Ramulose Ridge Vineyards:
Name: Chardonel
Variety: Chardonnay & Seyval Blanc
Region: Moneta, Virginia
Year: 2012
Price: $14
Winery Review: a hybrid variety of Chardonnay and Seyval Blanc.
My Review: This wine was a light yellow color in the wine glass. It smelled fruity of pears and white grapes. This was a nice light and crisp wine on the palate. It had some apple and pear flavors and did not have the oaky and butter flavors of many Chardonnays.
Name: Sweetwater
Variety: Traminette
Region: Moneta, Virginia
Year: 2012
Price: $12
Winery Review: our luscious Traminettte perfectly sweetened.
My Review: This cloudy yellow wine was very interesting. This wine smelled like ocean water with salt and lemon scents. It had a more muted bath water flavor. It had a full-body on the palate. This wine was not my favorite. It was very sweet but the flavors seemed off. It may have been because this wine was served a little warmer than it should have been.
Name: Cabernet Franc
Variety: Cabernet Franc
Region: Moneta, Virginia
Year: 2012
Price: $18
Winery Review: blackberry flavors will overwhelm your pallet with a hint of oak.
My Review: This deep red wine smelled like oak on the nose. It was a full-bodied, dry Cabernet Franc. It had distinct pepper and blackberry notes. This wine seemed very similar to a Cabernet Sauvignon with its rich oak and berry flavors. This wine was a little too tannic for my tastes.
Fincastle Vineyard and Winery
Name: Cabernet Sauvignon
Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon
Region: Fincastle, Virginia
Year: 2012
Price: $14
Winery Review: Our Cabernet Sauvignon is a full bodied dry red aged 2 years in American oak, with cherry and black currant notes.
My Review: In the wine glass this wine was a dark red color. It smelled of oak and minerals. On the palate this was a medium-bodied, dry wine. This Cabernet Sauvignon tasted like oak, blackberries, currant, and a acidic finish. This was a decent Cabernet Sauvignon.
Name: Rose
Variety: Chambourcin & Vidal Blanc
Region: Fincastle, Virginia
Year: 2012
Price: $13
Winery Review: Refreshing, semi-sweet blend of Chambourcin and Vidal Blanc crafted for well-balanced acidity with cherry and strawberry notes.
My Review: This wine was a deep pink color in the wine glass. It had distinct strawberry smells. On the palate this wine was light and mouth-watering. The main taste I received from this wine was that of strawberries. This wine was good but a little too sweet to drink more than one glass at a time.
Name: Hybrid Vigor
Variety: Chardonnel, Vidal Blanc, and Traminette
Region: Fincastle, Virginia
Year: 2012
Price: $13
Winery Review: A semi-sweet white wine with a citrus finish blended from French-American hybrids Chardonnel, Vidal Blanc & Traminette. You will notice bold tropical fruit flavors of pineapple and mango.
My Review: This blend was a light yellow in the wine glass. It had very floral and citrus smells. On the palate this wine was very light and crisp. This wine had flavors of peach and mango. This was an extremely pleasant wine. It was not too sweet and perfect for the warm afternoon. My friends and I bought a bottle and sipped on it throughout the day.
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Notaviva Vineyards
Name: Gitano Blackberry
Variety: 83% Chambourcin, 17% Blackberry Wine, 5% Residual Sugar
Region: Loudoun County, Virginia
Year: 2011
Price: $19
Winery Review: Exotic and sweet, our "Gitano" Chambourcin after dinner wine pays homage to the music of the nomadic Romani people. Let the distinct sounds of the phrygian dominant mode fill your ears as the scents of wildflowers, spice and black cherries leap from the glass. Best paired with starry nights, bonfires and fast Gypsy music.
My Review: This wine had a purple tint in the wine glass. It smelled very sweet of blackberries and cherries. It was a fuller, sweet wine on the palate. This wine tasted mostly of blackberries and was very sweet. This was meant to be more of a dessert wine.
Food and Wine Pairing
Name: Celtico Chambourcin
Variety: 100% Chambourcin
Region: Loudoun County, Virginia
Year: 2011
Price: $17
Winery Review: The bad boy of the family, our Celtico Chambourcin is looking for a good time at a Gaelic football game. With your sister. Slainte Mhath! Best paired with Celtic rock. Goes well with anything on the grill, our personal favorite is brats over real mesquite charcoal.
My Review: This wine was a deep red color in the wine glass. This wine had a mineral and wood smell. It tasted of black cherries with a mineral finish. This was a drier wine with a heavier mouth-feel.
Food: Bull and Bones BBQ Sandwiches
The Celtico wine was originally very dry with mineral flavors. However, the Barbecue sauce in the pulled pork sandwiches brought out a sweetness to the wine that was not there before. The pulled pork had a peppery flavor that brought out some of the pepper and wood notes in the wine. Overall, this wine was meant to be consumed with a red meat but the pulled pork was a cheaper alternative that worked out nicely.
Favorite Wine
Name: Verano White Wine
Variety: 50% Sauvignon Blanc, 50% Traminette - fermented in French Oak barrels - 1% residual sugar
Region: Loudoun County, Virginia
Year: 2011
Price: $22
Winery Review: Summer - the season of warm lazy days, outdoor evening concerts, midnight cares and stargazing with that special someone. Pour yourself a glass of sunshine, our delicately sweet Vidal Blanc. Fermented in French oak for a silky mouthfeel, the lightly floral bouquet is reminiscent of a secluded Virginia meadow. Best paired with romantic orchestral film scores and beautiful summer sunsets.
My Review: This wine was perfect for the Fork and Cork event. It was a light yellow color in the wine glass. It had floral smells and tasted of citrus and apple. It was a sweet, light wine on the palate. It was a great wine to walk around with on a warm spring day. The weather definitely impacted my preferences for the day. I much preferred the light, cool white wines of the day because they paired better with the afternoon.
