10 Steps to a Successful Virginia Wine Tasting

October is Virginia Wine Month and it really is a great time to get together a group of your friends and make a day trip of visiting 4 or 5 wineries. Before you plan your next trip, here are some tips that will help make it more fun for everyone:

1. Consider renting a limo/bus/van: Even though it adds to the cost, it is worth it to have a designated driver. Its even better when you work with a company that knows the wineries and can help you plan.


2. Plan your trip: This is especially true if you are going out with 6 or more people. Figure out which wineries you want to hit and call ahead to let them know about what time you will be there. Plan on 45 minutes to an hour at each winery and don't forget to factor in travel time.


3. Be realistic: Most wineries are open from 11:00 to 5:00 (some until 6:00). Given the above time at each winery, plus travel time it is only realistic to plan to hit 4, maybe 5, wineries in one day. Any more than that and you really don't get a chance to savor the wines.


4. Take notes: mot wineries have sheets you can use to take notes, but even without that there is nothing wrong with bringing a pad and taking some notes on the wines. They don't have to be Robert Parker style reviews, just notes to remind yourself why you liked a wine. That way when you are trying to think back to first winery from the fifth you have something to jog your memory.


5. Pack a lunch: There is nothing better than opening up a bottle or two and enjoying the wine and the scenery over a nice lunch. So, pick one of the wineries and plan on having a picnic there. Again, just call ahead to make sure it is okay, especially if you have a group of 6 or more.


6. Bring lots of water: It is important to stay hydrated as the tastings progress.


7. It is not a bar crawl: The wineries want you to have fun, and enjoy yourself. But, a wine tour is not a drunkfest. Wineries are subject to the same ABC laws as everyone else, if you show up drunk they can't serve you. If you are acting like an ass they will throw you out. Have fun, get a little tipsy, but avoid getting falling down or obnoxiously drunk


8. It is not BYOW: Again, ABC laws prevent you from bringing other wine to a winery, not to mention that it is just rude and tacky. Winemakers work hard to create good wines, bringing another wine to a winery is an insult.


9. Expect to pay a tasting fee: I have tasted wine all over the world and most wineries charge between $5 and $10 for a tasting fee. The wineries have to re-coup the cost of the tasting room somehow, and honestly, even with the charge most wineries don't make a profit on their tasting room.


10. Take a tour: If the winery offers it, take a tour. This will give you a good idea of how the winery works, what the winemaker's philosophy is and it is always a lot of fun.

FWS: Cheese and Wine Pairing

I've been wanting the FWS to put on an event like this for a long time.

I know very little about pairing cheese with wine, and this seems like a great opportunity to learn more. Sadly, I have plans on Sunday and can't make it. But, if it is succes, I am sure there wil be others!

Wine Investment

The Telegraph has an interesting article on investing in wine.

This paragraph caught my attention:

"Berry Bros and Rudd (BBR) is Britain's oldest wine and spirit merchant, established in 1698 since when it has traded from the same shop. The merchant has a website www.bbr.com where buyers can peruse their stock and buy directly but they also provide a popular "cellar plan" service. Investors pay a lump sum, BBR suggest £10,000, or an unspecified monthly direct debit and outline their taste profile of region, age and whether they wish to store the wine for any length."

Seriously, in the same building since 1698? I think I might need to stop by next time I am in London :)

Beaujolais Harvest

Decanter has another great video on their site talking about the Beaujolais Harvest:



Pictures from the harvest here.

More details about the harvest here.

Beaujolais Nouveau will be November 19th this year.

Virginia Wine Getaways

Virginia has a bunch of promotions this year to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the "Virginia is for Lovers" campaign. One of the coolest is a series of wine getaways. The label them 48 Hour Guilt Free Getaways, but that is way too much to type :).

Now that the harvest is here, its the perfect time to visit Virginia wineries and making a weekend of it is a lot of fun. They even have something nice for my neck of the woods, Loudoun County. My personal favorite is the Mountain Majesty Getaway. In addition to harvest, this is when the leaves change and it is the perfect time for a drive through the mountains.

Review: 2006 Three Fox Alouette

Wine: 2006 Three Fox Vineyards Alouette



Review: Alouette is the Three Fox Vineyards Cabernet Franc. The wine has the characteristics of of a typical Virginia Cabernet Franc. It had a medium pepper taste and dark fruit flavors, the long palate left a taste of toast in the back of the mouth. It has mellowed well over the years and is an excellent wine.

Price: $20

Grade: 90

Great Grapes at Reston Town Center

I didn't realize that the fall edition of the Great Grapes Festival at Reston Town Center is coming up this weekend. The event is always a lot of fun and its also a great place to bring the kids!

Brane Cantenac Wine Dinner

A few days after the Heart's Delight tasting and auction Chef Marty hosted a Brane Cantenac wine dinner at Petits Plats which is a cool little French Restaurant in Woodley Park. Henri Lurton, owner and winemaker at Brane, was there to talk about the wine.

The food was excellent and Henri did a masterful job of explaining why he chose to pair different vintages with different foods. It was nice to get his insight into each vintage and to learn more about the different years and what to expect from Brane Cantenac wines for each year.

I've gone to several similar verticals at BBreaux Vineyards and it is always a fascinating experience. Learning about the different years and how that affects the wine is great...but then actually getting to taste the vintages for yourself really brings the experience home. It is a great way to educate your palate and a lot of fun :).

Heart's Delight Wine Dinner

The next two posts are ones I've been meaning to post for a while, but wanted to save before my trip.

Back in May, the American Heart Association hosted their annual Heart's Delight wine tasting and auction. This is an incredible event. Not only does it raise money for a good cause (a lot of money), but it gives its patrons a chance to taste some of the best wines in Bordeaux.

Over 30 Chateau participate in this event, and they don't just send along their wines, they also send along their owners and winemakers to talk about each wine. The tasted was refereed by Robert Parker, but each Chateau got to talk about their own wines.





One thing that really struck me while listening to the winemakers talk was their sense of appreciation for the land. Winemaker after winemaker referred to themselves as the caretaker of the land or talked about how much they limit production to preserve the land for future use. I guess when you are a winemaker in a region that has been making the world's greatest wines for over a 1000 years it can be a little humbling.

After the tasting we went down the auction room where many chefs, from all over the country, were gathered and offering up samples of some of their best dishes. Some of the best restaurants in DC were there, including Chef Geoff, as well as chefs from Chicago, New York, Los Angeles. Atlanta and more.




They also let us bring down any of the unused wine from the tasting. Naturally, I grabbed a couple of bottles of Brane Cantenac,

Overall, it was a great event for a great cause. If you are in the DC area I highly recommend that you go next year if you get a chance.

The Other 46

Another blog to keep an eye on: The Other 46 tracks Bryan's visits and tastings through wine states that are not California, Washington, Oregon and New York. It is a very good read, check him out.