Photo courtesy of Stone Tower Winery
The weather on Black Friday was stellar this year in the DC Area! While many people were out seeking the best possible deals on holiday purchases, I elected to spend the day with a close group of friends in in one of Virginia’s recognized wine regions – Loudoun County. Our day culminated at Stone Tower Winery off Rte 15, just south of Leesburg. I had never heard of Stone Tower until that morning when we gathered to start our tour and it was announced that this would be our final stop. The unassuming approach down a gravel road opened up to a stunning gently rolling appellation landscape that would make any wine connoisseur swoon. Over 50 of their 207 acres is planted with vines surrounding the charming tasting and event facilities. The land slopes gently down to a beautiful and inviting pond and time on the stone patios and balconies allow you to soak up miles and miles of stunning Virginia mountain views.
Photo courtesy of Stone Tower Winery
Stone Tower is a destination winery created by the owners of Belfort Furniture in Sterling, Va. They have lived on a large farm on Hogback Mountain for many years. Being in love with this land, its rolling hillsides, pastoral beauty, and hidden treasures like the old stone walls in its forests led them to buy the neighboring farm with the intention of preserving its agricultural beauty and creating a quiet haven to grow old, surrounded by family and their favorite countryside. Looking out at the hills surrounding the pond the estate just seemed to look like a vineyard. That thought led to many years of extensive research with top-notch viticulturists, soil specialists and geologists which established that the land held the potential for producing top quality grapes. Several vintages of great wines have proved their somewhat whimsical notion to be a reality –it’s a fantastic site for growing premium grapes here in Loudoun County.
They offer two tastings: Current Vintages, a flight of four wines ($10), or the Reserve Tasting, a flight of six ($15). I opted to take a tour through their current vintages. I was pleasantly surprised. The Wild Boar label was created for their wines they have been producing from grapes purchased in the Napa Valley while they wait for their vines to mature to production. The Current Vintages flight were all from the Wild Boar label. Here are my thoughts about these wines.
2014 Wild Boar Sauvignon Blanc
This crisp fresh wine opened up with a citrusy bouquet that had notes of lemon and grapefruit. The taste was balanced, clean, and fruity. I could imagine myself enjoying this with a wonderful salad of mixed greens, fresh herbs, goat cheese, nuts and dried cranberries.
2013 Wild Boar Chardonnay
The Chardonnay opened up with a bouquet that combined pear, melon and peach in its aromas. Medium-bodied, the feel was crisp, the taste fresh and clean. I was ready to grab a small wheel of brie, a bottle of this and head down to the pond and enjoy a nice pre-dinner appetizer.
2013 Wild Boar Merlot
The Merlot was a deep ruby red and opened up with a fruity and peppery bouquet that had a distinct note of fresh berries. A dry wine was a bit tannic, but mostly because of its young age. As this wine ages, I can see the tannins mellowing to create a softer earthier tone. This would be perfect with a nice Sunday pot roast dinner!
2013 Wild Boar Sanglier Noble
A blended wine of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Malbec, this full-bodied wine opened up with a nice aroma of ripe red fruit, black currant, and a hint of pepper. It’s approachable but will benefit greatly by further cellaring. I wanted to grab a few filet mignons, head to a grill, and sit down for a wonderful steak dinner to enjoy with this one.
The weather this weekend is supposed to be beautiful again! If you are looking for something really nice to do, I highly recommend a trip out to Stone Tower Winery on Saturday (December 4th) for their annual Christmas Market and Open House from 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Do a tasting and bring a picnic lunch along to enjoy with a bottle of one of their wines, and of course use the time to do some great holiday shopping.
Photo courtesy of Stone Tower Winery
There will be 28 artists and artisans selling pottery, jewelry, paintings, ornaments, turned wood, pewter, vintage linens, knitting, weaving, and more. Indulge in some hand-dipped chocolates, take home some fresh greens for decking your halls, and, of course, be sure to taste some of our locally grown and bottled wine. They’ve been decking the halls and polishing up the wine glasses to get ready. Hope you will make the trip – it’ll be a great way to spend your Saturday before the onslaught of holiday parties this year.
For more information about their history, the wines, tours and tastings, please visit http://www.stonetowerwinery.com/.
SAW (Steve)
