12th Annual Norton Wine & BlueGrass Festival

Plan to visit Chrysalis Vineyards during their gorgeous harvest! Enjoy returning and new bands, exciting artisan crafts and new delicious food vendors. Always included are tour-driven hay rides and a special 9-wine tasting that includes ALL of Chrysalis' Norton wines with a commemorative take home glass.

Enjoy finger-picking bluegrass bands of Jackass Flats, King Street Bluegrass, Circa Blue, and A Good Natured Riot throughout the weekend.

Enjoy delicious food offerings including Uncle Fred's BBQ, Paella to GO!, featuring tacos and tapas, Country Pride Cheese, Jubilee's Confections, featuring cupcakes and cake pops, custom Norton grape chocolate, and more!

Exquisite artisan crafts and top-notch designers will also be on hand including DEW Wood Products (made right here at Locksley Estate), Karen Holick handcrafted wine lamps, Carried Away Gifts wine gifts, Jacqueline Handley Designs handmade handbags, NovaGem Jewelry, Sparkle Event photobooth (Sunday only), and more!

Saturday, October 6th from 10am - 6:30pm
Sunday, October 7th from 10am - 6pm

Admissions at the door are $20 per person or $15 in advance. VIP Club members celebrate for FREE!

For more information, directions and/or to buy your advance tickets click here!

2009 Hodder Hill Meritage Wins 2012 Governor's Cup

"I raise my glass to Glen Manor Vineyards, whose 2009 Hodder Hill Meritage is a stunning representation of the best in Virginia Wines," said Governor McDonnell."

Glen Manor's award winning wine is a blend of 63% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc and 6% Pertit Verdot.

The 2012 Virginia Governor's Cup Competition was conducted in two stages: the preliminary round took place in mid-January in Alexandria. The final round was judged in late January in Richmond. The Governor's Cup award winner was selected from the 2012 Governor's Cup Case, the top 12 scoring wines of the competition, which were selected from more than 400 entries.

In addition the Glen Manor's 2009 Hodder Hill Meritage, the other 11 wines that form the Governor's Cup Case include:

• Bluestone Vineyard 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon
• Delfosse Vineyards & Winery 2007 Meritage Blend
• Jefferson Vineyards 2010 Cabernet Franc
• Keswick Vineyards 2009 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon
• Keswick Vineyards 2010 Merlot
• King Family Vineyards 2008 Meritage Blend
• Potomac Point Winery 2009 Heritage Reserve Meritage Blend
• Tarara Winery 2010 Honah Lee White Vinifera Blend
• Trump Winery 2008 Kluge SP Blanc de Blanc Sparkling
• Veritas 2010 Vintner's Reserve Meritage Blend
• White Hall Vineyards 2010 Gewurztraminer

Click here to read the full press release at Virginia.gov.

Barboursville Wine Honored in International Competition

Virginia wines scored well at two high-level competitions last month.

At the Winemaker Challenge International Wine Competition in San Diego.

• Barboursville: 2010 Viognier Reserve, best in class; 2009 Cabernet Franc Reserve, best in class; 2009 Octagon, gold medal; 2008 Octagon, silver; 2009 Nebbiolo Reserve, silver; 2009 Petit Verdot Reserve, silver
•  Jefferson Vineyards: 2010 Cabernet Franc Monticello, gold; 2008 Meritage Monticello, silver; 2010 Petit Verdot Monticello, silver

At the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition

• Barboursville: 2008 Cabernet Franc, best in class; 2010 Viognier Reserve, 2007 Octagon, both silver
• Barrel Oak Winery: 2010 Chardonnay Reserve, double gold; 2010 Chardonnay, 2010 Viognier, both silver; 2009 Cabernet Franc, 2009 Petit Verdot, both bronze
• Barren Ridge Vineyards: 2009 Tinkling Spring, silver; 2008 Meritage, bronze
• Doukenie Winery: 2009 Cabernet Franc, 2010 Chardonnay, 2009 Merlot, all silver; 2009 Vintners Reserve, bronze
• Gray Ghost Vineyards: 2010 Late Harvest Adieu, silver; 2010 Chardonnay Reserve, bronze
• Keswick Vineyards: 2010 Merlot, 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate Reserve, both silver
• Philip Carter Winery: 2010 Cabernet Franc, 2010 Chardonnay, both bronze
• Rappahannock Cellars: 2009 Cabernet Franc, silver; 2010 Viognier, bronze

Click here to read more of the article By: Jack Berninger | Richmond Times Dispatch

Virginia Wines Awarded 22 Medals at 2012 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition

Twenty-two awards went to Virginia wines at the 2012 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition last week, including one Best in Class and one Double Gold. This competition is the largest competition of American wines in the world.

To read entire press release click here.

For a complete list of Virginia medals in the 2012 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition, visit www.virginiawine.org/industry/documents. A full list of results can be found on http://www.winejudging.com. 

By: Mary Catherine Searson ~ Virginia Wine Board Marketing Office ~ Jan 13, 2012

Colonial Virginia Wine Trail

The New Kent Winery, Williamsburg Winery, Saude Creek Vineyards and others are working to establish a "Colonial Virginia Wine Trail."

Read more in the article Virginia is now on the wine world's radar - By Jon Cawley | DailyPress.com

Virginia Fares Well in 2011 Atlantic Seaboard Wine Competition

Virginia wines fared very well in the 2011 Atlantic Seaboard Wine Competition. This was the 7th annual competition held July 23 & 24.  10 Best in Category, 14 Gold Medals, 70 Silver Medals and 81 Bronze Medals. Go #VAWine!

Best in Category

• Blush/Rose Hybrid/NA - 2010 Gulabi by Narmada Winery, VA
• Bordeaux-Style Red Blends - 2007 Octagon by Barboursville Vineyards, VA
• Other Red Vinifera Varietals - 2008 Sangiovese by Ingleside Plantation Vineyards, VA
• Other White Vinifera Varietals - 2008 Petit Manseng by Horton Cellars Winery, VA
• Petit Verdot - 2009 Petit Verdot Reserve by Barboursville Vineyards, VA
• Seyval Blanc - 2010 Seyval Blanc by Barrel Oak Winery, VA
• Sparkling Vinifera Wines - NV Scintilla by Veritas Winery, VA
• Vidal Blanc - 2010 Cold Harbor White by James River Cellars, VA
• Viognier - 2009 Viognier by Lazy Days Winery, VA
• White Vinifera Blends - 2009 Reserve d'Oriane by DelFosse Winery, VA

 Gold Medal Winners

• 2009 Cabernet Franc Reserve by Afton Mountain Vineyards, VA
• 2007 Octagon by Barboursville Vineyards, VA
• 2009 Petit Verdot Reserve by Barboursville Vineyards, VA
• 2009 Cabernet Franc by Fabbioli Cellars, VA
• 2008 Cabernet Franc by Flying Fox Vineyard, VA
• 2009 Reserve Chardonnay by Gray Ghost Vineyards, VA
• 2006 Petit Verdot by Ingleside Plantation Vineyards, VA
• 2008 Sangiovese by Ingleside Plantation Vineyards, VA
• 2009 Petit Verdot by Keswick Vineyards, VA
• 2009 Viognier by Lazy Days Winery, VA
• 2008 Johann by Notaviva Vineyards LLC, VA
• 2010 Viognier Reserve by Potomac Point Vineyard & Winery, VA
• 2007 Meritage by Rockbridge Vineyard, VA
• NV Scintilla by Veritas Winery, VA

Read a complete list of awards...

James River Cellars offers four Civil War-themed labels

James River now has four Civil War-themed labels, each a work of art, each with a story on the back talking about the specific scene. Lee's Last Stand is featured on two labels. The battle of Cold Harbor is the scene on another, and the fourth label depicts the Monitor vs. CSS Virginia battle of ironclads. Read more...

By: Jack Berninger | Richmond Times Dispatch

Wine 101 Primer for Wine Pairings

I, like most wine lovers, are always trying to learn more about wines and food pairings. This is a nice little Wine 101 primer by AllRecipes.com. Thanks to Xplorador for sharing this. Read more...

by AllRecipes.com

Top 10 Wine (and Food) Bloggers Tips From Eric Asimov & Jancis Robinson

Check out the experts' tips from the Fourth Annual North American Wine Bloggers’ Conference held in Charlottesville this month. Read more...

By: Genevelyn Steele | Richmond.com

Congratulations 2011 Wine Blog Award Winners!

Congratulations to all the winners of the 2011 Wine Blog Awards:

1. Best Wine Blog Graphics, Photography, & Presentation - Vino Freakism
2. Best Industry/Business Wine Blog - Fermentation
3. Best Wine Reviews on a Wine Blog - Enobytes
4. Best Single Subject Wine Blog - New York Cork Report
5. Best Winery Blog – Tablas Creek
6. Best Writing On a Wine Blog - Vinography
7. Best New Wine Blog – Terroirist
8. Best Overall Wine Blog - Fermentation

For a complete description of the categories, awards, nominees and voting go to 2011 Wine Blog Awards.

The Virginia Gazette: Wine, Battlefields United in Sesquicentennial Effort

The Virginia Wine Board today presented the Virginia Sesquicentennial Winery Passport, a guide to 23 Virginia wineries with special labels commemorating the150th anniversary of the Civil War, and the 42 battlefields located near them. Read more...

By The Virginia Gazette

Virginia is for Wine Lovers: Tours and Tastings Across the State

Photo Courtesy of
VirginiaWine.org

The beautiful Commonwealth of Virginia is a wonderful place to tour, taste, and vacation. Virginia is home to nearly 200 wineries and more than a dozen wine trails. Read more...

By Touring & Tasting | JustLuxe Affluent Lifestyle Guide

Wine Bloggers Conference pops a cork in Va.

The Wine Bloggers' Conference 2011 convenes this weekend in Charlottesville. What's that, you say — there aren't enough wine bloggers to hold a convention? Shows what you know! The conference is sold out, with more than 300 participants... Read more...

By Dave McIntyre | The Washington Post

Williamsburg Winery voted fan favorite

With nearly 200 Virginia wineries to choose from, visitors have chosen Williamsburg Winery in the favorite in the Official Virginia Wine Lover publication’s First Annual Visitor’s Choice Awards.  Read more...

By The Virginia Gazette

Ingleside, Rockbridge each win 4 golds in competition

Wine competition winners Read more...

By Richmond Times Dispatch

Viognier Night: A Virtual Tasting of Virginia Viogniers

A virtual tasting organized by Virginia Wine Board will be held on Thursday, July 14th, 2011 from 7PM - 9PM.  The virtual tasting will include Viognier from one of the participating wineries: Barboursville Vineyards & Winery, Blenheim Vineyards, Cooper Vineyards, Delaplane Cellars, Horton Vineyards and King Family Vineyards. Participants will be tasting and tweeting about each wine for about 20 minutes before moving onto the next Viognier.

You can download the tasting notes for the wines at: http://www.virginiawine.org/industry/documents/

Check out the event on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=208507095861621.
On Twitter you can follow the tasting notes and comments using hashtag: #VaViognier

An article from Washington Post about tomorrow night's Virtual Viognier Tasting! http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/all-we-can-eat/post/a-wine-tasting-live-from-your-own-couch/2011/07/12/gIQAasvHCI_blog.html.

Blues festivals, with or without wine

BLACK DOG WINE & BLUES FESTIVAL
In 1987, Chateau Morrisette launched its Black Dog Jazz Concerts, named for its signature semidry red wine. This year, Paul Thorn headlines the festival.  Details: 11 a.m. Chateau Morrisette, Blue Ridge Parkway Milepost 171.5, Floyd. $20, advance; $25, gate; $20, to designated drivers; free to children and young adults accompanied by paying adult.

By Tad Dickens | The Roanoke Times

Mid-Summer Ashland Wine Festival

Mid-summer wine festival on July 16th is part of 2011 Ashland Street Parties outdoor music series. Lake Anna, Cooper, Grayhaven and James River wineries will be featured.

By Richmond.com

Virginia's New Corkage Law Took Effect on July 1

Excerpt from the Bill:

"…any restaurant licensed by the ABC Board may permit the consumption of lawfully acquired wine by bona fide customers on the premises in all areas and locations covered by the license. The bill provides that a licensee may charge a corkage fee to such customer for the wine so consumed; however, the licensee may not charge any other fee to such customer."

Local restaurant owners share their plan, and expectations, for the new law via Richmond.com.

Megan Headley also shares some good advice on how to take advantage of our new corkage law graciously at Charlottesville News & Arts.

Roanoke-area restaurants mixed on new corkage law - Some eatery owners have a glass-half-full outlook on the law; others aren't exactly thrilled about it.  By Amanda Codispoti and Lindsey Nair at The Roanoke Times.

Tasting Your Way to Better Wines

A wonderful wine tasting post featuring our very own Dezel Quillen.

By Jason Phelps of The Unreserved.