Corcoran Vineyards and Cider

July 27, 2024.  It escapes us why it has taken us so long to visit Corcoran Vineyards and Cidery outside the historic village of Waterford.  But here we are on a near ideal July morning for winery visits – warming, yes, but with low humidity for once, and a cloudless sky.

Jim and Lori Corcoran first planted grapes at what was then Corky’s Farm in 2001.  They also had cattle, sheep, goats, and chicken on the property.  They incorporated their winery in 2002 and opened for business as Waterford Vineyard in 2004, becoming only the 11th winery in Loudoun County.  Since then, they have seen ups and downs in business, and in life:  They renamed the winery “Corcoran” in 2007.  Jim was diagnosed with multiple myeloma in 2012.  Lori took over the whole operation.  In 2019, the Virginia wine industry honored Jim with the Gordon Murchie Lifetime Achievement Award as a champion of the industry even as he continued his battle with cancer.  The press reports that Jim travels across the country for treatments and has had to resort to a GoFundMe to pay for it.  More from Lori in a moment.

 

Corcoran has a small rustic tasting room in a restored 1750’s log cabin.  There is a loft on one end.  No fireplace inside.  Outdoors, there are lots of tables and umbrellas on a patio.  Dogs are welcome inside and out.  Lori even said that every day is “puppy day” at Corcoran, explaining why some puppies were rolling around on the floor.  Outside food is welcome.  

We happened to visit Corcoran during a transition period.  We spoke with Lori, a farmer in a t-shirt and jeans.  She told us that she feels she has to reinvent the business every ten years or so.  Therefore, in 2014, she added a cider business.  Lori uses an orchard in Winchester for her fruit and is happy to offer cider as a gluten-free alternative to the growth of breweries in Loudoun.  (I believe that Corcoran had a brewery business at one point, but that has been abandoned.)  Now that we are in 2024, Lori is planning to transition out of the wine business entirely.  As the former head of the Loudoun Wineries Association, Lori cited that there are more than 40 wineries in Loudoun County.  She observed that driving along Route 9, there seemed to be a winery or a sign for a winery every hundred yards.  (True.  As an example, there were about five winery signs at the intersection of Route 9 and the Berlin Turnpike, alone.  That is where we turned north for Corcoran.)  Now that her children have left the nest, with fewer hands to work the vines, she has decided to stake out the less-crowded cider business.  

The Corcoran website states that they are currently specializing in “Port-Style wines aged 7 – 8 years in the Whiskey barrels.”  Lori does plan to release a white Port-style wine this year.  It has been in barrels for 8 years.  Be on the lookout for that release.  Corcoran has featured more fortified wines in the past, including one based on Viognier.  Ultimately, however, Lori is moving to cider over any fortified or regular wine.

Corcoran Vineyards still offers their wine for tastings, but it appears Lori is clearing the inventory of older vintages as she moves to cider.   Here is what we tasted:

Kim tried the featured “Guest Wine” which was the only white wine on the tasting menu.  It was an Italian Pino Grigio, which Kim feels was probably purchased at the local grocery store just to have a white wine available.  We won’t rate it here.

2011 Cabernet Franc.  I found the Cab Franc had an aroma of field hay, some pepper, and taste of subdued fruit.  Light bodied.  B-.

2011 Cabernet Franc Blend.  There is more fruit and tannin in the Cabernet Franc blend, which includes Petit Verdot and Tanat.  Medium-bodied with a light finish.  To me, this was easily the best of the wines on offer during our visit.  I gave it a B.

2012 Blackjack.  Corcoran’s Blackjack is a blend of Chambourcin and Blackberry.  It is slightly sweet at 3% residual sugar.  It is okay if you like sweeter wines.  Where does that strange, almost sulfur aftertaste come from?  I rated this wine a B-

USB (2011?).  This is Corcoran’s red Port-style wine.  Computer geeks – beware – “USB” in this case stands for “Universal Sweet Beverage.”  It is 100% Chambourcin aged 8 years in Whiskey barrels.  Strongly resembles a Tawny Port in color and taste.  It’s nicely turned out with 18% ABV.  We had a long talk with a frequent customer, Randy, for whom it appeared Port was his wine of choice.  While I think of Port as a nice wine by the fireplace of a winter evening, Randy was drinking Port on a 90-degree day.  I rate this Port a B to B+.

Lori Corcoran is responding to a changing business climate just as other owners are having to adjust to changes in demand, customer preferences, and the environment. 

 

 

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