Behind the Cork™ - Virginia Wine Governor's Cup Winner: Valley Road Petit Manseng

2023 Valley Road Vineyards Petit Manseng ($29.95)

Organized in 2015, Valley Road Vineyards was conceived by a group of friends who brought talents from successful careers in law, advertising, insurance, real estate development, and writing, among others. With their mutual love of Virginia and a shared desire to support the emerging Virginia wine industry, they thought a vineyard and tasting room operation in the heart of the Monticello American Viticulture Area (AVA) would be a good choice for their next chapter together.

It seems to have worked out quite well! Their first-ever vintage of single-varietal Petit Manseng was a top winner in the Virginia Wine Governor’s Cup and included in the winning case!

This Valley Road Petit Manseng was produced from 100% Petit Manseng grapes sourced from their Mountain Glen Vineyard in Lovingston, Virginia. The grapes were whole-cluster pressed and fermented in neutral oak barrels.

Valley Road Petit Manseng is a beautiful gold color with aromas of honey and tropical fruit. On the palate, it has classic sweetness of Petit Manseng, flavors of apricot, mango and honey, along with bright acidity to balance the sweetness. [ABV: 13.5. TA: 7.84 g/L, pH: 3.25, Residual Sugar: 2.2%]

Petit Manseng is widely recognized as a sweet wine from France but, while this wine can be used as a dessert wine, it also goes wonderfully with appetizers or light entries. If you like sweet wines you are going to love this one!

This Valley Road Petit Manseng is a winning wine, at a very affordable price, that fits right in as this week’s Behind the Cork™ Wine of the Week. Cheers!

Disclosure of Wine Sample Submission: I received this sample at no cost for review.

Media Sample Provided by Valley Road Vineyards, Virginia Wine and Donna White Communications

Behind the Cork™ - Virginia Wine Governor's Cup Winner: Veritas Vineyards White Blend

2023 Veritas Vineyards Monticello White Blend ($35)

Veritas Winery was started by Andrew and Patricia Hodson in 1999. Born out of their love of wine and commitment to producing quality wine, Veritas has grown into a 20-year-old family business that is on the leading edge of the Virginia wine industry.

With over 50 acres in the Monticello wine region, and producing a complex portfolio of wine ranging from sparkling to beautifully balanced red wines, Veritas wine quality starts in the vineyard, and the terroir of the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Winemaker Emily Hodson, daughter of Andrew and Patricia, has been the winemaker at Veritas for over 15 harvests.

This Veritas Vineyards Monticello White Blend is produced from 50% Chardonnay, 22% Viognier, 17% Sauvignon Blanc and 11% Petit Manseng. Fermentation took place in 30% stainless steel and 70% oak. The wine was aged for 10 months in a combination of 11% new oak, 56% two-year oak, and 33% neutral oak.

The wine is a beautiful medium gold color with aromas of melon, apple, pineapple and spice On the palate, this medium-light bodied wine has flavors of melon, guava and peach with subtle hint of flavor from the oak aging. It finishes soft and smooth with just a touch of acidity at the end.

Winemaker Emily Hodson said that she worked long and hard on this blend and finally got it “just right” on the sixth try. I have to agree! This Monticello White Blend is terrific! And obvious why it was a winner in the Virginia Governor’s Cup. A great wine at a super affordable price as this week’s Behind the Cork™ Wine of the Week. Cheers!

Disclosure of Wine Sample Submission: I received this sample at no cost for review.

Media Sample Provided by Veritas Vineyard and Winery, Virginia Wine and Donna White Communications

Behind the Cork™ - Virginia Wine Governor's Cup Winner: DuCard Cabernet Franc

2023 DuCard Vineyards Vintner Reserve Cabernet Franc ($60)

DuCard Vineyards has been growing grapes for nearly two decades at their property, nestled at the eastern edge of the Shenandoah National Park in the shadow of Old Rag Mountain and White Oak Canyon.

DuCard Vineyard wines are handmade using traditional methods, in their on-site winery, from grapes grown by them at their three local Madison County vineyard sites. 

While this level of authenticity was the norm 10 to 20 years ago as the Virginia wine industry was just getting started, it is less common now.  But DuCard considers it extremely important for producing high quality wines that express a sense of ‘place’ or local terroir.

Winemaker Julien Durantie was born in the Bordeaux wine region and spent his formative years working on his family’s vineyard in Entre-deux-Mers, as well as at other renowned estates, including Château Macchore and Châteaude Cappes. He’s been with DuCard since 2007.

This DuCard Vintner Reserve Cabernet Franc is produced from 100% Cabernet Franc grapes that are lightly crushed, cold-soaked overnight and fermented in an open fermenter with two punchdowns and one pumpover each day. Fermentation lasts 21 days before being barreled and aged in 3-4 year old French oak for nine months.

The DuCard Cabernet Franc is medium purple in color with a good nose of black fruit and some earthiness. It is medium-full bodied with medium acidity and tannin, great black fruit flavors along with the classic peppercorn flavors of Cab Franc, and a smooth and balanced finish. [ABV: 13%, TA: 5.5 g/L, pH:3.9, Residual Sugar: <0.1%]

DuCard Vintner Reserve Cabernet Franc is another winner of the Virginia Wine Governor’s Cup and included in the winner’s case. It’s a really nice wine that fits right in as this week’s Behind the Cork™ Wine of the Week. Cheers!

Disclosure of Wine Sample Submission: I received this sample at no cost for review.

Media Sample Provided by DuCard Vineyards, Virginia Wine and Donna White Communications

Behind the Cork™ - Virginia Wine Governor's Cup Winner: Paradise Springs Cabernet Franc

2023 Paradise Springs Cabernet Franc ($42)

Located in the town of Clifton, VA and bordering the Bull Run River, Paradise Springs is the closest winery to Washington DC and the first in Fairfax County. The property was originally part of a land grant from Lord Fairfax in 1716.

The Paradise Springs Brown Bear Cabernet Franc comes from the Brown Bear Vineyard, located in the Shenandoah Valley AVA on the eastern side of the Blue Ridge Mountains. This site sits at an elevation of 1,100 to 1,500 feet.

Produced from 100% Cabernet Franc, the grapes were de-stemmed and placed into fermentation bins, where they were heated in a warm room and inoculated with yeast. Fermentation lasted 14 days before the wine was pressed. It was then transferred into barrels, where it aged for 8 months in a mix of new and neutral French oak barrels.

This Paradise Springs Cabernet Franc is medium ruby in color with delicate aromas of black cherry and plum. On the palate, this medium-bodied wine has flavors of cherry, raspberry and blueberries, with medium tannin, medium acidity and an easy finish.

Paradise Springs Cabernet Franc is another winner of the Virginia Wine Governor’s Cup and included in the winner’s case. It’s a very nice wine at an affordable price making it a great fit as this week’s Behind the Cork™ Wine of the Week. Cheers!

Disclosure of Wine Sample Submission: I received this sample at no cost for review.

Media Sample Provided by Paradise Springs Winery, Virginia Wine and Donna White Communications