Winery Visit - Fork & Cork Wine Festival

On Saturday, April 27th I attended the Fork & Cork Wine Festival in Blacksburg, VA. I had a friend visiting from out of town and I thought it would be a perfect way for her to see a bit of our town - the food and even some of the local wines! The overcast weather didn't hold us back and we had a blast at the festival!

Left to Right: Courtney (roommate), Chrissy (friend from JMU), and Me

My Boyfriend, Matt and I waiting in a tasting line.

Tastings
1. Beliveau Estate
Name: Lover's Quest
Variety: Vidal Blanc
Region: Southwest Virginia
Country: USA
Year: 2012
Price: $15.00

Winery Review: "Semi-sweet Vidal Blanc with notes of tropical fruits and citrus. It is great with light cheeses. A favorite of those who like white wine on the slightly sweet side."

My Review: I have been out to visit Beliveau before but wasn't able to try this particular wine when I was out there. This white was more on the sweeter side with aromas of pineapple. I liked it quite a bit but I think that they need to give their wines the opportunity to age because they're all fairly young. I had never had a Vidal Blanc before and am interested in trying more of this variety.

2. Lexington Valley Vineyard Wines
Name: 2011 Vidal Blanc
Variety: Vidal Blanc
Region: Lexington, Virginia
Country: USA
Year: 2011
Price: $15.00

Winery Review: "A Virginia Wine Lovers Magazine award winner, Vidal Blanc is a medium dry (1.5% residual sugar) white wine with a smooth finish. Pairs well with chicken or seafood or with citrus and garlic sauces. Also great with feta, smoked salmon, or sushi."

My Review: This particular Vidal Blanc was much more dry than the Beliveau one. I liked it quite a bit! It was filled with citrus and a sour smell on the nose which by no surprise, was followed with a bitter taste, almost like a Sauvignon Blanc. It is written in the review that it would pair well with seafood and I'd love to try that!

3. Lexington Valley Vineyard Wines
Name: 2012 Traminette
Variety: Traminette
Region: Lexington, Virginia
Country: USA
Year: 2012
Price: $16.00

Winery Review: "Like its parent Gewurztraminer, this great German hybrid is a semi-dry white, with a bold fruity taste. Winner of 2010 silver medal. Great with Asian cuisine, chips and salsa, pork dishes, or Fettuccini Alfredo."

My Review: This white reminded me of a Riesling, so naturally, I LOVED IT! I wish I had picked up a bottle of this! It was bursting with floral scents on the nose. It smelled sweeter than it tasted but it was perfect. It was fruity and refreshing and I can definitely believe that it was a medal winning wine. This deserved an A+ in my book.

4. Lexington Valley Vineyard Wines
Name: 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon
Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon
Region: Lexington, Virginia
Country: USA
Year: 2011
Price: $16.00

Winery Review: "A smooth, mellow red with hints of black cherry. This young cab is light and fruity - ready now or lay down for later. Pairs well with red meat dishes and hearty stews or just by itself!"

My Review: I loved this Cab! I am pretty picky about Cab Savs because sometimes they are too spicy and bold in flavor for my liking. I'd compare this one to the Cab Sav from Beliveau Estate. It has taught me that the younger they are, the less spicy and more light they are. It was heavy on the nose giving me the expectation of a bold flavor but it was surprisingly light and delicious! I'd love to have this paired with a big juicy steak! This was a great one in my book, however, they served it chilled which I didn't really enjoy and think I would love it even more if served at room temperature.

Lexington Valley Vineyard Wines

5. VERITAS
Name: 2012 Sauvignon Blanc
Variety: Sauvignon Blanc
Region: Charlottesville, Virginia
Country: USA
Year: 2012
Price: $22.00

Winery Review: "Our Sauvignon Blanc is a true expression of youth and vibrancy. The aroma and flavors show ripe grapefruit, lime rind, lemon grass and wet-stone minerality. The flavors on the palate mirror the nose brings a mouthful of crisp ripe fruits that are balanced by Sauvignon Blanc's naturally high acidity."

My Review: This was my most favorite wine of the Veritas wines. It was bursting with flavor and just the right amount of grassy-ness and acidity that I like in a Sauvignon Blanc. This particular variety of wine is my favorite because it is cleansing and flavorful but not sweet. However, I don't find it dry either. This wine was bursting with grapefruit, which I absolutely LOVE! This was great!

6. VERITAS
Name:White Star NV
Variety: Viognier, Traminette, Chardonnay, and Vidal Blanc
Region: Charlottesville, Virginia
Country: USA
Year:NV
Price: $18.00

Winery Review: "White Star is gleaming with flavors of ripe tropical fruits as if they were kissed by the sun. The fruits are layered with fresh peaches, pineapple, mango, and hints of coconut. The light residual sugar is perfectly balanced with the clean acidity, leaving the palate wishing on a shooting start for more."

My Review: Wow, this was a different wine. It was bursting with a variety of scents when I first swirled it. I couldn't put my finger on exactly what I was smelling but I liked it! The flavor really was true to what the winery pinpointed it as. It was almost as if I was drinking wine version of a tropical frozen drink. However, it wasn't overly sweet because of the acidity in the grapes. I really wish I had picked up a bottle of this one because it was pretty unique.

7. VERITAS
Name: Claret 2012
Variety: 55% Cabernet Franc, 28% Petit Verdot, 12% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Malbec, 2% Merlot
Region: Charlottesville, Virginia
Country: USA
Year: 2012
Price: $19.00

Winery Review: "The 2012 Claret is a Bordeaux blend comprising 55% Cabernet Franc, 28% Petit Verdot, 12% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Malbec, and 2% Merlot. Beautifully deep purplish red in color the wine exudes an aroma of black cherry, black berry with smoky rich oak aromas. As you taste the wine it fills the mouth with rich flavors of black fruit, with added olive and mocha notes. Soft yet assertive tannins round off the fruit flavors on the palate, leaving a delicious long lasting finish."

My Review: This red was filled with those tart blackberry aromas on the nose and upon sipping, I was slammed with the spiciness of what must have been the olive and mocha aspects of the wine. It was not particularly my cup of tea and I ended up pouring the rest of my tasting out. It was too flavorful in my opinion and honestly just left me yearning for a glass of water because of how dry it was.



Food and Wine Pairing
Bull & Bones Barbeque Pulled Pork & White Rock Cabernet Franc

Bull & Bones Barbeque Pulled Pork

White Rock Vineyards & Winery

Name: Cabernet Franc
Variety: Cabernet Franc
Region: Goodview, Virginia
Country: USA
Year: 2010
Price: $16.00

Winery Review: "100% Cabernet Franc barrel aged for 24 months with earthy aromas and hints of cherry and a coffee finish"

My Review: I'm not overly familiar with the flavor profile of Cabernet Franc but I would compare it to a Cab Sav minus the spicy aspect. It smelled strong and I was nervous about what to expect because I typically don't love strong-flavored wines. However, it was just the right amount of dryness and sweetness in my opinion.

It paired nicely with the barbeque pork because the spices in the barbeque really was drawn out by the boldness of the wine. The sweetness of the barbeque sauce was muted a bit because the wine had more flavor than the sauce did - but this was a good thing! It made the focus on the dish more of the meat and spices and less of the sauce, which was delicious.

















My Favorite Wine of the Day

My favorite wine of the day had to have been the White Star NV from VERITAS. The uniqueness of the flavors just left me dumbfounded and in disbelief of what winemakers can truly do to wine to give it the flavors it has. The fruitiness was extremely pleasing and refreshing to my palate. It seemed to be the warmest part of the day, when I actually didn't have my sweater on. This was the perfect way to soak in the beauty of Blacksburg weather and experience a totally different profile of flavors. I'm definitely going to have to hunt down this wine and snag a bottle... or a case.