Ste Chapelle Winery: Decisions, Decisions

Idaho skies are that blue 90% of the time
(per my estimate)

After picking up a bite to eat at the Orchard House we met up with Jenny (my sister) at Ste. Chapelle Winery in Caldwell, Idaho about 8 miles or 8 minutes from Sawtooth. Ste Chapelle is up on a hill so it really stands out against its vines. There was much more glamour going on in the tasting room at Ste. Chapelle than Sawtooth. They had a lot of nick-knacks, wine accessories and sell vinaigrettes made from their wines.  At the bar our friendly server explained that the tasting is $5 with a souvenir glass, your choice of stemless or stemmed and gave us a list of 20 wines that we had to pick 5 from. Picking 5 from a list of 20 is just crazy talk, let me pick 10 at least! The wines were broken up into the following 6 categories:

• Dry White Wines: 
• Chardonnay Winemaker series, Chardonnay Chateau series, Dry Guwurztraminer, Dry Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc
• Off-Dry & Sweet Wines: 
• Riesling, Special Harvest Riesling, Soft White, Soft Rose (Cab Sav), Soft Red, Soft Huckleberry (Riesling)
• Dry Red Wines: 
• Merlot Chateau series, Merlot Winemaker series, Cab Sav Chateau series, Cab Sav Winemaker series, Syrah
• Ice Wine:
• Ice Cabernet Franc
• Sparkling Wine:
• Brut
• Late Harvest Wines:
• Late Harvest Riesling, Late Harvest Cab Franc

Seriously?! I really wanted to try a variety, but I also wanted to try something I'd want to take home. I tasted the Winemaker Chardonnay, a Merlot, a Cab Sav, a Syrah and Ice Cab Franc. I really wanted to compare the two versions of the Merlot and Cab Sav, but alas I couldn't and like the Syrah the best of the bunch. The Ice Cabernet Franc was a decent ice wine too, it had 18% rs and tasted very much like raisins, so if you like raisins and sweet wines this is for you!

It would have been nice if the 3 of us all got different ones to taste and share, but Jen and Mom stuck with the whites as they love the Soft Rose and Huckleberry. Ste. Chapelle didn't list the types of grapes used in their "soft" wines which was somewhat annoying to have to shake down our cheery server for a description of each before choosing which to taste. I think I would have liked this stop much better if we got to sample more than 5 or if they only gave you a predetermined list of 5 and you could add on a few of your choice. I also didn't get a clear understanding of the difference between the winemaker and chateau series.

While it wasn't my favorite, it may have been a favorite for Mom & Jen as they stand strongly behind Ste. Chapelle's wines that are easily accessible around town. Its worth a visit if you are in Idaho and looking for something to explore, the winery is well known in the area and I'm sure the summer time views are great.

The tasting room over looks their vines

Which one to pick?

Sawtooth Winery: A Quiet Oasis in the Desert

I was able to "go home" to Boise, Idaho for a week for Christmas and since it is usually a once a year event I try to pack in some fun activities. This year one of my sisters, my mom and I visited some near by Idaho wineries.  I had brought home a bottle of Virginia wine to share for the festivities, Pearamund's 2007 Ameritage actually, but I did not expect to bring home triple that in Idaho wines!

While there are only 33 vineyards in the state they've been producing wine since the 1970s after the prohibition shut down the earliest vineyards in 1919. As of 2007 the Snake River Valley was designated as Idaho's American Viticultural Area (AVA).*  Hailing for the Pacific Northwest I knew there were wineries in Idaho, and have tasted several of them, but never visited a winery until this winter. Unfortunately it was a very, very dry winter in Idaho so there was no snow to be found, not even on the foothills so the wineries looked very stark with their brown vines contrasting with brilliant blue skies. Every time I visit in the winter I am pleasantly reminded of how often they get sunshiny days in Boise.

Our first stop was to Sawtooth Winery in Nampa, about 30 minutes from Boise.  You've probably seen these wines around, mountains on the label with a fly fisherman, they can be found across the country. Unlike the DC metro area once we got out towards the winery we passed no one, not a single car. I started to wonder if we were going the right direction, but sure enough the signs started popping up and we were the only visitors.  The mainline tasting fee was $3 and the reserve tasting was $8, but waived with a purchase. We opted for the mainline tasting which included 3 whites and 5 reds. Our server was very friendly and poured their 2009 Chardonnay, 2010 Gewurztraminer with 2% rs, a not so sweet 2010 Riesling with 2% rs. Mom picked up a bottle of the Gewurztraminer and as I quickly learned she likes the sweeter wines.

For the reds she poured their 2010 Rose, 2006 Skyline Red (blend of Cab, Merlot, Syrah & Cab Franc), 2009 Merlot, 2009 Cab Sav that you could really taste the Bing cherry in, and 2009 Carmenere. My favorites were the last 3 and I walked away with the Merlot, which was almost a surprise to me, often times Merlots are too dry for my taste, but this one was great.  Overall the tasting went pretty quickly even though we chatted with our hostess for a bit. It usually doesn't work this way, but this first stop was my favorite of the day-wine, service & tasting room! If you are in southern Idaho, stop in, but don't worry when you start driving out towards the mountains surrounded by desolate vast fields, Sawtooth pops up like an oasis with great mountain views.

 *Idaho Wine Commission

Vines and Mountains from the tasting room

Cozy tasting room, there are tables behind me

Yes, this is a real road and yes, we had to take it to get to our next stop! 

8 Chains North Winery: Wrapping Up a Long Day

I've learned that 3 and maybe 4 vineyards is my limit if I'm driving. Its best to be safe and part of why I like longer winery visits is that it gives me time to enjoy the wine and know that I'm being responsible. Since it was after 3:00pm when we finished up at North Gate, Kurt & Carol were headed to Corcoran, one of their favorites, we wanted to join, but I knew it was time to take it easy. Being so close to Leesburg, Lori and I were going to stop by the outlets before going home. However we made a detour since en route we passed 8 Chains North Winery. So we stopped. We figured it would give us time to decompress from our busy day of tasting before facing the crowds at the outlets.  The tasting room was packed as they had a winter craft fair of sorts with local vendors and live music, it was the opposite of all the other stops for the day. It took some time to get some attention at the bar, but we were able to taste their 5 wines. Most of what they were pouring were reds, but we both really liked their 2010 LoCo Vino a Loudoun County blend of 54/46 Traminette and Vidal Blanc. We sat and sipped and took in the boisterous scene for about an hour or so before reaching our outlet destination.

Since it was late on an eventful day, the staff seemed tired and it would be nice to go back on a mellower day and learn more about their wines. It would be nice to catch their views too, since it was nearly dark when we arrived and the tasting room was so full I sadly didn't get any pictures. 

North Gate Vineyard: Sustainable Wine?

Typically when tasting we start at the farthest vineyard from home and work our way back, we stuck with this pattern for the day so our next stop was North Gate Vineyard. Stop #3, it was still early in the day, and I needed sustenance to continue. My amateur wine blogging/tasting experience was brought to my attention on this trip since Kurt & Carol have the system mastered! We lunched and then tasted at North Gate.

Just when I thought things couldn't get better than Bogati, they did!  We tried their 7 wines and we all took home a few bottles. Highlights were the 2010 oak aged Chardonnay, they 2009 Cab Franc and the 2009 Meritage. The rest of the group also thoroughly enjoyed the 2010 Rose.

We chatted with Mark & Vicki, the owners, as they told us about their wine making, the facility and its energy efficiency. I was very interested in the facility since I'm kind of a nerd and green buildings are my thing. They are currently seeking LEED Silver certification for the vineyard and fully embrace their slogan "Committed...from Bloom to Bottle."  Hopefully they'll break even on the their energy consumption v production for the year, subtle solar panels are embedded on their roof. The tasting room is modern, spacious and inviting and includes an indoor/outdoor fireplace with plenty of tables to sit and enjoy the wines. Another great vineyard with terrifically hospitable proprietors, one I'd recommend without hesitation!

Fireplace seats

The recycled wine and beer bottle tasting bar

Solar panels and vines

Bogati Bodega & Veramar Vineyard

Back in December Kurt & Carol of Wine About Virginia invited me to join them on a tasting. It was great! For once I didn't have to plan out a route, they have much more experience with the Virginia wineries than I do so they said where and when and we were there. 

We headed west all the way to the mountains where we passed a bit of snow to get to Veramar Vineyard. We got there just before they opened and were the first customers to belly up to the bar. It being December the tasting room was decked in festive holiday decor and a great fragrance from the mulled wine they had simmering. Our server was pleasant and friendly, but unfortunately the wines were not some of the best I've had in Virginia. Most of the whites were a bit sour with the exception of the Riesling/Vidal and their D'Ora a Vidal dessert wine with 6% rs. They had 3 reds for tasting and while the Mourvedre and Cab Franc were a bit too light for me as far as reds go, I did like the Rooster Red which was a bit drier and darker than the others. We had a full day a head of us so we neglected sitting and sipping and headed to our next stop.

A few miles down the road was Bogati Bodega & Vineyard. Bogati and Veramar are sister wineries, they have the same wine maker and even use the same grapes, but their wines were quite different. It just goes to show that the process of wine making can turn good grapes in to poor wine or poor grapes can make a decent wine. Bogati was also decked for the holidays and instead of backing up into the hills like Veramar it rested next to a lazy river. I think everyone in the group had a favorite wine at Bogati and I enjoyed all the wines we tasted. My highlights were the Seyval Blanc which is 1/2 steel & 1/2 oak aged, the Viognier and Cabernet Franc. They also had the most interesting Syrah/Mouvedre which we were told was very earthy, but when I tasted it I definitely tasted bacon! Of course being the holidays we also had some mulled wine  which was a combination of cider and Syrah.

There were no other visitors while we were at Bogati and both staff members were very helpful and entertaining from the moment we walked in the door. They also have a great looking tapas menu that Lori & I agreed we need to go back and sample while sipping and watching the river flow. It was a great visit and I'd definitely recommend stopping in to Bogati.

Veramar's Views

The "goods" at Veramar

Bogati's Wall-o-Wine

Bogati's Tasting Room

Pearmund Cellars

I stayed in DC for the Thanksgiving holiday so the Friday after I decided to go for a run on the Mall since I had not participated in a “Turkey Trot.” It was unseasonably warm and there were even a few cherry trees blooming! I came home to a message calling in a rain check on what were my afternoon plans, what was I to do on a warm November afternoon? It was so gorgeous that I just wanted to be outside all day, but I also wanted to catch up on this blog and what better place to do that than at a vineyard?

I decided on Pearmund Cellars in Broad Run since it wasn’t too far from DC and near others if I decided to try more than one. This was my first solo tasting, but found it a pleasant experience. Upon arriving on the Pearmund property you drive through the vineyards to get to their tasting room, it’s very beautiful and makes you feel farther away from civilization than you are.  I tasted with a couple who happen to own a barrel at Pearmund and another at their sister winery the Winery at La Grange. Their words of wisdom were that if you like Pearmund, you’ll love La Grange, but I’ve since heard conflicting reports on which of the two is better. I guess it just means I need to get out to La Grange sooner rather than later!

The tasting at Pearmund was $10 for 14 wines! There were 5 whites, 6 reds and 3 sweet wines.  Their 2009 Old Vine Chardonnay and 2010 Viognier were my favorites of their whites.  They did also have an interesting 2010 Riesling that was good, but tasted nothing like a Riesling and instead like a green apple cider. On the red side the 2007 Ameritage, 2009 Ameritage Reserve and the 2009 Petit Verdot were my top picks.  The 2010 Sweet Petit was the sweet I’d prefer to sip, but our friendly server suggested soaking fruit for a fruit pie in their 2009 Late Harvest Petit Manseng as it caramelizes when cooking; an interesting tip that I just might have to try next holiday season.

Before settling down on the front porch out front I scoped out their barrel room complete with a bust of a jackalope and other wildlife. The side porch was more the social side with gardens and several tables, out front it was quiet except for the soft tunes coming from the surrounding speakers with a view of the vines.  I really enjoyed this stop, it was pleasant, there were several quality wines, a nice view, the staff was very friendly, knowledgeable and I really liked the detailed tasting sheet that included the percentages for the blends, vineyards where the grapes were grown, percentage of sugar and alcohol for each wine. When it comes to Pearmund you should do what their slogan says and “think globally, drink locally.” 

Porch Views

Fall Festivities

Jackalopes in Virginia? 

Down from the Mountain: Devils Backbone Brewing Company

Our last stop at sunset was Devils Backbone Brewing Company.  We tried the samplers they offered, one with 4 beers and one with 6. Dan was daring and tried all 10! I'm big on the porters, stouts and brown ales so the fact that most of what they had available that day were lagers and other German style beers didn't excite me too much.  The food however, was awesome! Great chili, apple salads, wings and more. It also reminded me of being back in Idaho, as the decor focused on hunting trophies and stone fireplaces. I'd say this place is worth the stop for the food, but if you want good beer in the area Blue Mountain Brewery has a tastier selection.

So in two days we were able to cover 5 wineries, 1 cider house and 1 brewery which was tied together with a stay at a cabin complete with a fire we (finally) managed to start in the fireplace. Overall a successful, relaxing trip to Charlottesville that left me wanting to visit again sooner rather than later.

We assumed this ridge must be the "Devil's Backbone"

Blue Mountain Views: Veritas Winery & Vineyard

We were much more impressed with our next stop, Veritas Winery & Vineyard. We arrived to a full parking lot and tents being set up for a wedding & thought we were in for disappointment.  We were instead pleasantly surprised with amazing service & great wines. It must be true that they do trust in the wine like their slogan says "in vino veritas." A hostess promptly greeted us and set us up a at large table in the bustling tasting room.  While full of visitors it wasn't chaotic or obnoxiously loud, Veritas was well prepared for a full house. The tasting room which was warm with its large, dark wooden tables, but still managed to give off an airy vibe with its many french doors.

We were then greeted by a friendly server who managed to serve us and another table or two with prompt, but not rushed service. For $5 we tasted their 9 wines, 2 were from their sparkling list.  I'm not sure there was a bad one in the bunch, but my favorites white was the 2010 Saddleback Chardonnay which was crisp & fruity, similar to a Riesling; of the reds I'd go with the Red Star which was a Cab Franc, Merlot, Chambourcin blend and the Chambourcin stood out the most; on the sparkling side the Scintilla a dry Brut made from Chardonnay. We all walked out with full glasses & bottles where we sipped and enjoyed the views on yet another perfect November day from one of the many sets of Adirondack chairs splayed across the property.

From the impeccable service-ordering from your server w/a pocket register to have some one in the back bring out your bottle(s) in minutes to the comfortable tasting room, spacious grounds and quality wines, it is safe to say that Veritas has snatched up a top spot as one of my favorite wineries in Virginia!

Finding our way to the tasting room

The bustling bar 

The glass is included with the tasting

Enjoying the day

Blue Mountain Views: Afton Mountain Vineyard

Day 2 of our Charlottesville adventure started with a stop at Afton Mountain Vineyards where we wound through the mountains to the tasting room. Our choices were a standard tasting for $5 or the reserve tasting for $8. We were split on who tastings and nobody was thrilled enough to buy a bottle. (We did not get to keep our tasting list so I can't even tell you what was decent.)  Debbie was the only one who bought a glass of one of the reds, while the rest of us quickly exited the cramped tasting room for the fresh mountain air. The wine at Afton Mountain definitely leaves something to be desired; they do however have a great outdoor space with several picnic tables and beanbag toss games set up for visitors with sweeping mountain views.

View from the tasting room deck

Enjoying the perfect fall day

Backed right up to the mountains

Neighboring Tastings: Keswick Vineyard & Castle Hill Cider

Following our Sweely stop we headed over the rolling hills to Keswick Vineyards. For some reason I envisioned Keswick to have a very large tasting room, when in reality it's a very cozy bar and a great porch complete with rocking chairs and blankets.  Our host was Dennis and he did a wonderful job explaining the wines and exhibiting great patience with us! A member of our group who shall remain unnamed found the mirror to be the most fascinating part of the tasting. It is a great mirror with the vineyard etched into it, but the earlier tastings may have influenced this photographer to get the perfect reflection picture.

The tasting consisted of 5 wines, 1 white and 4 reds for $5. The heavy favorite was the 2010 Chambourcin with the 2010 Touriga not far behind. I love the juiciness of the Chambourcin, the Touriga was little too dry for my taste, but those who like the Malbec will probably find it enjoyable. Their 2009 Merlot grown onsite follows with a kick as one can taste the alcohol more than in the other wines. We enjoyed a glass out on the porch with the rocking chairs and setting sun which would have been a great finish to the day had we not learned about a new cider house just down the road. 

We were cutting it close to closing time, but we wanted to try the cider so we hustled over to Castle Hill Cider. Walking away from Castle Hill with the better part of a case, we were glad we made it over there. They have 4 ciders for $5 (glass included), three sparkling and one still. The tasting room is in a section of the big barn, very warm with wood paneled walls and deep red leather couches, there may have even been a fire in the fireplace downstairs when we arrived. 

Terrestrial, Levity, Celestial and Gravity are the earthy (or atmospheric?) names of their ciders. The Terrestrial and Celestial were our favorites with the latter tasting more similarly to a champagne. The Levity was a bit drier and the Gravity was the still cider. The tasting didn't take long and is well worth the visit to try something a little different in Charlottesville's wine country! 

The Mirror, my unperfected shot

The Castle Hill Cider barn

The upstairs sitting room, very similar to the main floor by the bar