Tasting Room and Taphouse at Mt. Ida Reserve

May 16, 2023.  With a name like the Tasting Room and Taphouse at Mt. Ida Reserve, you begin to get an impression of this large wedding-focused venue that sits inside a sprawling 5,000 acre “reserve” in Scottsville, about 30 minutes south and east of Charlottesville, Albermarle County.  The Reserve has private homes, cottages, lakes, a go-kart track, and other amenities.  Oh, and four wedding locations.  Owner Tom Sullivan would be happy to sell the whole lot to you for only $45 Million (as of October 2022).  

We are thankful to Jackie Callo, the Mt. Ida Sales Manager, and Tasting Room Manager, Ryan Hutchinson-Jarvis, for spending some time exploring what the venue offers.  According to their website, the wine part of the Reserve sits on some 27 acres of vineyards, four of which are on-site.  All fruit is hand-picked for small-batches.  Actual production of wine, however, is left to the ubiquitous Michael Shaps Wineworks in a custom crush arrangement.  A back of the napkin estimate is that this produces around 1,300 cases per year.  The winemaker is Frantz Ventre from Bordeaux by way of Jefferson Vineyards.  Mt. Ida is in the process of seeking off-site licensing for distribution.

We have seen how custom crush arrangements might be favored by operations that want to focus primarily on special events and weddings rather than on wine (e.g., Pippin Hill).  And Mt. Ida Reserve, which was conceived as a wedding venue and hosts around 140 weddings a year, indeed, screams “wedding!” 

 

The 12,000 square foot Tasting Room opened in 2018.  It is ornate and can easily handle events such as rehearsal dinners. It has a full bar and restaurant.  The beef is grown on Reserve property and is a tasty example of farm-to-table dining.  Interior seating looks through floor-to-ceiling windows across the wide patio facing the Blue Ridge Mountains.  The place is kid and dog friendly.  With ample outside seating, outdoor ovens, and a separate Brewer’s Bar, it is a sophisticated space with a sense of loftiness. 

Kim had a glass of white wine.  I went through the standard Red flight:

2018 “Bell Mount” Chardonnay.  Kim rated this a B.  It has an unusual salt smell in the aroma.  Soft tannins.  Winery tasting notes say that it is lemony acidity with some oak.

2020 Moonlight Red.  This is Mt. Ida’s table wine, a blend of practically everything: Cabernet Franc, Chambourcin, Petit Verdot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Malbec.  I rate it a B.  It has a floral nose, and light tannin.  Light body.  Cherry and tart fruit.  No finish.

2018 High Ridge Reserve Red.  This is Mt. Ida’s version of a Meritage (their tasting notes say “maritage.”).  It is named after the High Ridge Vineyard which I believe is nearby the Tasting Room.  I rate it a B.  Herbaceous nose, raspberry and cocoa notes.  High tannin and some finish.

2019 High Ridge Petit Verdot.  I rate this wine a B+.  I got licorice on the nose.  Strong tannin but well-balanced.  Medium to big bodied.  Long finish.  Some tobacco taste.  Did very well with the full burger I had at lunch.

You might also ask Ryan to recommend one of his specialty drinks like the Lemosa (sparkling house-made blueberry lemonade), or the Dark and Starry.

 


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