There are wineries in Virginia? There are wineries in Virginia!
Sitting here in the hotel in Charlottesville VA, after finishing the first day of the Court of Master Sommeliers Introductory Sommelier's Exam. Be looking for the images from the Oakencroft Vineyards soon. Owned by Felica Rogan, this is one of the premier vineyards in VA. Julie and I got a chance to meet Ms. Oakencroft, and I have to say that she is one of the nicest ladies I have ever talked to.
6 comments:
Ok here's what you gotta find out for me:
1. Soil Content? Influences? Shale? Limestone? Igneous? Clay or Sand?
2. Weather...i.e. Burgundian? Bordeaux? Loire?
3. Varietals planted despite grwing season?
--> Brix Harvested?
--> Whats the style of the wine? Determined by local palate or amount of sugar/acid in the grapes?
(Meaning sweet wines because thats all that sells there or because of elongated hang time in the vineyard while farmers wait for the flavors and color to develop and meanwhile th sugar content keeps galloping along).
Ok, bring me some VA wine and we can do a switcheroo. I'll send you some bomb bomb cali.
AND I JUST found a case of Domaine Drouhin from Willammette Dammit. Are you dying?
ppppsssss How hard was the test? Do tell.
Did you have to identify a wine blind?
What did it end up being?
Oh god.
Pinot versus Cab versus Petite. No Problem.
But a Syrah versus Mourvedre? sheeeesh!
And I mean Pinot Gris versus Sauv Blanc?
I don't think I could do it. It'd have to be super obvious!
shit I am really nervous for my test.
I can bullshit like no one's business ...but an actual test. Ee gads.
Did they test you on decanting?
Oh my god I have 4 million questions.
I walked the vineyards, and I have to say that I believe it to be some schist, slate, and possibly a bit calcareous. They are growing mostly old world varietals. Chardonnay, Seyval Blanc, Viognier, Vidal Blanc, Merlot, Chambourcin, Petit Verdot, Cabernet Sauvignon (in warm years when it can ripen), Cabernet Franc, Tannat, and Traminette. Residual Sugar is low, around .7%. I would say that the weather is cool to moderate. I would think more like Loire, or possibly in a warm year Mendocino. They grow what they want to, and they seem to have a really good handle on it. I tried everything that they make, and I have to say that I thought that it was quite well done. It is Nov now and the harvest has been over for some two to three months now. I have a bottle of the Seyval Blanc, Countryside white, Merlot, Countryside red, and Encore their Ice Wine. Check out http://www.oakencroft.com. CALL ME, and tell me what you want sent, and how I should send it. By the way, what happened to that Montebello Rd? The test was sort of difficult. I don't think that you will have much difficulty with it. I think that we tasted something like twenty wines. Which test are you going to take. The Introductory? You have to take that one first. It is all multiple choice, and you have to miss twenty eight out of seventy questions to fail. The class is taught over two days. There is a great emphasis placed on how to taste something blind. They give you their tasting grid, and then you go through each wine as a group. If you know enough flavors, and you can remember what they are characteristics of, then you can pass. If you are taking the certified exam, you don't have to get it right, you just have to use sound judgment. They would really like it if you got it right, but it is not requisite. Yes I am dying, Domaine Drouhin, how did you manage that? In case you were wondering, I PASSED. I am prepping for the certified exam now. When I pass that, I will be happy. If you have 4 million questions, then CALL ME! We can talk.
Later,
B.
No Idea: Seyval Blanc, Chambourcin, Tannat, and Traminette (<-- I need to read about these...)
.7% is HIGH for Resid Azucar? Enough acids to balance or what?
I will call asap. I've been on the run.
Going to drink my dinner (tea) and go night night. I am done. smoke comes out of my ears.
Congratulations! So proud. You should hook up with Phil's Friend Eileen's friends at he brewery and bakery in Columbus and do wine tastings with them. Flour Girls....do you know them?
Cheers!
All of those grapes are from France. A few might be Germany. .7% Did not seem that high to me. I found most of their wines to be quite dry. One of the reds was done in a sweeter style, and one of the whites was a little sweet, as well as their icewine. Pinot Gris vs. Sauv. Blanc is a really easy one. Sauv. Blanc that is done right will have a very herbaceous nature. You should smell a whole lot of grass, bell pepper, sage, apple, pear, lemon peel, and such. Pinot Gris will not have the grassiness, or the bell pepper. You should also smell some delicate white flowers in the Sauv. Blanc. I am thinking daisies, or honeysuckle. So very delicious. I love Sauv. Blanc. The hard one was Albariño. That one fooled us all. Anywho, give me a call when you get a chance, and I will tell you all about it. The Introductory exam is not that hard. You only have to get 42 out of 70 questions. But study the obscure stuff, and if you don't know a whole lot about liquor or beer, look into it. That stuff is important. The service part of it is where a few of us that have not worked in service at a real restaurant had trouble.
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