2008 New World Red
A blend of Old and New World style.  Robust fruit-forward Cabernet Sauvignon from the family’s vineyard in California is blended with restrained and nuanced Virginia Cabernet Franc to produce a unique Meritage-style wine. Aged for 14 months in French and American oak barrels.  Drink for the next 10 years.

We don’t expect to receive any other fruit until about the first week of September, when our first lot of Viognier and Chapelle Charlemagne Chardonnay arrive. So that gives Jason and I some precious needed time to prepare for this early season.

Our other pressing matter at this time is trying to keep the wildlife out of the fruit. As a result of the dry summer, food sources for deer, birds and bear are scarce, so they have their eyes trained on our ever increasingly sweet fruit. We are hanging bird netting and other scare devices in the vineyard, patching up our fences and of course, Wahoo and Louise are hard at work as well.

Until next time,

Tom

The theme is Bordeaux / Meritage reds.  The wines are selected for their inclusion of varieties that feature prominently in Virginia (Cabernet Franc and Merlot). Here is the lineup:

1. Favia (La Magdalena) 2006
California/Napa Valley/58% Cabernet Franc, 42% Cabernet Sauvignon

2. Chateau Angelus 2006
France/Bordeaux/St. Emilion/62% Merlot, 38% Cabernet Franc

3. Chateau Cheval Blanc (Le Petit Cheval) 2005
France/Bordeaux/St. Emilion/(60% Cabernet Franc, 40% Merlot)

4. Chateau Grand Corbin Despagne 2005
France/Bordeaux/St. Emilion/(vineyard planted at 75% Merlot, 24% Cabernet Franc, 1% Cabernet Sauvignon

5. Rappahannock Cellars Meritage 2006
63% Cabernet Franc, 31% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Petit Verdot, 1.5% Merlot, 1.5% Malbec

6. Rappahannock Cellars Meritage 2007
63% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Petit Verdot, 2% Merlot, 2% Malbec

This will be a blind tasting with the producers revealed after the wines are tasted. Two ounce (59 mL) pours per wine. Water and crackers served.

Date: Saturday, August 21
Time: 1:00 pm
Where: Rappahannock Cellars
Cost: $64.54 per person
Limited to 10 people

The last of the 2008. This wine has developed a wonderful honey character to complement the background of tropical fruit.  The palate has evolved a creamy richness that finishes with a pleasant crispness.  Completely dry. Drink now. 100% Seyval Blanc.

2008 Red Virginia Dessert Wine

Gobs of cherry and cassis fruit welcome your nose. On the palate you find more cherries and cassis, followed by an unmistakable hint of Tootsie Roll. Sweet, but not too sweet. Dark, viscous, and delicious. Will last forever. 100% Norton.

These conditions, each taken on their own, would not be cause for concern. We have always told you that grapevines prefer hot, dry weather. This is very true in regard to disease pressure and ripening potential — and it is these very conditions that make California an ideal environment for winegrowing. Growers in the Golden State have it pretty easy in many regards compared to their eastern counterparts. However, one thing they must be diligent about is water management. After all, nothing will live for long without water.

Here in the east, liberal amounts of rainfall (combined with soils that have a high water-holding capacity) create conditions where surface soils above 18” or so remain reasonably moist. This causes a vine to root rather shallow, since it does not have to look to deeper soils to find water. But in those rare years where water is not readily available, and extreme temperatures cause surface soils to dry out quickly, vines with a shallow root system will begin to show signs of water stress earlier than those with deeper roots.

This is also the case in vineyards that are regularly irrigated. In the West, this is very often the case as there is no choice but to irrigate in regions with little to no summer rainfall. In Virginia, irrigations systems are installed mostly as an insurance policy. They are used regularly in the first few years while vineyards are being established, assuring that a vine grows to reach the wires and develop strong roots. Prudent growers will begin to restrict water applications by the third year, forcing the vines to look deeper for moist soils. Many growers (ourselves included,) will encourage “cover crops” on the vineyard floor to compete with the vines for surface moisture; again, causing the roots to look deep for water and further increasing the vines natural drought tolerance.

Many readers may remember winemakers across the state singing the praises of the 2007 vintage for its dry, ‘California like’ weather conditions; so you may ask, “Why are you concerned now?” There are two distinct differences between 2007 and the current year:

First is the timing of the dry weather. In ’07 we had moderate to normal amounts of rainfall through most of the growing season. It wasn’t until late summer that things began to dry up and conditions became ideal for ripening fruit. Even then, many vineyards (particularly those in the central and southern parts of the state) began to exhibit signs of water stress. Water stress, especially after veraison (the point at which grapes begin to change color and build sugar) can inhibit fruit maturation… so those growers with irrigations systems were advised to turn them on to get their grapes to harvest.

The second difference between 2007 and 2010 are the extreme temperatures. High ambient temperatures can cause surface soils to dry out more rapidly, reducing available water for the roots to access. This condition is further compounded by increased transpiration of water through the vines leaves as it tries to cool itself, much as people do when they sweat. This creates a situation where the vine requires more water than it normally would and cannot find it in the now arid soil; a dangerous combination to say the least.

Here at ‘The Cellars,’ we are using a two-pronged approach to deal with the hot, dry weather. First, we had to address the cover crop in the area just beneath the vine row.

Over the past several years, our non-chemical weed control program has encouraged the establishment of native grasses and broad leaf plants in this area. This cover has provided several benefits over the years: competing with the vines for water and thereby reducing the vigor of the vine while increasing its drought tolerance (our vineyard is showing less stress than some of our fellow growers that have no cover crop); eliminating soil-damaging herbicide use in the vineyard; and creating a habitat for beneficial insects that reduce our dependence on harmful insecticide sprays. Now though, in these very dry conditions, this competitive cover will begin to work against us by sucking up what little rainwater is delivered to the vineyard, as well as what we can deliver through irrigation. So, the cover crop must be eliminated!

This brings us to the second prong of our strategy; turning on the water. Certainly, with enough water delivered through the irrigation system, eventually it would reach the roots of the vine — despite the competition from cover crops. In extreme heat though, the vines are transpiring water very rapidly (upwards of 3.25 gallons per vine, per day.) With water being such a precious resource (especially without some rain to replenish our well) and considering the energy consumption needed to continually run our pump, we need to make the process of replacing this water as efficient as possible.

Our vineyard is broken up into 10 individual irrigation zones and the initial watering in each zone lasted about 24 hours. Subsequent applications will be done on an ‘as needed’ basis in 12 hour increments; during the evening and night time hours when temperatures are cooler and evaporation potential at a minimum. If dry conditions and the need for irrigation continue, moisture monitoring sensors can be installed to further increase irrigation efficiency.

Beyond that, we can address the permanent, grassy cover crop in the areas between the rows and/or spray the vines with a heavy coating of fine clay to reflect the suns rays reducing the rate of transpiration. These are more extreme measures that could have lasting repercussions such as erosion (in the case of the former) and reduced or delayed ripening in the case of the latter. These would be “last-ditch” efforts to combat a prolonged drought in the case that we had to shut down the irrigation system.

Fortunately, we are a long way from having to take such extreme measures, as the dry weather has set the clock ahead for us and we are rapidly approaching harvest. Careful monitoring of the vineyard will be necessary as always, we simply have one more thing to be mindful of.

Until next time….
-Tom

- July 31 & August 1 -
Update: Ticket price now includes the tasting of 15 unique wines!

The Rappahannock Family of Wineries is celebrating the launch of our wine trail at Rappahannock Cellars with a “coming out” party, FESTA RAPPAHANNOCK, on Saturday, July 31, and Sunday, August 1,
from 11 am to 5 pm. Proceeds will help benefit Hospice of the Rapidan.

The event is a celebration of Viognier, Cabernet Franc and local “slow” food. It will feature local wines, meats and produce along with live musical entertainment.

Ticket includes Souvenir Glass & Tasting of 15 Unique Wines

Event To be Held at Rappahannock Cellars

Local “Slow” Food:

Grass Fed Beef supplied by Briarmead Farms

Pastured Natural Chicken supplied by The Northern Valley Pastoral Guild / Beatrix Farm

Music:

Saturday, July 31:

Sunday, August 1:

Tickets:

Early-Bird Online Registration: $18
Tickets at the Gate: $22

The lack of water does do good things in the vineyard; the disease pressure is very low, the vines stop growing canopy and start ripening fruit sooner, and we don’t have to mow the grass as much!

The kids are not excited about the canopy work in the blazing heat, but we are already getting excited about the prospects of a year like 2007 where warm weather and a lack of rain produced some the ripest fruit we have ever seen….Oh we can only  hope!

• This Chardonnay – Seyval cross delivers on aromas of green apple, citrus blossom, and a hint of vanilla, followed by flavors of tropical fruit in a light veil of buttery oak. The palate is well balanced and viscous, with subtle acidity, leading to a lengthy finish. Try this wine with a butter-leaf lettuce, candied pecans, sliced green apple, and lightly graded bleu cheese, salad. Drink within 24 months of vintage.

2008 Cabernet Sauvignon

• This God-Father of Bordeaux red wines exudes aromas of black and red cherry, ripe plums, and a hint of cassis and cigar box. Raspberry and leather flavors are wrapped in a gossamer of chocolate and vanilla notes, and precede the “grippy” young tannins and a lengthy finish. Perfect with a tender beef filet garnished with sautéed mushrooms. Age ability up to 8 years.

Join our staff on the 4th of July Weekend for New Wine Releases, Live Music and Fine Foods!

New Wine Releases:

• 2009 Seyval Blanc
• 2008 Late Harvest Vidal Blanc
  

  Celebrate America's Independence!:

Music:

• Saturday, July 3: Marie Miller 2PM – 5 PM
• Sunday, July 4: Marie Miller 1PM – 4 PM

Food: (BBQ Provided by Setter Mountain, 12 noon- 6PM, or until gone!)

• BBQ Ribs done in our Smokey Bourbon sauce
• Pulled Pork Sandwich, in our “Tangy” Mop & Slop
• Shredded Beef Sandwich, in Mop & Slop
• Pulled Chicken Sandwich, in Mop & Slop
• Fresh chilled watermelon, water, and sodas available.

*BBQ plates served with HOMEMADE “Baked Beans’ & HOMEMADE Potato salad.