Sabin Wine Journeys

[On July 27, 2023, I had an extended conversation with Dr. Mizuho Nita at the Virginia Tech Extension Center south of Winchester.   I did not electronically record the conversation.   This post is a paraphrase of the conversation using my notes of the visit, supplemented from public sources where indicated.   A full listing of references is at the end of the piece.   I have tried as much as possible to be faithful to what was said and the tone in which it was conveyed.   We are thankful to Dr, Nita for his time and candor.] July 27, 2023.   Here we are near the end of July 2023, what has turned out to be the hottest month in recorded history (see, Reuters).   Rogue wildfires ravage Greece; two-thirds of all Americans are under heat advisories (see, NewsNation); coral reefs in the Florida Keys are bleaching to death in waters over 100 degrees (see, CNN), Canadian wildfires.  The list goes on.   It is clear that Global Warming is here.  ...

June 26, 2023.   Our last stop on this short trip to the Valley was a visit to Brix and Columns Vineyards in McGaheysville, Rockingham County.   Our approach to the winery is through the part of the 16 acres under vine and the pastures of the working farm just off of Route 33 between Harrisonburg to the west and before ascending into the mountains to the east.   Standing on the portico of the winery with its stately columns, you are almost under the promentory of Massanutten like a brooding spirit.   Roger and Stephanie Pence bought the 160 acres of Six Penny Farm in 2003 and soon had a wedding venue.   Then winery owners came asking to lease some of the acreage for grapes.   The Pence’s took the hint, and, after taking enology courses, began planning grapes in 2015.   Brix, of course, refers to one of the common measures of grape sugar.   Columns refers to the white columns that line the approach and, with the red bricks, give the property a ...

June 25, 2023.   We take seriously the recommendations of people we meet at wineries.   If, instead of a planned visit to Winery A, we meet someone who enthusiastically touts Winery B, we may change our route and go to the B.   After all, the goal is to visit all Virginia wineries.   In theory, we’ll get to Winery A eventually.   This is how we arrived at Marceline Vineyards.   On the recommendation of our new friend, Bicycle Mark, we changed our plans in order to visit Marceline Vineyards instead of other wineries along Cross Keys Road in Mt. Crawford near Harrisonburg.   Marceline occupies a large barn with a tasting room on the ground floor and an AirBnB upstairs.   First grapes were planted in 2006 and now cover some 22 acres on vine.   Marceline supplements with all local fruit from other growers.   Susan Pleasant incorporated the winery in 2014 and opened to the drinking public in 2016.   I believe that Tim Rausse is the w...

June 25, 2023.   We continued our tour of the Southern Shenandoah Valley on Sunday with a stop at Barren Ridge Vineyards just outside of Fishersville.   This is near Staunton, a short toot east of Trucker’s Paradise.   The view to the east is of the Blue Ridge Mountains, arrayed like rows of shark's teeth, one row after another, worn down like some ancient wizened shark.                                                                                                      ...

June 23, 2023.   For our second annual wine trip to the Shenandoah Valley we ventured further south than last year along that “Trucker’s Paradise” called Interstate 81.   After two and half hours of drizzle, clouds, and semi’s, we reached Rockbridge Vineyard and Brewery just outside the town of Raphine in Rockbridge County.   It was a welcome stop and a welcoming staff for us.   We had a nice prolonged visit with Gratia Bobbitt doing the pouring, owner Shepherd (“Shep”) Rouse providing lots of technical detail, and co-owner Jane Rouse spending time just chatting.                              Shep Rouse and Gratia Bobbitt Shep and Jane Rouse purchased the property in 1988 and incorporated the winery in 1992.   The Rouse’s worked out a deal with their son, Parke, that he could open a brewery if he helped Shep with the winery.   With that unde...

[On May 15, 2023, Kim and I sat down for an extended conversation with Gabriele Rausse at his winery outside of Charlottesville.   We did not electronically record the conversation.   This post is a paraphrase of the conversation using my notes of the visit, supplemented from public sources where indicated.   A full listing of references is at the end of this piece.   I have tried as much as possible to be faithful to what was said and the tone in which it was conveyed.   We are thankful to Mr. Rausse for his time and candor.] A Conversation with Gabriele Rausse. We met Gabriele Rausse on a cool morning on the gravel patio outside the walls of his winery.   He came dressed in a grey working sweater and working jeans like he was just coming from the fields where he has spent much of his life.   He is compact wiry man with a round face creased with many laugh lies and framed with white wispy hair.   Not much on top.   He is 78 now but don...

May 16, 2023.   Our last winery visit on this trip was to Michael Shaps Wineworks, around thirty minutes south of Charlottesville.   Wineworks is one of the most decorated wineries in the Commonwealth and is one of the only international brands in this sphere.   Michael Shaps learned his wine at school in Burgundy, France and moved to Virginia in 1995 to be winemaker at Jefferson Vineyards.   He managed six vintages there before going out on his own.   He was soon in a partnership with a winemaker in Meursault (Burgundy) France and with King Family Vineyards.   When we visited Wineworks in 2018, the tasting room was a small cramped cabin up a steep mountain road, the site of the old Montdomaine Winery.   He has continued to expand operations and influence since then.   He has shed his partners and since around 2014 I believe that his ventures have been sole proprietorships.   In 2018, Michael purchased Shenandoah Vineyards and continues to...