News

Keswick Vineyards Featured in Richmond Times-Dispatch

March 4, 2009

"Keswick prize-winner carries hints of violet, blueberry, even cedar"
by JACK BERNINGER article

“An Evening in Virginia Wine Country,”

September 30, 2008.
Institute of Directors, London, England

Steven Spurrier – Tasting Notes 

WHITE WINES

Thibaut-Janisson NV.
Really nice, fresh wine, touch of lemon, good clear fruit.  16.

Keswick Vineyard 2007 Verdejo.
Lemony Pale, floral, quiet soft but this is Verdejo, very clean and quite fresh, some complexity.  16.

Corcoran 2007 Viognier.
Pale yellow, quite broad fruit, a bit aggressive for Viognier but OK.  15.

Breaux Vineyards 2007 Viognier.
Fine lemony yellow, quite rich on the glass, ripe/unctuous peach/apricot nose, quite full and succulent, yet just dry on the finish, alcohol is there, but this is much better than the California version.  16.

Keswick Vineyards 2007 Viognier.
Lemony pale, good lifted wine, fresh style with complexity, good.  16.

White Hall Vineyards 2006 Viognier.
Lemon yellow, good wine, broad straightforward summer fruits.  16-.

Veritas Vineyard and Winery 2007 Viognier.
Lemony yellow, more complex and probably the best and most typical Viognier, very good style. 16.5.

Veramar Vineyards 2007 Chardonnay.
Fresh pale yellow, good broad Chardonnay fruit backed by good acidity, quite high in alcohol, but good fruit.  16-.

Williamsburg Winery 2006 Acte 12 Chardonnay.
Pale citrussy yellow, quite exotic Chardonnay, broad and fruit, a bit too rich on the palate for me.  15.5.

RED WINES.

Corcoran 2006 Cabernet Franc.
Good colour, good wild raspberry fruit, good acidity and nice smooth finish, a very well made wine with charm and elegance.  16.5.

Williamsburg Winery 2005 Trianon Cabernet Franc.
Very good colour, fresh and deep for 2005, more depth than Corcoran and more tannic, quite a serious wine, just a bit hollow in the middle, but a good effort.  ??Young vines??  17-.

Veramar Vineyard 2006 Cabernet Franc.
Good colour and good fleshy fruit, quite forward, nice “earthy” taste, quite French in style, and a little green on the finish.  16-.

Keswick Vineyards 2007 Touriga.
Very deep colour, deep spicy blackberry fruit, lots of tannin and quite rustic and four square, but earthy and clean, good effort.  15.5.

Veritas Vineyard and Winery 2006 Petit Verdot.
Very good deep colour, fine herbal spice bouquet, lots of fleshy fruit and ripeness and not too much alcohol, a very interesting wine, surprising ripe yet also firm.  17.

Breaux Vineyards 2002 Meritage.
Good colour for age, a bit sweet and also a touch of VA, too obvious.  14.

Williamsburg Winery 2004 Gabriel Archer Reserve.
Good deep colour, a little age on rim, ripe and quite mature, all the grapes blended together, good vineyard fruit, quite good middle palate, falls off at the end, more made in the cellar than in the vineyard.  16-.

Breaux Vineyards 2001 Nebbiolo.
OK colour, already showing age, rather sweet but plainly Nebbiolo, good tannins and actually very Piedmont, gets better in the glass. 15.5

Philip Carter 2006 Late Harvest White Dessert.
Full yellow, fully sweet and a touch of botrytis, rich fruit and good acidity.  16.

Williamsburg Winery Adagio 2006 Super Merlot.
Very good colour, really lovely and deep, quite smoky oak, full and fleshy and a really well expressed Merlot, very Pomerol, even with a little iron base, very well balanced fruit/acidity/tannins, still a bit raw with the oak needs six months, overall both charming and serious, drops a bit in the middle but a very good effort. 17

 

NOTE.
These notes are taken directly from those I took on the night.  On the Decanter scale 15 = good, 16 = good+, 17 = very good.  The range was really encouraging and for the most part the wines were very well balanced and elegant.  A good future for Virginia.  Thank you very much for the tasting.
Steven Spurrier.