From jalepeno wines that made me cry, to spray cheese that complimented a specially paired white wine, Fork and Cork was a blast :) My favorite wine of the day was really unexpected: Lexington Valley's Norton (see below). It was just the perfect balance of fruit and tannins. It was one of those wines that I felt I could drink all the time (as opposed to the ones that I'm ready to switch flavors and try something new/I get bored).
For lunch I had a big bull and bones burger with the works on it. I paired it with one of the few red wines I tried for the day: Stanburn Winery's Cabernet Franc, 2010. The wine on it's own smelled like spices, cherry and even a bit of coffee. When I had it with the grilled and heavily smoked burger, it was joyful! The wine mellowed out the edge of the smoke and the burger made the wine taste even more peppery in the mouth.
As for the line up... there were so many to try, I wish I had all the money in the world..:
Hilltop Berry Farm
Voyage
Vintage unknown
18.00
"Traditional honey mead wine is made strictly from honey and is the oldest fermented beverage. A versatile wine"
This one was a honey mead, and although it's not technically a wine, I hope it counts! It was fantastic, and very sweet from the residual sugar in the honey. It tasted very yeasty, and I wondered if there was any ginger in it. It would have been nice if there was a bit more alcohol to balance it out, but I really liked it.
Hilltop Berry Farm
Dragon's Breath
Vintage unknown
21.95
-No description a/v
This one made me tear up! It had jalepenos in it and smelled kind of like vinegar on the nose. Upon tasting, it went straight to the back of the throat. It was a novelty, but I don't think I would drink a lot of it. It wasn't balanced, as the alcohol came through hot and it was very acidic.
Fincastle Vinyard
Fincastle, VA
Cabernet Sauvignon
2009
14.00
"Full bodied dry red aged 2 years in American oak, with cherry and black currant notes"
This one had a lot of flavor but finished smooth. It did have a lot of acidity. It was well balanced, but you could taste a little bit of the "Oak Monster" from the tannins/oak barrels. I could taste raspberry and cherry.
Lexington Valley
Norton
2010
15.00
"Black cherry flavors and complimentary tannins...try with chocolate!"
I really enjoyed this wine. I had never heard of this varietal before, but it smelled jammy on the nose, like blackberries and cherry. The taste was big and bold, with a bit of pepper and a lot of oak. It kind of felt chewy. I loved it!
Fincastle Vinyard
Fincastle, VA
Traminette
2010
14.00
Citrusy and very sweet. Honey dew and melon on the finish. A summer wine. Too much sugar for my liking.
Horton Vineyards
Viognier
2012
20.00
"Exotic honey and tropical fruit aromas jump from the glass. Full bodied, viscous mouthfeel."
I could taste the tropical fruit right away on this one. It was like a mix of pineapple and roses, with a bit of grass. It was surprisingly dry. They recommended it to be eaten with chinese food! Probably because of the fruity flavors (I'm thinking with orange chicken?) Another refreshing wine, but it felt a bit thicker on the tongue than other white wines.
Mountain Rose Vineyards
Wise, VA
Autumn Gold
Vidal Blanc grape
2011
"Apricot/honey aroma is accented by the lychee taste. This sweet dessert wine is smooth with lingering hints of honey and a balanced acidity)
I couldn't believe that this wine had lychee in it! It was great. I've had lychee before and I could really taste it on my tongue immediately. It was very sweet and was a great dessert wine. I also thought I tasted some peach and honey toward the finish. It left your mouth literally watering!
Peaks of Otter Winery
Bedford, VA
Peach of Otter
2012
12.00
"Peach Wine"
I've never had a peach wine before, and this one was a nice surprise. It was actually more dry than I expected because when you hear peach, it's easy to at first assume that means really sugary. It smelled like honey and lemons on the nose and tasted a bit like dried mangos on the finish. There were no tannins, and a fair bit of acidity.
White Rock Vineyards and Winery
Goodview, VA
Chardonnay
2007
15.00
"Floral aromas with a crisp clean taste and hint of lemon"
This chard smelled a bit like alcohol and flowers on the nose. The taste was a bit like straw/grass and peach. It finished quickly and didn't linger on the tongue long at all! It was so interesting.
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