Loudoun Valley Vineyards is owned by husband-and-wife team Cameron and winemaker Bree Ann Moore. Cameron is from Davis, California. Bree Ann Moore grew up visiting wineries with her family in Sonoma County. Bree has taken what she has learned from her experiences growing up in Sonoma County and her education at UC Davis to create her own wines. Bree now makes Loudoun Valley Vineyards her home among the vineyards gently sloping fields and breath taking views. California transplants Bree and Cameron had bought Loudoun Valley back in 2008 and Bree has been making the wines ever since. Bree is unabashed in stating she wants to make world class wines.
"The cooperation in building Virginia into a wine destination and the fact that we are still growing and have opportunities much more like a small Sonoma rather than corporate Napa," the couple told the press not long ago. When asked what the worst thing about Virginia wine industry was, they responded, "The damn climate variability. Every year brings new and different challenges compared with other wine regions."
You gotta like Cameron and Bree's spirit though. He loves fried chicken, and she likes spaghetti & meatballs, and their favorite bumper sticker is, "Virginia makes Wine, Napa makes Auto Parts.”
OK, so they're spunky...but how's the wine?
2009 Traminette was very nice. Traminette is a hybrid of Gewurztraminer and Seyval Blanc. Traminette has the floral notes of Gewurztraminer, with a beautiful nose of flowers and tropical fruit, as well as honey and apricot. An the seyval contributes the acidity to keep the wine honest, and refreshing. Bree does a nice job here of making sure the fruit comes through, but keeping a good balance with a zippy, fun ending. Very nice!
2009 Pinot Noir is among my new favorites, and I try new ones everywhere I go. This was a very nice Pinot Noir, with a medium-bodied dry red profile of cherry and a mix of exotic spices on the nose...vanilla, rasain and other more exotic spices. But the wine is all medium-to-black cherry, with layers of flavors underneath that. A lovely wine.
2008 Cabernet Franc is the work horse of Virginia (though some might not like it). This is among the better Virginia Cab Francs. Nice nose full of fruit an vanilla. A simple, straight forward wine in the best sense. Mocha and cassis come across on the nose. The wine has a nice balance, with low acidity and nice tannins. A very, very good solid cab franc with a spicey finish.
2008 Dynasty was my favorite. Hands down. It's a big blend of Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Touriga Nacional. It's got gravitas, weight. A California styled big red. Dark color, with black cherry, dark raspberry, blackberry and cassis on the nose and palate, that finishes dry, with a nice spiceiness. Soft tannins. Very, very nice!
This was a lovely tasting of wines. Very, very nice. Definitely want to see more from these folks. Very exciting!
Wirtz Beverage brand new Trilogy Fine Wine and Spirits division got off to a fast start with the Crème de la crème of the Las Vegas beverage industry. Legendary Rudi Wiest himself of his namesake import company came to Wirtz’s Alchemy room with a palate pleasing line up of German Dry Wines.
Growing fruit is the most important aspect in the wine. As any experienced wine lover knows, the best wines are made in the vineyard and not in the winery. Carl Erhard follows that tradition to a “T”. As we tasted his 2010 Dry Riesling “old vine “ Stielweg, Carl explained that vines that average 55 years in age. Carl also added that he felt the 2012 Vintage will have a long ageing potential. The Kunstler Pinot Noir Estate 2009 features sour cherry and surprisingly big tannis. Many people consider German Pinot Noir something that is relatively new. In fact, winemakers have been making Pinot Noir the Rheingau for over 800 years long before they planted Rieslings . 2009 was warm year which should translate to a spectacular vintage for Pinot Noir and this Kunstler will not disappoint.
Raffles Hotel Singapore eagerly awaits the arrival of an exceptional delivery into its cellars a limited-edition 125th Anniversary Billecart-Salmon Brut Réserve Champagne.
The anniversary cuvée will be available exclusively at Raffles hotels worldwide and as an integral part of Raffles Hotel Singapore’s celebratory Billecart-Salmon Champagne 125th Anniversary Brunch starting Sunday September 16th 2012. In Singapore it will be priced at SGD 148 per bottle (approximately USD $118), and guests will be able to enjoy it in all the restaurants and bars at the hotel.
