My aunt, who is not a big drinker, wanted to visit a winery. She was actually more interested in the whole process, how the grapes grow, how the wine is made, bottling etc. Rather than try to fumble my way through something she would like, I contacted Virginia Wine Adventuress with a very specific request: We want a full tour of one vineyard.

Deidra and I exchanged several emails and we finally decided on Tarara, and we were not disappointed. We started the day off in the vineyard as Deidra explained where the different varietals were grown, how they are harvested, the steps the winemaker takes to ensure the vines are protected without endangering humans (to prove this point, she popped a grape off the vine and ate it :)).

The next step was the cave. I've been through the cave before, but Tarara has since closed it off to tours, Deidra managed to get us in and we got to watch some of the harvest being processed, which was very cool.

After the cave we did the standard tasting and then retired to the patio for a really nice lunch Deidra had prepared for us.

Overall, it was a great day and everyone had a lot of fun. I realize that our tour was not typical (in fact, next week when the wine group was at La Grange we ran into Deidra again, this time with a bride and her bridesmaids out on a tour), but it was still a lot of fun.

I am going to Indiana to visit my friend Becky next weekend. While I am out there we are going to visit a couple of Indiana wineries. i thought as an exchange I would bring her a couple of Virginia wines. The first choice that springs to mind is a Cabernet Franc, but which one?

You all know I have been disappointed in the 2005 crop of Cabernet Francs. Fortunately for me, Horton's current release, which is amazing, is their 2000 vintage making it an easy choice.

In addition to a representative varietal I also want a bottle that shows off the talent of Virginia winemakers. For the second bottle I was thinking of Pearmund's Meritage or Tarara's Wild River Red.

Any other suggestions?

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

A recipe for Christmas brownies: Grab a box of any off the shelf brownie mix. Instead of water use Tarara's Wild River Red. It is an excellent dessert wine that complements the chocolate really well.

I went back to Tarara on Sunday and did a proper wine tasting. Their wines have definitely improved over the last few years. In particular I was impressed Cabernet Sauvignon and the Charval. In the light of day, their Cabernet Franc did not hold up as well as I would have liked. There are better in the area, but I think it will get better with age.