North Carolina - Benson - Broadslab Distillery

Broadslab Distillery - (July 2017) So this is not wine, but when at Hinnant, this was a local recommendation. We used this as education to broaden our distilled tastes. We chose to do just the tasting and not the tour.

Everyone sat at the tasting bar and before the host poured the first spirit, she gave everyone a pitcher of lemonade, which could be used as a chaser or to cut the alcohol. The first pour was pure 90 proof moonshine, made from a bootlegger family recipe; we needed to add some lemonade after tasting it. The next pour was the apple moonshine at 50 proof followed by the reserve moonshine at 80 proof, which was aged in whisky barrels. It reminded me of the tequila tasting in Mexico where I liked the reserve the best.

While we were tasting the bar host explained the history of the distillery; Broadslab is well known in the area for its prohibition rebellion. The state regulations allow the distillery to sell you only one bottle to each person per year. If you were to stop in twelve months later, it would have to be at least one day later or she would not be able to sell a bottle to you. But you can go their liquor store and purchase a case at a time, as many times as you want in a year. Interesting!

The first rum was the silver rum, similar to anything you’d get out of Puerto Rico. The second rum was a spiced rum, but it did not remind us of Captain Morgan’s, too much clove.

North Carolina - Pine Level - Hinnant Family Vineyard and Winery

Hinnant Family Vineyard and Winery - (July 2017) There is only one type of tasting at the winery so my wife and I would educate ourselves on NC wines.

We started with Carlos, a type of muscadine grape, done in a semi-dry style. It was sweet at first, similar to a Niagara, but with a clean finish, similar to some Diamond wines. Next was the blanc du Bois, a University of Florida hybrid, that is similar to sauvignon blanc; it had an interesting flavor, but not as crisp as a sauvignon blanc. The Carolina Wildflower was Carlos sweetened with honey; a good porch wine where it could take you by surprise. We ended the whites with the Southern Sangria White, made with the blanc du Bois and peach, mango, pomegranate and strawberry juices. The peach caught you at the aroma, the mango with the first taste and the strawberry lingering finish.

The first red, norton, a Virginia native, was aged in whisky barrels; unfortunately, the aging was overpowering. The Southern Red is a noble, another muscadine variety, based wine reminding me more of church wine, but just not as sweet. The Loggerhead Red is 75% Noble and 25% blanc du Bois for a blush; it was a surprisingly light wine, but not sweet. The red wines were finished with the Southern Sangria Red, the noble base with peach, pomegranate, blackberry and strawberry juices; it was not as good as the white version.

There was one fruit wine, blackberry, but the aroma was not blackberry, but the taste was.There were other wines available to purchase and we chose the Dangerous Waters blanc du Bois, a fortified version of what we tasted.

Virginia - Fisherville, Barren Ridge Vineyard and Winery

Barren Ridge Vineyard and Winery - (July 2017) I stopped here on our vacation to Hilton Head so I could do a homework assignment for my viticulture class.

I decided to do the reserve tasting (tasting all the wines) and my wife the white tasting. We started off with the 2015 vidal blanc with light grape aroma, citrus flavor and a crisp finish. It was balanced because my wife liked it. The 2015 Viognier felt drier on the palette than the vidal blanc, but my wife picked up in the honeysuckle right away. Unfortunately, she tasted the oak and that turned her off. The 2014 Traminette ended the single varietals. There was a nice sweetness at the beginning with a hint of crisp, maybe a bit tart, apple on the long finish.

The 2015 Circulus is a blend of (mostly) vidal blanc, viognier and traminette. This off-dry blend was created by some Barren Ridge crush club members, but it did not suit our tastes; it was missing something and did not do the vidal blanc the justice it has on its own. The 2015 Harmony, a blend of vidal blanc, petit manseng, viognier and traminette, is finished off in neutral oak barrels. Although a semi-sweet wine, the oak flavor was overpowering. To finish off the whites, so to speak, we were treated to the 2016 rose, made from cabernet franc grapes. It was too acid for our taste.

I continued with the reds, starting with the 2015 cabernet franc. Although young, its ruby color brought on fruity aromas or berries, but none stood out; the oaking was balanced with mild tannins. The 2016 Merlot, with a hint of pepper, had caramel and oak on the finish. The 2015 Touriga, a grape I am not familiar with, was balanced between fruit notes of currants and oak. The earth tones reminded me of fresh tobacco aging in the barn. The 2014 petit verdot was balanced with cherry notes and seasoned oak, again with soft tobacco tones. I finished off the reds with the Red Barren, a blend of Chambourcin, touriga and petit verdot. Although there is spice to this one, it is not overpowering and would pair well with just about anything a typical red would.

Virginia - Afton - Veritas Vineyard and Winery

Veritas Vineyard and Winery - (July 2017) While traveling to Hilton Head for our vacation, we stopped here based on a recommendation from friends.

They had only on tasting so we were trying all the available wines. We started off with the 2016 sauvignon blanc, with its hint of green apple, had a nice acid finish. The 2015 viognier was a nice delicate semi-dry wine with a crisp finish; not what was expected. The 2015 Harlequin, their chardonnay, was lightly oaked, although no oak on the nose or palette; it had a lobster-butter finish. (the tasting bar hostess said it and she was correct).  The whites ended with the White Star, a blend of traminette, viognier, chardonnay and sauvignon blanc. There were fruit flavors, but nothing really stood out.

For the reds, the 2016 rose, a blend of cabernet franc, merlot and touriga, had a nice berry taste. The 2015 cabernet franc was young, with black cherry undertones and medium tannins. The 2015 merlot had 20% cabernet franc blended in; it was medium-bodied with notes of drying tobacco and mild tannins. The Red Star, a blend of cabernet sauvignon, merlot, chambourcin and touriga, had many fruit flavors. I ended the reds with the 2012 Othello, a blend of 75% tannat and 25% merlot, fortified with brandy, the alcohol overpowered the caramel and vanilla undertones. I noticed a 2014 petit verdot and decided to ask about it. Our tasting host gave me a taste. It had hints of blackberries and currants.