We decided for Valentines Day we would do something a little different than usual. We made reservations at Lovingston Winery for their cupcake and wine pairings. We have been excited to venture back to Lovingston Winery for a few weeks now, as they have gone under new ownership and things looked different on their Instagram page. As we pulled up we noticed they had moved the tastings from the barrel room to the farm house. Let’s just say this has given Lovingston Winery a whole new and incredible vibe!
We were greeted by Wes one of the owners, who met us outside and after quick introductions, led us to the tasting room. We were welcomed into this gorgeous farm house which you could tell was filled with rich family history the minute you walk in the door. We chose a spot at the dinning room table that had a view of the barrel room, pond and vines out of a large bay window. Tessa, one of the other owners met us with the wine and cupcakes and explained the tasting menu.
2018 Lovingston Chardonnay w/ Crème Burlee Cupcake
We started with 2018 Lovingston Chardonnay w/ Crème Burlee Cupcake. We had forgotten how excellent this Chardonnay is – crisp and smooth with a slight butter finish. The Crème Burlee Cupcake that paired with the wine brought out so many flavors of honey suckle and apple from the wine, which only boosted the excitement we had for this Chardonnay.
2019 Lovingston Pinotage w/ Strawberry & Cardamom Cupcake
We then were able to taste 2019 Lovingston Pinotage w/ Strawberry & Cardamom Cupcake. When I say this pairing was wonderful I mean this pairing was wonderful!! The spice of the cupcake brought out the spice flavors of the Pinotage and the pairing of these two was perfect. The Pinotage showed soft tannins and dark cherry which made for a smooth finish.
2019 Lovingston Cab Franc w/ Red Velvet & Blackberry Caramel Cupckae
We will start by saying when it comes to a Cab Franc we are extremely picky and if this was golf this would have been a hole in one! We enjoyed this pairing, the Cab Franc had light pepper notes and soft tannins which we enjoyed. The cupcake paired nicely with this wine as your second sip after the taste of the cake made the pepper notes come out even more!
2017 Lovingston Estate Reserve W/ Dark Chocolate & Mouse Cupcake
The finishing pairing was just as delightful as the others; however, the Bordeaux blend blew the other three wines out of the water. We bought a bottle to enjoy after the pairing. The blend is earthy and the nose is full of herbs that coat your mouth and pallet. The chocolate cake pairing with this wine was an excellent choice, and we could see us sharing a bottle and slice of cake with friends.
The experience we had at Lovingston Winery was a completely different experience than we had in the past. We felt at home, we felt comfortable and we will be back soon! If you haven’t enjoyed this experience we encourage you to do so. The owners are amazing humans that are great to talk with and fit in greatly with the welcoming tone that comes with the Virginia Wine experience!!
Stay safe, Drink wine and Be kind to others!
-Michael & Chris
VaVineDudes 