DownHomeFoodie's Wine Journal Entries
Pollak Vineyards (written Jul 09, 2011)
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Favorite Wine: '08 Cab Franc; ’08 Meritage; ’09 Durant White
I want to say from the very start that Pollak is a fabulous vineyard. Pollak has everything you could want from a trip to the vineyard. It is a beautiful piece of property with a great seating area that overlooks a pond. It has a grand, open tasting room that offers wide views and gorgeous sunlight. There are about nine wines (5 whites and 4 reds for $5) and the option of getting a cheese plate with homemade jam (with ½ baguette for $14, and a whole for $16, so go with the whole). Their wines are well-balanced, full, and complex. If you are planning a wine tasting adventure in the Nelson/Crozet area, go to Pollak. You won’t regret it.
Cardinal Point Vineyard & Winery (written Jul 09, 2011)
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Favorite Wine: ’09 Ca. F+Vio; ’09 Barrel Select Chardonnay
The tasting at Cardinal Point reminded me of the best part of going wine tasting in Nelson County: you will drink some good wine and you will meet interesting people. The name Cardinal Point is not named for the state bird, but is instead tied into the military tradition of the four star general who stared the winery. The initials, cp, is for “command points” and references the points of a compass. These compass points are what the wineries emblem on the glass references. Cardinal Point was a fun in the middle trip if you are doing multiple vineyards. They are good size tastings and the wines aren’t too bold so they won’t overwhelm your palette before the next vineyard.
Barren Ridge Vineyards (written Jul 09, 2011)
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Favorite Wine: Harmony, Vidal Blanc, Red Barren
Situated in the scenic scape of Fishersville, Barren Ridge is a converted apple orchard barn turned vineyard, combining updated wine-making practices with classic farm architecture. The tasting room, outdoor seating area, and surrounding fields of vines are quite a sight to see. The whites are a good range of sweet, tart, and fruity. The reds have hints of chocolate, violet, pepper, and vanilla.
Veritas Winery (written Jul 03, 2011)
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Favorite Wine: Scintilla and Othello
Veritas is probably the largest and most well-known of all the wineries in the area. They have very extensive grounds with lots of gazebos and tables tucked away for you to go and enjoy a glass of wine. In addition to beautiful grounds, they have a very impressive tasting room that is an updated, more contemporary looking lodge. Although it was fun visiting Veritas, the experience lacked the welcoming and friendliness of other vineyards I've vised in Nelson County Hill Top and Wintergreen. The wines were also not nearly as impressive as I thought they would be.
Hill Top Berry Farm & Winery (written Jul 03, 2011)
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Favorite Wine: Nectarine Melomel and Lavender Metheglin
I love the idea of fruit wines and meads, but all my adventures with them have been really disappointing. Just one afternoon with Hill Top Berry Farm and Winery changed all my associations with fruit wine and mead. They are “true to the fruit” which means that they just use fruits to make the wine. Their meads are also unique and complex. The offer traditional meads as well as melomels (fruit and honey co-fermented) that include fruits like strawberries, blueberries, nectarines, and pomegranates. Besides the tasty wines and meads, the other thing I like most about Hilltop is how educational the tasting is. Hilltop is friendly, provides a great tasting, and is a must visit while in Nelson County.
