Magnolia Vineyards

March 29, 2024.  Throughout the day on this Good Friday, the wind continued to grow shaking the blossoms down like snow.  The temperatures leveled in the 50’s in spite of a friendly sun.  While we were in Amissville, Rappahannock County, we decided to take an unplanned visit to Magnolia Vineyards which is on the road to Viewtown south from Route 211.

Magnolia sits on the crest of a hill so that it captured all of the wind that was blowing that day.  It almost blew us off out feet. 

We were fortunate to find owners Glenn and Tina Marchione at the winery along with their rescue dogs who welcomed us in from the gusts.  Glenn is the winemaker and vineyard manager, a tall man with a close-cropped grey hair and reticent smile.  Tina is petite with dark eyes.  They met while working on an IT project for two different government contractors and discovered they were both grandchildren of Italian immigrants.  On a trip to the Old Country, they discovered a love of wine and first thought winemaking was in their future.  Back in Virginia, they encountered Doug Fabbioli, who encouraged them in the trade.  They also wanted to emulate the relaxed atmosphere they found at another legendary Virginia winery, Farfeleu, which has since closed.  

 

For their retirement from the IT world, Glenn and Tina purchased the initial acreage for Magnolia in 2008, and planted their first vines on three acres in 2009.  Since then, they have expanded to seven acres under vine.  They opened the winery in the basement of an old farmhouse in 2013.  The tasting room and production facility we visited dates from 2019.  Glenn told us that he had the two-storey walls of the production plant especially reinforced to withstand the aforesaid winds.

Seeking to follow the casual environment at Farfeleu, dogs are certainly welcome.  Like Barrel Oak Winery (BOW) in Northern Virginia, Magnolia is unabashedly a dog winery although a much more intimate setting than BOW.  You can tell the regulars by how Maggie and Vinnie welcome them in.  A fireplace occupies one wall of the tasting room with plush sofas facing it.  The rest of the seating is at tables with space for around 45.  Magnolia can only host smaller events up to that capacity.  (Contact them about their wine dinners.) 

 

You can also sit out doors on the deck, new since 2021, with views toward Old Rag and Battle Mountains.  Outside food is welcome, but note that your tasting will come with some paired cheese and sweets.  More on that in a bit.  Tina reports that business has been good even though a number of the past weekends have been filled with dreary rain. 

Production facilities can be seen through glass doors on the southern side of the tasting room.  Magnolia produces around 1,200 cases a year from their Viognier, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Sangiovese (a nod to their Italian roots), Merlot and Petit Verdot vines.  They also supplement grow and produce some fruit wines.  Glenn still does much of the vineyard work himself, including the spraying in full protective suit.  He is proud of his new tractor.    

I took in a standard tasting which includes six wines and a cheese and chocolate pairing. I’ll include those pairings here.  Kim had a glass.  Here are our reactions. 

2021 Black Walnut White.  This white blend has orange and citrus notes with some medicinal nose.  Light-bodied.  It was paired with Havarti and Dill cheese.  I rate it a B

2022 Vidal Blanc.  Magnolia's tasting notes say that this is a blend of 85% Vidal Blanc and 15% Viognier, while the on-line wine shop says this is a 100% Vidal.  Whatever the story, this is a crisp dry wine with some minerality.  Glenn and Tina paired the Vidal with Black Pepper BellaVitano cheese.  But Kim found it weak, which is harder to see if there had been Viognier in a bend.  She rated it only a C-. 

2021 Viognier.  The regular Viognier fared somewhat better.  It was medium-bodied with less of a floral tone than some Viognier's.  More citrus and mineral.  Glenn and Tina paired this Viognier with Tomato Basil BellaVitano.  Kim rated this a B-.

2021 Felice.  This is Magnolia’s rosé wine using Cabernet Franc.  Tart fruit on the nose.  “Felice” is Italian for “happy.”  Kim also found this wine weak and rated it only a B-.

2021 Cabernet Franc Reserve.  So light in color, this Cab Franc might be mistaken for a rosé.  Very light tannin.  Light bodied. Not much going on.  Paired with an Irish Cheddar.  I rated it a B-.

2021 Hawkins Run Red.  Magnolia’s tasting notes say this new release is their signature Bordeaux style blend.  It is 50 % Petit Verdot, 35% Cabernet Franc, and 15% Cabernet Sauvignon.  Cherry, spice, and pepper on the palate.  Smooth and very little tannin bite.  Fruit forward.  It is light and somewhat weak.  You may not think this is mostly Petit Verdot.  It was paired with another flavored BellaVitano, Merlot BellaVitano.  I rate it a B.

Pazzo NV.  “Pazzo” is “crazy” in Italian.  The blend for this dessert wine is Cabernet Franc and Blackberry wine.  It has 5% residual sugar.  Even with those dark wines, the end result reminds me of a sweetened kiwi or limeaide.  This was paired with raspberry dark chocolate.  I rate it a B.

In addition to their wines, Magnolia offers two sangria's (white and red), which are great chilled, and a Port-styled wine which is a blend of Chambourcin and Viognier from Rappahanock Cellars.  Bring your dog for a nice afternoon but check the wind velocity first.