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+--- Thread: Ingleside Vineyards, Oak Grove, VA (/thread-14194.html)
- wondersofwine - 04-19-2005
I stopped for a tasting here on Thursday. It is one of Virginia's largest wineries. According to the website, the winemaker is Bill Swain, a UC-Davis grad, assisted by his wife who has a background in Venezuelan and South American wine industry. The Ingleside label is used for their special or low production wines and the Chesapeake Wine Company labels for their less expensive line.
Some wines were available for free tasting. Other wines were available for a $6.00 fee that included several of their premium wines. I tasted some of the free wines and the $6.00 tasting and bought a white wine and a dessert wine. They have a line of $9.95 wines, the Blue Crab Blanc, Rouge and Rose'. (I had to buy one bottle if only for the blue crab on the label and on the foil seal.) These wines have about 1.5% residual sugar. The red is their bestseller and was currently sold out but was made available for tasting. It was interesting but I don't know that I would be purchasing it. The wine was a blend of Sangiovese and Chambourcin (a hybrid grape)and six varietals. It suggested red berries and exhibited some softness. Pretty nice for the price--a QPR quaffer. The white wine, which I think will go nicely with fish, shellfish or some chicken or pork dishes, was a blend of two vinafera and two hybrid grapes (Chardonnay, Muscat, Seyval Blanc and Vidal Blanc). It had a white blossom floral nose (probably from the Muscat) and was a refreshing light wine). The dessert wine, October Harvest, was a pretty gold color. It has about 12% residual sugar and is a blend of Viognier and Chardonnay. I found it intriguing and not too cloying. I liked the 2001 Chardonnay Reserve (aged partly in French oak and American oak) It was a bit buttery but not terribly oaky and sells for $19.95. The 2001 Cabernet Franc ($17.95) was mildly spicy. The 2002 Syrah ($24.95) was blended with a bit of Viognier. It had a nice nose and was light- to medium-bodied and fruity. The 1999 Virginia Gold (a red wine) sells for $32.95 and is a blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Dornfelder and Lemburger. I would never pay that much for it. They also have a rose' wine with 6% residual sugar that I did not try. Former dairy barns are used for the winery. The location is in the Northern Neck of Virginia near the Potomac bridge that crosses over to La Plata and Waldorf, Maryland.
[This message has been edited by wondersofwine (edited 04-19-2005).]