DuCard Vineyards

Wine: Winery: Ambiance: May 02, 2010

Norton Wine Review: I'm betting that DuCard Vineyards will become a Virginia Wines point-of-interest for many, many wine travelers in the years to come being tucked neatly in a scenic roads Shenandoah mountains valley 45 minutes off I-81. Though only a few offerings at this time which evidently sells out very quickly each year, we were so lucky to hook up with Scott Elliff in his busy schedule as he works to finish the new on-site tasting and sales facility scheduled to open in late May, 2010. How wonderful it was having him showing us variations of vine pruning in his vineyards. The ride alone into the beautiful Virginia’s Madison County area is simply one part of the journey followed by a superb 2007 Norton. DuCard’s description lists this wine as an ‘intense and inky-black wine with distinctive aromas’. This wording accurately describes a wonderful Norton which we discovered on this trip. Unique to this vineyard is Scott Elliff’s participation with a nearby technical college in which students “adopt” a row of grapes. What an experience he is presenting locally with his community viticulture teaching and work participation.