When Boxwood approached me in 2006, they asked me to visit the vineyard and winery. They had already done a lot of homework with regard to planting the vines and developing the local terroir. They were determined to have a scientific approach to vineyard management and winemaking. They also had the means to their goals. Also, I clicked immediately with the family. Finally, Virginia is an easy stop on my way back from California to Bordeaux. So I had no hesitation to work for Boxwood.
As far as Virginia is concerned, it is true that its wines are not very well-known outside of the D.C./Maryland/Virginia area. Some of the white wines were well-received internationally, but red wines have been trailing. The issue is that people have been trying to make wine there since Thomas Jefferson, but with limited success because of the weather, which triggers a lack of concentration in grapes, as well as pest and mildew. Today, there are a number of interesting wineries leading the way. I believe that Boxwood is a key component of that effort to put Virginia on the map. From my experience there over the past few years, I am now persuaded that the key red variety for Virginia is cabernet franc.
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