Kenny won an auction package to support We the Wine People and invited Kathy, Rich, Matt and me to join. The package was a guided tasting and tour of Blenheim with winemaker Kirsty Harmon. Two winemakers in one day? Where do I sign up?
Blenheim is actually relatively close to home for me – easy to get to, a pleasant drive, and a gorgeous area. I’ve been here four times, and I’m kind of surprised I’ve never written about it. I feel like this is an incredible spot for an afternoon with friends – good conversation – easy drinking, very pleasant wines, and a very welcoming atmosphere. Blenheim has ties to the Oenoverse Club – which is a club to bring BIPoC wine lovers into the family of Virginia Wine and ensure there is space at the table and representation. Out and About was here last year and is coming back this fall for another visit. I don’t tend to think of Blenheim’s wines as complex, rather they are a fruit-forward expression of Virginia that is excellent right now.
Kirsty served us a lot of wines this afternoon, and thank heavens I’ve become very good at sipping, noting my impressions, and dumping (though the wines were excellent, and sad to pour out). We tasted through the following:
2023 Sparkling Blanc de Blanc – Kirsty’s 15th harvest at Blenheim and the second sparkling they made. It’s a collaboration with Matthieu Finot. This one is 100% Chardonnay but they are currently working on a 100% Blanc de Noir. Yum. I enjoyed this zero-sugar added sparkling – it’s a perfect start to an amazing afternoon.
2024 Sauvignon Blanc – Kirsty mentioned how she loves New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc and this wine screams NZ influence to me – very floral, very boxwood. It’s not my style, but if you like NZ Sauvignon Blanc, you will love this one.
Three very different Chardonnays:
2024 Stainless Chardonnay – my favorite of the three – crisp and clean and refreshing. Kirsty noted she meant this not to be CA. It’s not and I love it.
2023 – This one was 40-60% new oak for four months and it showed a ton more toast to it.
2022 Farm Chardonnay – This one had 8 months in new oak and was all nuts and toast. That’s not my style, but if it’s yours, you will adore this wine.
2021 Painted White – This wine, while only 36% Viognier screamed Viognier to me. Longtime readers know that my palate interprets Viognier as fifth grade clarinet reed and I have some PTSD around that.
2023 Painted White – oh, Vintage 2023, I love everything you bring. This wine was completely different with a ton of tropical notes and appeared very layered and ageable. This blend was 36% Chardonnay, 11% Sauvignon Blanc, 27% Roussanne (yum!), and 26% Viognier. Kirsty made us guess the components and I was all over Albarino due to the tropical notes, so I failed the quiz. Oh well, it was delicious.
2025 Rosé – this was Grenache, Syrah, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc. They’ve ripped out the Grenache and Syrah now, which makes me really sad – I know they’re hard to grow in Virginia, but when they show up, they’re very special. This wine is refreshing and great, and I’m all about rose. I’ll be grabbing some for hot fall weekend days that are endemic in Virginia right now.
2025 Merlot – wow this was young but showed up fresh and lovely. Kathy called it a “warm hug,” I didn’t dump any of this one. Nope.
2024 Painted Red – this wine was so good. I didn’t write down the components because I was entranced. Kirsty does the white and red blends and everything else is single variety. I’m so glad she made this and I’m sad I missed the 2023.
2012 Painted Red – She brought this out as a surprise. I don’t tend to think of a “Drink Now” Virginia Wine as ageable – Kirsty pretty much facepalmed me on this one. Wow was this showing up beautifully with fully intact fruit and a great nose. I don’t know that I would let it sit much longer, but what a fun treat to have a 14 year old wine from Blenheim.
In the middle of all this sipping, Kirsty took us to the production room, barrel room, and out into the vines. We uncovered some fermenting Petit Verdot from near Mount Alto (sigh, the one that my friends there used to buy and blend into their Manteo-Nason). The smells are of course intoxicating (see my dad joke?), but I got to plunge my hand into the cap and get a sense for what is happening here. This was serious fun. Sorry if anyone finds a hair in their 2026 Blenheim in the future……
If you’re not either going to Blenheim to relax and recharge with good wine and good people, or at least picking some Blenheim up where you grocery shop, I don’t know what you’re really doing. The winery itself is one of the most relaxing spaces to enjoy time with friends. They have some great special events from time to time – I really enjoyed an afternoon listening to Justin Ferguson (the Black Somm) talk about how to experience wine, they get some awesome food trucks, and the wine is solid.
We’re going November 15, so mark your calendars now, Out and About’ers and Allies. I’m getting a sparkling and a Painted Red to share, so come early before I finish the bottles, ok? If you go and get to catch Kirsty at the bar, she is one of the kindest and most welcoming winemakers, willing to talk to you and answer your questions (and I ask some silly questions), and just a generally good person, like most Virginia Wine people.
If you haven’t watched We the Wine People by Chrisa Giorgi yet, you really should. The movie is a great exploration of Virginia Wine, the people who make it, and why it’s the best wine around right now. If you stream it, zoom ahead to 1:01:58 and see a great comment responding to “Five words that describe Virginia Wine.” Go ahead, drop your thoughts.
