What We’ve Been Drinking: Wrapping Up Virginia Wine Month 2024

I acknowledge that I am a creature of habit and I will open the same wines over and over because I really love them. Going back to the very beginning of this blog, it really was all about challenging myself to try new things and get to new places, instead of being stuck at the same old one or two spots. I’ve hit 75 new to me Virginia wineries, which for someone like me is quite the accomplishment. I’m also pleased that I drank selections from so many different wines and makers over the course of October 2024, in honor of Virginia Wine Month.

Over the past week, there were a number of great (now empty) bottles that hit the recycle bin. On my actual in fact birthday, I popped open one of my bottles of 2B from Jack Busching.

I realized after hearing him talk about the wine this past weekend that the difference I enjoy so much between this and F8 (his other legendary bottle) is the presence of Merlot which softens and rounds out this blend. Don’t get me wrong, I do love me that Tannat/Petit Verdot big dark earthy blend. But Virginia Merlot is not the Mer-lot of Sideways fame and provides some gorgeous, velvety mouthfeel to our blends. This wine will continue to change and improve over several more years and develop some darker flavors that we will really enjoy.

Of course I checked in at Mount Alto to get some barrel samples and pick up my Tributary release. We actually had some unreleased but bottled 2020 Tributary, but I brought home my 2021 and we drank a bottle. This PV-dominant blend is one of my favorite wines of the year.

Remember that this is a strong contender for “Wine Label of the Year” too, but I believe there is something incredible about the Petit Verdot grown on this site – it is strongly impacted by aeration – it feels locked up in itself when you open the bottle, but in an hour or two there is an incredible blend of aroma and flavor. As impatient as I am, it’s hard to wait that long to pour my glass. Must remember to open the bottle earlier….

I’m doing well with honoring my pledge not to drink on school nights, so on Friday I opened this favorite from the Fauquier County Wine Showcase, Fox Meadow’s 2021 Reserve Cabernet Franc.

This is another really fun wine with an amazing label. It makes me sad I didn’t discover their wines until I moved further away, but I can make this trek once or twice a year to get this and their unoaked Chardonnay. This wine is medium-weight, fruit forward, and very easy drinking.

And of course Saturday I was at the Delve Wines premiere on the Colombe Vineyards site. The Roussanne was just incredible, and I wound up opening one of the two bottles I brought home. I’ve shared before how excited I am that this grape, which is often viewed in the wine world as a blending grape, is showing up more in Virginia as a single-varietal. I think it’s charming – it’s so much softer than the lovely crispness of an Albariño or Chenin Blanc, and it doesn’t carry any oakey or buttery hints like Chardonnays do. It’s a different category of white wine than those are, and I really enjoy it. I have three different Roussannes relaxing in the basement, but they won’t stay there too much longer. Delve also is in the running for label of the year in my book. Winemakers and putting forward some fantastic labels right now – I love this.

Oh, the nose on this one. Phew- a wine named after my dog gotta be good, right?

A bottle on the shelf for a while has reached the time to sip. Septenary has made some lovely stuff, and it’s just such a great spot to visit.

2017 is a legendary year in Virginia Wine- Hot, dry summer producing big bold exceptional reds and shockingly crisp white wines.  From this Merlot, I get a bold and dark, almost tangy essence.  Smoky, with maybe some blueberry and  plum to it – to my untrained palate.  I feel like Virginia Merlots at this age need to be consumed now. They are beginning to give in to their age.  We drank our last 2017 Walsh Russ Mountain Merlot in August. This one is still good, but it’s in the drink now category.

As we wind down the week and see no hope for days off, so every night is a school night and wine will have to wait for the weekend. It’s a big weekend coming up too, with taking some wine friends to Mount Alto AND checking out the Two Up Wine Down Festival to see who is pouring. This was a fantastic Virginia Wine Month, and set the right tone to head into the holiday season. Cheers to Virginia Wine!