Veritas Petit Verdot Robert Kocher of Once Upon a Vine on North Side thinks Petit Verdot is going to be the salvation of Virginia wine. Production is going downhill in France, but the vine thrives in our state. "I love the full flavor, the roundness of [this] wine," he says. "It's a hearty wine and has lots of different flavors." It won silver in the 2012 Virginia Governor's Cup wine competition. Veritas Vineyard and Winery, Afton (Retail price: $29) Michael Shaps Viognier Michael Shaps is one of Virginia's most well-known winemakers, and this straw yellow wine, "[is] like the waning of summertime," says Kendra Feather of The Roosevelt, a restaurant that carries Virginia wines exclusively. "[The wine] feels like fall is coming." The 2009 vintage was a bronze medal winner at the 2012 San Francisco International Wine Competition (the largest international competition in the country). Virginia Wineworks, Charlottesville ($28) Gray Ghost Ranger Reserve "I love it," says Kocher. It's aged in French oak barrels and made with Bordeaux varietals near Warrenton. "It's a great little winery and a great family." The 2010 vintage won gold at the 2012 Virginia Wine Lover Magazine Wine Classic. Gray Ghost Vineyards , Amissville ($30) Ingleside Petit Verdot The Ingleside winery is on Ingleside Plantation in the Northern Neck. Over the last hundred years, it's been a dairy, a nursery and since 1980, a vineyard. "For the price, this is a very good wine," says Kocher. The Petit Verdot from 2007 won double gold in the 2012 San Francisco International Wine Competition and bronze in Virginia Governor's Cup wine competition, and the 2007 Reserve won gold in the San Diego International Wine Competition and silver in the 2012 Virginia Governor's Cup. Ingleside Vineyards , Oak Grove ($25) Chrysalis Albariño Chrysalis is one of the few vineyards to grow Albariño grapes. It also makes wine from the only wine grape indigenous to the United States — the Norton. The Albariño "has notes of honeysuckle, peach and lemon," says Feather, "more full bodied than the usual style of Albariño." Chrysalis Vineyards , Middleburg ($24) Barrel Oak Reserve Stainless Chardonnay The wines at Barrel Oak Winery, located about an hour from Washington in Fauquier County, are consistently award-winning (the vineyard itself was even chosen as the No. 1 family-friendly winery by Wine Enthusiast magazine). The Chardonnay Reserve from 2010 won gold at the 2012 San Diego International Wine Competition, a double gold medal at the 2012 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition and bronze at the 2012 Virginia Governor's Cup wine competition. Barrel Oak Winery , Delaplane ($38) RdV Rendezvous In its first year of production, RdV Vineyards was a standout at the Wine Bloggers' Conference held in Virginia this past year, impressing critics and garnering international attention. "All the reds coming out of RdV are amazing," Feather says. "This is my favorite if you want dark fruit and smoke and dark chocolate. This is the kind of wine I love in the depths of winter by the fire." RdV Vineyards , Delaplane ($55) Barboursville Cabernet Franc Reserve Virginia is known for its excellent Cab Francs and Barboursville's is one of the best. The 2008 vintage won Best in Class in the 2012 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition (ahead of 97 entrants, including California Cabs), as well as a bronze medal there, and was a silver winner in the 2012 Virginia Governor's Cup wine competition. Barboursville Vineyards , Barboursville ($25)
Richmond Uncorked | A Wine Country of Our Own
Five Wine Shop Owners You Should Know | Wine Learning Experiences
Why Richmond Needs a Master Sommelier
A Winery Takes Shape | Made for Each Other | Wine Tasting in 8 Steps
Tour de Vino | Where to Wine Down
