Vineyard VIEW
Bravo to Breaux at Governor’s Cup Competition 2016 Nebbiolo.
By Peter Leonard-Morgan
The Breaux Meritage is a Bordeaux style blend of Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Cabernet Sauvignon and a soupçon of Malbec, aged in French and American oak barrels for 14 months. The word Meritage is a contraction of merit and heritage, created in 1988 from a competition to describe an American blend of a minimum of two of the French noble grapes.
Loudoun County was well represented in the 2021 Virginia Governor’s Cup competition, with two of Breaux Vineyards’ excellent wines being included in the Governor’s Case, an honor bestowed on only a dozen top Virginia wines each year. This year’s annual competition attracted more than 100 Virginia wineries to submit their best vintages to be critically reviewed by 16 respected judges. the final 12 which will be included in the coveted Governor’s case.
The Nebbiolo grape hails from the northwestern Piemonte region of Italy, and is aged for 17 months, also in French and American oak. Nebbiolo generally produces a nice light-colored red wine with cherry, raspberry and tobacco aromas.
The judging methodology uses Wine Spectator magazine’s scale of 100-95, 94-90, 89-85, 84-80, 79-75 and 74 and below. Scores are then averaged into one score for each wine, with the lowest being discarded from the competition.
The ultimate accolade, the Governor’s Cup, is then awarded to the highest overall scoring wine from the case. For 2021, this prestigious honor went to Barboursville Vineyards, located just 16 miles northeast of Charlottesville, with its 2015 Paxxito, a dessert wine made using the Italian Passito method.
A first for the Virginia Governor’s Cup in 2021 was best in show cider. Lost Boy Cider, based in Alexandria, came away with the inaugural winning submission with its 2020 Comeback Kid, a sugar free dry cider with a tangy flavor, and a wonderful option for anyone requiring a gluten free diet.
For the final round, 12 judges decide upon the highest ranked wines from round one, during a three-day event in which each judge tastes every wine which made it to this stage of the competition. As with round one, the scores of all the wines are averaged, with the lowest being dropped. A new average for each is then calculated to decide on
With this process, grapes are air-dried for four months before crushing and pressing, followed by a further six months of slow and cold fermentation. Finally, the wine is barrel-aged to ensure a delightful sweetness and optimum acidity.
Lost Boy was founded in 2019 by Tristan Wright, and creates its ciders using selected apples from the Shenandoah Valley. Congratulations to Lost Boy and Comeback Kid, and we look forward to an exciting future in this new category.
The two case winners from Loudoun County’s Breaux Vineyards were its 2016 Meritage and
All in all, Northern Virginia was well represented at the Governor’s Cup, so keep up the good work.
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During the course of the first 10-day round of the competition, 544 wines were tasted, with each being sampled by seven judges in what is referred to as a ‘blind tasting.” Each judge is told only the grape and category, but not the vintage, winery or name.
VIRGINIA’S OLDEST STEEPLECHASE Est. 1921
We made the decision earlier this year to ask all our friends to join us in a special fundraiser to support those most hard hit by the pandemic. We are proud to support Inova Health Foundation and Seven Loaves Services, a food pantry in Middleburg that has become a lifeline for many families. Please consider making a generous donation to the MSRA COVID Relief Fund. Make your check payable to Middleburg Spring Races, write “COVID Relief Fund” in the memo and mail to: Middleburg Spring Races PO Box 1173 Middleburg, VA 20118 You may also donate online at middleburgspringraces.com/make-a-donation/ or call us at 540-687-6545. Middleburg Spring Race Association is a 501(c)3
Due to attendance restrictions we will be running on May 1st with a limited number of spectators. If you are unable join us in person you can watch the livestream on a big screen at Lost Barrel Brewing.
Lawn seating closest to the screen is first-come, first-serve and fire-pits with Adirondack chairs require reservations. No tickets are required and the brewery opens at 11:00 am. No outside food or beverages, please. Race Programs will be available for purchase.
Charles Carroll IV, MD
Charles Carroll IV, MD Orthopedic Surgery, Hand, Upper Extremity Surgery and Rehabilitation 109 W, Marshall Street, Middleburg, VA 20117 540-326-8182 | Email: orthomd@ccarrollmd.com
36138 John Mosby Highway
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Geraldine Carroll
Go Green Middleburg | Spring 2021
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