I've spoken about Meritage wines before and I knew that there was an association a winery had to join prior to using the Meritage name, but I never knew exactly what the standards were. I also did not know that you could make a white Meritage.

It is kind of cool to know what the rules (such as they are) for a Meritage wine are and to know what wineries in your state are Members. It is kind of a challenge, like trying to taste all of the Chateaus in Margaux, sampling all the Meritages in Virginia :).

Over the weekend I got 40 comments telling me how great my writing is. Oddly, all of them were also advertising Viagara knock-offs. Needless to say, they all got rejected. The sad thing is this blog gets, on average, 25 hits a day so even if I did let the comments through chances are, no one would see them :).

The wine club recently went to the The Winery at La Grange. The winery at La Grange is one of Chris Pearmund's properties and has been around for about a year.

This is the only winery in Prince William County. The tasting room and the grounds are impressive, it is obvious that a lot of thought went into the user experience.

Because the winery is so new none of the wines are made from grapes grown at La Grange, instead the grapes are imported from all over Virginia and made on site.

The winemaker's focus is definitely on the reds. While they do make a good Pinot Grigio, the wines that shine are their 2006 Cabernet Franc, the Claret (a blend of Graciano, Tannat and Touriga Nacional) -- which is a great everyday wine, and their Meritage is absolutely fantastic.

Wine: 2003 Segla Bordeaux



Review: Its funny how perspecitves in the wine industry change over time. With the exception of Meritage, which has been growing in popularity, Virginia wine makers have tended to look down on blended wines. Not all of them, some have always made good blended wines and are, rightfully, very proud of them. But, the majority of winemakers seemed to view blended wines as nothing more than table wines.

No less than three winemakers at the Virginia Wine Festival last week talked up their blended wines and mentioned how important they are to their future.

Of course, all that talk made me want to open a bottle of Bordeaux :). Segla is the second growth of Chateau Rauzan-Segla, part of the Margaux appellation. The wine is 54% Cabernet Sauvignon, 41% Merlot, 1% Cabernet Franc, and 4% Petit Verdot.

The wine had a strong nose and a deep ruby color. It offered hints of blackberry and tobacco and some oak. A strong finish, resting on the palette for a while, without being too overpowering.

Price: $40

Grade: 90

Wine: Jefferson Vineyards 2003 Monticello Meritage



Review: This is the last of the Virginia Meritages (at least that I am aware of, please email me if you know of others that have not been reviewed here). The blend is 60% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Franc, and 15% Cabernet Sauvignon.

The Merlot and the Cabernet Franc really complement each other in this complex wine. The Merlot provides a solid base, while the Cabernet Franc adds a rich flavor. Overall, this is an excellent wine and a good addition to the Virginia Meritage family.

Price: $25

Grade: 90

Wine: Barboursville Vineyards 2002 Octagon



Review: This is the 6th edition of the Barboursville Ocatagon. It is a blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Cabernet Franc. This is the fourth Virginia Meritage blend that I have tried, and, and it was very good. The 2001 Octagon actually won "Best in Show" at the 23rd Annual Virginia Wine Competition.

The wine has the remnants of heavy tannins that have mellowed over the last 4 years. It is a deep, rich color with an aroma of plum and tobacco. It is a very complex wine, with great depth and a smooth finish.

Price: $30

Grade: 90

Wine: Tarara 2002 Meritage

Review: I went out to Tarara with a friend to do the wine tour and go through their tasting. Well, it just so happens that Tarara was having their Midwinter Blues' Blues festival. Rather than hit another winery, we grabbed a bottle of the Meritage and sat down to listen to good music.

I picked the Meritage because my friend is fond of Boudeaux style wines. This one is an excellent blend of Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. It was a dark wine aromas of pepper, cherry and plum. The taste was excellent: spicy with hints of chocolate, fruit and a prominent taste of oak. This is an excellent wine that will get better with age.

How good was it? My friend insisted on taking the unfinished portion home -- so no picture :).

Price: $35

Grade: 95

Wine: Pearmund Cellars 2003 Ameritage





Review: This is an excellent wine. It is such a good wine that I was actually bummed that I was drinking it alone tonight. It is one of those wines that you want to share with your friends. The blend is 46% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc, 6% Malbec and 6% Petite Verdot. Obviously, it is a very complex wine with hints of brambleberry, raspberry, cherry and licorice.

The wine has a strong, but not overpowering, flavor that blends well with food but will also stand on its own.

Price: $23.00

Grade: 95