It's Virginia Wine Month!

October is Virginia Wine Month which means it’s a great excuse to celebrate the awesome wine country that is in my own backyard! Even though I feel like I’ve only scratched the surface on visiting the 200+ wineries that Virginia has to offer, I still want to share some of my favorites with you.

Pippin Hill – Red Pump

If you’ve ever read any other post, it’s no secret that I love everything Pippin Hill. Their Red Pump is one of my favorite wines. It’s a light, easy drinking, every day wine that seems to pair well with everything. It even tastes good chilled on a hot summer day. This wine is very fruit-forward with strawberry really shining through. Even though it’s light, it’s still flavorful enough to stand up to heavier cool weather foods.

First Colony – Claret

This is another easy drinking favorite of mine that never disappoints. If you are looking for a red to serve at a party that will appeal to a lot of people, this is it. It’s a bit on the sweeter side with flavors of cherry and strawberry. What I love about this wine is its versatility. You can drink it chilled in the summer or you can heat it up with some mulling spices in the fall and winter. It’s delicious any way you drink it!

Keswick Vineyards – Cab Franc Reserve

I recently discovered this vineyard and was really impressed with their entire selection of wines but this one was my favorite. Their 2014 varietal was a 2016 Governor’s Cup Gold medalist. This is also a more expensive wine than I usually go for but it’s totally worth it. Flavors of black raspberry and a bit of spice really come through after you aerate this wine for a couple of minutes. It’s heavy in tannins but goes down smooth. If you are looking to treat yourself, pick this one.

Reynard Florence – Viognier

I’ll admit that it’s hard for me to find a white wine that I’m really excited about but this Viognier is delicious. This wine is light and fruity with flavors of peaches and pears coming through. There’s not an oakiness to this wine that you get with many other whites which gives it a more crisp taste. This is a great party wine that goes well with appetizers or light seafood or chicken dishes.

Veritas Vineyards – Rosé

Even though the weather has started to cool down, I still can’t jump off the Rosé bandwagon quite yet. This is a delicious off-dry Rosé made with Cab Franc and Merlot grapes. It’s a little bit floral and a little bit fruity making it great to pair with just about anything.