Sunday, July 16, 2017

Virginia - Shenandoah Valley - North Mountain

North Mountain Vineyard - (July 2017) We started off with the 2015 vidal blanc, with a light taste and hints of tropical fruits. The 2015 chardonnay, a 50/50 blend of neutral oak aged and stainless steel aged, finished as if you were actually making caramel, the process, from the buttery start to the sweet finish. The 2016 riesling has a nice crisp, sweet beginning with a green apple finish. The Oktoberfest is a 60% traminette, 35% vidal blanc, 5% Riesling blend with a honeysuckle beginning and a spun candy finish.

The Mountain Sunset, a blush of apples with some cabernet franc to give color had some spice from the grapes to a nicely apple finish. It reminded you of baked apple pie. The Virginia Apple wine was as if drinking apple juice.


The claret, their version of a Meritage, is an equal blend of cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc and petit verdot. Aged in French and American oak, the blend was well balanced with all the characteristics of a Bordeaux blend. The 2015 cabernet franc reserve had nice mild red and white pepper spice notes with nice tannic ending. The 2015 cabernet sauvignon had nice cherry notes.

The surprise was the 2015 chambourcin. Served after all other dry reds, this was deep in color, which I had not seen before, and had been aged in neutral bourbon barrels. The spiced plum flavors were offset by the nice char from the bourbon barrel. Tom’s Brook Red is a sweetened blend of cabernet franc and cabernet sauvignon. It had more spice quality to it compared to the individual variety.

We were treated to a 2007 vidal blanc. It had aged well with notes of apricot and tangerine.

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