Spring 2021 Wine-Share
As we debut the first wines of the fabulous 2019 vintage, we’d like to say a bit about the 2020 growing season, as it was a counterpoint to the previous year. While we have never claimed that farming is easy, 2020 was as difficult a year as we have seen. After the non-existent winter of 2019-2020, our vineyard came to life early, ahead of a month of cold weather. We endured three major frost events with the final one coming the morning of Mother’s Day, leaving us with around a quarter of our normal yields. After that, our softer touch approach in the vineyard was challenged by intense mildew pressure and wet weather. What followed was more crop loss and less leaf area to ripen the little fruit that was there. The resulting 2020 wines are good, but lighter than other wines we have made.
We are proud that we were able to make tasty wines under such challenging circumstances, but we also know the wines are quite different than those that came before and those that will follow. Because of this, we have labeled them differently, with red background, a mildly dark attempt at humor that that also describes the dominant color in our 2020 business account. We will price them lower to match their concentration, helping to further contribute to their red nature! We will also be pulling some of our 2018 Chardonnay from our library earlier than planned, and delay the release of our 2019 Chardonnay, so that we can make sure we will have enough wine for shares over the next two years.
But enough about 2020! 2019 was a beautiful vintage, and now it’s 2021, and we have much to look forward to, including our first Noiret release and our next (very) dry Riesling bottling.
We are extremely grateful for your support. The Wine-Share makes it so that we can bring our wines to our friends, family and colleagues and still have time to farm our grapes and make them into bottles of wine. We hope that you enjoy our offering, and we look forward to seeing you in person this fall.
NOTES2019 Dry Riesling, Mount Airy Vineyard, Shenandoah Valley
The lack of rain in 2019 combined with our cooler nights in the valley gave us a dry Riesling that is absolutely ripping with acidity. We elected to allow the wine to go through full malolactic, somewhat rare for Rieslings, and even then the acid remains prominent and important to the wine. In our tastings, we have realized that the wine needs time and air to truly shine, and it certainly wouldn’t hurt to decant this one. Sure, you may get side eyes for decanting a bottle of Riesling, but you have our support! The mineral/acid interplay recalls a stony Muscadet, Aligoté, or a bone dry Saar Riesling. This is not fruity, silly wine. Like some complicated humans, it requires a bit of time to “loosen up”. But when it does, you’re glad you made the effort.
What should I use this wine for? This is the seafood wine of the Midland lineup, or wherever your food demands salinity and acidity. Oysters, blue crabs, lobster, brined foods, this will hold court with its saltiness and zest.
2019 Noiret “For Us All”, Mount Airy Vineyard, Shenandoah Valley
We planted a few rows of Noiret to see what this grape bred by Cornell University would do in our climate. It is resistant to the main fungal diseases that we deal with, and it is planted on its own roots. The wine is highly aromatic with black and white pepper and violets, giving it a Syrah-like feel. With moderate alcohol, it can take a chill in the summer, but it also has structure from tannin. In the past we have not had enough to sell, and those who have helped pick grapes may have grabbed bottles of the 2018. We made a single barrel of 2019, so we’re excited to share this grape with you.
What should I use this wine for? In this style, Noiret makes a strong case to opened and enjoyed as our meals move back outside into the warmer weather. As mentioned, it can take a chill, but the tannins are present enough to handle the char of grilled foods, and the peppery, floral notes hold their own with the louder flavors of the barbeque season.
2018 Chardonnay, Mount Airy Vineyard, Shenandoah Valley (re-release)
Barrel fermented without inoculation in 3rd use, 500L French oak. This wine is built on two picks, one early to preserve the acidity necessary for the structure of the wine. The wine was aged on its lees for 16 months, the final five in stainless steel barrels. The result is savory orchard fruit punctuated with beeswax and fresh baking bread. There is a reductive, mineral character that holds the flesh of the wine and shapes it, making for a play of texture and acidity.
What should I use this wine for? In Shenandoah Valley Chardonnay, we walk the line between texture, richness and freshness. We look to the Chardonnay when the food gets a bit richer, but, hey, we don’t have to tell anyone how to drink Chardonnay!
