Closing Out 2025

What’s Been Going On. 

Well, 2025 is coming to an end, my friends. 

Last year we despaired over the total absence of wine books on the shelves of our local bookstore’s “Wine Beer, Spirits” section.  This year there are a couple of wine books but, with the exception of Hugh Johnson’s annual wine guide, most were printed before the 2020’s.  Instead, the shelves were packed with gifts covering all manner of beers, selected hard spirits, and an abundance of cocktail books. 

We began 2025 by checking-in with Annette Boyd for our fourth annual interview.  We hope we’ll have another conversation with her next year.  Over the course of 2025, we also interviewed AJ Greeley with the Virginia Vineyards Association, and George Hodson with the Virginia Wineries Association.  These were in addition to informal chats with at least 20 winery and vineyard owners or winemakers who unfailingly offered unique insights on their passion for growing and making wine in Virginia’s challenging environment. 

In the dormant winter months, we gave you a review of “the Worst Wine Ever” and a history of the humble corkscrew.

We continued posting to Facebook friends and wine bloggers through the Sabin Wine Journeys page and the Virginia Wine Mafia Facebook bloggers group.  We established a new link in the Bluesky social media platform, and we’ll begin experimenting over there soon.

At the end of 2024, we experimented with a Winery Challenge game where our friends were encouraged to match wineries to clues.  Since we got no responses for the 2024 Winery Challenge, we may try it just one more time.   

2026 may be the year when we finally take our long-delayed trip to Virginia's southside and southern tier.  But it will have to wait until we return from our Rhine River cruise in May.  As always, we’re also contemplating some interviews with prominent folks in the trade.  Please stay tuned.

Our Top Wines for 2025.

As you know, we don’t buy wine at every venue we visit, but when we do, it’s generally a sign that we like the wine for the price.  Over the course of 2025, we captured our impressions of 37 Virginia wineries, vineyards, and cellars on this blog and sampled at least 230 different wines.  Below are the wines we bought or rated very highly.  It is a mix of established varietals and experiments that keep Virginia wine interesting and vital: 

Whites

  2022 Kalero Viognier.  Kalero Vineyard

  2023 Chardonnay.  Ankida Ridge Vineyards

  2023 Chardonnay – Josie’s Knoll.  Lovingston Winery

  2024 CharBlanc – Domaine Fortier Vineyards

  2023 Chardonel Reserve – River Dog Winery

  2023 Chardonnay – Fifty-third Winery and Vineyard

  2024 Chardonel - Fifty-third Winery and Vineyard

  2024 Venust - Fifty-third Winery and Vineyard

  2021 Chardonnay – Ox-Eye Vineyards

  2022 Grü-V – Ox-Eye Vineyards

  2023 Vin Blanc – Glen Manor Vineyards

  2024 Albariño – Gauthier Vineyard

  2024 Fiery Run Chardonnay – Fox Meadow Vineyard and Winery

  2025 Traminette – Hardware Hills Vineyard

  2023 Chardonnay – South Paddock Winery

  2019 Vidalsolaris – Caihailian Vineyard

  2019 Vidalnebula – Caihailian Vineyard

  2021 Barrel Fermented Chardonnay – Naked Mountain Winery and Vineyard

  2023 Roussanne – Arterra Wines

Blush/Rosé and Sparkling Wines

  2024 Rose of Pinot Noir.  Ankida Ridge Vineyards

  2023 Sunset on the James – River Dog Winery

  NV Rosé FT – Fallen Tree Vineyards

Reds

  2021 Touriga Nacional.  Morais Vineyards and Winery

  2022 Cabernet Franc.  DuCard Vineyards

  2022 Pinotage – Josie’s Knoll.  Lovingston Winery

  2020 Le Pivot – Domaine Fortier Vineyards

  2022 Cabernet Franc - Fifty-third Winery and Vineyard

  2021 Rock Ridge - Fifty-third Winery and Vineyard

  2021 Romulus - Fifty-third Winery and Vineyard

  2021 Lemberger – Ox-Eye Vineyards

  2022 The Weird Ones Are Wolves – Lightwell Survey Wines

  2021 Cabernet Franc – Fallen Tree Vineyards

  2023 Petit Rouge – Glen Manor Vineyards

  2021 Woodmont – Gauthier Vineyard

  2019 Cabernet Sauvignon, Block 7 – Keswick Vineyards

  2022 Legacy Red Reserve – Hardware Hills Vineyard

  2019 Family Blend – Creek’s Edge Winery

  2021 Seven Oaks Zero Petit Verdot – Arterra Wines

Dessert and Fortified Wines.

  2021 C’est Trop.  DuCard Vineyards

  Vidulce – Caihailian Vineyard

That’s it for 2025!  This is an ideal time to get some Virginia wine - bubbly or still, red, white, rosé, or Port-style for the cold nights.  I’ll leave you with some poetry to go with the liquid lyrics I hope you’ll find in Virginia wine.  

All the Best in the Holiday Season from Roger and Kim Sabin

 

Happiness to me is wine,

Effervescent, superfine.

Full of tang and fiery pleasure,

Far too hot to leave me leisure

For a single thought beyond it.

            from “Happiness” by Amy Lowell

 

 

 

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