Cupcakes….Wine Not

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

Wine Tasting in Wayensboro

We attended a wine tasting with a group of friends on Saturday, January 24th, 2021. We were invited by our friend Pan to join them in tasting Lightwell Surveys wines. We have only tasted Lightwell Survey wines once and had not had the chance to try this year’s vintages. When we arrived to find several warehouses and followed the signs to the tasting…

Lightwell Survey tasting room.

When we walked inside the tasting area, we found it to have tho groovy industrial vibe like no other place we’ve tasted in before. There were exposed brick walls, hanging string-lights from the ceiling, and tons of large windows which allowed natural light in. We started our tasting of four wines and met Sebastian, one of the owners of the winer. We quickly found that his personality matches the building and area spot on; it’s something about someone so passionate about their job that draws you in!

Sebastian

Sebastian walked us through two whites and two reds. The first of the white wines was the 2018 Goodbye Horses. This was an amazing dry Riesling which is made up of 91% Riesling and 9% Petit Manseng. We will be honest we were concerned before trying because we usually stray away from Petit Manseng since they can be sweeter than we like. We found the Goodbye Horses to be a fantastic dry white wine with hints of pear and apple.

The second wine we tasted was the 2018 Los Idiots. This is an excellent red blend wine, which consists of 59% Blaufränkisch and 41% Riesling; this wine freaks you out! On the nose we get sweet lavender, but on the pallet we got the tannins we love so much! This is one of those groovy wines you take to a dinner party and make it a conversation piece for sure.

The third wine we tasted was the 2018 Hintermen. Which is a white wine blend, consisting of 59% Riesling and 41% Petit Manseng. When tasting this wine we got a lemon and straw vide on the pallet with an acid finish. This wine like the others had another funky vibe that drives your pallet crazy and wanting more.

The last wine we tasted was the 2018 The Weird Ones Are Wolves. This was a blend of 87% Cabernet Franc, 6% Petit Manseng, 4% Riesling, and 3% Blaufränkisch. As we are becoming more Cab Franc lovers we instantly fell in love with this wine. When poured into the glass it has a dark hue, the nose a dark cherry and balanced off with a smokey finish. On the pallet we got a earthy taste with darker fruit vibes. This was our favorite out of the four; however, it was an extremely tough decision because they are all awesome!

The next time Lightwell Survey opens their tasting room don’t walk, run to this tasting room! They are doing amazing things here and are not afraid to push the boundaries of wine making. We had a fantastic time visiting and tasting these wines and we will definitely return to see what they are working on next. If you do visit make sure you tell them the Vavinedudues sent you!

Treat Yourself to Reserve

Reserve wine bar in downtown Lynchburg Va is a date night, friends night, all around right spot for any occasion. When you walk into Reserve you don’t get your typical downtown vibe. As you walking into the door you notice the bar with the exposed brick and stunning interior furniture. If you look up you notice hanging from the ceiling is the wine barrels, look to your left and right you notice a fireplace a d window seating. They offer lounge areas for larger groups and outdoor seating to enjoy the view of the park and James River.

What sets Reserve apart for all of Downtown Lynchburg is that they are bringing wines to showcase all across Virginia Wine. Bringing wines for vineyards and wineries that we haven’t had a chance to explore yet so we can try them in our backyard. The wines that are available from other locations rotate out monthly giving visitors a chance to try new wines over and over. Wines have ranged from reds to whites and rosé to sparkling wines.

Along with bringing in wines they also provide wine lovers a chance to try four of Reserves wines. On the menu consistently is two whites, two reds. The Jefferson Street white blend is 56% Sauvignon Blanc, 35% Vidal Blanc, 9% Chardonnay, Viognier, Petit Verdot and our consistent favorite the Tannat. Reserve offers bottle sales, glass sales and flights. If you decided you are hungry while you are sipping on your wine they also have a charcuterie board, baked brie, or you can order it à la carte. (We do suggest trying the bread because it’s out of this world!)

Owners, Mike Barefoot and Mike Lawler are two amazing guys and are doing fantastic things with Reserve. They staff all have at least WSET 1 certification and are knowledgeable about all the wines one the menu. Everytime we visit of we are with friends or ourselves we feel welcomed and at home. If you haven’t tried Reserve wine bar yet take time to treat yourselves because you won’t regret it! Some forget to tell them the Vavinesdudes sent you! If you are interested you an make reservations here!

A Surprise Find in Staunton…

Nestled in the Wharf District of downtown Staunton, Virginia, you’ll find the quaint tasting room of Ox~Eye Vineyards. At first glance you will notice the building has been remodeled giving way to a historic feel. As we entered the tasting room we found it well lit and brightly colored which allowed the space to feel welcoming, even more so with the wine proudly on display.

We were welcomed by Bridgett, who started with the explanation of the various tastings and offerings of Ox~Eye. There were 3 different tastings – the Chessie Line, the Buckingham Line – which each had 7 wines listed for $7, or you could taste all their wines for $10. We chose to sample all, and were delighted to be able to sample one Rosé, six whites, 3 reds, and a Port.

Their Rosé, called the Shy Ox, we found was a dry acidic Rosé. This was a light, full or citrus wine, which would be great for a Sunday brunch. We sampled 2 Chardonnays – both of which are not your California style Chardonnays, which was a great find for us, as they were not buttery. The 2016 Chardonnay brought melon to our nose and lemon to our palette, with a dry crisp finish at the end. The Scale House Reserve Chardonnay was our favorite of the two – a dry, crisp, more mature Chardonnay which brought citrus to our palette, and would pair great with a seafood dish (says Michael).

Next, we sampled two Rieslings which were dry or off-dry, a delighted find as we are used to seeing sweeter Rieslings. The first, the Riesling 2017, the off-dry Riesling, has a sweet aroma on the nose, with a full body and a dry finish. Next was the Scale House Reserve Riesling, which was dry with an elegant citrus finish.

We sampled several Reds, and were pleased with all. Our two favorites were the Cab Franc, and the Lemberger. The Ox~Eye Cab Franc was a spicy, green pepper style that we both fell in love with and took a bottle home. The Lemberger was a new varietal for us, which comes from the Lemberger grape, with a full body and a pleasantly long finish.

Inquisitive minds were asking questions, and Michael inquired why the Ox~Eye Reserve wines were labeled with the Scale House name… This led to a great discussion on the origin and history of the tasting room which at one time was a scale house built in 1904 by T. J. Collins. This scale house was once used to weigh horse drawn coal carriages. Bridgett then pointed out the owners had located the old Fair Banks scale in the attic of the building, which is proudly displayed in the tasting room – thus giving way to the Scale House Label. We were also intrigued by the Ox~Eye name, which turned out to be from the Ox Eye daisy that grows throughout the Ox~Eye farm and displayed on some of the bottles and artwork throughout the tasting room.

If you’re looking for a great weekend trip, we suggest checking out Staunton and stopping into the Ox~Eye vineyard tasting room. We know you’ll enjoy a little history while tasting some great Shenandoah Valley wines. If you’re there, tell them the VaVineDudes sent you!

Wine Tasting During The Week

Have you ever been to a Vineyard and on the drive up, you’re met by someone that says “we’re out of parking… come back in an hour!” You know what few words you want to say here… “I want my wine, NOW!” (There’s probably a few more phrases one could use here.)

In peak season, vineyards and tasting rooms often find themselves packed. If it’s hot outside… there’s wine. If you’re celebrating a special event… there’s wine. If you’re having a bad day… there’s wine… You get the picture!

Last summer on our across the state wine adventures, we happened upon a few of these well known vineyards. At first, we were a bit miffed that we would have to come back, but truth be told, this was a blessing in disguise. Here are a few reasons you should try out that new winery on a midweek excursion:

Weekdays Are The Best Days To Taste – You may ask “why”? Well, what day isn’t better with a little wine… Seriously though, there’s less crowds. Less crowds means you’re able to enjoy the tasting just a little bit more. You may also find that some wineries and vineyards offer special events during the week.

Special Events – Sometimes you happen upon a vineyard that has events during the week. One of our favorites, Jefferson Vineyards, is offering a vertical Meritagé tasting during the week that isn’t part of their normal tasting. This offers the wine adventurer and connoisseur a bit of a different experience where they can sip and savor some of the more vintage wines in a relaxed, intimate experience.

You Learn More About Their Wines – You are able to spend time with the win pourer, they have time to talk about the wines. They have time to talk to you about the difference in each year and they don’t have to go from person to person in a rush. You have time to talk to them and discuss what you like about each wine without feeling like you are rushed and you need to move for another group.

We enjoying trying out new vineyards on weekdays as that gives us the opportunity to fully experiment with new wines and interact with the staff a little more. If you’re in the mood for a little less hectic, more down to earth experience, give that new winery the weekday experience. We know you’ll be impressed. Oh, and tell them the VaVineDudes sent you!

A Sunday At Potters

A little off the norm for us, today we stopped in at Potter’s Craft Cider where we were pleased to have Zeke walk us through the tasting list. Talk about nostalgic; sipping cider in an old church on a Sunday… The decor is modern, while maintaining some of the original stone architecture. This is a welcoming location with outside seating and corn hole that will blossom as the temperatures rise in the summertime.

Our tasting consisted of 6 Ciders on the normal tasting list, with a couple of small pour drafts for comparison. The Farmhouse Dry is a traditional cider made in stainless, and offered a dry crisp finish. This was hands down one that we could come back to again, and again, and left with a bottle.

The Hewes Crab is a Virginia Apple fermented in French oak wine barrels. While not offering a big finish, this one packed a nice little refreshing finish that would be a perfect summertime porch sipping cider.

Cider Nouveau was next on our list. This unique cider is a rosé style cider and fermented over Pomace (red grape skin) from King Family Vineyard (which just happens to be Michael’s favorite vineyard)… So hands down, this one is a WIN before even tasting.

Grapefruit Hibiscus surprised us. We were looking for a bitter flavor, but came out to be more citrus and one of our favorites on the tasting list. This unique small batch cider is made multiple times per year with different apples and grapefruits (whichever are in season).

The Cranberry Orange Blossom is part of the Bloom Series. This cider is a rotating seasonal, low in alcohol, which is also sold in cans. This can be a definite spring/summer drink after a hike or a long day at work!

The Damson Plum is one that everyone’s palate appreciates. While Chris wasn’t huge fan, this was one of Michael’s favorites.. leading us to believe this is definitely one that attacks a unique crowd.

Potter’s Craft Cider is a location you should definitely check out! A place for wine and craft beer lovers can unite and sip a bit of cider in an eclectic and inviting atmosphere! If you’re there, tell them the VaVineDudes sent you!

Wine… Food… Friends…

Last year we visited Gabriele Rausse winery just after the Food and Wine pairing had finished; we knew we had to come back. We had the opportunity to visit this past Thursday, January 16th. We had a few friends join us for their Food and Wine pairing… We found this to be a great experience with delicious food and wine!

We started with freshly baked, warm sourdough bread and olive oil. This was paired with a glass of Chasselas Doré Sparkling 2019. This crisp bubbly wine is intriguing to drink and would be a great bubbly for a celebratory toast! It paired well with the opening course and had a lovely light golden color. The nose was that of green apple with flavors of citrus and pear.

Our next course was sliced sautéed Fin Lina Potatoes served fresh off the stove. This was paired with two white wines. We enjoyed a tasting of Grüner Veltliner 2018, followed by the Chardonnay Reserve 2017. The Grüner Veltliner had a light acidic taste while the Chardonnay Reserve was lightly oaked with a mild buttery finish; both of these wines paired surprisingly well with the potatoes.

The third course was Polenta, Cipolline Onions, and Red Peppers. This was paired with two red wines. First, we enjoyed the Malbec 2018, followed by the Cabernet Franc Reserve 2017. The Malbec was a surprise as we have found few wineries in our area that produce Malbec; both perfectly with this course. Cab Francs have become a staple in our home, and this one stands out as one of the best due in part to the well balanced tannins and long pleasant finish. The Polenta, Cipolline, and Red Peppers were a perfectly paired combination as the flavors and textures meshed well.

Our final course was by far our greatest surprise… We had the pleasure of tasting a generous portion of the Olive Oil Cake. This reminded us of grandmother’s pound cake consistency with a crisp crust and a moist cake. This was paired with their dessert wine Kalian Monbazillac 2016. This sweet wine paired perfectly with the cake and both complimented each other well, and neither were over powering.

If you’re in the area, stop in to Gabriele Rausse winery and give them a try. We know you will be in for a treat! Tell them the VaVineDudes sent you!

Why not join a wine club?

If you have ever gone wine tasting, you have probably noticed that many wineries offer a wine club membership. Most people wonder if wine clubs are worth it. If you live near a winery whose wine you really like, you might just want to take a gander at the perks that come with the wine club membership. Some offer special sale prices, discounts on wine shipments, and even special events.

We are members of 4 wine clubs from wineries on the Monticello Wine trail. They all offer quarterly pickups of 3 different wines of either reds, whites, or a mixture. You get to chose which you want! They offer the convenience of having the wine shipped to your house, or you can stop in and pick up your shipment. One of the perks of the 4 wine clubs we belong to is that we get free wine tastings, so picking up our shipment allows us to sample new wines on the tasting menu.

Veritas – Our very first wine club membership. Their shipments are March, June, September, and December. Here are a few of the perks that Veritas offers their wine club members: free wine tastings for you and a guest when you visit the tasting room, exclusive events just for members, and 20% off all purchases at the winery. Our favorite perk is the free admission to the Starry Night concerts.

King Family Vineyards – This is our 2nd wine club membership. Their shipments are March, May, September, and November. Here is a look at the perks that King Family offers their wine club members are: priority invitation to King Family events and release of new wine vintages, complimentary tastings for you and your friend, per visit, while a wine club member, and discounts on wine retail prices and purchased items in the tasting room.

Early Mountain Vineyard – Our 3rd wine club membership. Their shipments are March, June, September, and December. Wine club membership perks are: complimentary wine tastings for two any day you visit the winery, attendance to quarterly pickup parties, priority access to newest vintages, 15% discount on all wine and retail items, winemakers newsletter for each wine in shipment, and an additional 10% discount in the tasting room for the anniversary month of your membership.

Jefferson Vineyard – Our 4th wine club membership. Their shipments are February, May, August, and November. Their wine club membership perks are: 2 free tastings or a glass of wine in the tasting room, access to member only wines (small batch series), 20% off wine and merchandise purchases, and access to library wines and special releases. In May and November, they offer exclusive club member events at their tasting room where they pair select wines with delicious pairings from local chefs.

Knights Gambit… where wine and family merge!

While wine tasting in the area, we happened to stumble upon Knight’s Gambit Vineyard. We are so glad we did. We spent an evening on the patio eating dinner, playing cards, and drinking wine. From that night, we knew that we had to connect with the owners and learn their story. Jordan, the owner’s daughter, was nice enough to sit down with us this past weekend share their vineyard’s story…

Jordan stated that the property was purchased by her grandparents and started out as a functioning horse farm. In 2003, their first vines were planted. Which started out as a family hobby to provide wine for their family functions, has blossomed into so much more. One gathers the sense of family as soon as you step foot through the doors of their tasting room which reminds you of a living room of your house. It does not come as a surprise of the strong family connection they have to this vineyard.

As you arrive to the vineyard, you gaze upon the sign which was designed by Jordan’s sister. This sign is graced with bright flowers, a butterfly, and the name of the vineyard, which was derived from a book her grandfather wrote.

The winery offers a 2016 Pinot Grigio, 2017 Chardonnay, 2018 Rosé, 2017 Cabernet Franc, 2015 Meritage, and 2015 Alexandra’s Cuvée. The beautiful artwork of Jordan’s sister is also displayed on a few of their wines such as Petit Verdot, Rosé and Meritage. The Pinot Grigio is a nice, light, refreshing, porch sipping wine. The Chardonnay is lightly oaked with a smooth hint of butter on the finish. The Rosé (87% Merlot and 13% Cabernet Franc) which makes for a crisp Rosé which we could find drinking all summer long. The Cabernet Franc reminds you of winter with its pepperiness and dark color. The Meritage is a blend of Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot with both a smoky taste and dark berry flavor. The Alexandra’s Cuvée (75% Petit Verdot, 25% Cabernet Franc), which is pictured in the photo at the top of this blog, quickly became our favorite, and we believe could go with almost any type of meal.

Jordan also talked about the community events which the Vineyard participates in. One of the most recent events that they are participating in is the Crozet Trolley and their Pollard Express ride. This event brings children and their families out to the vineyard. The family enjoys the smiles on the children’s faces at they see Santa arriving. When we arrived to the Vineyard, we noticed riding lessons were underway. When we inquired, Jordan stated that the farm rents the barn and riding area to a lady that gives therapeutic riding lessons to children with Autism.

One of the neatest features at Knight’s Gambit is the fact that they are solar powered. Through the discussion with Jordan we learned that they are entirely solar powered, and very self sufficient. The views from the porch area overlook horse pastures and the vineyard, and is a great place to take a weekend picnic or dinner for a peaceful getaway.

We suggest you check out Knight’s Gambit Vineyard for a family vineyard that provides a great getaway from the Charlottesville bustle. We would like to thank Jordan for taking the time out of her busy Sunday to sit down with us and enlighten us on her family and the vineyard itself. If you stop in, mention the VaVineDudes said hello!

Common House, Charlottesville… A Pleasant Surprise!

What an awesome surprise… After checking into our hotel this weekend, we were looking for something to do to pass the time before dinner. When we checked Facebook for “events near us,” we found Common House was having a Wine Fest… We decided to check it out, and we are so glad we did! We were able to taste wines from 6 different Wine Makers/Distributors. Some of our favorites are outlined below.

First off was Joy Ting Wines… Joy is unique in that she does not having a tasting room, but utilizes space from other wine makers to produce her wine. This is pretty awesome, and characterizes the uniqueness of the Virginia Wine Industry; that of camaraderie for the craft of wine making! We were able to taste a Chardonnay, a Cabernet Franc, and a Merlot. All of which were great! The Chardonnay was more of a Virginia style, which is what we prefer. The Cabernet Franc was light with not a strong peppery finish, and reminded us of a Pinot Noir which is so hard to find in Virginia. We left with 2 bottles of the Chardonnay and 1 bottle of the Cabernet Franc.

Next, we sampled Lightwell Survey Wines. Continuing the same theme as before, these wines are also produced utilizing space from other wine makers. We are able to sample three wines poured by Stephanie. The Riesling-Petit Manseng was crisp which is very different for most Rieslings-Petit Mansengs that we have tasted. The Riesling was dry and crisp and was very pleasant. The Cab Franc Blend was jammy with a pepper finish. All of these wines were crafted with unique labels that draw the wine enthusiast to their design. We were very pleased to leave with a bottle of the Cab Franc blend as we are finding Cab Francs to be our choice this winter.

The highlight of the evening for us was the Veritas and True Heritage table. Chris is a wine club member at Veritas, and being able to meet Emily Pelton the winemaker, made this event both amazing and rememberable. We tasted 2 wines from Veritas, and 2 wines from True Heritage with is the sister brand to Veritas. Honestly, all of these wines are our favorites! Veritas is Latin for truth and thus we found these wines to be truth in both their aromas and tastes. The first wine was the Veritas Sparkling ‘Scintilla’ This mostly Chardonnay dominate wine is full of bubbles and is similar to a brut. We could taste a bit of apples with a hint of brioche. Next was the True Heritage Viognier. This wine is both soft and full of aroma. Viognier is the grape of Virginia and this is our favorite summer wine. True Heritage Petit Verdot was our next tasting. This wine is unique in that it is from the second leaf of planting, which is very unusual. This wine is one of our favorite Petit Verdots with its lush color and full body. You will find this as one of our stables in our wine cellar. We finished off this tasting with the Veritas Cabernet Franc. This is by far one of our favorite Cabernet Fracs.

Thank you to Common House for an AMAZING event! If you’re in the Charlottesville area, check out Common House and all they have to offer. We guarantee you’ll have a great experience! Thank you to all the Winemakers and Distributors for showcasing all the wines that were on display. We are looking forward to more events at Common House!