It snowed two days ago so, considering this was my first trip to this winery, I figured it would be good for photos if nothing else.
Front showing an enclosed porch and picnic tables
I love barns!!!
To our surprise, the place was packed - guess everyone had the same idea we did! We were welcomed as soon as we entered and shown to the tasting bar. The tasting room was very rustic and cozy!
Now for a run down of the wines we tasted (which included generous pours by the way!)
Pinot Gris - 100% stainless steel but not very "mineraly", crisp with a wonderful clean smell. I'm not a huge fan of pinot gris but this was very drinkable
Chardonnay - 100% French oak, barrel fermented and with grapes from Pearmund Cellars (Chris Pearmund is the winemaker and owner of Pearmund Cellars, Vint Hill Craft Winery, and former owner of LaGrange). I knew right away if they were Pearmund Chard grapes I'd be happy and sure enough I was! A taste of butterscotch and oak. Ahhhhh, very nice.
Viognier (Vee-on-yay) - which seems to be their prized possession at this winery. Unfortunately I am not a fan of Viognier. I tend to refer to them as Viognyuck. (Vee-on-yuck) Typical Viognier. It has that typical perfume smell on the nose and a bitter aftertaste typical of this style of wine. Obviously, if it's a Southern Wine (Kentucky) winner, some people like this wine so good for them!
Peach - This wine is made from 100% peaches; not grapes. Usually I am not a fan of fruit wines, but hell, I'll try anything once! It was absolutely surprising and very refreshing. It wasn't syrupy at all and would be the basis of a good sangria or poured over pound cake or angel food cake.
Rose' of Cabernet - Not bad for a Rose. Not good, but not bad for a Rose. Strawberry was the main taste I got off of this one. Not repulsive, which is a compliment.
Merlot - Now, I love a good California or Washington Merlot, but I don't typically care for a Virginia Merlot. This one is very light in color and body and made me want to eat pizza with it - a tomato, basil and mozzarella pizza. On the nose it was "dirty" which is a good thing for me. If I can actually savor and enjoy the aroma of a wine, it's going to be a good one.
Meritage - I typically like a Meritage in Virginia and this did not disappoint. It is pronounced like heritage with an M (makes me crazy when people try to fancy it up). This is a very easy to drink blend but has a strong biting after taste. It would be good with pork barbeque or a good burger. This is a 2012 wine, like most of this winery's wines, so it can stand to "lay down" for a few years or be decanted. It is still good but shows promise years from now.
Norton - Norton is the only grape that is grown at Bull Run. This was, by far, my favorite of the tasting. I knew I'd like it from the beginning as I took a sniff and enjoyed the "farm smell" on the nose. Yep, I'm strange, eh? I smelled the wine and immediately felt like I was on a farm with cows and manure. Makes you want to drink it, right? Live a little. Take a chance, you just might be surprised.
Fort - the last wine we tasted. 100% Chambourcin grapes fortified with brandy. On the nose is a very strong brandy scent which also made me think of maple syrup and longed for pancakes. This one was great with chocolate! My first thought was - this would be a good fire pit wine! "Not bad. Good actually"
Upon completing the tasting and taking the obligatory photo ops, we decided to purchase a bottle of the Norton to share at the winery along with a warm baguette and garden pepper jack cheese.
Everyone was friendly, there weren't any obnoxious children (which make me crazy at wineries and that will be saved for a completely separate post of its own), and only two clueless 20-something bimbos acted out in the restroom.
All in all, it was a beautiful day with good wine and a good friend!
Until we meet again, most likely in the spring, cheers!
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