Village Winery visit
Last weekend we headed out to Village Winery in Waterford , VA to sample some of their latest releases and visit with owner and winemaker, Kent Mars. Village Winery is a memer of the Loudoun County Wine trail, and is one of Virginia ’s youngest wineries, having opened for business last Fall. The winery is housed in a restored farm house, which sits next to an eye catching aged old barn.
The interior of the winery keeps with the aged theme and has a warm and cozy feel about it. Amongst the fine wood-work are tables and chairs where guests can sit and enjoy their favorite wines with local cheeses that are available for purchase.
Prior to our tasting, we had the opportunity to talk with Kent and tour the barrel room. Kent is very optimistic about the 2006 vintage, as well his first vintage of Petit Verdot; a red wine varietal that does particularly well here in Virginia . Kent will also introduce Viognier to the fold in the near future; a white wine grape that is no stranger to Virginia soil. We were pleased to learn about the new additions and are eager to return and sample these wines upon their release, as Kent reports exceptional fruit from the 2006 harvest.
Kent preparing for a large crowd
Moving onto our tasting, the following wines were poured: an Apple wine made from local fruit, Elderberry wine, Merlot 2005, Merlot – Cabernet Franc blend, Cabernet Franc 2005. All Ken’s wines were nicely done and all benefit from French Oak aging. We noted the following selections during our visit: The apple wine is soft and fruity and is not overly sweet as one may think. It would pair with milder cheeses and warm baguettes or as a nice weekend sipper. The Elderberry wine, another interesting wine made from the elderberry fruit is a nicely scented, medium bodied red wine that emulates a softer Bordeaux styled blend. The Merlot 2005 is a fresh and fruity easy drinking wine displaying dark fruit and spice aromas that follow through on the palate. Roasted chicken, pork loin and lamb are dishes that would pair well with this wine. The Merlot-Cabernet Franc blend displays nice dark fruit aromas, with raspberry, pepper and mild oak flavors. This wine is nicely balanced with ripe tannins and would pair well with game dishes, lamb and Cajun seasoned red meat dishes. The Cabernet Franc 2005 has a distinct Cab Franc nose with red fruit aromas dominating. On the palate are red fruit, herb and spice flavors, summed up with a nice peppery finish. This selection would pair well with veal, roasted lamb and red sauce dishes, as well on its own as a nice evening sipper.
Village Winery Cabernet Franc 2005
After our tasting we chatted some more with Kent over a glass of Cabernet Franc 2005. It is such a pleasure visiting Village Winery because Ken is very friendly and strives to make your tasting experience entertaining as well educational. Ken is more than willing to take time and talk about his wines and everything from vine to wine with you. Also, for you holiday shoppers, be on the lookout for Village Winery at the Leesburg Outlet Mall. What better way to stop and relax from the busy shopping season than to sit down and enjoy a glass of Ken’s hand crafted wines. As you see, we really enjoy visiting this young winery, and look forward to the new things to come. When readers decide to visit Village Winery please let them know you read about them on Virginia Vine Spot.
Happy Sipping!
Dezel
