The hours between a rain storm and before the sun shines again, when the temperature hovers around chilly and the grass is a little greener and the fluttering fall leaves are a little more pronounced in their new colorful shades, has become my favorite time to go wine tasting. A gray day pairs perfectly with a glass of wine, I've found.
A week or two ago when it rained for four days straight in DC, a cloudy Saturday felt like a respite and an opportunity to trade the couch for a trip out to wine country in Virginia. We headed to Delaplane, Virginia, barely more than an hour from DC, and home to a handful of great wineries that we hadn't been to yet.
We navigated the winding gravel drive to Linden Vineyards first, mountains behind us cloaked in fog. The vines angle upward along steep hills, and we'd come to later learn from Jim Law, winemaker, that for certain grapes, it aids in the process.
The winery is housed in a beautiful old barn, refurbished and renovated for modern necessities, while maintaining much of its rustic charm. The view looks out over the vines and mountains and a pond alongside a stunning Weeping Willow tree. The tasting room is open to the public, but the vineyard's deck and lounge are reserved for wine club members; a true perk of joining but a disappointment to many who would stay and purchase a glass or drink a bottle, if they could.
There are two tasting options: the standard with five of their wines and a cellar tasting, featuring reserves. We opted for the introductory tasting but were generously offered tastings of many reserves, as well as industry discounts on bottles we purchased. In total we tried nine wines, and we quickly realized why Linden is recognized as being one of the top-notch Virginia wineries. Complex, deep, aged wines delighted us from start to finish.
Linden's wines are made in an old world style, many exhibiting notes of minerality, earth tones, and acidity. The 2010 single-varietal Petit Verdot captured our attention with blackberry and herbal notes and a medium tannin finish. It's a rustic, mildly spicy wine that would be perfect right alongside turkey and greens on a Thanksgiving table.
My other favorite standouts are the 2009 Hardscrabble, a 64% Cabernet Sauvignon blend that's still considered young. We bought this bottle and plan to age it for the next 5 years or so. And the 2012 Rose is light and fruity on the nose with spicy undertones, and so very dry. I'd love to wait to open it until the first warm days next year, but I don't think I can wait long.
Jim Law walked into the winery in the middle of our tasting, clad in mud-and-rain covered boots straight from the vineyards, where he was busy managing and working this year's harvest. He took the time to talk to Zander and me about grape-picking, and vines that have done well this year and ones that haven't (it has been a wet year). He has been interviewed and profiled numerous times, and his talent is first-rate. He's a vintner in the truest sense, his mind and craft focused on terroir and the science of growing grapes.
Linden was kind enough to allow us to enjoy the perks of being a member for the day, and we sat and chatted and drank wine in their lounge, watching Law and other harvesters move from row to row and vine to vine picking grapes that will undoubtedly turn into some of the best wine in Virginia.
if you go...
located off rt. 66 near delaplane, virginia
tasting fee: $5 standard; $20 cellar
This place is beautiful! It's on my list!
ReplyDeleteYeah!! Next time you come to visit, we'll make a day (or weekend) of wine tasting in Virginia!
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