Virginia

This dessert wine is a 50/50 blend of Moscato and Vidal Blanc from Virginia.  Deep golden/amber in color, clear and bright.  The nose is honeyed with peach.  Viscous texture.  Nice acidity.  Sweet but not cloying.  On the palate, canned peaches with a touch of honey.  A bit of sour citrus candy on the finish which is nice.  A little goes a long way.  This is a very nice dessert wine that is great on its own and would work with a not too sweet cookie, perhaps short bread.  Drink over the next ten years.  It comes in a 375ml bottle.  

This is an interesting blend of 50% Tannat, 33% Merlot, and 17% Malbec from Virginia.  The name, L.

This is a Bordeaux blend of 48% Merlot, 28% Petit Verdot, 20% Cabernet Franc, and 4% Malbec from Virginia.  It is a winner of the 2024 Virginia Governor's Cup award.  By the way, the word Meritage means a blend and rhymes with the word heritage.  Garnet/purple in color, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose is yeasty (in a good way) with black cherries and spice.  Full bodied.  Medium tannins.  Good acidity.  On the palate, black cherries with some char.  Some mint notes on the long finish.  This is still developing but has a classic right bank profile.  It will show better with food.  Roaste

This is a Bordeaux blend of 46% Cabernet Franc, 30%Merlot, and 24% Petit Verdot from Virginia.  Garnet in color, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose is dusty, a slight aquarium note which blew off after about twenty minutes, boysenberry, and graphite.  Medium to full bodied.  Firm tannins.  Well balanced.  On the palate, black cherries, fresh tobacco with a slight green bell pepper note especially on the finish.  Good finish.  This drinks like a classic cooler vintage Bordeaux.  It is nice on its own but better with food.  It would be great with stuffed peppers.  Dirnk over the next five to

This is a Bodeaux blend from Virginia which is 42% Merlot, 29% Petit Verdot, and 29% Cabernet Sauvignon.  Garnet in color with some purple swirls, mostly clear and bright.  The nose has dusty attic with sour cherries, char and gravel.  Medium to full bodied.  Medium tannins.  Nicely balanced.  On the palate, cherries, slight bitter cherry pit, and a fresh herb note.  Long finish.  This is has some complexity.  Certainly ripe but not over ripe.  It is nice on its own but better with food.  Anything that would work with classic Bordeaux would work.  Lamb chops would be great.  Drink over the

12.5% abv.  A 2024 Governor's Cup winner.  Pale silvery/gold in color, clear and bright.  The nose is flinty with some oak/spice.  With air a bit of citrus shows.  Medium bodied.  Slightly viscous/creamy texture.  On the palate, lemons with some minerality.  The midpalate had green apples.  An interesting menthol note on the finish that turns chalky.  Overall, a slightly oaked, crisp Chardonnay that is nice on its own and even better with food.  It would work well with broiled or grilled scallops.  Drink over the next five to eight years.  

Take a grape like Pinotage (a cross between Pinot Noir and Cinsault) and grow it in Virginia and guess what, it's a very good wine!  Purple in color, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose is earthy with black cherries, mushrooms and slight clove.  Light to medium bodied.  On the palate, nice black cherry fruit with underlying damp earthiness.  Some depth.  Nice finish.  This is slightly sweet but very smooth and easy to drink.  It drinks nicely on its own and will work with meaty foods.  Beef stroganoff would be a good choice.  

This is a rose made from Cabernet Franc and Merlot in Virginia.  Light pink in color, clear and bright.  The nose is nice with strawberries and some watermelon.  Light to medium bodied.  On the palate, this is crisp and clean.  It drinks quite easily and there is nice watermelon fruit.  Moderate finish.  This drinks well on its own but should work with all but the heaviest of meat dishes.  Drink over the next year.