BETA
This is a BETA experience. You may opt-out by clicking here

More From Forbes

Edit Story

Some Virginia Wine Shines

Following
This article is more than 9 years old.

Everyone wants in on the wine game these days. Every state in the Union.

They gaze with covetous eyes at the luster wine brings to California, not to mention the money the industry generates, both through the sale of wine and wine tourism. And then there’s all that yummy tax revenue too.

Virginia wants some of this action, and is making vigorous efforts to encourage both the quality of the wine produced in the Commonwealth, and promote awareness of it.

The numbers explain why. According to Annette Boyd, Director of the  Virginia Wine Board Marketing Office  “a 2012 economic impact study shows that the Virginia wine industry contributes almost $750 million to the Virginia economy on an annual basis. In addition, more than 1.6 million tourists, a record high, visited Virginia wineries in 2011.”

Last year sales were up 5% over 2012.

To encourage this trend, every year the Board organizes the Governor’s Cup wine competition, and for the last couple of years I have been sampling the winners. And boy, what a surprise they have turned out to be, both good and bad.

Now I know Thomas Jefferson despaired of making quality wine at Monticello, and tasting some of these “winners” two hundred plus years later, one can sympathize with his difficulty. I can’t imagine what the winemakers, or the owners, or the judges were thinking.

But on the other hand, some of them are truly terrific, and can hold there own against wine from anywhere. The most successful tend to be barrel-selected Bordeaux blends that stylistically fall somewhere between California and France; only appropriate, considering the geography.

The best of them have the ripeness and extracted concentration of ambitious, California high-end reds, but with more backbone, more structure, a sense of nervocity that is very Bordeaux.

These are my five favorites.

Adagio, Williamsburg Winery 2010 II $72

Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot

Packed with succulent ripe cherries, plums and tart blackberries. Still showing aggressive tannins, but give it five years and this will be a very serious wine.

Mosaic Red Wine, Sunset Hills Vineyards, 2010 II $50

Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc & Petit Verdot

Very Bordeaux-like in its structured intensity.

Octagon, Barboursville Vineyards 2009  II $50

Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot

Made from the best barrels in only the best vintages. A pure delight, real structure, juicy ripe fruits and fine balance.

Potomac Point Richland Heritage Reserve Red 2010 II $27

Bordeaux-style blend

Deeply opaque in the glass, big, ripe, lush dark-fruit flavors accented with vanilla and cocoa.

King Family Vineyards Meritage, Monticello 2011 II $38

VA, USA

Merlot 49%, Petit Verdot 30%, Cabernet Franc 15%, Malbec 6%

Fabulous. More European in style than CA. Shows a ripe, red-berry earthiness, real grip and structure, with hints of evolving tobacco and cedar and mushrooms.