Prince Michel Vineyard and Winery

I’m not sure how best to describe the winery other than very commercial.  Upon entry, visitors walk through a gift shop toward the tasting room that can easily accommodate large groups.  Visitors have the option to take a self-guided tour of the barrel cave and tank room (it felt like walking through a museum).

Prince Michel Vineyard and Winery Barrel Cave

Prince Michel offers a complimentary tasting flight and the option to sample 5 designate wines for $1.  I was very selective in the wines I sampled, largely due to my busy schedule of winery visits, and primarily sampled the vineyard designate wines.  Out of the complimentary tasting, the Barrel Select Chardonnay 2006 ($18.99) was the standout.  The Quaker Run Syrah ($26.99) was the winner from the vineyard designate list.  Overall, I was underwhelmed, thus the poor notes I wrote during my tasting.

In summary, Prince Michel misses the mark and lacks the characteristics I love most about Virginia wine country, picturesque scenery, atmosphere, and great wine.

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The Hermann Wine Trail includes six wineries on a 20-mile stretch along the Missouri River between Hermann and New Haven, Missouri.

The region has been producing vintages since the 1840s, before Napa had produced a single bottle.

A wine region becoming a fixture on the national scene, Charlottesville, Virginia, continues to receive praise.

Virginia’s premier wine country, dotted with working farms and over 1,000 acres of grape vines, spreads out around the city of Charlottesville in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Promising character and great wine, Walla Walla Valley, Washington and Anderson Valley, California are also mentioned.  To read the complete article, click here.

Views From Fox Meadow Winery

Perched atop the Blue Ridge Mountains in Linden, Virginia, Fox Meadow Winery is pairing great views alongside great wine.  Located at an elevation of 1700 feet, Fox Meadow provides visitors with panoramic views of breathtaking mountain ranges, landscapes, and vines, all while enjoying a glass of wine on the spacious deck.

We visited on the fourth, and arrived 30 minutes prior to opening.  Our early arrival allowed us plenty of time to enjoy the picturesque surroundings and snap a few pics of the winery and vineyard.  After enjoying the grounds, we made our way to the tasting room where we were greeted by Dan Mortland, owner of Fox Meadow.  Fox Meadows offers two tastings, the standard and premium.  We opted for the premium tasting which included 8 wines paired alongside small fare.

Fox Meadow Winery

The first pour included the ’08 Pinot Grigio.  An easy drinking, crisp, clean wine that paired well with the sun-dried tomato cheese.  Up next was the ’07 Oak Chardonnay.  The name says it all, lots of oak, cream, and butter.  Aged 9 months in American oak with a splash of Riesling.  The last white include a side-by-side tasting of the ’07 and ’08 Pinot Gris.  Displaying beautiful melon and pear on the palate, the semi-dry wines were paired next to a White Stilton cheese with mango, which was incredible!  The Estate Series Cabernet Franc stole the show for the reds.  A silky, smooth red wine, with lots of plum, and blueberry flavors.  We finished the tasting with the ’06 Syrah that was paired with a tortilla chip and blue cheese.  Delicious!

More Views From Fox Meadow Winery

After our tasting, we decided to enjoy a glass of the ’06 Cab Franc outside on the deck with some Cabot horseradish cheese and Carr’s crackers, while soaking in the views.  Fox Meadow Winery provided the perfect backdrop for our wine tasting adventure on the Fauquier Wine Trail.  Cheers!

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Breaux Vineyards Entrance Sign

Whenever I visit Northern Virginia, there are three wineries that are must visits.  One of those, Breaux Vineyards, is located in Purcellville, VA on the Loudoun Wine Trail.  Easily one of the most picturesque wineries in Virginia with sweeping views of the valley between the Blue Ridge and Short Hill Mountains.  The 404 acre estate has over 100 acres planted in 18 different grape varieties, making it one of the largest growers in the region.

We visited on a Wednesday where Breaux is one of the few Virginia wineries open during the week.  The tasting room was quiet and the weather fabulous to sample some of Virginia’s best.  The tasting fee is $10 and includes 13 wines.  If I were to include all of my notes, this post would become a small novel, so I’ll stick with the highlights.  Up first were the whites.  The ’07 Sauvignon Blanc and Viognier were my winners of the group.  The Sauvignon Blanc was outstanding and has me very excited about the potential of this grape variety in Virginia.  A dry, crisp wine with good fruit left me wishing I had driven to Virginia versus flying.  I’m limited to what I can pack in my suitcase and of course, it’s no time to be shipping wine to Florida in this heat.  The Viognier, on my palate at least, was a unique example for Virginia (which I appreciate).  Beautiful orange blossom and pineapple dominated throughout.  The ’06 Select Barrel Chardonnay and the ’05 Madeleines Chardonnay are great examples of the contrasting styles of this variety and are highly recommended.

A View of the Vineyards

After enjoying the whites, I had the pleasure of meeting Jennifer Breaux, Director of Sales & Hospitality.  After introductions, we jumped right into the reds, where Jennifer and the tasting room associate provided background on their current reds.  Up first was the Equation.  A blend of Merlot from the ’05 and ’07 vintages, with a splash of Petit Verdot, the wine retails for $15.  A great quality to price ratio for a Virginia wine!  Up next included the ’05 Marquis De Lafayette, a 100% Cab Franc.  I had written down black pepper and plum on my tasting sheet.  Lighter bodied than I had remembered, and once more, a great example of a Virginia Cab Franc.  Breaux has a great Cabernet Sauvignon program, producing age worthy Cabs.  We sampled the ’03 which was complex, earthy, and well-balanced.  My wine of the day featured the 2002 Merlot Reserve, which made its way to Florida safe and sound in my luggage.  Expect an upcoming review of this wine.  The last of the reds included the much-praised, small production Nebbiolo.  Coming in at $48, the wine exhibits nice fruit and complexities with earthy, cherry, and tobacco characteristics.  We finished off our tasting with a selection of dessert wines.  I had mentioned the tasting included 13 wines, but our tasting associate pulled out the recently bottled Nebbiolo Ice Wine, that is certain to become a Virginia classic.  A beautiful wine that my wife and I went on and on about.  One bottle came home and will be reviewed at a later date.

Breaux Vineyards

I’ve tried to do my best summing up Breaux Vineyards, but sometimes words can’t describe and pictures don’t do justice. From the customer service to the wine, Breaux Vineyards is a must on every itinerary when visiting Virginia wine country.  I’ve noticed a jump in my site traffic thanks to all of my Virginia fans.  As a thank you, I will send two free Breaux tasting passes for the tenth comment telling me their favorite Breaux wine OR a favorite Breaux story.  Hurry up and plan that trip to Breaux Vineyards and be sure to tell them The Other 46 sent you.  Cheers!

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Veramar Vineyard Tasting Room

My vacation in Virginia’s wine country kicked off with a visit to Veramar Vineyard in Berryville, VA.  Surrounded by the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains, Veramar is located in the Shenandoah Valley AVA.  A boutique winery, Veramar produces 4000 cases annually and is a popular venue for weddings and events.

Upon our arrival, the tasting room was surprisingly quiet for a Friday afternoon with two other couples at the counter.  We were told by the tasting room associate that it would be a few minutes before she could get to us.  Apparently this particular staff member has not yet mastered the skill of multitasking.  While waiting, I patiently scanned the tasting sheet (which I practically memorized by the end of our visit due to the long delays between pours).  After several minutes passed, we were told the tasting fee is $5 and includes a sampling of 8 wines.  We were accompanied by a Veramar Estate Club member, so our tasting fees were waived and also included a tasting of their Norton.

Veramar Vineyard

The white wine highlights included a Riesling/Vidal and Seyval Blanc.  Both whites had good balance and acidity, and retailed for $17 and $18 respectively.  I was a bit disappointed with the reds, although the Rooster Red was very good.  A delicious blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Cabernet Franc, I could easily see this pairing well with Italian.  Nice black cherry, raspberry, and spice, I decided to enjoy a glass of the Rooster Red on the patio, but not before tasting the 2007 Norton.  Retailing for $50, I wasn’t sure what to expect, as this was easily the most expensive wine I’ve tried from Virginia.  Unfortunately, I was underwhelmed.  A solid wine with nice black fruit and oak, the wine is far, far from a $50 wine.  But then again, everyone’s palate is different, and I’m sure they sell the heck out of it.

We finished our visit outside with a baguette, cheese, and salami alongside the vines.  If you’re in the area, be sure to include Veramar Vineyard on your wine trail and mention that The Other 46 sent you.  Cheers!

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