Fork and Cork

I went to fork and cork yesterday with some of my friends and it was a fun experience. I couldn’t even tell you how many wines I tasted but it was definitely a lot. Fincastle was one of the winery’s we tasted from. I am going to discuss two of the wines from there.

Wine 1:

Name: Hybrid Vigor

Variety: Hybrids of French and American – Chardonney, Vidal Blanc, Traminette

Region: Virginia

Country: USA

Year: 2012

Price: $15

Winery Review:  A semi-sweet white wine with a citrus finish blended from French-American hybrids Chardonnel, Vidal Blanc & Traminette. You will notice bold tropical fruit flavors of pineapple and mango.

My Review: On the nose, this wine had scents of fruit, such as papaya and pineapple. The taste of the wine was pineapple, papaya, and a nice finish. It was sweet wine so I liked that part of it tons. Plus, the combination of fruit flavors made this wine great!

Food Pairing: None

Wine 2:

Name: Chardonnay

Variety: Chardonnay

Region: Virginia

Country: USA

Year: 2011

Price: $14

Winery Review: The Chardonnay grape itself is very neutral, with many of the flavors commonly associated with the grape being derived from such influences as terroir and oak. It is vinified in many different styles, from the lean, crisply mineral wines of Chablis, France to New World wines with tropical fruit flavors and lots of oak.

My Review: On the nose, there were scents of minerals and oak. There was a smoky smell to it, almost like tobacco or cigar; I couldn’t place my finger on it. I tasted minerals, pineapple, bananas, and passion fruit. It was an odd combination of tastes. I, also, didn’t taste the smoky scent. The ending of the wine was crisp. I didn’t like the wine, not enjoy this wine at all. 

Food Pairing: None

Horton Cellar, also, had a lot of wines to taste and some interesting flavors with their wines. I am going to discuss two of the wines I tasted, a red and a white.

Katie and me

Wine 3:

Name: Norton (Native Virginia Dry Red)

Variety: Norton

Region: Virginia

Country: USA

Year: 2012

Price: $15 

Winery Review:  Our Norton has a dark, rich color and an intensely fruity aroma of plums and tart cherries. Ageing in oak for 14 months has given this wine a long, flavorful, spicy finish.  A wine for game, grilled sausages, and spicy ethnic foods.

My Review: The wine had smells of plums, blackberries, and raspberries. I loved the dark fruity smells coming from the wine. The plum was the only taste I got from the wine, it was extremely overpowering. There was an aftertaste of spiciness that lasted far too long for my liking. I didn’t enjoy this one.

Food Pairing: None

Wine 4:

Name: Viognier (Spicy Rhone White)

Variety: Viognier

Region: Virginia

Country: USA

Year: 2012

Price: $20

Winery Review:  Exotic honey and tropical fruit aromas jump from the glass. Full bodied, viscous mouthfeel. Matching the right grape varieties with the right climate is the essence of viticulture.  Our warm growing seasons in Virginia ripens our Viognier perfectly every year, producing a wine full of floral aromas, exotic tropical fruit surrounded by subtle oak nuances from barrel fermentation.

My Review: This was an interesting wine. On the nose, there were scents of peaches, pears, and honey. It reminded me of tea with honey. On the taste buds, there were flavors of honey and citrus, specifically lemon. I was surprised about the citrus. My friend Katie with me didn’t taste citrus at all. She only tasted the honey. So it was an interesting to see the differences we got in the wine.

Food Pairing: None

We, also, we to Virginia Mountain Vineyards and they had some great wines! I am going to discuss two of the wines.

Nick and Chris

The bison

Wine 5:

Name: Cabernet Franc

Variety: Cabernet Franc

Region: Virginia

Country: USA

Year: 2013

Price: $15

Winery Review:  A delightful red wine with soft, gentle tannins and a smooth finish. Aged in American oak barrels. This Cabernet Franc wine is true to the classic peppery flavor of the Cabernet Franc grape. Some may notice hints of blackberry or raspberry on the finish. Serve with beef or pasta dishes.

My Review: When I smelt the wine, there hints of cherry, plum, and blackberry. When I tasted the wine there were flavors of blackberry, pepper, and cherry. This was the wine I paired with a meal. They were serving bison and I tried it. It was an interesting combination. I have never had bison before so I was not sure what I was going to get. But this red pulled more of the varies flavors from the bison. The mushroom and the sauces flavors were increased when I combined the wine and the bison. Also, I tasted the pepper from the wine when I was eating the bison. I don’t think I would drink this wine without some food pairing. The food pairing was what made the wine enjoyable.

Food Pairing: Yes, I paired this wine with bison.

Wine 6:

Name: Petit Verdot

Variety: Petit Verdot

Region: Virginia

Country: USA

Year: 2013

Price: $17

Winery Review:  This single-varietal red wine provides an intense, full-bodied, experience with an aroma of blackberry. A great choice for tannin lovers! Aged in American oak barrels. Pair with red meat, wild game, or aged cheese.

 Best served slightly below room temperature.

My Review: On the nose, there were hints of leather, cherry, plum, and raspberry. This wine had really strong scents that felt a bit overpowering for my nose. When I tasted the wine, there were flavors of blackberry and plum. It had unpleasant aftertaste that I didn’t enjoy. I didn’t like this wine.

Food Pairing: None

Peaks of Otter winery was my favorite winery because most of their wines were sweet. I am going to discuss two of their wines.

Wine 7:

Name: Kiss the Devil

Variety: Light Chili Pepper Wine

Region: Virginia

Country: USA

Year: N?A  

Price: $15

Winery Review:  Made from 30 varieties of peppers, including ghost, better for basting than tasting, super hot.

My Review: When I smelt this wine all I could smell was the peppers. The taste of this wine killed my taste buds. We needed chasers after we had this wine. It reminded me of taking a shot because I need a chaser. It had an overwhelming taste of peppers, spices, and was really hot. I didn’t like this wine at all. It took a while for my taste buds to recover.

Food Pairing: None

Katie

Wine 8:

Name: Strawberry Shortcake

Variety: Light apple, strawberry wine

Region: Virginia

Country: USA

Year: N/A

Price: $15 

Winery Review: Smooth Crisp, Refreshing.

My Review: When I smelt this wine, the only scent present was strawberry. It was overwhelming and I loved it! When I tasted the wine, it tasted like strawberry shortcake. I was basically drinking a dessert. It was sweet, refreshing, and had a nice finish. The wine was great; this was my favorite wine of the day. I liked the taste of the wine and how it didn’t leave an intense aftertaste. It would be a great summer wine to just enjoy with my friends. My friend actually got a bottle of it and when we finished before we left. It was great!

Food Pairing: None