Sometimes my mama and daddy like to get out fancy glasses and drink old juice out of them. I have yet to understand this. I just know it’s not for little boys, which is perfectly fine with me. Whenever my juice sits out for just a day or two, they make me throw it out. But apparently their juice sits for months in big wooden or steel barrels and they think it’s great. They think that it’s so great, they spend time carefully choosing all kinds of old juice to put on the restaurant menu: old white juice, old red juice and old….pink juice. And then they talk about what meals go nicely with the different kinds of old juice. Actually, we have even held special events to showcase the old juice alongside daddy’s cooking….Wine Dinners they’re called. Since this seems to be important to them, I figured I would learn a little about all of our old juice suppliers and share it with you. I hope you like it!
Although Captain John Smith offered an optimistic initial report when he first landed at Jamestown, the early colonists did not have much success with cultivating grapes and the wine making that followed. Of course, we know that Thomas Jefferson tried his hand at producing Virginia wine with limited success. The mid-1800’s brought the discovery of plant grafting which enabled European varieties to grow here, protected from native pests and disease. By 1890, Virginia was producing 461,000 gallons of wine and was the fifth largest producer in the country. After prohibition, the wine industry recovered thanks, in part, to several laws intended for its growth. In the 1990’s, the first Viogner was bottled, which would become the state grape of Virginia. There are now over 230 wineries in the state and this number is expected to continue growing. We currently feature five local wines on our Wine Menu and hope to expand that list over time.
Located in LaCrosse, close to the North Carolina border, lies Rosemont of Virginia. This 450 acre estate has been in Rose family since 1858. Since 2003, they have planted 32,000 grape vines on 22 acres of the land. Rosemont is truly a family-run business from growing to wine making, from management to sales. All of their wines are made from grapes grown on the estate. The vintner’s taste runs to drier wines, which offers a great opportunity to try some varietals in a way you may never have had before. We offer their Traminette and Merlot.
Prince Michel Winery is close to Culpeper in Leon. Founded in 1982 by two Parisians, today’s wines still retain some of the “old world” feel while the new owners focus on hospitality and creating a great wine experience. It has become one of the most distributed labels in Virginia and along the east coast. Very fruit forward wines are great for novice and experienced wine drinkers alike. Due to distribution issues, we have had to remove their wines from our menu for now, but have enjoyed sipping and serving them and highly recommend a visit if you’re in the Culpeper area.
Open daily for tastings, like most of our suppliers, Barboursville Vineyards offers something extra special on the weekends. In Library 1821, you can taste rarer vintages paired with small bites created by their chef. This 18th century estate, situated on 900 acres, has a climate that offers wide success across many different grape varieties, offering different yields from year to year. With a founding owner from Italy, Barboursville has an expert team of growers and vintners. Make sure to stop by their beautiful estate if you have the chance!
CrossKeys Vineyards is located in Mt. Crawford within sight of Massanutten Mountain. Where a dense forest once stood, 30 acres of vines were planted in 2001. Boasting twelve different varietals, 100% estate grown, they opened in 2008 and have only grown from there. They pride themselves on hospitality and giving back to the community and have raised $200,000 for St. Jude over the years. We carry their oaked Chardonnay and Petit Verdot.
Open Thursday-Monday for tastings, Afton Mountain Vineyards offers spectacular views enjoyed from the cozy tasting room or picnic tables in the vineyard. They offer light snacks as well as local chocolates to enjoy with a glass or a bottle. We carry their Gewurtztraminer, a slightly sweet German-style white wine, that is delightful outside on a warm day.
An hour south of here, in Clover, sits Hunting Creek Vineyards. Opening in 2009 with 180 cases, they have stayed small, focusing on excellence in growing and wine making. They specialize in several luscious red blends. We hope to see them back on our menu soon!
Well, I think that about covers it. That’s all I have to say for now about Virginia wine….I mean, old juice. Stay tuned for details about upcoming Wine Dinners. For now, don’t miss out on celebrating Virginia Wine Month in October and cheers!
