6 for $60 Wine Pack

kybecca wine & gourmet September 6 for $60 – Virginia Wines!

This month’s theme is Virginia wine in honor of October being Virginia Wine Month.  This selection leans more heavily toward whites since whites tend to do better in Virginia overall.  So break these open and celebrate Virginia wine with us!

Rockbridge Tuscarora White –Rockbridge Vineyards are based in Rockbridge County in the Shenandoah Valley.  The name Tuscarora comes from the Tuscarora branch of the Iroquois Federation.  This wine is Vidal Blanc, a hybrid from France that was found to be very resistant to cold weather and thus can be found on the Eastern United States and Canada.  It also does well with some residual sugar, as this one does, giving it a fruit-forward and semi-sweet flavor.  This variety is very common in Virginia.

Virginia Wineworks White – Virginia Wineworks is based in the former Montdomaine winery 12 miles south of Charlottesville.  This wine is a blend of two grapes often found in Virginia – Viognier and the aforementioned Vidal Blanc.  It is dry but with nice tropical fruit and citrus flavors.

Rapidan Unoaked Chardonnay – Chardonnay is becoming a more popular wine in Virginia as it has always been in other parts of the world.  This version is fermented in stainless steel instead of oak, so it’s bright and crisp without the heavy oak flavors.    

Ingleside Sangiovese Rosato – We’ve been enjoying this wine for quite some time.  Ingleside is located in the Northern Neck of Virginia, a peninsula formed by the Potomac and Rappahannock rivers.  It is one of Virginia’s oldest wineries – the family has owned the estate since 1890.  This Italian style rosé (rosato is the Italian word for rosé) is reminiscent of the rosatos of Tuscany, where Sangiovese is common.  Bright red fruit flavors are balanced by a citrus tang and some earthy elements.  This rosato could hold its own with the Italian stuff.

Rockbridge Tuscarora Red. – The Tuscarora red is mostly Chambourcin, a hybrid of French and American grapes that has enjoyed lots of success in Virginia.  Chambourcin is characterized by a light to medium body with ripe red and dark fruit flavors and light tannins.  This makes it a great ‘everyday’ wine and it pairs well with everyday foods like pasta and pizza.

Virginia Wineworks Red– This wine is a blend of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Cabernet Franc and 15% Norton.  All three varietals are common in Virginia but the last one is special because it is native to Virginia.  The Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc give the wine dark fruit flavors (blackberry and black raspberry), firm tannins, and some earthy flavors, while the Norton lightens it up a bit and contributes some red fruit flavors.  Think of this wine as a Virginia twist on a Bordeaux style blend.