A New Year. An Old Favorite.

Another year has come and gone. The blog turned 4. TasteCamp paid a visit to my home state. And local wine is stronger than ever. A great year, by any measure. One with great memories, noteworthy wines and exceptional wine experiences. Before I kick off 2013, I thought I’d recap a few of those exceptional wine experiences, where coincidentally, happened to take place at Linden Vineyards.

The first included the TasteCamp tasting and vineyard walk with Jim Law. It was a fitting finale to a great event, especially having the opportunity to walk Hardscrabble Vineyard with the legend himself. To see the excitement from the group as they sipped on the Avenius Sauvignon Blanc still brings a smile to my face.

The second happened by chance. Friend and fellow wine writer, Keith Edwards, happened to be in Virginia during the same time I was visiting. One of my favorite people, Keith also calls Orlando home and is a true wine aficionado. As I made my way upstairs with a glass of Hardscrabble Red, I happened to spot Keith and his lovely wife. After sharing several great bottles, laughs and stories, we concluded our afternoon with Jim Law. A remarkable tasting, made even greater by the company.

What’s become a tradition, I like to start the New Year with a special wine. With so many great wines to choose from, I decided to return to an old favorite. One that symbolizes the prior year, but also provides a glimpse of the future. The Linden Vineyards 2008 Petit Verdot.

The always enticing nose displays smoky notes, with black currant, herbs and spice. On the palate, well-integrated tannins, earthy and complex. Plum, blackberry and coffee notes abound. The wine will reward the patient.

A New Year. An old favorite. Cheers!