Pearmund Cellars June 2021

 

Pearmund Cellars

Kim and I traveled to Pearmund Cellars in Broad Run for an afternoon visit.  We met Chris Pearmund and his first wife, Beryl, who runs the Broad Run facility.  Beryl and I had a nice talk about English Premier League football – she is a Brighton fan, while I support Crystal Palace.  She likes seagulls; I like eagles.

Chris Pearmund is founder, winemaker, and managing partner at Pearmund as well as managing partner at Vint Hill Craft Winery and Effingham Winery.  He has a family connection with the new Sunrise Ridge Winery in Gainesville.  He is also a mentor to dozens of wineries in Virginia, among them Paradise Spring and the Winery at La Grange. Chris large and gregarious; a hail fellow, well met.

Chris bought the former Meriwether Vineyard in 1996 and began operating Pearmund in 2002 making it the 47th winery in Virginia, according to the Pearmund website.  The Broad Run facility features some of the oldest Chardonnay vines in the Commonwealth.   (One of Pearmund’s offering is called “Old Vine Chardonnay,” which lists its source grapes as from the Meriwether Vineyard.  NOTE:  Not to be confused with Meriwether Springs Vineyard in the Charlottesville area.)

I tried the Cabernet Franc and Kim tried the Voignier.

The Cab Franc was made with grapes from Toll Gate Vineyards in Flint Hill, VA and produced at Pearmund.  The wine is very smooth with some cherry taste but with less of the distinctive pepper flavor you find in many Cab Francs.  If the pepper puts you off, the Pearmund Cab Franc is a good choice. 

The Voignier was made with grapes from Silver Creek Vineyards in Tyro (Nelson County) and produced at Pearmund.  Silver Creek is mostly known for its apples.  Growing grapes began in 1999.  Kim found the Voignier very complex compared to the Chardonnay with a beautiful gold color.   

For future discussion:  How does a marine biologist get into the wine trade?  How does an English born dual-citizen end up in Virginia?

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