It’s hard to believe, but we are already in the 4th Quarter of the year! After a hot and brutally dry summer, the pendulum swung quickly to quite a rainy harvest season, but the team was thankfully able to get all of the fruit in before Helene arrived. We are already through a good chunk of the fermentation process for the 2024 vintage, and everything is looking fantastic so far!
For our 4th Quarter Wine Club Release, the team has selected the 2023 Rose, the 2021 Pinot Noir, and the 2021 Saperavi.
Our first Rose made from Hazy Mountain Estate Grapes grown right here at the Tasting Room in Afton, the 2023 Rose is a bright, lush, and dry blend of 45% Nebbiolo, 35% Cab Franc, and 20% Petit Verdot. Aged in stainless steel for 10 months on fine lees, it is a great showcase of the potential of this great vineyard site and what these still-young vines are already capable of producing!
The 2021 Pinot Noir is one that has been in the Tasting Room for almost a year now, but the extra bottle aging has helped this wonderful wine mature just that much more! The initial sharp acidity and tart cherry flavors are starting to mellow, and the savory quality and tertiary flavors are starting to become more pronounced, evolving into a more rich, ripe cherry and a lengthening finish. Think about having this one on your Thanksgiving table!
And, last but not least, is an exciting new release of a Wine Club Member exclusive wine: the 2021 Saperavi! Native to Georgia, Saperavi (საფერავი, which translates literally to "dye") is thought to be one of the oldest wine grape varietals in the world, and now it has found a new home at our estate vineyard in Swoope, Virginia! One of the rare teinturier (Ten-tur-ier) grapes, meaning both the skins and the flesh possess a red color, Saperavi produces a richly colored and flavorful wine. The cooler climate of the Shenandoah Valley, combined with 16 months of aging in neutral French oak, yields a medium body, structured red wine with firm tannins and prevalent acidity. This wine is drinking exceptionally well for how young it is, and will reward further aging in the cellar.
Starting now, you can log in and make your selections, and the wines will be available for pickup starting on November 1st! Our pick up party will be November 22nd and 23rd, and we will be pouring both the team’s selections for the Quarter as well as a preview of what Q1 2025 has in store for you!