Delfosse ~ Mountain and Vine Vineyards and Winery

May 14, 2023.  It was time to get back on the road for our annual wine trip to Mr. Jefferson’s neighborhood.  We have traveled Route 29 South so many times over the years that we can tick-off the landmarks almost by memory:  the life-size statute of a white bull alone on a  hillside next to the American flag; Clark Brothers where men were celebrating Mother’s Day by emptying magazines of ammo into targets; Cowboy Church, Yowell’s Lake at Culpeper; the turn for Kelly’s Ford (site of a real- life Twilight Zone encounter); Bavarian Chef in Madison; Waffle House in Charlottesville, and on and on.. 

Our first destination on this year’s pilgrimage was Delfosse Vineyards and Winery in Faber, Nelson County, around a half-hour south of Charlottesville.  Rather than the mythical town in “Animal House;” Faber is a small community within the Monticello AVA.  And Delfosse Vineyards is the top winner of the 2023 Virginia Governor’s Cup. 

Claude and Genevive Delfosse began their winery in 2004 and had success until Claude died in 2013 and financial difficulties led to a sale to Mike and Adrienne Albers in 2016.  Mike is the vineyard manager and winemaker both.  The Albers have now presided over their 8th harvest and have made changes over the years to reduce the volume of grapes by 20% in favor of more concentrated juice.  Because the wines are no longer legacy Delfosse wines, the Albers have rightly started a re-branding to retire the Delfosse name this year in favor of “Mountain and Vine.”  Their labels, in fact all read “Mountain and Vine.” 

                                                     Mike Albers justifiably beaming with ‘The Cup”

The tasting room at M&V is a low-slung long bright sunroom with one side overlooking a lawn and pond.  There is an indoor stove for the cooler months. 

Easy chairs are laid out on the lawn near the tasting room and over a footbridge to the pond area.  Outside food is welcome.  On the other side of the pond, the vineyards rise abruptly.  Mike grows eleven varietals in the vineyard and produces between 2,500 and 3,000 cases per year.  His wines are 100% Estate Grown.  He is increasingly using American oak for aging because of cost and improvements in quality.  Mountain and Vine can host weddings – typically beginning on the crest of the hill next to the vineyard, then moving to the dell by the pond for appetizers, and finally to the barrel room for the reception. 

Kim elected to get a glass of wine and waited patiently for me to get through a Red Tasting.  Five of the eight reds were Gold, Silver, or Bronze medal winners in the 2023 Virginia Governor’s Cup:

2021 Chardonnay Reserve.  Kim rated the Reserve Chardonnay a B.  It was light, but not too light, with a mild aroma.

2021 1870.  This is the Mountain and Vine Chambourcin.  Bright red fruit and not too jammy.  B.

2020 Grinning Fox.  This is a red blend of 75% Petit Verdot and 25% Malbec.  I think the Malbec moderates/softens the Petit Verdot.  The blending combinations vintage-specific largely driven here by Malbec, which is a hard grape to grow in Virginia.  Darker fruit like blueberry.  B+

2021 Go Go Girl.  The Go Go Girl is another red blend – this time with 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Petit Verdot, and 23% Malbec.  The Cab Sauv gives it some earthy notes and depth compared to the Grinning Fox, but still not off putting.  This was a Gold Medal winner in the 2023 Virginia Governor’s Cup.  B+

2021 Cabernet Franc Reserve.  Mike uses 100% Cabernet Franc for this varietal offering.  Lighter in color than some Cab Franc’s I’ve had; it has a distinct cola or chocolate aroma and taste, less green pepper, owing to the later harvest, I suspect.  I really liked this version of Cab Franc and bought a bottle.  Bronze medal in the 2023 Virginia Governor’s Cup.  A

2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve.  Silver Medal in the 2023 Cup.  More tannin and longer finish.  Cabernet Sauvignon tends to take the longest to ripen.  B.

2017 Screaming Hawk Meritage.  Gold Medal in the Cup.  Mike has blended four traditional Bordeaux grapes for this Meritage;  33% Petit Verdot, 33% Malbec, 17% Cabernet Franc, and 17% Cabernet Sauvignon.  More tannin and alcohol noticeable.  Drinkable now or age-worthy.  B+

2021 Screaming Hawk Meritage.  Mike allowed me a taste of the 2021 Screaming Eagle which was judged the winner over 600+ entries in the 2023 Virginia Governor’s Cup competition.  It was clearly lighter and more youthful than the 2017 Meritage.  It is a blend of the same four varietals but in the following proportions: 50% Petit Verdot, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc, and 10% Malbec.  I think the 2017 Meritage is more drinkable now while the 2021 would benefit greatly by aging 10 years or more.  B+

2020 Petit Verdot Reserve.  I got a seascape aroma of all things with this 100% varietal.  Strong texture, medium to heavy body, earthy tones.  B+

 

 

Location: 500 Delfosse Winery Ln, Faber, VA 22938, USA

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Linden Vineyards

Image
May 25, 2024.   Hello Readers!   It has been a while since we last posted.   We have been doing some traveling out of state, but we’re back!   We used a warm morning on the Memorial Day weekend to revisit one of the great Virginia wineries with some friends – Linden Vineyards - which is a few minutes south of the crossroads that constitute the town of Linden in western Fauquier County.   During our visit we spoke with owner and founder, Jim Law, and his son-in law, Alex Wilde, who poured for us.   Thanks to both of them for their time.   Much has been written about Linden over the years, and much by Jim Law himself.   A native of Ohio, Jim got a start in agriculture in the 1970’s when he served as an agricultural volunteer with the Peace Corps in Africa.   He loved working with fruit crops and on returning to the States, with wine and growing grapes.   His first experiences in the grape field came in Indiana but there was no mark...
Read more

Endhardt Vineyards

Image
January 26, 2024.   Days like this day don’t normally come around until June: high clouds, blue sky and warm breezes.   We came to Endhardt Vineyards along the North Fork and Lincoln Roads, Loudoun County, still wet and puddled from the left-over from early morning rains.   Johannes (Hannes) and Sarah Endhardt have built their winery among the steep hills south of the town of Lincoln (address is Purcellville).   Hannes, a German dual citizen, learned to appreciate wine from his father a wine aficionado in Bavaria who favored Italian and Austrian wines.   The tasting room is by the shores of a pond with a great vine-covered hill rising behind it.     We spent a pleasant afternoon with General Manager, Jason Deaver, an accomplished chef in his own right.   We appreciate his hospitality. All 46 acres of the property are under a conservation easement.   In 2019 they planted 11 acres of vines growing Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Petit Verdot...
Read more

Sunset Hills Vineyard

Image
March 14, 2024.   Back in the winter of 2022, Kim and I with some of our companions spent a nice afternoon with the owner of 50 West Winery, Mike Canney.   We came away with a desire to visit someday the Mother winery – that is Sunset Hills Vineyard near Purcellville.   While 50 West aims at the younger clientele from its location right on Route 50 near Aldie, Sunset Hills is the more established, family-friendly farm locale.   Still, to discuss one is to discuss both as they are two sides of a single coin. Mike and Diane Canney first planted vines at Sunset Hills in 1999 on a 45-acre farm that included an 1870’s era working barn.   Sunset Hills was incorporated in 2006 and 50 West came along in 2017, both owned by the Canney’s.   Most of the grapes come from two farms in the Shenandoah, but more on them in a bit.   In July 2022, the Canney’s sold all of these properties to Chris and Katie Key.   We wanted to visit Sunset Hills under the new own...
Read more