Exploring Virginia Wines

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HOLD YOUR ‘FABB’ EVENT AT FABBIOLI CELLARS! WEDDINGS • CORPORATE OUTINGS • GRADUATIONS • CELEBRATIONS email us at info@fabbioliwines.com 15669 Limestone School Rd • Leesburg, VA 20176 703.771.1197 • fabbioliwines.com

We Farm – We Don’t Hibernate

Many folks may think that farmers get to hibernate for the winter months until the sun warms the ground back up to a reasonable temperature in the spring. Mother Nature gives us a grand season each year to reap the sunshine and turn it into a product that will last for years to come, before cooling things off for a rest period. The animal farmers are always working, but we horticulturists get a bit of a seasonal shift. In agriculture, one is always in tune with the daily weather, the changing seasons, and the shifting climate. I will admit that once the grapes are all harvested, I have a bit of “empty nest syndrome.” I go out in the vineyard to scout but there is nothing I really need to look at. After seven months of daily changes to the vines, it is a weird feeling to not have the pressure of observation, evaluation, decision making, and job execution, which all greatly affect the business, on my mind. There is always work to do, though, and winter is time to catch up on the other stuff.

Shutting things down for the winter is always our first priority for this time of year. Putting antifreeze in the sprayers, taking in the garden hoses, and pushing the water out of our irrigation system are jobs that prepare our farm for colder weather and hopefully prevent damage over the winter months. We will also take down our shade tarps, put away the shade umbrellas and make sure all of our heaters are in working order. Oh yeah, how about the firewood? We have had fire pits here at Fabbioli Cellars since long before there was a winery. Hopefully we’ve cut and split enough wood early enough to give it time to season and burn well through the cooler months.

The biggest winter project that we have on the farm is pruning all of our grapevines, raspberries and fruit trees. The raspberries are rather simple but the grapes and pears are a skilled process that will define the next growing season and beyond. We will break these projects up into manageable jobs recognizing weather, crew skills, and location. We can do rough pruning and brush removal when it is colder, and keep the crew moving, warmer, and working through the chillier times. Finish pruning takes more thought and skill, so we tend to do that later in the season on those late winter and early spring days when the sun is warming and we can feel the new season awakening.

The change of seasons also gives me a chance to evaluate the year and plan for the next year. The vineyard and winery business is very long term and high capital. Making good choices along the way is critical to the success of the business and industry. Taking the time to look at trends, review inventories, build relationships, and evaluate products can be the difference between fruition and frustration. Really, these are all just fancy words that give me the excuse to sit by a fire, sip on some fine local wine, enjoy a cigar and contemplate. The grapes are in, we are still working, and life is not bad. Cheers!

Thibaut-Jannisson Sparkling Brut Blanc de Blancs

GRAPEVINE FROM PAGE 36

copy France (or California for that matter). Even if they wanted to try, the terroir here dictates a different approach. But just as importantly, Virginia winemakers have the advantage of unleashing their creativity – something impossible in the rules-bound Champagne region. This has led to a veritable explosion of options, including the use of hybrid grapes that break the mold on what a sparkling wine is supposed to be like.

Briedé Family Vineyards’

“Sparkling Winchester” is a great example of his mixing of old and new world styles. Their sparking is made in the traditional method (and made by a Frenchman) using Cayuga - a grape that would never be found in Europe. Cayuga is a hybrid (cross between European and North American grapes) that’s easy to grow, especially in cooler weather vineyards. Its high acidity gives it the zest that sparkling requires, and it delivers a Champagne-like finish.

It’s hardly surprising that Briedé made a sparkling; owners inevitably make wine they can enjoy themselves, and owners Loretta and Paul Briedé especially love French wines. Try visiting their tasting room outside Winchester to try their Sparkling Winchester, as well well as a selection of sparklings from around the world.

Another great place for sparklings is Casanel Vineyards, just outside Leesburg. While most wineries usually decide between the traditional or creative routes, Katie decided to do both – she makes not one but three sparklings, all made using the Champenoise method. Katie LOVES talking about her sparklings, so much so she practically poured me an entire bottle of her Chardonnay2017 Briede Sparkling Winchester

based White Spark while we chatted (note – I love visiting winemakers in their natural environment).

As much as I loved the White Spark for its nod to tradition, her Red Spark demonstrates her creativity. It’s made with Norton; in fact, she’s the first person anywhere to make this grape into a sparkling wine. She explained the idea started as something of a dare; wine drinkers can be rather snooty about hybrids, but she loves working with this grape and was convinced she could prove them wrong. The result – a sparkling with flavors of pomegranates and raspberries that’s absolutely delicious.

A third location known for its Virginia sparklings is Rappahannock Cellars, in Hume, Virginia. Currently almost 25% of its sales are sparkling – and that percentage is growing. Amongst their options is a sparkling-only flight, which includes their high-end “Prestige”, a Blanc De Blanc (Chardonnay and Seyval Blanc made in the Charmat method), Sparkling Rosé, the ‘Fizzy Lizzy’ Rosé, a sparkling Muscat, and a Charmatmade Cabernet Franc-based sparkling.

Tasting manager Kelly Rappahannock Cellars Sparklers Casanel Brute Red Spark

Knight explained most customers don’t seem to worry about how the sparkling is made – so long as it’s good (I agree – it is). My favorite was the Chardonnay-based Prestige that was aged for 2 years, which had nice green apple notes and some toastiness from the lees. But the Fizzy Lizzy was a ‘fun’ wine that shows that sparklings isn’t always meant to be taken seriously.

I mustn’t forget Rosemont Winery and Vineyards, down in southern Virginia. Their 2018 Extra Brut Sparkling White hits that sweet spot of having juuust enough oak without overpowering it. Zesty, with hazelnut notes. It’s also made using the Charmat method with Chardonel, a hybrid of Chardonnay that does well in Virginia’s humid climate.

Co-owner Aubrey Rose endorsed the idea that sparklings need not be too serious, but that’s almost being unfair to this wine. While great as a summer sipper, I happily paired this with oysters for a late fall dinner.

Do you have any favorite sparklings? Let me know where to find them! 2018 Rosemont Extra Brut Sparkling White

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