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

The Art of Wine Making: Having a Trained Nose and Palate to Evaluate the Wine

A wine maker using a Wine Thief to remove wine from a barrel for tasting

Winemakers rely heavily on their senses of smell and taste to evaluate the evolution of their wine from the grapes in the vineyard to the final product that goes in the bottle. While part of this process is science, a significant part is an art that wine makers develop over years of training and experience.

This training and experience are used throughout the wine making process. While there is science (i.e., chemistry) involved, the wine makers use their senses throughout the process:

  • In the vineyard, they can measure the grape’s sugar and acid levels, but a trained wine maker will also inspect the grapes, break them open, taste the juice, taste the seeds and evaluate the tannin

  • During fermentation, a wine maker will be constantly tasting the wine as the grape’s natural sugars convert to alcohol

  • Once the fermentation is complete, the wine maker is again smelling and tasting the wine as it ages

  • If the wine is being aged in oak, the wine maker will be evaluating how the flavors of the oak are integrating with the wine

  • Following aging, many wine makers will blend their wines in order to achieve the final aromas and tastes desired

  • Just prior to bottling, the wine maker will ensure the wine is properly filtered (or not) and ensure that the bottles and bottling process are clean and ready to go

I have always loved the words of a wine maker that I met early in my wine adventures who said that “Making wine is easy. Making good wine is hard.” It is the artistic side of wine makers that make the difference between an ordinary bottle of wine and an outstanding bottle of wine. Cheers!

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

The Art of Wine Making: Determining How Long to Age the Wine

Photo by Liv Kao on Unsplash

Aging of a wine before bottling is a balance between the wine’s inherent qualities and the winemaker's goals.

The decision often involves experimentation, understanding the vineyard, and following the wine’s natural development over time.

Here are some of the considerations that a wine maker may use when deciding how long to age a wine before they bottle it for sale:

  • Grape Variety - Red grapes have more structure and tannin that allow for greater aging

  • Acidity - Higher acidity wines are better suited for aging

  • Alcohol Content - Higher alcohol wines generally age better

  • Tannin - Tannin levels allow a wine to age better and the levels will reduce with aging

  • Sugar - Higher residual sugar (RS) level allow a wine to age better

  • Phenolic Compounds - Wines with a higher concentration of phenolics can age better

  • Oak Barrels - New barrels impart significant flavor while used barrels impart little flavor

  • Vintage Characteristics - Different vintages can age better than others

But, probably the most important factor used in making the wine-aging decision is the wine maker’s intended style. Wine aging is a balance of science and art, and the winemaker's vision for the final product plays a significant role in determining how long a wine will be aged before it’s released for consumption.

Some winemakers strive for wines with complexity and depth, which often requires extended aging. With time, a red wine will develop secondary and tertiary flavors—things like earthiness, leather, tobacco, and dried fruits—along with more rounded, integrated flavors.

But, if a winemaker is aiming for a fresher, fruitier style of red wine they may not age the wine as long, instead focusing on preserving the bright, youthful flavors of the grape. These wines are often released young to emphasize their freshness and fruit-forward style.

The bottom line is that wine makers balance many factors in determining the optimal aging time for each wine. They use their experience and talent to influence how a wine will develop over time. Ultimately, the goal is to allow the wine to reach a point where the components are in harmony and meets or exceeds the expectations of the wine maker. Truly an art! Cheers!

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