When it came time to pick sites for a vineyard, Hillsborough hit the jackpot. Resting on a hill at the base of Loudoun Valley, Hillsborough looks like what you’d think a winery SHOULD look like. Great views of the sunset. Long rows of vines in front and behind you. Picturesque stone farmhouse tasting room. Even before tasting the wines (and beer) – how can you not love this place?
The Baki family are the owners. Transplants from Izmir, Turkey, they arrived in the D.C. area in 1978 and eventually founded the farm that would become their vineyard. Their oldest son Kerem may have been the inspiration for this venture; he was studying enology at the time so a vineyard was a good way to support his ambitions.
Zeynep’s art
Today, the Bakis are still very much involved in the business. Kerem is the wine maker, his brother Tolga is the brewer (more onthat in a moment), and Kerem’s wife Asli is their wine club manager. Owners Bora and Zeynep are retired, but the place is decorated with Zeynep’s art.
I’m as much of a vineyard geek as a wine geek, so this place was a huge find for me. Hillsborough loves to experiment with different styles of wines, and grows several varietals of grapes that are difficult to find in the area. I hardly ever see white Merlot – but there’s one here. Roussanne is exceptionally rare in Virginia, but they have a full acre. In fact almost all their wine is produced from their 15 acres of vines.
But their Fer Servadou deserves its own shout-out. Usuallyfound in south-central France (home of Tannat), Hillsborough has the largest planting of Fer in the United States. Dark skinned, medium-bodied but with good tannin, I’d never even heard of this grape until I visited here. But the owners did their homework, and chose Fer as they recognized it would do well in their terroir.
Asli was kind enough to give me a run-down of the family’s history, as well as what they are up to now. I was surprised they no longer host weddings; while it was lucrative weddings were simply too distracting for their regular patrons. Fortunately that means more space for the rest of us to enjoy the patio views that otherwise would have been unavailable.
But what was really fascinating was something much more recent; in late 2018 they opened a brewery on premise! Tolga is their brew master (he also owns Belly Love brewery in Purcellville), so this is one of the few places in Virginia you can enjoy both a pint of beer as well as a glass of wine in the same location.
Of course, no visit to a winery would be complete without talking about the wine.
2016 Vidal Blanc: Light and citrusy
2015 Opal (Petit Manseng): Dry but has what I’d call a heavy nose and body. Notes of honey and figs are good descriptors.
2016 Serefiina (90% Petit Manseng/10% Tannat): Interesting combo; think of it as Petit Manseng with extra bite.
2015 Ruby’s Blush: Very interesting combo of red wines that includes Tannat and Fer Servadou. Very fruity, reminded me of a sangria.
2014 Cabernet Sauvignon: Low tannin for a Cab, lingering pepper notes. Good roundness on the palate. Very nice overall.
2016 Petit Verdot: Smooth, almost chocolaty. Not a bold ‘in your face’ PV.
Not tried this time is their signature wine “Ruby” – a blend of Tannat, Fer, and Petit Verdot. But I’ve had it before and it’s yummy!
Hiddencroft is about as ‘authentic’ as it gets when it comes to farm wineries. Owners Clyde and Terry Housel are nearly always in the tasting room (at least when he’s not tending to the vineyard) and often have corn bread or another snack on hand as a treat. So hospitality – check. It’s set in an old farm that dates back to the mid-19th century, so rustic charm – check. Their 6 acres of vines produce 90% of their wines (they have apples, blackberries & cherries too), making them mostly estate. So ‘authenticity’- check; the trifecta is complete.
Clyde’s philosophy is “no wine before its time”. One of the qualities that defines his wines is how long he lets them age; anywhere from 22 months to 42 months. One of my favorites was his (now sold out) 2009 Merlot, which was available for purchase until very recently. I mean seriously; where else can you find a wine that is nearly 10 years old in Virginia? I’m happy to find places serving wines that are 3 years behind the current date. But here – for the reds think 4 or 5 years, and even older wines are available by the bottle.
History is another defining feature here. Hiddencroft has seasonal history tours of the farm, taking you to the renovated spring house, summer kitchen, and curing house, with storytelling and wine/food pairings at each stop. Even while I was visiting, the family of the previous owners came by and were telling stories about how they would visit the place years ago. If you’re lucky Clyde will bring out the old farm ledger that goes back to 1875, or show you the sketch of the original property boundaries.
Clyde says he’s a self taught wine maker. You could fool me though; there’s nothing ‘amateur’ about what he makes. Hiddencroft produces 1,500 cases/year and grows a number of varietals. But in addition to making mostly off dry or dry wines they have a large assortment of fruit wines. Before anybody scoffs at fruit wines try these first because DANG…these are really good!
What I tried:
2017 Cabernet Franc Rose: Very light, which surprised me
coming from this grape
2017 Chambourcin Rose: Lots of zing, with watermelon notes
2016 Chardonnay: Made in steel and oak
2017 Traminette: Reminded me of drinking flowers
Dutchman’s Creek (NV): Great nose, big mouthfeel, fruity;
simply amazing
2014 Chambourcin Reserve: 4 years in barrel. Big and bold
for a Chambourcin but not a fruit bomb.
2014 Cabernet Franc: Very smooth, not spicy, and lighter
than I expected
2015 Petit Verdot: 3 years in barrel. I would have expected
this to be bold but it wasn’t; in fact it was downright fruity.
2012 Tannat: Very different from other Tannats I’ve had lately but loved it. Expresso notes, f ull bodied
Blackberry wine: 2/3 blackberry and 1/3 Chambourcin; great
combo that I never would have expected, and one of the best of the lineup
Vitus Rubus: Lots of fruit! Raspberry/Chambourcin blend
Persephone’s Punch: 100% blueberry wine, very intense.
Not tried today but old favorites of mine are the amazing cherry wine and “Grandma’s Love Potion”, which is a blueberry wine made into a port-style.
If Nelson DeSouza wrote an autobiography, nobody would believe it. Born in 1942 in an impoverished part of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, the man is a rags-to-riches tale come true.
I first met him around 2014 when I started exploring the
Virginia wine scene. The guy was – is – charismatic as heck. Even today, at 76
years young Nelson still mows the lawn and does handiwork around the property
(ask him about the tables he’s crafted from wood taken from the property – he’s
very proud of them). Nelson started off by telling me how he was born with a
hammer in his arm; at first I thought he was bragging. An hour later, I came to
believe it.
Nelson first visited the U.S. in 1957 on a 90-day visa to
visit his father, a naval officer who at the time was stationed in the here as
part of a submarine purchase deal. The culture shock was profound, but it left
enough of an impression on him that he resolved to return as soon as he could.
That turned out to be a 5 year delay, but eventually he made it.
He started off doing carpentry and other odd jobs until moving on to construction. From there, Nelson became a businessman (he still brags about his concrete business) and eventually starting Casanel Vineyards. The winery’s name is a combination of the first name of his wife (Casey) and his name (Nelson).
To me, Neslon is the epitome of the “American Dream”. He was
kind enough to share part of his story.
“When I was a baby, my parents didn’t have a crib; they took
two chairs and put them together and put the box on top of it. That was my
crib. We didn’t have electricity. But when you’re born an American, it’s like
you’re born in a golden crib.”
“I didn’t know how poor I was until I asked my father for a bicycle. But a new bike would cost him 6 months of his salary. So when I was 12 I worked some jobs until I could buy my own bicycle. It’s not like here in the USA, where you can get a new bike every year. That bike was at least 10 years old, but I had my bike”.
“My father worked in the naval attaché office in the USA. I
visited him in September 1957 on a 90 day visa. I didn’t know what to do, so I
worked little jobs, building things. America was paradise! So after I left, it
was like going to hell. I had to wait 5 years in hell until I could get back to
paradise.”
“Would you take responsibility for someone you didn’t know? Maybe for a month? How about a year? My father knew an Argentinian-Brazilian man named Julio Gallo. He convinced Julio to write me a Letter of Call so I could immigrate to the USA. Julio figured he could find work for me since he saw me working when I was visiting. He had to sign a document promising to take responsibility for me for 5 years. Would you take responsibility for someone you barely knew for 5 years?”
“I went to the US embassy in Rio for my interview. The ambassador was the most important man in the country. He asked me a lot of questions; I only had a 2nd grade education so I thought I was going to fail. Then he asked me if I was a communist. I told him – my father was a Naval officer; I wanted to go to the USA to work. How could I be a communist? Eventually he had me raise my right hand and swear. Then I got to return to paradise. I was born again on September 22, 1962. That’s my American birthday”
I’m biased when it comes to discussing Casanel; not only is it the very first winery I’ve ever been to, it set a high bar for every subsequent winery I’ve ever visited. It’s small enough that the owners greet you and remember your name, yet also produces high-quality wine. Heck – EVERY winery should be judged by this standard.
While a lot of wineries are family-run businesses, few of
them put the owners as front & center into their story as this places does.
Even the name “Casanel” is a combination of the first names of the owners
(Casey + Nelson = Casanel).
Speaking of which, you can’t talk about Casanel without discussing owner Nelson DeSouza. Nelson is an immigrant from Brazil who arrived here when he was 20 and worked various construction jobs until he became a businessman himself. He’s also one of the most charming, colorful guys I’ve ever met. Nelson can say he literally made Casanel from the ground up; it was his business that built the tasting room, he renovated the old log cabin into a home, and he personally crafted the wooden tables from trees taken off the property.
While the place brims with his personality, the ladies of
Casanal balance things out. Both daughters work here; Katie is the winemaker;
Anne their general manager. A third lady was also a key contributor; Katell
Griaud was their wine consultant for several years, and hers and Katie’s names
are the initials of their “K2” red blend (Katell now works at nearby Slater
Run). So “machismo” – this palace is not.
Katie guided me through a tasting. With 7 acres of vines & a production of 1000 cases/year, they are mostly estate but still get some fruit from elsewhere in Virginia (including Muse – one of my favorite vineyards in the state). The view was really picturesque as well; I mean seriously; who gets tired of looking at a vineyard next to a pond?
As you can expect, Katie was really proud of her wines;
she’s one of the few lady wine makers in all Virginia. Between herself and
Katell you might say their wines have a feminine touch; the reds tend to be low
on tannin as opposed to in-your-face bold, and they were willing to experiment
with styles and varietals you don’t see elsewhere in Virginia.
Casanel also holds the distinction one of the few places in the state that grows Carménère; a grape that originated in Bordeaux but now basically extinct there. To date their Carménère is the only 100% varietal made in Virginia. She also makes Loudoun County’s first vintage sparkling wine. You WON’T find wine slushies or sangria here!
The wines were generally dry, but were soft enough that my
sweet-wine loving friend enjoyed a lot of the samples. What I tried:
2017 Elliana: Pinot Gris; bright & summery, lemon notes.
Made without malolactic fermentation to retain the fruitiness.
2017 Patricia Marie: Another Pinot Gris but this one has
some American Oak, French Oak, and some steel. Toasty and some vanilla notes;
nice complexity
Full Nelson: Norton port-style made in Cognac barrels. Sweet
but not overly alcohol-y.
2017 Chardonnay: Light, bright and good acid
“Jose” Rose: Strawberry notes and great color but otherwise
clean
2016 K2: Bordeaux blend: Medium body with a long finish.
Strong fruit notes; enough so that my sweet-wine drinking friend really enjoyed
despite it being a dry red
2016 Cabernet Sauvignon: Plumb and spice notes but no
pepper.
2016 Carménère: Spicy! Also notes of clove and cherry. Not
coincidentally, declared the best Carménère in North America by the San
Francisco Wine Competition.
2016 Petit Verdot: 18 months in oak (half that new French oak). Well rounded but lower on the tannin. Katie called this a “feminine PV”
White Spark sparking (made in the methode champenoise): Full of mineral and apple notes; I liked it a lot!
As a native New Yorker and a wine drinker you’d think I’d be
more familiar with the Finger Lakes. To the contrary – they always seemed a
world away to me. Besides, as someone who primarily drinks reds the idea of an
area that
is white-focused didn’t seem appealing for the longest time.
That said, summer in Virginia is hot! Lately I’ve found my palate slowly transitioning from being red all the time to a seasonal drinker. Plus, a trip to the Finger Lakes afforded me the opportunity to do some parental bonding (OK – dad’s a beer drinker but mom is all about wine). So with the bare amount of planning, off to the Finger Lakes we went.
The Finger Lakes seems a surprising choice for a wine growing region; decades ago the conventional wisdom was the weather was too cold for most vinifera to survive in this part of the state. But in the late 1950s a guy named Konstantin Frank proved the critics wrong. Not only did he introduce cold-hardy vinifera, he realized the Finger Lakes act as a temperature sponge for the worst of upstate New York’s weather. With that discovery, the this area became one of the America’s top wine regions.
Riesling is king of the Finger Lakes, although other German or Austrian varietals like Grüner Veltliner, Lemberger (aka Blaufränkisch) and especially Gewürztraminer are also common. This shouldn’t be a surprise; the terroir in the Finger Lakes closely mirrors that of the Mosel. Terroir isn’t the area’s only connection; I found several German winemakers in some of the higher-end places. I can only assume they were recruited specifically because of their skill with these particular grapes.
Not as prevalent but still easy to find were Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, which seemed to do well-enough to justify the effort. Cabernet Franc also seemed to endure New York’s cold weather in decent shape. On the other hand, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot are tough to grow, and usually found at the bigger wineries that were willing to accept significant crop losses in bad years. Honorable mentions go to a number of hybrids, including Marechal Fosh, Seval Blanc and Vignoles.
As for the wines, my parents & I managed to visit 17 wineries (plus a cidery/meadery) in 3 days. Some places we specifically picked in advance, others were visited because they happened to be convenient. Some I won’t bother writing about (including one that advertised itself as a ‘redneck winery’) but there were many good and a few great locations that were well worth the visit.
The top 5 are in rough order, although really #3-5 are tied, #6-8 were tied and #9-11 were tied.
1) Weis: Brand new winery, probably my favorite of the trip – although I may be biased since I got to chat up the German owner/wine maker so the experience was as good as the wines on their own. Excellent Riesling and very good Gewürztraminer. The 2016 Barrel Aged Winzer Select was a contender for best of the trip. The Cab Franc was made in steel and came out very fruity. I left with a sparkling.
Owner/wine maker Hans Peter Weis
2) Wagner: A close contender for favorite visit of the trip, which was oddly surprising since they initially came off as very ‘commercial’ which I view as a negative. But my server was an older gentleman named John who was ON POINT with his descriptions and was an overall fantastic salesman. 60,000 cases/year and 225 acres of vines, making them the largest farm winery in the region. They even had a brewery, which I wanted to try but didn’t have a chance to. And if this isn’t enough, it has a great view.
For the wines: I bought two bottles, which should tell you something. The Fathom 107 was a fascinating blend of Riesling and Gewürztraminer, and the Eastside Riesling was excellent and nice had body. The 2017 unoaked Chard was good; just a tad bit of fruit but didn’t overdo it. 2017 Rose was mostly clean but some strawberry notes. The 2016 Merlot was good and had a nice finish. The 2012 Meritage was also good (and from a good vintage).
3) Keuka Lake: 3rd of my top 5 visits, including possibly the two best Rieslings I had the entire trip. Oddly enough I’d never, ever heard of this place despite asking for multiple recommendations – I just randomly showed up to try their samples. 43 acres vines/3,000 case a year. Had they been cheaper this would have been my favorite winery in the Finger Lakes.
I LOVED the 2017 “Upper Eastside” and the 2017 “Evergreen” Rieslings (both $30). The 2017 “Falling Man” Riesling was fruit forward and really good (but $40?). Even their 2017 Leon Millot was good (if a bit vegetal, but that isn’t a negative descriptor in this case). Heck, I also liked the Cab Franc, which (oddly enough) had green apple notes.
4) Hermann J. Wiemer: World-famous winery and one of the overall best selections of the trip. No hybrids – nothing but vinifera here. I really enjoyed their Rieslings, even the semi-sweet version which I never thought I’d appreciate. The 100% Grüner was also good. I ended up leaving with 3 bottles for myself and other friends.
5) Dr. Konstantin Frank: Another top 5 visits of the trip, and certainly the most famous in the area. I love the backstory though – the namesake was a Ukrainian immigrant who eventually found his way to Cornell University. With a PdD in viticulture and lots of experience growing rapes in very cold environments, he pioneered winemaking in the Finger Lakes and eventually founded his own winery. 150 acres of vines, with vineyards on several of the Finger Lakes.
There wasn’t a single ‘meh’ wine here. Several high-end Rieslings were very good although I think my favorite was the well balanced ‘traditional’ dry Riesling, with the Margrit dry Riesling with nice bite & minerality coming second . Also very notable were the “Old Vine” Pinot Noir with cherry notes, a Pinot-heavy red blend, a Gewürztraminer with lots of character, and a Sauv Blanc with big mouthfeel that mom especially liked. I also liked the Grüner, Pinot Blanc and sweet or semi-sweet Rieslings, despite not being a sweet wine drinker. Excellent view and overall presentation as well.
6) Domaine LeSurre: Owned by a couple from France, no vineyard but locally sourced fruit. Excelled in Chardonnay and reds. I especially liked oaked Chard but unoaked was good too. Had a nice Pinot with cherry notes. Also enjoyed their other reds, including an excellent 2014 Cab Franc, Lemberger, and “Reserve” red.
7) Standing Stone Vineyard: Now owned by Hermann Wiemer; 46 acres of vines. One of the oldest wineries in the area. Good Riesling and Gewürztraminer, although the surprise was their Saperavi which had a dark color and rubarb-ish notes. The Cabernet Sauvignon was good too.
8) Barnstormer Winery: Cute tasting room. Nice Sangiovese Rose; I think this was the only time I saw this varietal. Good dry Riesling with grassy notes.
9) Damiani Wine Cellars: Rare red-focused winery. 40 acres of vines, 80% estate (the rest local). Located on one of the warmer areas of the region. Very good 2017 Cabernet Franc, not overly peppery. Interesting Marchael Fosh, with a long finish. Good 2017 Lemberger with a white pepper finish and good tannin. Pinot and semi-dry wines were OK.
10) Lakewood Vineyards: My very first Finger Lakes winery ever! Nice, light bodied Cabernet Franc, although their Riesling was my favorite of the bunch. They did a good job with their Concord and Niagara grapes, although those aren’t my favorite varietals.
11) Heron Hill: This was the last winery of day #1 so while I *think* the wines were good my taste buds were most definitely shot at this point. Their main winery at the southern end of Keuka Lake was beautiful, but I actually did my tasting at their smaller tasting room on Seneca. But the Seneca location had beer, which made dad very happy. He deserved it after having to drive mom & I around all day.
We also visited Shaw, Bully Hill, Ravines, Miles, McGregor, and Earle
Estate Meadery/Torry Ridge Winery.
Not tried: Kemmenter or Forge Cellars, which are appointment-only locations that are definitely on my list for next time. I also need to visit Shalestone and Ryan Williams.
A blog about Brotherhood feels like a blog about the history of the American wine industry. It picked its first commercial vintage in 1839, which means Brotherhood was making wine before California even joined the United States.
Brotherhood was one of the few wineries to continue making wine during Prohibition (more on that in a moment). It even pioneered modern wine tourism; apparently this was quite the party spot ‘back in the day’. So next time you visit a winery, you can thank Brotherhood for inspiring that idea.
Founder Jean Jaques was French cobbler who in 1837 planted a vineyard in the town of Washingtonville, selling fruit to customers in New York City. When grape prices dropped he decided to switch from selling grapes to making wine, naming his business Blooming Grove Winery.
Blooming Grove – which after several changes of ownership was renamed the Brotherhood Wine Company around 1886 – was a commercial success. While its profits were originally driven by the sale of ‘medicinal tonic’ and sacramental wine, over time they also produced more wine for commercial sale. It appears most of their wines used American grape varieties, although they did source grapes from elsewhere.
Brotherhood also made sparkling wine labeled as ‘champagne’, long before that term was exclusively used by the French.
The advent of Prohibition in 1920 hurt business but didn’t shut it down, as they returned to their roots of making ‘medicinal’ and church wine. Fortunately, they never relinquished their stockpile of sparkling wine, so when Prohibition ended in 1933 they had a stock of sparkling on hand to celebrate.
Brotherhood also pioneered modern wine tourism. While wine sales slumped in the 1970s the owners capitalized on their location outside New York City and historic backdrop and organized tours (and parties).
Today, Brotherhood is owned by a South American wine consortium. They purchase grapes from around the United States, although New York fruit seem to get a special focus. I didn’t learn its production numbers, but I get the sense they do a lot of custom crush and bottling for other NY wineries. Brotherhood doesn’t own any vineyards though, so don’t show up expecting long rows of picture-perfect vines.
Brotherhood has a religious connection in their history, but not what you might think. No, they never had monks planting vines or stomping grapes. It’s much weirder than that – the name was inspired by what might be considered a religious cult!
Not far from the winery was spiritual commune called “the Brotherhood of New Life”. This community had some interesting ideas, among which was that God is bisexual (I swear, I’m not making this up) and promoting the use tobacco.
The wine merchants who owned the winery also sold wine made by this commune. New owners Jesse and Edward Emerson liked this name so much they adopted it, becoming “The Brotherhood Wine Company”.
If you’re going to visit, make sure to do a tour first. The cellars – also dating back to 1839 – and are so big they actually doubled as a bomb shelter. PS – if you MUST utilize a bomb shelter, this is the one to stay in because it’s stocked with some of the most massive wine barrels that I’ve ever seen. The tour lasts about half an hour but it’s definitely worth it.
As for the wines, they are most famous for their Rieslings (a lot of fruit comes from Wagner Vineyards) but they sell everything from sweet wines to port-styles to Carménère and Pinot Noir. Their port-style has consistently been my favorite, although I’ve also enjoyed their carménère and pinot noir.
It’s fashionable to model your wines after Bordeaux. If not Bordeaux, then maybe Napa. But the owners of the “Wine Caves” decided to look for inspiration elsewhere. Because here, you’ll find wines reminiscent of not only the Rhone, but Uruguay as well – with a Virginia twist.
Maggie & Mark Malick are the namesakes of this place; she’s the wine maker and he’s the viticulturist. They got their start in the wine business in 2001 when they bought a Christmas tree farm and converted it into a vineyard. Today, they have 15 grape varieties on 30 planted acres. Considering how around 80% of Virginia’s wineries grow maybe 10 acres of vines or less – that’s a lot!
When I asked Mark if I could drop by to see the vineyard, he said sure – how about 8 AM? That wasn’t exactly what I had in mind but hey…when you visit a farmer, you need to work farmer’s hours. Fortunately he switched things up and I did a tasting in the early afternoon, followed by a tour of the vineyard.
Flag of Uruguay; Tannat is their national grape.
Even if you’ve never been to Maggie, you may have (indirectly) tasted the ‘fruit of their labor’. A large portion of their grapes are sold throughout Virginia – in part because they didn’t have the space to utilize everything they grew. That’s changing though; a new tasting building was almost ready to open when I visited, which should free more room for production and storage. Mark seemed especially happy that he wouldn’t have to sell his precious Tannat grapes.
Terroir is probably the most important ingredient to great wine, and this place knocks it out of the park. In a microclimate protected by the ridgelines of Loudoun Valley, Maggie has one of the most diverse vineyards I know about. Sure, they have your typical Bordeaux grapes. But beyond those they have varietals you just don’t see very often – including Albariño, Tannat, Malbec, and Tempranillo. But what really impressed me were the rows of Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre – the ingredients for their Rhone-inspired “GSM” blends which first sparked the Malick’s interest in winemaking. Mark admitted these grapes don’t do well in Virginia but he is too stubborn to give up – much to the benefit of the rest of us.
Mark, guarding the Tannat vines.
Maggie isn’t just an aerospace engineer; she’s a mad scientist. You’d have to be in order to create the concoctions they’ve produced. I’m talking about combos like a Tannat/Viognier blend (90%/10%), their “Duet” Chardonnay/Petit Manseng blend (50/50), and (coming up) a Tannat/Tempranillo blend. I’ve seen a few Tannat/Petit Verdot blends around (and Maggie has one of those too), but I’d dare anybody to show me another Virginia wine maker with this breadth of experimentation.
Maggie at a previous barrel tasting, likely holding her Tannat/Viognier blend
As much as I
enjoyed my vineyard joy ride and conversations, the best part of any winery visit
is to taste the wines. I was VERY lucky as they brought out several bottles
that weren’t readily available. What I tried:
2017 Petit Manseng
(sweet): 2% residual sugar so it had its sweetness. Orange peel notes, heavy,
but not desert-wine sweet
2018 Petit Manseng
(dry): Grapefruit notes, made in steel.
2018 Viognier:
Melon notes, soft but not overly floral
2018 Rose: Made
with Cabernet Sauvignon! I don’t see many Virginia Roses made with Cab,
although that was almost certainly due to 2018 being a horribly wet year.
2018 Sunset Sonata
(Rose): Off dry, rich with notes of strawberry
2015 Cabernet
Franc: Plumb or cherry notes, which is a major departure from the bell pepper
or leather flavors I often find in Virginian Cab Francs. It also seemed a
little vegetal, which in this particular case was not a negative descriptor in
any way.
2016 Cabernet
Franc: Rich but young nose. Spiced up with 8% Tannat, which made me VERY happy
(I’m a Tannat fanatic)
2016 Mourvèdre:
Earthy, maybe a little vegetal (again – this is the rare case where this is not
a negative). My server recommended leaving this one open for an especially long
time.
2016 Kaleidoscope
(Bordeaux blend): Very good & rich.
2016 Tannat: Now
we’re talking! Fruit on the nose, good tannin and acid. I still haven’t
forgiven myself for not grabbing their double-gold 2014 Tannat when I had the
chance…
2018 Duet (50/50
Chardonnay/Petit Manseng): Unusual blend made in Hungarian oak that may have
been a way to experiment with the rain-soaked 2018 grapes. Very complex; you
definitely got the Petit Manseng and it tasted heavy on the tongue but this
quality was mitigated by the Chardonnay. I ended up buying a bottle so I could
show it off.
Forever Farm is a passion project for a couple who apparently thinks ‘retirement’ equals ‘more work’. Originally from New Jersey, Bob and Teri Riggs caught the wine-bug while living in California and for some crazy reason decided to open a winery on their new home in Virginia. “Retirement” as a farmer/wine maker; hey, if you love it then it’s not really work, is it?
The farm is tiny; just under 2 acres of grapes are planted
(they get more fruit from elsewhere) plus a small tasting room right next to
the barn. For the time being they are strictly appointment only, but may change
things up once they grow their inventory of wines & get into the rhythm of
running the joint.
Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon are planted, but the majority are hybrids like Chardonel and Chambourcin. They also have Noriet, Geneva Red, and Corot Noir; Cornell University hybrids that are especially hardy. It’s a smart choice; too many places try to grow grapes they like rather than what the terroir dictates, so these should do the owners well.
I made an appointment on their opening weekend. When I arrived the place was hopping! Bob & Teri took turns giving me the lowdown of the property while pouring my tasting, and afterwards I settled down with a glass of their Boykin blend. Even their son got in on the fun. A practicing Yogi visiting home from India (!), he’s also the photographer responsible for the pictures on several of their bottles.
Since they don’t have a lot of estate wines, Forever Farm is supplementing them with bottles from a local distributor. Not surprisingly a few were Italian wines (Bob’s Italian heritage is another inspiration for wine making) but overall it was an eclectic mix of purchased bottles, estate wines, and wines made with locally-sourced fruit.
Of the wines they made, what I tried:
White Oak (white blend): Chardonnay and Chardonnel; big mouthfeel.
Rose: Made with Cabernet Franc; soft but not sweet.
Boykin (red blend): Named after their (dearly departed) dog George, it was a blend of Chambourcin, Merlot, and some Cab Sauv. I already liked it, but if you’re a dog lover you’d enjoy the fact that $1 gets donated to a Boykin Spaniel Rescue charity.
I enjoyed my visit! Try a glass while relaxing near the pond.
I have a special affection for Veritas, as it’s the spot of my first overnight trip in Charlottesville. It was my 40th birthday and my present to myself was to stay at their B&B down the road – The Farmhouse. Needless to say, it was a pretty awesome birthday. Do the dinner – it’s worth it!
This time I arranged a tour. My guide was George Hodson, a member of the clan that runs the place. His parents founded Veritas in 1999, way before Virginia wine tourism was even a thing. Now, at 15K cases/year Veritas is one of the larger producers in the area. But it’s still a family run operation, with all three kids working various roles including that of Veritas’ head wine maker.
Since I’m all about dirt we started my visit with a tour of Veritas’ 60 acre vineyard (another 30 acres are offsite). Standing at the top of the hill I could quickly see this location is exceptionally suited for vinifera. Nearby Rockfish Gap gives their vines excellent airflow, and with an elevation between 700-1400 feet they are less susceptible to frost damage. Since good fruit is always the basis of good wine, this was a positive indicator of things to come.
Veritas tends to be traditional in the grapes they grow & styles of wines, but they weren’t trying to duplicate France or – even worse – California. I found plenty French grapes and some hybrids (hello Chambourcin and Traminette), but no Cabernet Sauvignon. Oddly enough this was a plus for me, because too many Virginia wineries plant grapes that simply aren’t suited to our terroir. That said, Emily Pelton – one of Virginia’s few lady winemakers – is also the winemaker at Flying Fox down the road, where she gets to showcase her experimental side.
The Farmhouse at Veritas
We did a
return trip to the tasting room to try some of Emily’s wines. I liked all of
them, but they definitely saved the best ones for last. What I had:
2018 Sauvignon
Blanc: Good acid; green apples notes and some tartness
2017
Viognier: Unlike a lot of Viogniers this was not overly floral. 5 months
neutral oak. Noticeable body & mouthfeel.
2017
Harlequin (Chardonnay): Some butter, a touch of oak, apple notes.
2014 Petit Manseng (Petit Manseng dessert wine): Dry & heavy on the tongue, 14.2% alcohol.
White Star (white blend): You could tell based on the nose this had some Traminette; easy drinking wine.
2018 Rose: Beautiful pink color! I’m a sucker for Roses that ‘look’ like how I think a Rose should look.
2017 Cabernet Franc: Soft and (relatively) mild; only a little bit of spice. But no tobacco or bell pepper notes, which I find many places tend to overemphasize. Definitely a well-made Cab Franc.
2017 Claret (Bordeaux blend): 8 months in oak; black fruit with some tannin.
2016
Vintner’s Reserve: Now we’re talking! Petit Verdot heavy; as a PV fan you can
excuse me if I savored this longer than my previous servings. Restrained
tannins; the mouthfeel spread out nicely. This was my favorite of the bunch…until…
2016
Petit Verdot: 16 months French Oak. To me this is the quintessential Virginia
grape, so forgive me if my love of the Vintner’s Reserve was quickly displaced.
Red Star:
Blend but heavy on the Chambourcin; another easy drinking red.
Othello’s port-style: Malbec and Tannat, which I found an unusual blend but they played well together. Not alcohol-y but still bold while retaining the fruitiness. Definitely one of the nicer ports I’ve had in a while (PS – Tannat is up there with PV for favorite grapes).
Last but not least was their Kenmar Ice-style wine, where the grapes are flash-frozen. I enjoyed it – especially since I don’t often get to try many in this area.
Not tried this time was their kitchen or an outdoor concert – maybe next time?
Early Mountain is everything that I would hope for in a winery. First off, the entire building is amazing to look at. The people who built it didn’t skimp on the details, be it a huge indoor space or a conference room decorated with wine bottles. Flight of wine? Yes please – take your choice of several options. Maybe a bite to eat? OK sure – here’s a menu from their kitchen. Maybe you’d like to sit outside on the porch? No problem – just check out the patio, where the view goes on for miles.
I’d been
here several times, but it had always been on the tail end of a larger trip.
This time, my taste buds came prepared for a more extensive visit.
With 35 acres of vines on this property (plus 20 on their leased Quaker Run site) they have a lot of fruit to choose from. While 90% of their grapes are estate, they do the usual horse-trading for grapes from other Virginia wineries. They make around 10,000 cases/year, plus their custom crush operation.
Ben
Jordan is their wine maker. The guy has a fascinating back-story; he bounced
around several jobs before landing at Early Mountain, including a previous
stint as a playwright. Playwright to wine maker? This dude needs to write an
autobiography. But when no less that Jay Youmans (the man in charge of the
annual Virginia Governor’s Cup competition) tells you that he’s a guy to keep
your eye on, you pay attention.
I went with the extended tasting (because why wouldn’t you?). One thing I learned is Ben REALLY likes blends, even if it was just a dash of something out of the ordinary. Several reds had a little Tannat or Syrah…or even more fascinating…a tiny amount of Petit Manseng or Chardonnay. Wait – white wine in my reds?! But hey – I loved them, so no complaints here.
What I
tried:
2018
Rose: Made in steel; Merlot-heavy red blend with great color.
5 Forks white blend: Petit Manseng & Sauv Blanc, with a splash of Chardonnay and Pinot Gris. Very complex, creamy nose with notes of leche.
2017
Chardonnay: The French oak was noticeable but not overpowering, thanks to using
neutral barrels. Nice acid; I liked this one a lot.
Soif (pronounced “Swaff”): A Cab Franc/Merlot blend with a little Petit Verdot and 3% Chardonnay. Made in stainless, which I suspect made the fruitiness more pronounced and lower on the tannins. Reminded me of a Beaujolais.
2017
Foothills: 6 blends; your traditional Bordeaux styles (minus Malbec) plus some
Syrah and a smaller portion of Petit Manseng. Liked it a lot; nice raspberry
notes.
2017
Cabernet Franc: Smooth but with a little spice. None of the tobacco or pepper
notes that I’m accustomed to in other Cab Francs.
2015 Novum
(red blend): I loved the nose!!! I swear I could nurse this glass for an hour
before sipping it. Again with the raspberry notes on the palate.
2016 Novum: Another red blend, but heavier on the Merlot (which I found very pronounced). Nice medium body with noticeable fruit but not entirely fruit-forward.
I
shouldn’t forget one of the coolest thing about their wine flights – they also
have a rotating flight of wines from other Virginia wineries. Last time I was
here, I had Ankida Ridge’s Pinot Noir. The time before that, a set of wines
from southern Virginia. The philosophy is that when Virginia wines can enter
the spotlight, all of Virginia wins. So why not give harder to find Virginia
wines the chance to find an audience here? It’s a great concept, since as the
old adage goes – a rising tide really does raise all boats.
A special shout-out to Aileen Seiver, Early Mountain’s director of marketing who kindly gave me a tour. Aileen has a really tough job; in marketing Early Mountain, she also takes visitors to other Virginia wineries like Afton Mountain and RdV (I’m sure there’s work in there somewhere).
Wine Trails and Wanderlust 