After weeks of frost anxiety, hot and dry conditions across the state have shifted the general tone from damage control to cautious optimism.
Linden Vineyards reports that Cabernet Sauvignon clusters have pushed into full bloom, and wineries like Pollak (Greenwood) and Sunset Hills (Purcellville) are reporting ‘fruit set’ — meaning that flowers are forming into tiny berries. Vineyards are one step closer to harvesting.
Meanwhile, the summer events calendar is filling up fast.
This week brings Cajun Fest at Breaux, a winemaker masterclass at Salamander Resort, and a Meritage blending workshop at Eastwood Farm.
You should also mark your calendars: Monticello Wine Week officially starts on June 22. More than 40 wineries in the Charlottesville area are participating, and the winner of the Monticello Cup will be crowned on June 26 at Boar's Head Resort.
I also scoped out some Father’s Day barbecues and brunches.
In this week’s edition
🎉 Events: Cajun Fest, a Meritage blending workshop, a masterclass at Salamander, and Father’s Day events
🍾 Bottle of the Week: Barrel Oak Winery’s 2024 Rosé
🍷 New Releases: Joy Ting’s Rosso returns and fresh saignée rosé from Noer
📰 News: A new winery rises from a 100-year-old cattle barn
👀 Behind the Scenes: A tour through Barboursville’s vines and Pollak's barrel-staining tradition
Events
This Weekend (June 12–14):
Cajun Fest: Breaux Vineyards (Purcellville) is hosting Cajun Fest on June 13 with plenty of Cajun cuisine, Zydeco music, and all the décor to match.
Boxwood's Crémant launch party: Boxwood Estate Winery (Middleburg) is unveiling their very first Crémant on June 13 — a milestone release timed to 20 years of winemaking, 200 years of Boxwood Farm, and 250 years of America. Dress Americana-inspired.
Lost Creek's big week: Lost Creek Winery is hosting a wine dinner at Magnolia's at the Mill in Purcellville on Friday, and a masterclass with winemaker Todd Henkle at Salamander Resort in Middleburg on Saturday.
Wine cocktail class at Revalation: Revalation Vineyards (Madison) is hosting a hands-on wine cocktail class on June 13. Learn how to craft a variety of wine-based spritzers, sangrias and more.
Meritage blending workshop: Eastwood Farm and Winery (Charlottesville) is hosting a Meritage Blending Workshop on June 11 from 6–8pm — a hands-on session where teams blend from unlabeled components and compete before a panel of judges.
Next Weekend (June 19–21):
Friday Blind Challenge — Pawel vs. Nate: Walsh Family Wine (Purcellville) is hosting a blind tasting showdown on June 19. Staffers Pawel and Nate have each curated a custom flight designed to confuse and humble even confident palates.
The Summer Table: Barrel Oak Winery & Brewery (Delaplane) hosts The Summer Table on June 20. Estate wines and small-batch beers pair with shared plates from Hidden Creek Farm, Horsefields Farm, and Red Truck Bakery.
Backyard Beach Party: Saudé Creek Vineyards (Lanexa) is hosting a Backyard Beach Party on June 20, featuring Jimmy Buffett-style live music, food trucks, and wine slushies. Bring lawn chairs.
Father's Day across the region: Several wineries are rolling out events for June 21. Potomac Point Winery (Stafford) hosts its Father's Day Bistro Brunch from 11am–6pm. Paradise Springs Winery (Clifton) fires up a Father's Day Barbeque with live music starting at 1pm and food at 2pm. Boxwood Estate Winery (Middleburg) offers a Surf & Turf experience with wine pairings and indoor seating. And Stone Tower Winery throws a family-friendly Summer BBQ.
Bottle of the Week
Barrel Oak Winery — 2024 Rosé
Northern Virginia • Chambourcin & Seyval Blanc • $31
Why it’s here
Saturday is National Rosé Day, and Barrel Oak handed us the easy choice. This bottle took home Double Gold at the 2024 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition, and the Chambourcin/Seyval Blanc blend is a distinctly Virginian approach.
With Barrel Oak's SHIP2SIP code (15% off your first online order), you can have it at your door soon!
Tasting notes
🌹 Rose petal • 🍊 Grapefruit & lime • 🍑 Peach finish • 🪨 Wet stone
New Releases
Joy Ting's Rosso returns: Joy Ting, a veteran enologist who has been making wine under her own label Joy Ting Wine, has released her 2022 “Rosso.” She hasn’t made this particular bottle since 2017, but 2022 had “excellent fruit that I couldn’t refuse.” It’s a 50/50 blend of Cabernet Franc and Tannat.
A fresh rosé from Noer: Noer Vineyards released their latest rosé. Made in the saignée style — meaning juice drawn off red grapes mid-fermentation — this wine is described as smelling like rose petals and tasting like baked rhubarb.
Wine News
A new winery rises from a cattle barn
Dan Redding, the author of My NoVa Wine Blog, profiled winemaker Robbie Corpora and his new label, Podere Piccolo.
Corpora, a veteran of Afton Mountain Vineyards and Grace Estate, is hand-restoring a 100-year-old cattle barn in the Monticello AVA into an operation that uses “gravity flow rather than pumps to move fermented wine from the pad to the barrels.” It will also be powered by utilizing solar panels on the roof.
Redding also reviewed Corpora's first five vintages of Cabernet Franc. Despite admitting he's not usually a fan of the varietal, he called the lineup "shockingly good."
In other news
Virginia's first Certified Regenified vineyard: Ashton Creek Vineyard and sister site Riverside Vines in Dinwiddie County have become the first vineyard operations in Virginia to earn Certified Regenified™ status. Farmer Alan Thibault credits their herd of roughly 100 Dorper sheep.
Behind the Scenes
Luca Paschina shares his observations on the health of the vineyards that were hit by a hard frost in April. (Barboursville Vineyards, Facebook)
Luca’s tour through the vines: Luca Paschina, the estate director and winemaker at Barboursville Vineyards, records a fascinating tour through their vineyards. Paschina breaks down how different varietals were hit by the April frost and how strategic pruning has stimulated secondary growth.
Pollak's barrel-staining tradition: Pollak Vineyards shares a behind-the-scenes look at a centuries-old cellar practice — staining barrels with a natural pigment made from red wine and grape extracts to mark vintages and blends.