Today’s wine industry is expanding exponentially to encompass new
appellations and approaches. As the industry grows though, many of us are left
playing catch up; still mastering the nuances of
Côte
D’Or or the subtleties between
Alba and
Asti. And while it is noble
indeed to know established terroir, time has shown that emerging markets are
nothing to be scoffed at.
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| Piemonte di Italia |
As a Virginian it is hard not acknowledge our historical ties to
agriculture. Though today, we may be more inclined to mention bustling northern
Virginia with its ties to DC or industrial Norfolk – home to the world’s
largest naval base. With the growth of the wine industry though, Virginia is
once again talking about agriculture; but is the world ready to start talking
about its wines?
Where we live just outside
Charlottesville, there are vineyards and wineries
within 10 miles in all directions. The closest is a five minute drive to
Jefferson Vineyards, just up the road
from
historic Monticello. The vineyard
is linked to the historic estate by Jefferson himself who invited
Filippo Mazzei of the Tuscan wine
dynasty to experiment with growing European varietals on the land.
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| Filippo Mazzei |
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| Monticello AVA |
The varietals that Filippo experimented with are still prominent.
Bordeaux varietals,
extensively so considering the Atlantic climate. Although as far as whites are
concerned, Chardonnay and Viognier which harken to
Burgundy and
Northern Rhône
respectably, heavily outweigh varietals like Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon. In
their place are Petit Manseng and Vidal Blanc with thick skins, high sugar and
good acid. It’s surprising to not find Albariño thriving here in good company.
The
Many of the vineyards -tucked into the Piedmont hillsides below the Blue Ridge
Mountains - are wonderful destinations for an afternoon picnic, yet few produce
wines of true integrity. It is with regret that I acknowledge those who
disregard Virginia wines, as a whole, for lacking substance. But despite this
general lack luster, there are yet a few wine makers producing excellent wines
from local vines.
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| Blue Ridge Mountains |
Namely, we cannot get
enough of
Michael Shap’s Wine Works.
Michael is well known for kick starting many of the local vineyards like
King Family and
Keswick, which remain some of the
more renown. Wine Works, Michael’s own winery, is hidden down a back road;
tucked behind a less prestigious vineyard, on route to Scottsville, 20 minutes
south of Charlottesville.
Some gnarly, old vines that now support their
own rusted trellises, are visible from the winery’s crush pad which doubles as
a customer patio. It’s raw and simple; siding from tobacco drying sheds line
the tasting room walls - an odd to Virginia’s agricultural past and an
industrial aesthetic. The shed’s themselves are used to make an
Amarone style wine.
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| Tobacco-drying-shed-panels aesthetic |
What can be deduced from the appearance is that revenue is being invested in
the wine, and not the wine-trail tourism that fuels so many local vineyards.
The approach is clear when you taste the wines. Michael produces Virginia wines
of varying caliber. The Honah Lee Vineyard Petit Manseng is an elegant crafting
of varietal and terroir. While Wine Works boxed-wines redefine the very notion
of wine in a box.
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| Meursault 1er Cru |
Another thing we love about the winery is that Michael imports wines that he
produces in Burgundy and makes them available in the tasting room. For wine
club members the discounts are up to 30% and for Burgundy that is phenomenal.
At those prices you can ship me all the Meursault 1
er Cru available!
Here in Virginia, we
are still digging for diamonds in the ruff. The industry has grown so quickly
around the tastings and weddings that many wineries are simply expensive event
spaces with scenic vineyard views. Alas despite the clutter, agro-culture here
in Virginia remains part of the inherent identity.
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| Harvest Time |
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Over the next decade the Monticello and surrounding AVAs will see root
stocks planted as late as the early 2000’s begin to mature. The market will
move towards a more Burgundy than Bordeaux model as wine makers choose to buy
grapes from multiple vineyards in the same AVA instead of exclusively estate
grown. This is a mixed reaction to the demand for Virginia wines created by
over-sized wine clubs. Many excellent wine makers are trapped by shipment
committals and forced over produce or release wines too early. Already there
are many wineries that source not only from other vineyards in the AVA but all
the way from California.
Where this may be seen as a delusion of the local industry, it does point to
demand issues that leave opportunity to be filled in the future. As wine-eager
Virginians begin to wise up about good wine, the demand for more boutique
wineries who hold back their vintages will increase.
This year, nearly two weeks of rain hampered harvest season with many
vineyards making difficult calculations to maintain the integrity of their fruit. Another wet harvest
this year -like in 2011- will perpetuate some of Virginia’s stereotypes but
thanks to efforts of a growing number of wine makers, Virginia’s wines are
slowly maturing to prestige.
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