Cellar Tours, wine tastings and visiting a beautiful vineyard is not an unusual weekend for Lucas and I. Being in Northern, VA, we are so close to over 139 Wineries and Vineyards in the state of Virginia. While we have not been to them all, we have visited a lot of them, and tried numerous virginia wines at different festivals.
Lucas and I went to Williamsburg for our 1 year anniversary this past weekend. We visited 4 wineries while we were down there (James River Cellars, New Kent Winery, Williamsburg Winery and we went back to Potomac Point for the Second time on our way home). Potomac Point is in Stafford, VA (not too far outside of Richmond). We have been there before, and love everything from the site and landscaping, the little store, the event space, the cellars and the staff. They are also known for doing weddings and even allowing visitors to crush the grapes I-Love-Lucy style! They are located about 40 miles South of Washington DC and have a cafe that offers lunch on site.
The first time we went to Potomac Point, we only tried their Classic wines. This past weekend, we tried their Reserve wines as well. I wanted to share with you some of the great wines they have to offer. I highly suggest you visit - they have some other wines I haven't mentioned below (like the port, the dessert white wine, and some others).
Starting with the Whites:
- Chardonnay 2009
- This is a very dry white wine that is a 100% Chardonnay. It's aged and fermented in stainless steel and is very crisp and refreshing (especially for a hot day). It has the aroma and the flavos of pear in the bouquet and is best served with lighter foods (like fish).
- Chardonnay Reserve 2009
- This wine differs from the Classic Chardonnay. This is also 100% chardonnay, but is aged and fermented in French Oak Barrels instead of the stainless steel (giving it a more creamy flavour). This is also a dry wine, and is full-bodied. This is best paired with any cream-style sauces or enjoyed just sipping by itself.
- Lucas and I liked this one better and enjoyed a bottle at home. This was our favorite of the whites. we tend to like the drier wines, and a good Chardonnay is usually the type of white wine we tend to gravitate to.
- Viognier Reserve 2009
- The Viognier grape is the VA state grape. It grows really well in France, and grows really well in the Virginia climate. This is a very dry wine and is aged in stainless steel. The tropical fruit flavors with a hint of citrus and passion fruit make this a very refreshing and tasty white wine.
- La Belle Vie White 2009
- This wine is a meritage of 4 white grapes - Vidal, Traminette, Chardonnay and Viognier (the VA state grape). It's aged in Stainless Steel and offers a refreshing citrus flavor. It is a bit sweet (1.6% residual sugar). It is a riesling-style wine, but there is no riseling grape in the wine.
- Neither Lucas nor I are huge fans of sweeter wines, so this one wasn't our favorite. For those who like a slightly sweeter wine, this is the way to go.
On to the Reds:
- Abbinato 2010
- Red Wine.The literal meaning of the term abbinato is "gathering" of itialian or european grapes in a chianti style wine. This wine is 50% Sangiovese (san-gee-oh-vay-see) and is ages in neutral and french oak. It's a lighter wine, and easily paired with an italian meal (pizza, tomato-based dishes, or even barbequed chicken.)
- Cabernet Franc 2009
- Cab Franc traditionally grows better in VA than any other state in the US. 85% of this wine is Cabernet France, and 10% is Tannat, 5% Merlot. . This wine is aged in French oak and is a dry wine. You can really taste the blueberry and strawberry flavors of this wine, with a peppery finish. This wine is spicy and fruity.
- This one pairs well with Chocolate. If you sip the wine before having chocolate, you will taste a very spicy quality to the wine. If you have a piece of chocolate, let it melt in your mouth, and then sip the wine, more of the fruity accents will be noticed.
- Custom Label Red
- The bottle to this wine has no label on it - this is used for weddings and special events where they can create a custom label.
- This is 50% Merlot, 25% Cab Franc and 25% Cab Sav. This is aged in French Oak as well and is dry in nature. This is a Bordeux-style blend (also called a claret). This is very easy and drinkable, with the ripe red fruit flavors (you can especially pull out the raspberry notes).
- We wanted to buy a bottle of this, but for some reason they don't just sell it by the bottle.
- Heritage 2008 (Reserve)
- This wine takes the longest for the winery to make. It ages for 1 year in the Frenk Oak Barrel, and then another year in the bottle.
- This is Potomac Points signature Bordeaux-Style wine. (A bordeaux style is made up of 6 traditional grapes that grow in the Bordeux region of France: Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, Malbec, and Carmenere. It can be composed of 2 or all 6 to be considered a bordeux. In Britian, they call this a Claret. This is similiar to a Meritage, however, a meritage can contain any grape, not necessarily just these 6.)
- The heritgae is composed of 47% merlot, 25.5% Cab Franc, 19% Cab Sauv., and 8.5% Petit Verdot. This is also a Dry wine with aromas of mocha and cherries. This is a full-bodied wine with a smooth palate and a peppercorn finish.
- This is another favorite of ours. Lucas and I often gravitate towards a bordeux or a meritage style of red wine.
- Petit Verdot 2008 (Reserve)
- Aged in American and French oak, this is the heaviest bodied wine that the winery produces. It's rich and deep color pairs with the smokey palat and accents of black surrent. This is best paired with robust meats and cheeses (red meats and strong flavored cheese).
- Norton 2009
- This wine is different because Potomac Point crushes the grapes in the beginning of the fermentation cycle. This is aged in Amercian and French Oak barrels and is made up of 80% Norton grapes (a native VA grape).
- This is a medium-bodied red and is very dry with a deep color and a strong finish.
Here are a few pictures from our visits:
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