Features
Virginia Wine Lover’s Second Annual Best Of Readers’ Choice AwardsBy Patrick Evans-Hylton As Virginia Wine Lover magazine approaches our fourth anniversary, we continue to grow and evolve with the lifestyle that we celebrate: the Virginia wine community.The number of statewide wineries continues to increase, as well as folk’s appreciation for the vintages, and the accouterments surrounding them, like quaint inns nestled in wine country, limo tours, shops that specialize in Virginia wine and restaurants that include the offerings on their lists.Continuing with the popular Best Of awards we began last year, we again opened our forums to you, the true Virginia wine lover, to see what is on your mind and in your glass in our Best Of reader awards.An incredible 9,823 votes were cast in our polling, telling us favorite vintages, favorite winemakers, even favorite wine dog. You’ve shared with us where you like to take a weekend getaway and where you like to stay when you get there.It’s been a great response for our second Best Of endeavor. Here are the results:Our magazine team totaled and tallied each sheet to obtain an overall rating for each vintage, and we categorized the averages into four levels—Platinum, Gold, Silver and Bronze. We present our findings to you here:
THE BEST BED & BREAKFAST IN VIRGINIA FOR A WINE WEEKEND GETAWAY – OVERALL
1. Arcady Vineyard Bed and Breakfast, Charlottesville www.arcadyvineyard.com
2 – tie Boar’s Head Bed, Breakfast and Balloon, Charlottesville www.boarsheadinn.com Iris Inn Bed and Breakfast, Ashland
3. Inn at Meander Plantation, Locust Dale
4 – tie Bella La Vita Inn, Floyd Wedmore Place, Williamsburg
5. Inn at Poplar Hill, Orange www.innonpoplarhill.comWine – OVERALL1. Sunset Hills Vineyard Hills Viognier 2010
2. Sunset Hills Vineyard Reserve Cabernet Franc 2009
3. Three Fox Vineyards Allouette Cabernet Franc 2010
4. Narmada Winery Dream 2010
5. Veramar Vineyard Rooster Red NV
WINEMAKER – OVERALL
1. – tie N ate Walsh, Sunset Hills Vineyard Gabriele Rausse, Gabriele Rausse Winery
2. Michael Shapps, Michael Shapps Winery
3. – tie Chris Pearmund, Pearmund Cellars Tom Payette, New Kent Winery & Vineyards
4. Justin Bogaty, Veramar Vineyards
5. Luca Paschina, Barboursville Vineyards
WINE BOTTLE ARTWORK – OVERALL
1. Blenheim Vineyards Painted Red
2. Hill Top Berry Farm & Winery Sweet Vixen
3. Keswick Vineyards Les Vents d’Anges
4. Capitol Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon
5. – tie Barrel Oak Winery BOWHaus Red Sunset Hills Vineyard Sunset Hills Vineyard White
SPECIAL EVENTS AT A VIRGINIA WINERY – OVERALL
1. Breaux Vineyards
2. Barrel Oak Winery
3. Chateau Morrisette
4 – tie Keswick Vineyards King Family Vineyards
5. Rosemont
TASTING ROOM – OVERALL 1. Casanel Vineyards
2. King Family Vineyards
3. Paradise Springs Winery
4. Pollak Vineyards
5. Veritas Vineyard & Winery
WINERY VIEW/ OUTDOOR SPACE – OVERALL
1. Bluemont Vineyards
2. Hillsborough Vineyards
3. – tie King Family Vineyards Veritas Vineyard & Winery
4. Breaux Vineyards
5. – tie Chateau Morrisette MountainRose Vineyard
WINERY FOOD OFFERINGS – OVERALL
1. Barboursville Vineyards
2. Bogati Bodega & Vineyard
3. Pippin Hill Farm and Vineyards
4 – tie Chateau Morrisette Vintage Ridge Williamsburg Winery
5. – tie Narmada Winery Sunset Hills Vineyard
VIRGINIA WINERY FOR PICNICS – OVERALL
1. Barrel Oak Winery
2. Sunset Hills Vineyard
3 . – tie Three Fox Vineyards Winery at LaGrange
4 – tie Pollak Vineyards Veramar Vineyard
5. Hillsborough Vineyards
WINERY TOUR BY A VIRGINIA WINERY – OVERALL
1. Barboursville Vineyards
2 – tie Breaux Vineyards Chateau Morrisette
3. Jefferson Vineyards
4 – tie Paradise Springs Winery Veramar Vineyard
5. – tie Sunset Hills Vineyard Zephaniah Farm Vineyard
THE MOST ROMANTIC WINERY – OVERALL
1. Barboursville Vineyards
2. Keswick Vineyards
3. Winery at La Grange
4 – tie Glass House Winery Veritas Vineyard & Winery
5. – tie Chateau Morrisette Sunset Hills Vineyard
THE MOST ECO-FRIENDLY/ GREEN WINERY – OVERALL
1. Cooper Vineyards
2. Barrel Oak Winery
3. North Gate Vineyard
4. DuCard Vineyards
5. – tie Glass House Winery Sunset Hills Vineyard
BEST VIRGINIA RESTAURANT WINE LIST – OVERALL
1. Tuscarora Mill, Leesburg www.tuskies.com
2. Magnolia’s at the Mill, Purcellville www.magnoliasmill.com
3. Iron Bridge Wine Company, Warrenton www.ironbridgewines.com
4. Old Mill Room at The Boar’s Head, Charlottesville www.boarsheadinn.com
5. – tie Siips, Charlottesville www.siipswine.com Zeppoli’s Italian, Blacksburg www.zeppolis.com
THE BEST GOURMET SHOP IN VIRGINIA FOR FOOD AND WINE – OVERALL
1. Uncorked, Buena Vista www.uncorked-va.com
2. Olde Dominion Wine Shoppe, Occoquan www.olddominionwine.com
3. Leesburg Vintner, Leesburg www.leesburgvintner.biz
4 – tie The Inn Store at The Boar’s Head, Charlottesville www.boarsheadinn.com Taste Unlimited, Norfolk/ Hampton Roads www.tasteunlimited.com
5. Feast! Charlottesville
THE BEST GOURMET SHOP IN VIRGINIA FOR ACCESSORIES – OVERALL
1. The Inn Store at The Boar’s Head, Charlottesville www.boarsheadinn.com
2. Olde Virginia Gourmet, Stafford www.oldevagourmet.com
3. Grape and Gourmet, Virginia Beach www.grapeandgourmet.com
4. Total Wine, locations across Virginia www.totalwine.com
5. Virginia Wine Experience, Fredericksburg 540-373-8878
THE BEST CHEESE SHOP IN VIRGINIA – OVERALL
1. Wegman’s, locations across Virginia www.wegmans.com
2. The Cheese Shoppe, Williamsburg www.cheeseshopwilliamsburg.com
3. Feast!, Charlottesville www.feastvirginia.com
4 – tie Greenwood Grocery & Deli, Crozet www.greenwoodgrocery.com Cheestique Alexandria www.cheesetique.com
5. Taste Unlimited, Norfolk/ Hampton Roads www.tasteunlimited.com
THE BEST DESTINATION FOR A WINE-THEMED WEEKEND (CITY AND/OR COUNTY) – OVERALL
1. Charlottesville, Albemarle County www.visitcharlottesville.org
2. Leesburg, Loudoun County www.visitloudon.org
3. Floyd County www.floydcova.org/visitors/
4. Nelson County www.nelsoncounty.com/cvb/
5. Staunton, Augusta County www.visitstaunton.com www.co.augusta.va.us/
THE BEST WINE TOURS/ LIMOUSINE COMPANY – OVERALL
1. Arcady Vineyard Wine Tasting Tours, Charlottesville www.arcadyvineyard.com
2. Reston Limousine Service, Northern Virginia/ Metropolitan Washington www.restonlimo.com
3. Camryn Executive Limo, Charlottesville www.camryn-limo.com
4. Boomerang, Northern Virginia/Metropolitan Washington www.zerve.com/ Boomerang/Vineyard
5. – tie Albemarle Limousine and Travel, Charlottesville www.albemarlelimousine.com Blue Ridge Wine Excursions, Charlottesville www.blueridgewine excursions.com
THE BEST WINE FESTIVAL IN VIRGINIA – OVERALL
1. Fall Wine Festival & Sunset Tour, Mount Vernon Estate and Gardens www.mountvernon.org
2 – tie Montpelier Wine Festival, Montpelier: Home of James Madison www.montpelierwine festival.com Virginia Wine Expo, Richmond www.virginiawineexpo.com
3. Fall Town Point Virginia Wine Festival, Norfolk www.festevents.org
4. Vintage Virginia Wine Festival, Centreville www.vintagevirginia.com
5. – tie Rebec Vineyards Garlic Festival, Amherst www.rebecwinery.com Neptune Fall Wine Festival, Virginia Beach www.neptunefestival.com www.thedogs.com
WINE DOG – OVERALL
1. Posh, Three Fox Vineyards
2. Rascal, Barrel Oak Winery
3. Cortoman, Philip Carter Winery
4. Dogbert, Glass House Winery
5. Jiggy Pig, Grayhaven Winery
VIRGINIA WINERY FOR WEDDINGS – OVERALL
1. Veritas Vineyard & Winery
2. Pippin Hill Farm and Vineyards
3. King Family Vineyards
4. Keswick Vineyards
5. Old House Vineyards
BY VARIETAL
VIOGNIER – OVERALL
1. – tie Sunset Hills Vineyard Viognier 2010 Sunset Hills Vineyard Viognier 2009
2. Breaux Vineyards Viognier 2009
3. Narmada Winery Viognier 2010
4. Keswick Vineyards Viognier Reserve 2009
5. – tie Barrel Oak Winery Viognier Reserve 2009 Bluemont Vineyard The Goat Viognier 2010
WHITE WINE – OVERALL
1. Paradise Springs Winery Chardonnay 2010
2. Chatham Vineyards Church Creek Steel Chardonnay
3. – tie Holly Grove Vineyards Celebration NV (blend) Barrel Oak Winery Seyval Blanc 2010
5. – tie Three Fox Vineyards Gatto Bianco NV (blend) White Hall Vineyards Sugar Ridge White NV (blend: Petit Manseng, Muscat, Gewurztraminer)
CHARDONNAY – OVERALL
1. Paradise Springs Winery Chardonnay 2010
2 – tie Keswick Vineyards Chardonnay 2010 Sunset Hills Vineyard Reserve Chardonnay 2010
3 – tie Jefferson Vineyards Chardonnay Reserve 2010 Veramar Vineyard Chardonnay 2009
4. Chrysalis Vineyards Barrel Reserve Chardonnay 2010
5. Philip Carter Winery Chardonnay 2009
NORTON – OVERALL
1. Chrysalis Vineyards Norton Locksley Reserve 2009
2. Veramar Vineyard Norton 2008
3. – tie Horton Vineyards Norton 2009 Keswick Vineyards Norton NV
4. Barrel Oak Winery Norton 2010
5. Paradise Springs Winery Norton 2010
RED WINE – OVERALL
1. – tie Paradise Springs Winery Cabernet Franc Reserve 2008 Barboursville Vineyards Octagon 2008
2. Chrysalis Vineyards Tannat 2007
3. Veramar Vineyard Rooster Red
4. DelFosse Vineyards and Winery Cuvee Laurant
5. – tie Breaux Vineyards Nebbiolo 2006 Chateau Morrisette Black Dog
MERITAGE/ MERITAGESTYLE – OVERALL
1. King Family Vineyards Meritage 2009
2 – tie Barboursville Vineyards Octagon 2006 Pearmund Cellars Ameritage 2007
3. Tarara Winery Long Bomb Edition Two
4. RdV Vineyards Rendezvous
5. Sunset Hills Vineyard Sunset Hills Vineyard Red 2009
FRUIT WINE – OVERALL
1. Corcoran Vineyards Apple Wine
2. North Gate Vineyard Apple Wine
3. Fabbioli Cellars Raspberry Merlot
4 – tie Attimo Winery Sudden Downpour (apple/white wine blend) Chateau O’Brien Virginia Apple Wine
5. Hill Top Berry Farm & Winery Sweet Vixen (strawberry)
SPARKLING WINE – OVERALL
1. Barboursville Vineyards Brut 2010
2. Thibaut-Janisson Winery Blanc de blancs
3. Thibaut-Janisson Winery Blanc de Chardonnay 2009
4. Horton Vineyards Sparkling Viognier
5. Paradise Springs Winery Sparkling Viognier
DESSERT WINE – OVERALL
1. Rockbridge Vineyard V d’Or
2 – tie Gray Ghost Vineyards Adieu 2009 Narmada Winery Primita 2009
3. Barrel Oak Winery Chocolate Lab 2009
4. Cooper Vineyards Noche NV
5. – tie Winery at La Grange Snort Sunset Hills Vineyard Nettare di’Tramonte 2008
BY REGION
CENTRAL VIRGINIA
BEST WINERY
1. Keswick Vineyards
2. King Family Vineyards
3 – tie Barboursville Vineyards Blenheim Vineyards
4. Pollak Vineyards
5. Glass House Winery
BEST WHITE WINE
1. Keswick Vineyards Verdejo 2010
2. King Family Vineyards Viognier
3. Keswick Vineyards Viognier
4. Barboursville Vineyards Chardonnay
5. James River Cellars Vidal Blanc 2010
BEST RED WINE
1. Barboursville Vineyards Octagon 2008
2. King Family Vineyards Meritage 2009
3. Afton Mountain Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon
4. Blenheim Vineyards Merlot 2006
5. Barboursville Vineyards Nebbiolo
BEST FRUIT WINE
1. Wintergreen Winery Raspberry
2. Hill Top Berry Farm & Winery Cranberry
3. Hill Top Berry Farm & Winery Blackberry
4. Mattaponi Winery Odeimin
(Strawberry) 5. Peaks of Otter Winery Pear
BEST SPARKLING WINE
1. Afton Mountain Vineyards Tete de Cuvee
2. Barboursville Vineyards Brut
3. Veritas Vineyard & Winery Sciintilla
4. Thibaut-Janisson Winery Brut
5. Horton Vineyards Sparkling Viognier
BEST DESSERT WINE
1. Keswick Vineyards Nektar 2008
2. King Family Vineyards Seven 2010
3. Pollak Vineyards Mille Fleurs 2009
4. Barboursville Vineyards Phileo
5. Cooper Vineyards Noche
BEST WINE FESTIVAL
1. Montpelier Wine Festival, Montpelier: Home of James Madison www.montpelier winefestival.com
2. Rebec Vineyards Garlic Festival, Amherst www.rebec winery.com
3. Virginia Wine Expo, Richmond www.virginia wineexpo.com
4. Thomas Jefferson Wine Festival, Poplar Forest www.poplar forest.org
5. Cardinal Point Winery Oyster Roast www.cardinal pointwinery.com
EASTERN VIRGINIA
BEST WINERY
1. Ingleside Plantation Vineyards
2. New Kent Winery & Vineyards
3. Williamsburg Winery
4. Chatham Vineyards
5. Holly Grove Vineyard
BEST WHITE
1. Chatham Vineyards Church Creek Steel Chardonnay
2. Holly Grove Vineyard Chardonnay
3. New Kent Winery & Vineyards Reserve Chardonnay
4. New Kent Winery & Vineyards White Norton
5. No Placement
BEST RED
1. Holly Grove Vineyard Petit Verdot 2009
2. Chatham Vineyards Church Creek Vintners Blend
3. Ingleside Plantation Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon 2005.
4. New Kent Winery & Vineyards Meritage 2009
5. Saude Creek Vineyards Tavern Red
BEST FRUIT
No nominations
BEST SPARKLING
No nominations
BEST DESSERT
No nominations
BEST WINE FESTIVAL
1. Fall Town Point Virginia Wine Festival, Norfolk www.festevents.org
2. Neptune Fall Wine Festival, Virginia Beach www.neptune festival.com
3. Chesapeake Wine Festival www.chesapeake vawinefestival.com
4. Spring Town Point Virginia Wine Festival, Norfolk www.festevents.org
5. No Placement
NORTHERN VIRGINIA
BEST WINERY
1. Sunset Hills Vineyard
2. Three Fox Vineyards
3. Barrel Oak Winery
4 – tie Paradise Springs Winery Breaux Vineyards
5. – tie Casanel Vineyards Pearmund Cellars
BEST WHITE
1. Sunset Hills Vineyard Viognier 2010
2 – tie Bogati Bodega & Vineyard Tango Blue NV Breaux Vineyards Viognier 2010
3. Three Fox Vineyards Gatto Blanco
4. Casanel Vineyards Don Lorenzo’s White 2010
5. Unicorn Winery Chardonnay
BEST RED
1. Sunset Hills Vineyard Reserve Cabernet Franc 2008
2. Sunset Hills Vineyard Cabernet Franc 2009
3 – tie Three Fox Vineyards Il Volpe 2008 Casanel Vineyards Batucada Cabernet Sauvignon 2008
4. Barrel Oak Winery Petit Verdot 2009 5. Linden Vineyards Hardscrabble
BEST FRUIT
1. North Gate Vineyard Apple
2. Bluemont Vineyard Peach
3. Corcoran Vineyards Apple
4 – tie Fabbioli Cellars Raspberry Merlot Hiddencroft Sweet Cherry
5. Hiddencroft Vitis Rubus 2009
BEST SPARKLING
1. Paradise Springs Winery Apres Sparkling Viognier
2. No Placement
3. No Placement
4. No Placement
5. No Placement
BEST DESSERT
1. Sunset Hills Vineyard Nettare di’Tramonte 2008
2. Barrel Oak Winery Chocolate Lab
3 – tie Casanel Vineyards Late Harvest Viognier Dulce 2009 Narmada Winery Primita 2009
4. Corcoran Vineyards USB 2010
5. Gray Ghost Vineyards Adieu
BEST WINE FESTIVAL
1. Vintage Virginia
2. Mount Vernon
3. Herndon Wine and Jazz
4. Breaux Vineyards Cajun Fest
5. Breaux Vineyards Key West Fest
SHENANDOAH VIRGINIA
BEST WINERY
1. Veramar Vineyard
2. Barren Ridge Vineyards
3 – tie Cross Keys Rockbridge Vineyard
4. DuCard Vineyards
5. Linden Vineyards
BEST WHITE
1. Veramar Vineyard Chardonnay 2009
2. Barren Ridge Vineyards Tinkling Spring 2010
3. DuCard Vineyards Vidal Blanc 2009
4. Rockbridge Vineyard Tuscarora White
5. Rockbridge Vineyard DeChiel Riesling 2009
BEST RED
1. Veramar Vineyard Rooster Red
2. Linden Vineyards Hard Scrabble
3. Linden Vineyards Petit Verdot 2010
4. Barren Ridge Vineyards Petit Verdot 2007
5. Virginia Mountain Trinity
BEST FRUIT
1. Shenandoah Vineyards Raspberry Serenade
2. No Placement
3. No Placement
4. No Placement
5. No Placement
BEST SPARKLING
No nominations
BEST DESSERT
1. Rockbridge Vineyard V d’or 2009
2. Barren Ridge Vineyards Christof 2009
3. No Placement
4. No Placement
5. No Placement
BEST WINE FESTIVAL
1. Daylily & Wine Festival, Fishersville www.daylilyandwinefestival. com
2. Stonewall Jackson Hotel Winter Wine Festival, Staunton www.stonewalljacksonhotel. com
3. The Wine Festival at The Plains www.winefestivalattheplains. com
4. No Placement
5. No Placement
SOUTHERN VIRGINIA
BEST WINERY
1. Rosemont Vineyards and Winery
2. Annefield Vineyards
3. Savoy-Lee Winery
4. Tomahawk Mill Vineyards and Winery
5. No Placement
BEST WHITE
1. Annefield Vineyards Viognier 2009
2. Rosemont Vineyards and Winery Traminette 2009
3. No Placement
4. No Placement
5. No Placement
BEST RED
1. Annefield Vineyards Cabernet Franc 2009
2. Rosemont Vineyards and Winery Kilravock 2008
3. No Placement
4. No Placement
5. No Placement
BEST FRUIT
No nominations
BEST SPARKLING
No nominations
BEST DESSERT
1. Rosemont Vineyards and Winery Milis Or
2. No Placement
3. No Placement
4. No Placement
5. No Placement
BEST WINE FESTIVAL
No nominations
WESTERN VIRGINIA
BEST WINERY 1. Attimo Winery
2. Villa Appalaccia Winery
3. Chateau Morrisette
4. Abingdon Winery
5. MountainRose Vineyard
BEST WHITE
1 – tie Attimo Winery Sonnet 98 2010 Attimo Winery I Do 2010
2. Abingdon Winery White Pinot 2010
3. Chateau Morrisette Our Dog Blue
4 – tie MountainRose Vineyard Riesling 2010 MountainRose Vineyard Traminette
5. West Wind Farm Riesling 2009
BEST RED 1. Attimo Winery Deep Silence 2010
2. Davis Valley Winery Chambourcin
3. MountainRose Vineyard Jawbone 2010
4. Abingdon Winery Royal Blend 2009
5. Attimo Winery AD 325 2010
BEST FRUIT
1. Attimo Winery Sudden Downpour 2010
2. Villa Appalaccia Winery Raspberry Beret
3. Coltsfoot Winery Blackberry 2009
4. No Placement
5. No Placement
BEST SPARKLING
1. Villa Appalaccia Winery Rustico Vivace
2. No Placement
3. No Placement
4. No Placement
5. No Placement
BEST DESSERT
1. Attimo Winery Sweet Berry Sunset 2010
2. Villa Appalaccia Winery Raspberry Beret
3. MountainRose Vineyard Autumn Gold 2010
4. No Placement
5. No Placement
BEST WINE FESTIVAL
1. Black Dog Jazz Festival at Chateau Morrisette
2. Blacksburg Fork and Cork www.blacksburgforkandcork. com
3. No Placement
4. No Placement
5. No Placement |
