The Changing of the Seasons

This last week has been just spectacular here in Virginia. Every day has been in the mid seventies with bright, beautiful sunshine. It was wonderful enough for Ms Cocktail and I to be cruising around in the Vette with the top down and wind blowing through our hair. It’s that time of the year when the nights are crisp and the pumpkins appear at the road side stands. Days like these just beg for a trip out to Shenandoah.

One of the gateways to Shenandoah National Park lies just outside the bustling community of Front Royal, Virginia. Now when I say bustling, I mean bustling in a sleepy Virginia hamlet sort of way, not a big city, run around at breakneck speed trying not to crash into things, sort of way. Also, not far outside this energetic little town is a favorite fall destination of Ms Cocktail and I, Rappahannock Cellars.

Ms Cocktail and I stopped by late last Wednesday after an afternoon of leaf peeping to do a tasting. Just a small aside here, Ms Cocktail and I both hail from New England. There are some beautiful places here in Virginia where one can find some very vibrant colors on the mountainsides in the Fall. It is not quite the same as the explosion of color that you get in New England though. However, if you ever wanted to surprise your “significant other” with a romantic getaway, you could do a lot worse than to schedule a weekend in Skyland Resort or Big Meadows Lodge in Shenandoah National Park.

OK, back to the winery. Ms Cocktail and I stopped by Rappahannock Cellars after cruising around the Virginia countryside gathering evidence of the changing seasons. What better way than to cap it all off than with a tasting and a glass of wine on a beautiful afternoon. We got to taste eight wines and here are my notes:

• 2008 Seyval – A very dry white wine that has orange, lemon and grapefruit on the nose. Bright acidity masks much of the fruit in this wine but it does finish with a mineral or chalk note.
• 2008 Vigonier – There is a very nice scent of apricot that comes off this wine and it appears on the palate as well. You get some fruit but it is a crisp wine. There is a subtle yet lingering finish to this wine. A very pleasant sipper.
• 2007 Chardonnay – This is a very rich Chardonnay but not one that overwhelms you. Vanilla on the nose and buttery vanilla on the palate.
• 2007 Vidal Blanc – This is an off dry wine that displays a fruity character yet doesn’t appear to be sweet. Floral notes accent the hints of citrus in the wine.
• 2007 Cabernet Franc – A surprising wine. The nose is of jam and exotic wood, you expect a rich lush wine, but get something with a light acidity and flavors of currants and blackberries. A Bit tight still, this need to sit for a couple of years.
• 2006 Meritage – This is a blend of Cabernet Franc, Cabernet, Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, Malbec and Merlot. What they end up with is a very smooth wine that is ready to drink now. Raspberries and cassis highlight this nose and the flavor.
• 2008 Norton – Here’s another wine that needs to sit for a while. Cut with 25% Cabernet Sauvignon, this wine is dry, tannic and acidic. It has a very deep ink black color with berry aromas and a touch of moss and dry leaves on the palate.
• 2007 Port Style Red Dessert Wine – I don’t care for the name but the wine is excellent. Very reminiscent of a true Portuguese ruby port, this wine comes with aromas of berry and jam that follow through on the palate. Sweet with a touch of tannin and alcohol, this is a wonderful “closer”. Made from 100% Norton grapes.

Not all of these wines were home runs, but none of them really fell flat either. I thought that the selection of whites was better than the reds overall with the exception of the Port Style Red Dessert Wine. That was by far their best red offering of the day.