After the pickup at La Grange, dad and I headed off across most of Loudoun county to Bozzo Family Vineyards. I saw their facebook post letting everyone know there would be a celebration for club members and encouraging us to renew and pick up wine. I hadn’t been since the fall, so it was nice to see their updates.
It was very busy. The winery has plans to build a new tasting room to accommodate us eager winos. The plans are really great, and I’d love to talk more with them about how they will proceed. Judging by today, they’re becoming quite popular and will need the space.
Dad and I waited to get to the tasting bar and sampled their current lineup.
The first white wine, the 2017 Louise, is a 100% petit manseng done in stainless steel. I got lots of grapefruit with it and loved it. Dad did too. This was our favorite of their white wines. Some vanilla and lots of lemon in this one.
Next up was the 2017 Murph – their oaked chardonnay. Crisp and apple flavors but the bit of oak also edges in. The oak doesn’t overwhelm, but there is enough that it’s noticeably not my style of chardonnay.
The 2017 Lisa and Thad – this was another Petit Manseng that was partly done in stainless steel and partly done in oak. The oak flavor in this totally overwhelmed the flavors we enjoyed in the Louise. I did not enjoy this wine as much.
The menu moved into the reds. First up, the 2017 “Edward” was a lighter cabernet sauvignon. In my mind this was too light and there was some fruit but a lot of oak again. For folks who don’t appreciate bolder reds, this may be their wine. It didn’t hit me right.
Next up was the 2017 “Paul.” If you haven’t noticed, the wines are named after his children and their spouses. Unfortunately for Stephen jr, who was running our tasting, none have yet been named after him. This cabernet sauvignon was done in steel and oak and was much darker, richer, and stronger. Both dad and I appreciated this one much more – there was more fruit and more complexity to it.
The final taste was the 2017 “2nd Act,” a red blend. This is winner in show. It did get a silver in the governor’s cup competition, which is pretty impressive. But this is a super-drinkable red blend that is pleasant with fruit and some depth to it.
I tried to catch Stephen sr, but it was really busy, and he was accommodating many guests around the property, so he was unable to chat for any period of time. I did get a quick response about the 2018 harvest, given that it would be some of the first grapes from his property. As I understand it, most of his grapes are sourced from nearby Maggie Malick, and he’s been looking forward to bringing his own grapes to the tasting bar. I did hear him say that 2018 was tough but they would have a rose and some other varietals, so I’m hopeful.
Dad and I each enjoyed two glasses of the Louise Petit Manseng outside on the deck. With a cover over us, the sunny 82 degree day was tolerable, especially when the breeze picked up.
I find visits here very relaxing because of the mountains and peace that surround us. I like being a member here, and renewed the yearlong membership by purchasing four bottles. His production is still small, so the requirements for membership are low-key right now. The wine is good, and benefits are nice. I encourage checking out their offerings, or just go for an afternoon there! I really cannot wait to see what they will make from their estate grapes!
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