Note: When visiting wineries, we judge the winery on our
overall experience. That includes the friendliness and attentiveness of the
staff, the quality of the wine and food, as well as the aesthetic qualities of
the visit. Because so many Virginia wineries are “destination wineries,” we
give less weight to the price of the wines, since we understand we are paying
what is equivalent to restaurant prices for their wines.
In January we headed out on a rainy Saturday for our first
ever Virginia Wine Review vineyard visit.
We headed out to Linden, near Front Royal to the Philip Carter
Winery. After a winding, and
understandably muddy driveway, we came to a small, but pleasant tasting room
building. Just inside the front door was
the main tasting bar where we purchased one full tasting plus one only white
tasting. The tasting started with their
2012 Chardonnay, which is 7/8th
Chardonnay and 1/8th Viognier with hints of green apple and
pear, it was a very enjoyable selection.
We moved to the 2012 Falconwood White, a 75% to 25% Chardonnay to
Viognier, which we found somewhat weak and hollow in its flavoring. From there we then tasted the 2013 Governor
Fauquier described as a off dry wine made from Vidal Blanc grapes. This was a very pleasant white, perfect for
enjoyment in the mid-afternoon. We
decided this would be the bottle we would enjoy on or visit.
Their Cabernet Franc 2012 started the red portion of the
tasting. This was a smooth, but not
full-bodied. We agree with the winery
description of this being a good summertime red. This was followed by a very nice blend of Petit Verdot and
Cabernet Franc, which they have labeled their 2011 Falconwood red. Their 2011 Corotoman was next up, a blend of
Bordeaux and Meritage, this was a decent red yet we would be hard pressed to
justify the $35 a bottle price tag. The
2012 Cabernet Sauvignon was an excellent dry, yet smooth offering that was very
enjoyable with a flavor that will only improve as this wine ages.
We enjoyed our bottle of Governor Fauquier in their adjacent
downstairs room, which consisted of a fireplace surround by comfortable chairs
and a sofa with the remainder of the room furnished with tables with seating
for four to ten people The downstairs
room also had a separate tasting bar.
We purchased a platter of sausage, cheese and crackers, which was at
best average. We would recommend
bringing your own food, if allowed. In
part because the crackers included In our package was just a sleeve of Ritz
crackers.
Our Ratings”
Wines: 3.5
Good to Very Good
If you enjoy lighter whites, or a good Chardonnay, you will
not be disappointed. Highlighted by a
very good Cabernet Sauvignon, their reds ranged from light and smooth to
full-bodied and complex.
Snacks
As we mentio+ned above, we suggest bringing your own
munchies.
The staff was friendly and knowledgeable and certainly made
us feel welcome to be at the winery.
Atmosphere
We loved sitting by a real fire on a rainy January day, and
had no trouble making friendly conversation with two couples also sitting near
the fireplace. Whether you decide to
converse near the fire or grab a table alone, it is a truly nice friendly and
inviting atmosphere to enjoy some good Virginia wine and hospitality.
