Dinner with AJ, Lee and the Wandering Winos of Virginia

The really fun thing about the Virginia Wine community is getting connected with people who have similar interests, sharing them, and being able to laugh together. When Kathy W invited me along with a group to redeem the item she and her husband won at the Virginia Wine Benefit auction, it was way too good a chance at all of the above to pass up. Virginia Wine Benefit chooses a few non-profits every year, and the 2024 auction proceeds went to the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank and the Veraison Project. It’s a great group.

Kathy, Kenny, Matt and I are now maintaining a little facebook chat group, and thought Virginia Wine Illuminati would be a little too pretentious a name. Virginia Wine Mafia is already taken, and I don’t know how people felt about my suggestion of the use of “glitterati.” So we may land on something like Wandering Winos, we will see. Kathy, Kenny, Matt and I get to share some of the cool things we stumble upon as we wander around and plan to meet up in various places (seeing you in January for some library wines, Walsh). The wandering winos descended upon AJ and Paul’s home in Faber for a wonderful night of dinner, wine, and laughter.

Why wouldn’t you start things off with bubbles? We started off with a lovely champagne, and transitioned to a Bluestone Blanc de Blancs made by Lee. Of course Matt had to saber it open first. That was pretty amazing to watch, and we couldn’t find the cork anywhere afterwards!

Over the course of the evening, while we ate from the pretty amazing charcuterie board that AJ prepared and enjoyed the amazing arugula salad, whipped parsnips, homemade bread and coq-au-vin, we sampled so many incredible wines from Hark and Bluestone. AJ and Paul talked about the Hark wines while Lee talked us through the Bluestone ones. Here is a list with some that may have faded from memory (and not in the order served, sadly):

Hark 2019 Merlot – you know I adore this wine

Hark 2022 Roussanne – one of my favorite white grapes, and I’m excited to see more and more from Virginia – this is a great example!

Joy Ting & Bluestone Santé Pet Nat of Vidal Blanc – while I don’t love Vidal, this was a surprising and fun Pet Nat – I recommend this! Hubby liked it too! This was a Bluestone/Joy Ting collab.

Hark 2019 Cabernet Franc Reserve – ooooh this is such a good one. smooth and dark and a main course unto itself

Bluestone 2023 Cabernet Sauvignon – this was a nice surprise. Cabernet Sauvignon is possible in Virginia in the right seasons!

Barrel Sample of Hark 2023 Cabernet Sauvignon – this one is going to be a true stunner

Bluestone 2023 Cabernet Franc – I didn’t get to try this one, because I was comparing the Cabernet Sauvignons

Bluestone 2021 No Such Thing as Normal (sweet blend of Traminette, Vidal Blanc, and Muscat) – sweet isn’t my zone, but this was nice as part of dessert.

Some port was poured at the end of the evening, but I held back – we’d consumed a ton of wine (see photo below). All in all, I need to tell you that the wines were just stunning. Lee suggested that the Bluestone 2023 Cabernet Sauvignon may be showing some bottle shock, but as it opened in the glass it was just lovely.

I have to say my favorite of the night has to be the barrel sample of 2023 Cabernet Sauvignon from Hark – that was showing beautifully, and will only develop further. Right now it’s very fruit forward, but has some of the dark and earthy elements I love. AJ says they’re likely to release the first single varietal Cabernet Sauvignon at Hark from vintage 2022 when they open their new tasting room in the spring of 2025. This 2023 barrel sample may have to wait a few years, which will allow it to age and get more beautiful, and you may be aware that I’m not a patient man. Sigh.

Over the course of the evening of amazing food and wine, the conversation was truly incredible – talking about the various Virginia Wine recognitions and changes to the competitions, climate change and farming wine grapes, varietals that may be better suited to Virginia, and more. Hubby spent much of the time chatting with AJ, and God only knows what kind of dirt she has on me now……… *gulp*. I’ll be purchasing a pretty significant increase in Hark wines I predict (but it’s also pretty freaking amazing wine, so I think I end up winning?). At one point Lee noted that this evening was really fun because the whole room was really interested in Virginia Wine and had broad experience with it, and when pouring from each bottle just poured a sample to taste and talk about – whereas in other settings, people poured full glasses to, well, drink. It’s different with Virginia Wine lovers.

That’s an important point – people who drink broadly from Virginia wine and truly enjoy it are a different breed from wine lovers in general. I do love me a big bold Cali Cab Sauv, a charming Bordeaux blend, champagne that really is from Champagne, and I’m looking forward to trying the Texas Tempranillo my OTF friend gave me in exchange for an amazing bottle of Virginia Wine. At the end of the day, those of us who adore Virginia Wine have a different bar (haha) and palette. We enjoy what is different about Virginia Wine. We seek something a bit different than 99 point rated wines offer. I’ve said it before, Virginia Wine captures time and place like no other wine.

I gave AJ, who makes a lovely Petit Verdot at Hark, a bottle of Arterra’s 2021 Petit Verdot, because I love sharing wine I love with others. I’m dying to hear her thoughts on it. Big thanks to Matt, Kenny and AJ for sharing photos since all I got was a photo and video of Matt sabering the bubbles. I think their photo skills outdo mine anyway.

If you see experiences like this in an auction, jump on it and bid! They’re so fun, and the winemakers who donate them pour their heart and soul into their work and it’s so interesting to hear them share their thoughts about the wines, and the industry in general. I throughly enjoyed the time with everyone, meeting Lee for the first time, getting to talk with Rich, letting hubby get to know this really fun crew.

You probably aren’t getting one of these shirts for Christmas. You should probably buy yourself one. Do it now.