blind tasting
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mags.com
SPRING 2012
AS SEEN IN
MAGAZINE
Riesling Dry 2011 Mount Juliet.
The Barboursville Virginia
Riesling 2010 placed third. It was
“easy to drink,” said Withall. Thomson
tasted notes of pineapple, lime, mango,
and honeysuckle, while Carroll found
“tropical elements” on the palate and a
“creamy texture.”
The other wine in this year’s tasting
was Petit Manseng, a grape from the
Jurancon in the foothills
of the French Pyrenees
which has adapted well to
the long growing season
in Virginia. In France,
Petit Manseng is used for
both dry and late-harvest
sweet wines; Virginia
winemakers are vinifying
it into both off-dry table
wines and dessert wines.
T he pa nel’s fir st choice wa s
Sugarleaf Petit Manseng 2010.
Chersevani and Withall both picked
up the scent of popcorn on the nose.
This was Withall’s favorite of the
Petit Mansengs. Chersevani liked its
“tangerine skin” sweetness. Switz tasted
lemon oil and toasted nuts—“a great
balanced wine.”
Number two: Mount Juliet 2008.
This was Wavra’s first choice; he tasted
baked apple. Chersevani found a peppery
Bosc pear taste. This was also Switz’s favorite
among the Petit Manseng wines.
Brad’s Stickdog Petit Manseng 2008
reminded Carroll of roasted almonds, walnuts,
baked yellow apples, and ripe pears—with a
“warm nuttiness” at the finish. Switz called it
a “great wine,” with honey, white peach, and
apricot on the palate.
As in each of our two previous tastings, the
panelists were impressed by the range of both
grapes and styles in the hands of Virginia
winemakers. With each passing year, Virginia
wine becomes more varied and sophisticated.
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2
nd now for something completely
different!
For the past two years, the Flavor
tasting panel has focused mainly on
the better-known varietals of Virginia:
Cabernet, Merlot, and Petit Verdot
reds, and Chardonnay, Sauvignon
Blanc, and Viognier whites.
This year, our panel of
local expert sommeliers
Sippers Name
explored t wo white
varietals: Riesling and
the lesser-known Petit
Manseng. Both are
usually made slightly
“of f-dr y,” wit h some
residual suga r. T he
wines were submitted
by winemakers who responded to
Flavor’s invitation. And, like last year,
there were a couple of “ringers”—both
French Rieslings from Alsace.
Six area wine professionals did
the sniffing, swirling, and savoring
this year: Neal Wavra, sommelier at
The Ashby Inn; Kevin Switz of The
Ashby Inn and Vinosity; Matt Carroll,
formerly of 2941, now studying for the
Clockwise from Top:
Master Sommelier exam; beverage
Matt Carroll, Kevin Switz,
c o n s u lt a nt Gi n a C her s eva n i,
Gina Chersevani, Samatha
Withall, Owen Thomson,
formerly of PS7; Owen Thomson
Bill Plante
of Jose Andres’ Think Food Group;
guidelines, but in the end, it’s your palate that
and Samantha Withall, beverage director of
tells the tale. So sample and decide!
The Hamilton, the new Washington, D.C.
First among the Riesling standouts
restaurant of the Clyde’s Group. She hosted
was Ox-Eye 2010. It was the favorite of
the evening in one of the restaurant’s elegant
both Samantha Withall and Neal Wavra
wood-trimmed private dining rooms.
among the Rieslings. Neal liked the notes
There were Rieslings from 12 Virginia
of tropical and citrus fruits backed up by
wineries and two Alsatian ringers (neither
good acidity. Samantha noted the “gripping
of which scored in the top three!). Riesling
fruit sweetness upfront, with a bit of
is a much under-appreciated variety, perhaps
effervescence on the finish.”
because it can range in style from bone dry
The Rapidan River Riesling Dry
to distinctly sweet. It pairs well with fowl,
American, the second place winner, was
pork, and shellfish, and is a winner with spicy
the overall favorite of Matt Carroll. He
Asian or Middle Eastern dishes. Most of the
tasted grapefruit, melon, lemon verbena,
wines in our tasting finished with a slight but
and thyme and found the wine “pleasantly
noticeable sweetness.
savor y” overall. Kevi n Swit z fou nd
It’s worth noting here that the tasters, as
cantaloupe in the aroma and melon flavor
is usually the case, didn’t always agree. So, if
on the palate, but his favorite was the
even the professionals don’t see eye-to-eye,
Shenandoah Vineyards Johannisberg
why should you? Their notes can give you
Bill Plante is Senior White House Correspondent
for CBS News and a longtime wine aficionado and
collector.
MOLLY MCDONALD PETERSON
A
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Bill Plante
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VIRGINIA WINE TASTING 2012