Virginia is for lovers...

of great wine!

I do have a west coast/European bias. I'll admit it. I do try to keep an open mind, however, so I've been enjoying New York Riesling and Cab Franc, and am even warming to Missouri and North Carolina, amongst other states. But one in particular has me in its spell: Virginia!

I went with a coworker and friends to a Virginia wine festival recently, and it was a very impressive showing. Although I was impressed with the range of both European vinifera and native grapes, reds and whites, one winery in particular stood out for me: Horton Cellars. The sparkling Viognier was the star of the show, and is now certainly one of my favorite sparklers. Citrus overtones with a great touch of sweetness, the wine is smooth, lively but subtle--it would be great for any kind of celebration, as well as a great accompaniment to food. I'm thinking smoky barbeque, spinach pie or a hamburger with caramelized onions and gorgonzola cheese--the acid can hold up to strong flavors. Their Cabernet Franc was also delicious--well structured and not overpowering green tannin, and the late harvest Viognier was lovely. Nice hints of petrol, and not cloying. Their fruit wines are remarkably well balanced, which is certainly rare. The peach wine was wonderful, ripe but focused, and the blackberry and cranberry wines were zingy. All three would be an excellent compliment to dessert--a rich vanilla bean ice cream, or a matching fruit tart.

Virginia makes great wine. I'm a believer.

Beer vs. Wine--The Smackdown

Wine lovers know that wine is about more than...well, wine. The appreciation of anything in a profound way is a lifestyle choice. A connoisseur should be aware of what surrounds his or her passion. Love Shakespeare? You probably want to read some Jonson. Adore beef? You probably want to try buffalo steaks. The same goes for beverage pairings.

The crackerjack staff at Food + Wine magazine on their website today published an article about beer versus wine pairings for several dishes. And they include the recipes, which is always fun. This just goes to show that with an open mind is the best way to live a lifestyle of aesthetic appreciation. And, frankly, sometimes beer is the better choice.

2006 Parker Station Pinot Noir, California, $12.00 retail

I was out with the World’s Perfect Man a couple of weeks ago, and we ordered this bottle with dinner. We were out at one of the city’s old-school institutions (i.e. lots of taxidermy, highly polished dark oak paneling and tourists), where I ordered a steak salad (don’t judge me—it’s a good time of the year for vegetables) and he ordered a steak. Since I’m not a huge fan of typical steak house wines (read: over-oaked Cabs), we decided to go a little lighter. So, since there was no Merlot to speak of on the menu, Pinot is was! Even with the typical 150% restaurant markup, this bottle was still a good value. Nice earthy notes, though less than the typical—especially Oregonian—American Pinot Noir, with flavors of black cherry and plum. Nicely balanced acidity and alcohol, this is an excellent wine for food—it compliments and isn’t overbearing. The label notes didn’t lie— this is a good everyday Pinot Noir.