Virginia - Stafford - Potomac Point Vineyard and Winery

Potomac Point Winery - (December 2015) While we were traveling to Williamsburg for relaxation during the holidays, we decided to stop at a few of the wineries south of the DC area. This was our first stop and after purchasing our tickets for the premiere tasting, the classic tasting with additional wines added, we went to the bar and met a man who used to live in Allentown; he knew of some of the wineries in that area very well. All percentages are from their tasting sheet.

He started us off with the 2014 viognier, with a small amount of petit manseng; it was enjoyable, but we could not agree on the flavors, I tasted pineapple, but my wife tasted banana. We then tried the 2014 reserve chardonnay, with buttery tones, the 2012 Norton, with a small amount of tannat (this grape is predominately a Virginia blending grape) did not entice us, and 2014 merlot had nice oak and tannic structure. My wife did not like these wines as they were oak-aged and dry; but I made sure they did not go to waste. It was the 2014 Abbinato, a blend of 65% sangiovese, 25% chambourcin and 10% petit verdot done in its Chianti style, that my wife thought she’d like, but it was still too much oak. We completed the reds with the 2014 cabernet franc, which was tart, the 2014 coyote cave red, a blend of 55% tempranillo, 30% petit verdot, 10% cabernet franc and 5% syrah, which had a dry smell, and 2013 custom label red, a blend of 54% sangiovese, 26% merlot, 14% cabernet sauvignon and 6% syrah; all of which were dry on the palate. The 2014 vintages seemed young to me and need some more aging time.

The first in the sweeter series was the 2014 la belle vie rose, a blush made from 60% merlot and 40% petit verdot; it was a close version of a white zinfandel. The whites included the 2014 custom white, a blend of 70% viognier and 30% vidal blanc, and the 2014 la belle vie white, a blend of 67% vidal, 15% muscat, 9% chardonnay, 8% viognier and 1% petit manseng, which tasted similar to a Riesling at the beginning with a sweet finish. Neither were as good as the viognier at the beginning. The tasting ended with the 2012 moscato dolce, with its effervescence and peach aromas, and the 2010 vin de paille, a blend of 65% late harvest vidal, 30% late harvest petit manseng and 5% muscat raisin. It is similar to a port - you get the taste of dried fruit, but the alcohol is not until the finish.