Vino to Compliment the Inauguration

The past few days included a great many things...

1. A visit to Rappahannock Cellars
2. Lasagna lunch is in full effect at Naked Mountain Vineyards (posting to follow)
3. The swearing in of our 44th president :)

Unfortunately I'm just going to blog about the wine and not about the dawn of a new day for the US.... but HEY what a better way to start off Obama's first day as President than with some fantastic vino!

The winter scene was in full effect this past weekend, putting about a 2-3" coat of snow throughout the western parts of VA. To me, nothing goes better with snow than a nice glass of Cab Franc. So I'll start this week's posting with Rappahannock's Cabernet Franc:

Cabernet Franc 2006
This wine is up there with Linden's Claret in regards to drinkability. This is the perfect wine to drink with a good book in a bubble bath or by the fire. Hell it's the perfect wine for pretty much anything... when I was having my tasting the man pouring the wine said he enjoyed it with pepperoni pizza... I could see that too.

Nose:
cherries, tobacco

Taste:
mild tannins, very smooth, currant, rassberries


Rappahanock is a beautiful cellar set in the foothills of the Shanandoahs. Their tasting fee is a little high for the area ($7.50 per tasting or $3.00 if you've tasted there before), but you get to go home with the glass and you do get a fair bit of wine for what you pay for. Typically their tastings consist of 8 or more wines. In the busy months they offer two different flights of wines to choose from. So as you can see there's a lot of variety. The Cab Franc was my favorite, but they have other exceptional wines as well, including their 2007 Viogner and 2006 Meritage.

Fox Meadow

A short drive from Linden Vineyards is Fox Meadow Winery. This winery probably has one of the best views in the area and rivals what you would see if you hiked a mile on skyline drive. They're situated about 1700ft above sea level. It's a very nice set-up with a large wrap around deck that overlooks the stunning views.

Fox Meadow updates their tasting menu week-to-week which makes it a good option to keep coming back. Another nice thing they do is that they pair their wines with recommended foods. Granted it's a morsel of food, but still it's nice to have a pairing to bring out the flavor of the wine. They definitely get creative with their pairings as well (think rice krispy treats).

WINE REVIEW FOR FOX MEADOW WINERY

Chardonnay 2006

Nose: floral, fruity, honeysuckle, pear
Taste: floral, fruity, butter, fig, pear, zippy

This Chardonnay has a brightness that dances on your tongue. It's steel barrel fermented but still has the big bold flavor of a chardonnay that's been fermented in old, french oak.

Linden Vineyards

I can't think of a better vineyard to start with than Linden. The vineyard and property completely charmed me the first time I entered it (not to mention their wine). I've been to Linden over 50xs and their wine never seems to disappoint. They're an hour away from DC off of exit 13 on 66. The drive up is very scenic.

Once you've made it to the vineyard you'll notice that the location is gorgeous with views of farmland and mountains. The architecture is rustic, but contemporary with wood beams across the ceiling and modern art on the walls. There are tastings in the front room and they have cellar tastings for $12 every 45 minutes. They have an indoor seating area with a wood burning stove to warm you up in the winter, plus they have outdoor seating on the deck and picnic tables on the main lawn. You can order cheese, baguettes, smoked salmon etc. However you have to be a case club member (purchase a case a year) in order to take advantage of the seating/picnic areas. To be honest Linden wines are excellent, so it's well worth the case. If you can't do the case, at least enjoy a tasting. The wine is fantastic and the people are very knowledgeable and friendly.

WINE REVIEWS FOR LINDEN VINEYARDS

Seyval 2007

Nose: Grapefruit, apples, lemon, hint of honey
Taste: Bright, refreshing, crisp, grapefruit, citrus

This wine literally dances on your tongue... almost effervescent. It's incredibly bright and crisp. Perfect poolside wine for those of us who don't like sweet wine and want something light and refreshing.

Claret 2004

Nose: Spicy, fruity, black cherries, black currents, hint of spice
Taste: Woody, fruity, very smooth, but heavy in flavor. Black cherries, mild tannins, subtle spice flavor

The wine is a rich, dark red and completely unfiltered. The nose is extremely pleasant, lots of black cherries and currents. The flavor is robust, but smooth... lots of cherries, but a slight spiciness to it. It's full-bodied with a lasting finish.

Hardscrabble Red 2005

Nose: Barnyard, fruity, grassy, earthy, plum, currants
Taste: Flinty, fruity, black cherries, earth, plum, smooth finish

Mild tannins with a slight bite. Has a mild earthy flavor and nose that compliments the heavy plum undertones.