We have some very enjoyable award-winning bottles from Virginia, which wine lovers would be happy to sample, as well as some very, very nice new releases from California.
With Washington, D.C., nearby, Virginia wineries have profited not only from the quality of their wines but also from the beauty of their estates, a beauty that lures the romantics among us as a destination for everything from that first date to a place to take wedding vows.
If you can’t find these Virginia wines locally, buy them online or, better yet, drive on down and buy them at the winery.
2022 October One Vineyard Loundon County Albariño ($26). Very persistent fruitiness with a more aromatic rendition of the grape than is usual. Full-bodied, a little tart, well-made.
2022 Paradise Springs Virginia Petite Manseng ($37). This unsung grape from southwest France has become a big hit among Virginia winemakers – complex, savory fruit with notes of apple, mango and aged vanilla.
2021 Simon Family Estate “Golden Ore” Oakville Sauvignon Blanc ($100). A beautiful, complex white – almost gamey savory aromas and flavors to add depth to the lovely mature fruit, with notes of brioche, almost like a rich, mature Champagne without the bubbles.
2021 Haynes Vineyard “Vigneron” Coombsville Chardonnay ($106). A good mix of fruity and savory in a style that is neither buttery California not structured Burgundy – the kind of wine you want to think about it as you drink it. Elegant, medium weight, some light tannins.
2018 Arkenstone Estate Howell Mountain Sauvignon Blanc ($108). Good richness of flavors with rounded apple fruit complemented by dark oak – a lovely, very savory Sauvignon.
2023 Simon Family Estate “Tigress” Napa Valley Rosé of Grenache ($45). Tightly knit flavors of orange peel, a little lemon, wild strawberries and a firm but fresh structure with a tart finish.
2017 Bluestone Vineyard Virginia Petite Verdot ($30). Ripe, lightly tangy fruits – blueberry mainly – with good blend of fresh oak and a lightly tannic finish.
2019 Cave Ridge Vineyard “Fossil Hill Reserve” Red Wines ($65). Warm, dark flavors of blueberries and blackberries with a hint of mocha; good density of mouth feel, and a lingering dollop of vanilla.
2019 Adaptation Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon ($78). A bargain blend of PlumpJack’s Napa properties –fruit-forward and complex with blackberries, blueberries and lots of herbal notes with light cream in the finish. It improves the second and third days.
2019 Breaux Vineyards “The Fog” Virginia Nebbiolo Reserve ($86). Light creamy black raspberry fruit, very long on the palate, with some savory undernotes and a hint of chocolate.
2019 Ink Grade Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon ($96). Mix of red and black fruits, light in structure, somewhere between elegant and lean and very long on the palate.
2021 Simon Family Estate Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon ($150). Lovely, rich, velvety blackberries mixed in with chocolate tannins, though perhaps a bit lean in structure for the richness of flavors.
Prices listed are generally SRP or from wine-searcher.com. As more wineries are now shipping direct-to-consumer, check the winery website if you can’t find a bottle in your retail store.
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