Bottle Juice

…Rubicon Cask Cabernet, Signorello, Trinchero, Stag's Leap Artemis, Monticello, Charnu, KaDieM, Venge, Terra Valentine and Hidden Ridge. I've given scores of 95 points or higher in Wine Enthusiast to bottlings from each of them over the past few years, and none costs more than $ 90 retail.

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The most bizarre dinner occurred at Monticello, the home of Thomas Jefferson, where 300 wine maniacs gathered for a garden tasting in 95 degree heat. We almost melted. The mansion was air conditioned, but no wine was allowed inside. It was still fun.

Receptions and Parties

In response to bloggers habit of bringing our own bottles to pour around, organizers have arranged an official BYOB event, which last year amounted to a lake of wine.

In addition to the sponsored receptions, Wine …

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Events like this make everyone feel good. The winning bidder is excited to spend a wonderful day at Monticello with his family and friends, and will have 48 bottles of wonderful wine to enjoy that they have created themselves from our barrel lots. The auction is excited to have created a winning platform which brings together bidders and wineries in uniques ways such as todays session. We are excited as a winery to have our guests enjoy our facilities, and get a taste of what happens behind the …

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Courtesy of Boxwood Winery The Commonwealth of Virginia is home to a number of American Viticultural Areas ( AVA) such as Monticello (1984), the North Fork of Roanoke (1987) , the Northern Neck George Washington Birthplace ( 1987), Rocky Knob (1987), and Virginia's Eastern Shore (1991), as well as sharing the Shenandoah Valley AVA (1987) with West Virginia. As you can see, the last AVA from the above list was Virginia's Eastern Shore in 1991, with the remaining acquiring a designation in the 1980's.

• Topics: Virginia, American Viticultural Areas, American Viticultural Area, Eastern Shore, North Fork of Roanoke AVA
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We finished our Presidents' Day Weekend trip to the Monticello area with a visit to DuCard Vineyards . We first visited DuCard when the winery was newly opened in 2010. Owner and winemaker Scott Elliff was on hand to conduct our tasting on a frigid day.

DuCard Vineyards has made quite a splash with its Signature Viognier with its 2010 version earning accolades at a recent blind tasting held in Richmond. One of the judges was wine expert Steve Spurrier; …

• Topics: DuCard, Viognier, Steve Spurrier, Scott Elliff, Petit Verdot
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…Vineyards located nearby his Wineworks tasting room. During our recent visit to the Monticello area, we made an afternoon by visiting both wineries.

We always enjoy the no-nonsense tasting experience at Virginia Wineworks, and this time around we got to sample wines in boxed containers. Yes, wines in boxes. There is a trend underway to reconsider how traditionally disreputable methods of packaging wine (and that includes screw cap enclosures) are being viewed. However, we've had …

• Topics: Michael Shaps, Paul, Petit Verdot, Virginia Wineworks, Merlot
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Perhaps his greatest contribution to society, however, is his Monticello Vineyards Cabernet. You see, he was inspired by the fruit of that felled tree to make a wine with a nose of black cherry, plum and spicy current. And he so loved its toasty vanillin oak aromatics that he once proclaimed, " Cabernet is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy."

I know you're skeptical. I was too. How could a man from the 1700s produce a well-balanced wine that finishes long …

• Topics: Cabernet Sauvignon, Thomas Jefferson, God, Tom., Vineyards
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…Bedell Cellars, Barboursville, Breaux, Tarara, Jefferson Vineyards, Veritas, King Family, Monticello, and others.

And tell them that Ed sent you (and keep reading his articles on Wine Review Online), because it was indeed his idea, but that Carlo made the recommendations (like I matter...lol!).

And show the east coast some love!!!

• Topics: Ed McCarthy, East Coast, California, United States of America, Rooster Hill
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For 30 years, Thomas Jefferson grew grapes in his Monticello vineyards in hopes of producing fine wine --but to no avail. Today that has completely changed. Virginia wine now has a reputation as some of the best in America, with increasing sales and more wineries (nearly 200) welcoming an ever-larger number of visitors. Richard Leahy, a former editor for Vineyard & Winery Management magazine, has written the essential book on Virginia wine, covering its history, interviews …

• Topics: Virginia, Virginia Wine, United States of America, Finger Lakes AVA, New York City
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…Long Meadow Ranch, Goldschmidt Game Ranch, Piña, La Jota, Frank Family and Monticello, all generally costing less than $ 100. I would happily take and cellar any of them and not be jealous of my richer neighbor who had Harlan and Screaming Eagle. Indeed, I might even feel smug, knowing that I could buy 8 or 10 bottles of each, for every one bottle he had.

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