pinot (Oregon): No notes, but good!
  • CrossKeys 2022: CrossKeys only infrequently makes a still wine, but their Blanc de Noir is excellent. Barnyard note to it, maybe a little brett.
  • Bluestone 2023 Pinot Meunier (from Verona Farm Vineyard): Our only non-Pinot of the day. One guest referred to this as a ‘starter red for white drinkers’, because it’s so easy drinking.

I should also mention the amazing food that Cave Ridge arranged for us, courtesy of Woodstock-based Flour & Water.

I polled the 9 guests who didn’t present a wine they made, and the top three Virginia wines were the 2022 Ankida Ridge, 2021 12 Ridges Vineyard, and the 2023 Cave Ridge (which narrowly beat the 2022 Ox Eye).

Ankida was the overall favorite by a fair margin, but the 2021 12 Ridges wine had many compliments as well. Notably, these two were specifically designed as ‘high elevation’ vineyards, with Pinot being some of the first grapes they planted.

Lessons learned

“High elevation Pinot is in its infancy. I am excited for its future,” wrote Christine Vrooman of Ankida Ridge. “The bar has been raised from 20 years ago,” said another guest after completing the tasting.

Here are a few of my take-aways from the day’s discussions:

1. Winemaking is more important than elevation to make good wine. Site selection is important to tease out Pinot’s best expressions, but good winemaking is still crucial to make a good wine. Likewise, a winemaker can make a good wine made with Pinot grapes, even if it doesn’t express the ‘typical’ Pinot characteristics consumers are accustomed to. We saw both sides of this coin at this event.

2. Elevation is important – but so are other factors. While much of the discussion focused on the importance of elevation as a key criterion to bring out Pinot’s best qualities, that’s just one part of the equation. Soil type, vine density, relative altitude, and good vine material are also important to get healthy fruit.

My observation of the day’s conversations is while Pinot does love elevation, it takes more than elevation to make a good Pinot vineyard.

3. Blanc de Noir is a great alternative. Many Pinot growers readily admit how difficult it is to achieve full ripeness. This means sparkling wine is usually the best use of their fruit. These wineries (including but not limited to Afton Mountain, CrossKeys, Rockbridge, and Trump) may only offer a Pinot Noir in better growing years.