"Virginia is for Lovers" ...and Wine

They say “Virginia is for Lovers” and I’d have to agree. Well, at least in the sense that it was a love for a man that kept me in Virginia after graduate school and a love for vino that led me to the Virginia wine industry. I also just spent Memorial Day Weekend in Virginia with the love of my life and friends that I love. If this all counts, then that motto is completely legit. In fact, I fell in love all over again with the scenery and the wine of the Shenandoah Valley. It had been almost a year since I had last visited the area, and it’s been more than two years since I left my 3-year management position at a winery located just 45 minutes north of Charlottesville, VA. One evening on the patio over a bottle of wine, my husband and I drunkenly decided that we were overdue for a trip down memory lane and immediately booked the weekend get-away.

Essentially, there is quite a rich history for me in Virginia, so the flood of emotions I felt simply upon crossing the state line from North Carolina was expected. A mountain-lined horizon and an electric sunset greeted us as we arrived excited for the awaiting adventures. We were looking forward to seeing familiar faces and reconnecting with memories of our past. Working at the small-batch farm-based winery in Virginia provided a unique experience to learn about science, customer service, production, distribution, marketing, and sales within the industry. Therefore, my 3-year academic hiatus and somewhat scenic route in life to be a professional wine nerd turned out to be a decision that cultivated my appreciation for viticulture and developed the depth of wine knowledge that I have today. 

My first time tasting instead of working at the Cross Keys Vineyards booth at Valley Fest

The first day of our trip was spent splitting our time between beer and wine at Massanutten Resort’s 2015 Valley Fest Beer and Wine Festival. Dozens of local breweries and wineries gathered at the base of the ski resort for an afternoon of live music and friendly debauchery. While most of the wines at this type of festival event tend to be sweeter, I mainly stuck to tasting beer. Yet, I did enjoy a tasting from my old employer from the other side of the tasting tent for the first time in four years. We also danced to the musical stylings of Mr. Mike Davis, our favorite local musician who also performed at our wedding reception last year. The beer, wine, and tunes were flowing on a perfect 75 degree sunny day in the Valley.

Mike Davis rocking covers of everything from Taylor Swift to Michael Jackson because he's awesome

Day 2 in Virginia was dedicated to revisiting some of my favorite wineries between Harrisonburg and Charlottesville. On my days off while working at the vineyard, I often traveled to our neighboring vineyards to taste the wines and meet the winemakers because I was always being asked by guests for recommendations to visit in the surrounding area. I made a commitment to gathering first-hand experiences in order to help visitors navigate the wine region, and I was thrilled to have an opportunity to once again vineyard-hop like old times. My husband and I were joined by one of our fellow “married wine nerds” couples for a day of tasting and reminiscing.

Took home the Chardonnay at King Family Vineyards

I always plan my winery excursions by starting with the point furthest from where I want to end up, so we started the morning with a 45 minute drive southeast of Harrisonburg to stop #1: King Family Vineyards. Located in Crozet, VA, this winery not only serves up some of the best red varietals in the state, but it is also famed for hosting Sunday afternoon polo matches.

King Family is famous for their Sunday polo matches (and delicious red wine)

We arrived within an hour of opening and folks had already pitched their tents around the polo field in preparation for the afternoon festivities. While crowds began to gather outside, the tasting room still had plenty of space for us to belly up to the bar for their Classic Tasting Flight. I’ve always been impressed with the staff’s hospitality and kindness – they truly make you feel welcome no matter how busy it gets or how crowded the tasting room may be – and that day was no different. We were led through tastings of 6 wines: Roseland 2014 (a crisp, refreshing blend of Chardonnay, Viognier, and Petit Manseng), Chardonnay 2013 (an interesting balance of peach-flavored acidity on the front palate followed by spicy oak on the finish), Crosé 2014 (a dry rose full of strawberry and citrus), Merlot 2013 (a medium-bodied mouthfeel of black cherries and raspberry tones), Meritage 2013 (a well-balanced blend of Merlot, Petit Verdot, Cabernet Franc, and Malbec), and Loreley 2013 (a dessert wine made of Petit Manseng filled with sweet notes of apricots and pears). I wish we could have sampled their Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot because those were always standouts on my previous visits, but they did not have any open bottles in the tasting room. We did, however, snatch up a bottle of the unique Chardonnay to enjoy back home in Georgia.

Beautiful grounds and modern, bright architecture at Pollak Vineyards

Next stop? Pollak Vineyards. Located just a short 10 minute drive down the road in from King Family in Crozet, this vineyard is home to one of my favorite patios and grounds in the area. It’s a very serene setting next to a small lake and stunning views into the surrounding vineyards. We settled in at the tasting bar for their full tasting flight which included the 2012 Chardonnay (a bright, acidic style with aromas of pineapple and honeysuckle), 2013 Viognier (a beautiful floral nose and an intense body of tropical fruit), 2014 Pinot Gris (a stone finish with bright minerality), 2014 Rose (a balance of white pepper spice and strawberry freshness), 2012 Merlot (a lighter-bodied but smooth mouthfeel line with flavors of ripe cherries and blueberries), 2012 Meritage (a smooth red blend anchored on a mid-palate of blackcurrant and cedar spice), 2012 Petit Verdot (an earthy, robust expression of my favorite Virginia grape), and 2010 Mille Fleurs (a port of Viognier with hints of candied apricots, figs, and honey).

Happy to take home a perfect expression of Virginia-style Viognier from Pollak

We took home a bottle of the lovely Viognier after giving loving attention to their vineyard dog and enjoying the friendly service of the tasting room staff. This vineyard is not to be missed while in the area – next time, we will bring a picnic for the patio.

Dogs like wine tasting too

Third stop? Barren Ridge Vineyards in Fishersville, VA after a short half hour drive north of Crozet heading back toward Harrisonburg. Upon arrival, we were welcome by winery owners, John and Shelby. I had the pleasure of meeting with them monthly during my employment at the vineyard as part of the Shenandoah Valley Wine Growers Association. They are friends to the many winemakers in the surrounding area, and their hospitality is not to be missed for anyone new to visiting Virginia wine country.

Vineyard-hopping double-date at Barren Ridge Vineyards

We settled up to the tasting bar for a full tasting which included 2013 Vidal Blanc (a refreshing, bright combination of peach and lime flavors), 2013 Tinkling Spring (a lovely crowd-pleasing expression of what their land grows best in a blend of Viognier, Vidal Blanc, Chardonnay, and Traminette), 2012 Traminette (a sweet front palate of rose and candied oranges followed by a lemony finish), 2013 Harmony (a semi-sweet blend which tastes of honeysuckle yet smells of roses and lemons), 2013 Rose (a blend of Chambourcin, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Vidal Blanc creates a brightness of strawberries and watermelon balanced with hints of herbs), 2012 Petit Verdot (a soft, eloquent, smooth varietal expressing plums, blackberries, and licorice on the palate), and 2013 Red Barren (a red blend with hints of mulling spices and dried fruit with pairs well with chocolate as an aperitif).

An artist designs their crafty labels

We snagged a bottle of the Petit Verdot for our box of vino heading back to Georgia, and the four of us enjoyed a fancy picnic on the hill overlooking the vineyards which are planted on soil that used to be home to an apple orchard. This was one of those “pinch me” moments…drinking wine, eating delicious cheese, laughing with good friends…I mean, really, what else does one need in life?

Cheeses, olives, meats, veggies, and ALL OF THE CRACKERS for a perfect picnic

Full and happy, we loaded up the car and headed 20 minutes north to our final stop of the escapade: Cross Keys Vineyards in Mount Crawford, VA. I will be the first to admit that I held back a tear or two as we drove through the gates. I have many memories from every season coming to work down the winding road leading to the Tuscan-style courtyard and stunning rolling hills. We were greeted by familiar faces of a friendly staff as we settled in for a tasting. Here’s how blissfully happy I was in that moment – I didn’t even remember to take notes on the wines or take home a tasting sheet. So no, I don’t have detailed descriptions of the wines we tasted, but the far-too-familiar line-up of Chardonnay, Joy White (an off-dry Vidal Blanc), Joy Red (an off-dry Chambourcin), Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Meritage, Ali d’Oro (iced-style dessert wine), and Tavern (port-style Touriga Nacional) was just as enjoyable as I remember. The Joy Red, however, was better than any past vintage during my years of employment so I told the tasting room manager to pass along my compliments to our winemaker with my stamp of approval.

Standing on the other side of the tasting bar at Cross Keys Vineyards

We soaked in the sights on the patio with the sounds of live music as the sun began to set. They now have a full bistro at Cross Keys, so I’d recommend making this a lunch or dinner stop during a wine tour in the valley.

This gorgeous patio is perfect for live music on Sunday afternoons

I’m still smiling about the trip down memory lane. Virginia really is where I fell in love with lots of things in my life, and I will always feel at home whenever I have the opportunity to visit. It’s truly exciting to see how much the quality of Virginia wine continues to improve over the years, and it’s fulfilling to see so many wine enthusiasts discovering what the Shenandoah Valley can offer. The only thing better than visiting in the spring is visiting in the fall (hint: fall foliage from heaven) so it’s probably time to start planning my return trip…

To tide us over, at least we’ve got a box of Virginia wine here in Georgia to enjoy and share with friends.

"I Make Wine for the Ladies"

It's been a busy couple of weeks keeping up with all the sharing on Facebook, the connections on Twitter, and the tastings in real life. I've promised myself that taking a week hiatus from posting is not to become "the usual" - but if it happens, it happens. Let's just all agree to believe that any delay in posting simply means that I'm out drinking lots and lots of wine.

And actually, in reality, I have been drinking lots of wine (yay!) but I've also been meeting lots of winemakers and importers as they pass through town promoting their labels to the Atlanta market through their distributors. In fact, I really can't remember the last time that I went to a tasting event at which drinking wine was the only focus...call us spoiled, but tasting experiences in this city often come with a bonus of making a personal connection to the owner, winemaker, importer, shop manager, etc. who had a hand in bringing the wine to your glass. It's this behind-the-scenes feel to a tasting experience that I find to be the most valuable these days. Sure, I can always grab a bottle off the shelf on a Tuesday night at Kroger and enjoy it (which has been happening lately...) but the wine drinking experience somehow becomes even more rewarding when you find a deeper connection to the craftsmanship.

A tasting of Slo Down Wines hosted in April by d'Vine Wine Bar and Shop

A few weeks ago, however, never have I ever had a winemaker be more candid and eccentric during a meet-the-winemaker style tasting than Brandon Allen, the Founder and Winemaker of SLO Down Wines. No joke, he had me giggling the whole time with his YouTube videos and personal stories. For anyone who ever thought that wine tasting is a trade of snobbery, allow Brandon to completely shatter that stereotype with one click to the homepage of his website: A scripted "Goes Great with Pretty Much Everything" greats you followed by a subtext "We say 'Pretty Much' because to say 'Goes Great with Anything' makes us sound like total marketing d'bags" ...just in case you were wondering if they believed in sticking to any expected type of formality. Personally, I find this approach refreshing. It's fun, it's welcoming, it's stripped down (and yes, Brandon actually literally strips down in several of their marketing videos on YouTube...google "SLO Down Wine on YouTube" and prepare yourself), and it's clever. So, ok, you've got me. I'm interested, tell me more...but, the wine better be good.

A packed tasting room of wine enthusiasts at d'Vine Wine Bar and Shop

From a marketing standpoint, I was already intrigued upon getting just a brief overview of the brand. Yet, my skepticism for gimmicky labels quickly set in that evening as guests settled in and gathered for the tasting event to begin at d'Vine Wine Bar and Shop in Dunwoody, GA. Two of my favorite wine-loving friends in Atlanta joined me in the private tasting room as the d'Vine staff set out several enticing fruit and cheese platters along the long tables of wine enthusiasts. After a brief welcome from the hosts, we all received a pour of the first wine in the lineup while Brandon, patiently waiting to make the introduction, cracked open a beer at the end of our table. "It takes a lot of bad beer to make good wine," he said to me, "and this will help with my hangover." I raised my glass to him, and I already knew this was going to be a memorable tasting experience regardless of the quality of the wine.

The first wine, the 2013 Broken Dreams Chardonnay, struck a happy note on my nose with expressions of pear and bright, stone fruit. It had a subtle backbone of oak structure on the palate, but balanced with crisp acidity and flavors of apples and citrus. A lovely, classic California Chardonnay that finds harmony between oak and fruit without the weight of a buttery mouthfeel. Honestly, I was surprised? It was lovely! From a guy who admits to wanting to be a fire truck when he was five years old and then made his first barrel of wine as a freshman in college, the wine expressed poise and sophistication from that of a seasoned winemaker.

"My parents didn't drink alcohol," Brandon explains, "but I thought making wine would get me girls. I could impress the ladies while also getting free booze." Before he started making wines, Brandon thought that wine was something for elitists like many of his fellow college students, but he soon discovered that people kept demanding his wines in higher volumes and enjoyed his jovial spin on the craft. In 2008, the first year of production, SLO Down Wines made 93 cases when Brandon dropped out of college to pursue his vintner dreams. Today, Brandon and his team of three staff produce 20,000 cases of wine that are sold in 35 states. If that's not what we call Achieving the American Dream then I don't want to know what is.

New life goal = be a Director of Important Stuff too

But why such a sad name for the delicious Chardonnay? In the midst of relationship trouble and a rocky breakup with his first business partner, Brandon had changed his voicemail greeting to say something along the lines of SLO Down Wines being the home of Sexual Chocolate (the flagship wine) and...broken dreams. A retail shop owner who called him to place an order, however, mistakenly thought that this message was in regard to a new wine that they had available and insisted on purchasing it. So, instead of disappointing the shop owner...boom: Broken Dreams Chardonnay was born. That's how you turn a frown upside down.

Wine number two, the 2012 Stand Out, was a crowd-pleasing Bordeaux-style red blend of 58% Cabernet Sauvignon, 42% Merlot, and...1% magic. No, seriously, that's exactly what it says on the label:

The 1% magic in this red blend comes from that of "unicorn tears"

The nose was bursting with aromatics of black cherry, cloves, and vanilla followed by a smooth, bright palate of red fruit and spice. Sourced from fruit grown in the Dry Creek area of Sonoma, this wine ages for 14 months in American oak after fermenting with native yeast...so as Brandon says, "it's 101% American" and wouldn't have it any other way. But when I inquired about the components of the "magic" in the wine? "Unicorn tears." Because, obviously.

And finally, to cap off the tasting flight, we all indulged in a tasting of Brandon's flagship Sexual Chocolate (2012) of which he produces approximately 10,000 cases per year. This wine really, really surprised me because it was really, really good. The nose was bursting with red fruit followed by a palate of dark chocolate (well, duh), black cherries, blackberry, and spice. The finish is much more elongated than that of the Stand Out which I personally enjoyed because it allowed for a layered effect likely coming from the blend of Syrah, Zinfandel, Petite Sirah, and 2% Petit Verdot. The namesake of this smooth wine that was initially made "for the ladies" comes from a rock band of the same name featured in the movie called Coming to America. The label, once again, is something to be remembered...a handwritten note filled with American pride from Brandon himself - and yes, his cell phone number still exists on every bottle.

You can't miss the label of the flagship at SLO Down Wines - Sexual Chocolate

I'm still smiling about the unique experience and the pleasure of getting to meet Brandon. The wines can stand on their own when it comes to nose, palate, and overall quality which is only accentuated by the eccentric marketing and branding approach. If you have a chance to pick up one of these wines, make sure you share it "with the ladies" and then reach out to Brandon on social media to thank him for being awesome.

Brandon Allen, Founder and Winemaker of SLO Down Wines