Filter by Listing Categories
Accommodations
Bed & Breakfast
Campgrounds
Hotels
Real Estate
Vacation Rentals
Attractions
Family Friendly
Indoors
On the Water
outdoors
Dining
American
Bakery
Barbecue
Breakfast
Brewery
Burger
catering
chinese
Coffee
Delivery
Fast Food
Ice Cream
Indian
Italian
Japanese
Mexican
Pizza
Sandwiches
Seafood
southern
steak
sushi
Takeout
Thai
Vegetarian and Vegan
vineyards
Wine
Local Services
Rentals - Equipment
Spas, Salons, Barbers, and Massages
Specialty Services
Weddings
Regions
Blue Ridge Highlands
Abingdon
Bristol
Christianburg
Floyd
Galax
Meadows of Dan
Pulaski
Radford
Smyth
Wytheville
Central Virginia
Appomattox
Ashland
Blacksburg
Charlottesville
Chester
Chesterfield
Colonial Heights
Farmville
Glen Allen
Halifax
Henrico
Hopewell
Lanexa
Louisa
Lynchburg
Mechanicsville
Midlothian
Petersburg
Richmond
Sandston
Wintergreen
Chesapeake Bay
Colonial Beach
Irvington
Kilmarnock
Tappahannock
Urbanna
White Stone
Coastal Virginia | Hampton Roads
Charles City County
Chesapeake
Franklin
Hampton
Newport News
Norfolk
Portsmouth
Smithfield
Southampton
Virginia Beach
Williamsburg
Yorktown
Eastern Shore
Cape Charles
Chincoteague Island
Onancock
Tangier Island
Heart Of Appalachia
Big Stone Gap
Coeburn
St. Paul
Town Of Tazewell
Northern Virginia
Alexandria
Arlington
Ashburn
Burke
Centreville
Chantilly
Culpeper
Dulles
Dumfries
Fairfax
Falls Church
Fredericksburg
Gainesville
Herndon
Leesburg
Lovettsville
Manassas
McLean
Middleburg
Purcellville
Reston
Spotsylvania
Springfield
Stafford
Sterling
Tysons Corner
Vienna
Warrenton
Woodbridge
Shenandoah Valley
Augusta
Harrisonburg
Lexington
Luray
Natural Bridge
Staunton
Waynesboro
Winchester
Woodstock
Southern Virginia
Clarksville
Danville
Emporia
Martinsville
South Boston
South Hill
Virginia Mountains
Bath County
Roanoke
Salem
Shopping
Antiques and Thrift Shops
Clothes
Gifts & More
Grocery
Sports Gear & Outdoor
Sips
Breweries
Distillery
Spirits
Vineyards
Winery
Filter by Listing Tags
Accommodations
Attractions
Breweries
Brewery
Dining
Distillery
Local Services
Shopping
Sips
Vineyard
Wine
Winery
Filter by Categories
Accommodations
All Categories
All News
Attractions
Cider
Cider News
Cider: Tasting & Reviews
Cider: Web Exclusives
Contests
Best Of
Savor Virginias’ Best
The Remy 1738 Challenge
WIne Classic
Craft Beer
Beer Features
Beer News
Breweries
Craft Beer: People
CRAFT BEER: SPONSORED CONTENT
Craft Beer: Tasting & Reviews
Craft Beer: Web Exclusives
Departments
Editor's Note
Publisher's Note
Dining
Dining Features
Dining: Farm to Table
Dining: Food Finds
Dining: People
Dining: Recipes & Pairings
Dining: Web Exclusives
Distilled Spirits
Distilled Spirits: Features
Distilled Spirits: People
DISTILLED SPIRITS: SPONSORED CONTENT
Distilled Spirits: Tasting & Reviews
Distilled Spirits: Web Exclusives
Distilleries
Distillery News
Distilled Spirits: Cocktail Recipes
Festivals & Events
Getaways
ADVENTURES/ACTIVITIES: SPONSORED CONTENT
Getaways - SavorVA
Getaways: Adventures & Activities
Getaways: Features
GETAWAYS: SPONSORED CONTENT
Getaways: Web Exclusives
Getaways: Weekend Trips
Local Services
Main Editor's Picks
Main Features
large
small
Regions
Blue Ridge Highlands
BLUE RIDGE HIGHLAND: SPONSORED CONTENT
Blue Ridge Highlands: Features
Central Virginia
Central Virginia: Features
CENTRAL VIRGINIA: SPONSORED CONTENT
Chesapeake Bay
Chesapeake Bay: Features
CHESAPEAKE BAY: SPONSORED CONTENT
Coastal Virginia-Hampton Roads
Coastal Virginia-Hampton Roads: Features
COASTAL VIRGINIA-HAMPTON ROADS: SPONSORED CONTENT
Eastern Shore
Eastern Shore: Features
EASTERN SHORE: SPONSORED CONTENT
Heart Of Appalachia
Heart of Appalachia: Features
HEART OF APPALACHIA: SPONSORED CONTENT
Northern Virginia
Northern Virginia: Features
NORTHERN VIRGINIA: SPONSORED CONTENT
Shenandoah Valley
Shenandoah Valley: Features
SHENANDOAH VALLEY: SPONSORED CONTENT
Southern Virginia
Southern Virginia: Features
SOUTHERN VIRGINIA: WEB EXCLUSIVE
SOUTHERN VIRIGNIA: SPONSORED CONTENT
Virginia Mountains
Virginia Mountains: Features
VIRGINIA MOUNTAINS: SPONSORED CONTENT
Shopping
Shopping: Web Exclusives
Sips
Wine
October Wine Wednesday
Virginia Wine Month
Wine Classic Awards
Wine News
wine trail
211 wine trail
Wine: Features
Wine: People
WINE: SPONSORED CONTENT
Wine: Tasting & Reviews
Wine: Web Exclusives
Wineries
Filter by content type
Custom post types
Taxonomy terms

Discovering Virginia Wine

By:

October is Virginia Wine Month and a great time to get out and discover your favorites.

Virginia is the nation’s fifth largest wine grape producer and our wines are now consistently recognized around the globe. Not all wine grapes grow well here, but some truly thrive. Chardonnay is the state’s most planted grape, creating rich and full-bodied wines, that are a testament to the grape’s versatility. There are over two-dozen other Virginia varieties, including well-known favorites like Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Gris/Pinot Grigio and Sauvignon Blanc. There are, however, some wonderful surprises, too.

Red Bordeaux varieties, particularly Cabernet Franc, Nebbiolo, Petit Verdot and Tannat, grow well in Virginia’s warm climate and have become extremely popular throughout the state.

Our Cabernet Franc has earned an international reputation and is considered to be among Virginia’s best red wines. It is a spicy, peppery wine with aromas that can contain plum, blackberry, violets and tobacco notes. Well-spiced meat dishes or an aged cheese plate make perfect pairings for this flavorful red.

Nebbiolo is one of Virginia’s best kept secrets. It is grown very selectively throughout the Commonwealth, and requires a long growing season. Nebbiolo has a distinctive brick-orange color and pairs especially well with earthy flavors. A perfect match for truffles, it is also wonderful with braised short ribs, rack of lamb, or mushroom risotto.

Generally used as a blending grape in Bordeaux, Petit Verdot has come into its own as a Virginia varietal. It creates a dark, full-bodied red wine characterized by dense, dark fruit with spicy notes of leather, coconut, smoke and dark chocolate. Pair with steak, rich sauces, barbecue and strong cheeses to showcase both wine and food to their maximum potential.

Another French grape, Tannat, is becoming a rising star in Virginia. Along with earthy flavors and spice, Tannat’s full-bodied palate showcases fruit flavors including plum and raspberry. Usually produced as a single varietal wine in Virginia, its smoky character makes it a perfect pairing for sausage, roasted meats and strong aged cheeses.

Emerging Virginia whites of interest include Albariño, Viognier and another French white variety called Petit Manseng.

Albariño is highly aromatic and showcases intense lime, apple, hyacinth, almond and grass notes that are balanced by a naturally high acidity. This lively wine is made in a dry style without oak and is best served young. It is wonderful with fresh fish and seafood of all kinds as well as other light meats, and is a lovely accompaniment to goat cheese.

Viognier has become somewhat of a signature white wine for Virginia. Internationally, Virginia Viognier has consistently earned praise for its intense and complex aromas of stone fruit with tropical notes. It is a superb accompaniment to rich dishes such as lobster, veal, pork and cheeses, and particularly shines when paired with a rich sauce.

Petit Manseng is a white wine variation of the black Manseng grape, whose name derives from its small berries. It features rich aromas of candied fruit and spice which are often complemented with flavors of honey, nuts and pineapple. Quickly gaining critical acclaim in Virginia, Petit Manseng goes well with a variety of foods including moderately spicy Asian and Thai dishes.

To see how your favorites stack up against the experts, check out the medalist winners from the 2017 Virginia Governor’s Cup wine competition at www.virginiawine.org/governors-cup

Drink Local October Challenge
Be true to your roots, Virginia! In celebration of Wine Month, please choose a Virginia vintage when enjoying wine during the month of October. Whether at home or in a restaurant, be sure to support our local wineries. Tell us about your Virginia Wine crush at #VAWine and #OctVAWineMonth.

Always drink responsibly.
VirginiaWine.org
804-402-1896

Grace Silipigni
Author: Grace Silipigni

View Digital Magazine

Festivals & Events

Sponsored Content:

SPONSORED CONTENT

SPONSORED CONTENT

SPONSORED CONTENT

SPONSORED CONTENT

SPONSORED CONTENT

SPONSORED CONTENT

SPONSORED CONTENT

SPONSORED CONTENT