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Instant Classic
Twelve dozen vinos sipped, swirled—and scored—in the third
Virginia Wine Lover Magazine Wine Classic

By Patrick Evans-Hylton

For the third year, judges of the Virginia Wine Lover Magazine Wine Classic sipped, swirled and spat some 140-plus of the best wines produced across the commonwealth, and evaluated each based on its own individual merit.

Our panel of wine experts spent the day at Riverstone Chop House in Suffolk—noted for its remarkable wine list and the extensive wine list at its sister eatery, Vintage Tavern, also in Suffolk—examining the offerings from dozens of wineries.

The judging was done double-blind in flights, with each expert scribbling findings on sheets printed with a grid of the UC Davis (University of California at Davis) 20 Point System. The Davis system assigns a certain number of points to each of its 10 categories ranging from bouquet to color to taste to aftertaste.

Our magazine team totaled and tallied each sheet to obtain an overall rating for each vintage, and we compiled the averages into four levels—Platinum, Gold, Bronze and Silver. We present our findings to you on the following pages:

Platinum Award

Platinum Winners - Virginia Wine Lover Wine Classic

Afton Mountain Vineyards
2008 Cabernet Franc

Afton Mountain Vineyards
2008 Pentola d’Oro (ice wine-style)

Chateau Morrisette
Blushing Dog (Vidal Blanc and Riesling-based blush)

Chateau Morrisette
Independence (blend of Traminette and Riesling)

Chatham Vineyards
2008 Church Creek Cabernet Franc

Cooper Vineyards
Reserve 2008 Norton

Fabbioli Cellars
2008 Tre Sorelle (Bordeaux-style blend)

Flying Fox Vineyard
Ridge Run Vineyard 2007 Cabernet Franc

Flying Fox Vineyard
2009 Fox White (Viognier-centric blend)

Flying Fox Vineyard
2008 Trio (Bordeaux-style blend)

Gadino Cellars
Antiche Viti Riserva 2008 Cabernet Franc

Gadino Cellers
Dolce Sofia (dessert wine)

Gadino Cellars
2007 Petit Verdot

Gray Ghost Vineyards
2009 Adieu (late harvest Vidal Blanc)

Gray Ghost Vineyards
2008 Vidal Blanc

The Hague Winery
2008, Meritage

Holly Grove Vineyards
2008 Petit Verdot

Jefferson Vineyards
2009 Monticello Signature Series Chardonnay

Jefferson Vineyards
2007 Monticello Signature Series Meritage

Jefferson Vineyards
2009 Monticello Signature Series Viognier

King Family Vineyards
2008 Merlot

Kluge Estate
Winery Vineyard
2007 Kluge SP
Sparkling Rose’

Kluge Estate
Winery Vineyard
Cru (fortified Chardonnay apertif aged in whiskey barrels)

Narmada Winery
2009 Dream Traminette

Narmada Winery
2009 MOM Chardonel

Narmada Winery
2008 Primita (Chambourcin-based dessert wine)

Pearmund Cellars
2007 Ameritage (Bordeau-style blend)

Pearmund Cellars
Sandy Beach Vineyard 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon

Pearmund Cellars
Southriver Vineyard 2009 Petit Manseng

Pearmund Cellars
Vineyard Kilaurwen 2009 Riesling

Philip Carter
Winery of Virginia
2008 Cleve (Bordeaux-style blend)

Potomac Point Winery
Richland Reserve 2009 Chardonnay

Potomac Point Winery
Richland Reserve 2009 Viognier

Prince Michel Vineyard
Mount Juliet 2007 Petit Manseng

Rosemont Vineyards
& Winery
2009 Chardonnay

Sunset Hills Vineyard
2008 Merlot

Sunset Hills Vineyard
2009 Viognier

Veritas Winery
2008 Cabernet Franc

Veritas Winery
Paul Shaffer Second Edition 2008 Petit Verdot

The Winery at LaGrange
Fletchers 2007 Chardonnay

Afton Mountain
Vineyards
2006 Tete’ de
Cuvee sparkling

Blue Ridge Vineyard
2007 Cabernet Franc

Blue Ridge Vineyard
2009 Big Bear Red (red blend)

Blue Ridge Vineyard
2009 Gewurztraminer

Blue Ridge Vineyard
2009 Traminette

Blue Ridge Vineyard
2009 Riesling

Chateau Morrisette
2008 Chambourcin

Chateau Morrisette
2007 Chardonnay

Chateau Morrisette
Angel (white blend)

Chateau Morrisette
2008 Petit Verdot

Chateau Morrisette
Liberty (red blend)

Chateau Morrisette
2008 Vidal Blanc

Chatham Vineyards
Church Creek Petit Verdot 2009

Chatham Vineyards
2006 Merlot

Cooper Vineyards
2008 Coopertage
(Bordeaux-style blend)

Cooper Vineyards
2008 Petit Verdot

Cooper Vineyards
2009 Viognier

Fabbioli Cellars
2008 Reserve Cabernet Franc

Fabbioli Cellars
2008 Fratelli Cabernet Sauvignon

Flying Fox Vineyard
2007 Petit Verdot

Fox Meadow Winery
2008 Barrel Fermented Chardonnay

Fox Meadow Winery
Freezeland White

Fox Meadow Winery
2007 Reserve Cabernet Franc

Fox Meadow Winery
2009 Pinot Gris

Gadino Cellars
2007 Cabernet Sauvignon

Gray Ghost Vineyards
2008 Reserve Chardonnay

Gray Ghost Vineyards
2009 Cabernet Franc

Gray Ghost Vineyards
2007 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon

Gray Ghost Vineyards
2008 unfiltered Cabernet Sauvignon

Gray Ghost Vineyards
2008 Ranger Reserve (Bordeaux-style blend)

Gray Ghost Vineyards
2009 Seyval Blanc

The Hague Winery
2008 Cabernet Franc

The Hague Winery
Cynthia (Muscat-based dessert wine)

Holly Grove Vineyards
2008 Barrel Fermented Chardonnay

Holly Grove Vineyards
2008 Merlot

Holly Grove Vineyards
2009 Celebration Petit Manseng

Holly Grove Vineyards
2009 High Tide Traminette

Ingleside Vineyards
2006 Cabernet Franc

Ingleside Vineyards
2009 Pinot Grigio

Ingleside Vineyards
2005 Reserve Petit Verdot

Ingleside Vineyards
2007 Sangiovese

Ingleside Vineyards
2009 Rosato di Sangiovese rose’

Jefferson Vineyards
2008 Petit Verdot

King Family Vineyards
2009 Crose’ rose’

King Family Vineyards
2008 Meritage

Kluge Estate Winery Vineyard
2007 SP Blanc de Blanc sparkling

Kluge Estate Winery Vineyard
2005 New World Red (Bordeaux-style blend)

Kluge Estate Winery Vineyard
2007 Albemarle Viognier

Narmada Winery
2009 Viognier

Paradise Springs Winery
2008 Chardonnay

Paradise Springs Winery
2008 Cabernet Franc

Paradise Springs Winery
2008 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon

Paradise Springs Winery
2009 Sommet Blanc

Philip Carter Winery of Virginia
2008 Chardonnay

Philip Carter Winery of Virginia
2008 Governor Fauquier (white blend)

Prince Michel Vineyard
2007 Cabernet Franc

Prince Michel Vineyard
2008 Pinot Grigio

Prince Michel Vineyard
2007 Symbius (Bordeaux-style blend)

Rosemont Vineyards & Winery
Merlot N/V

Rosemont Vineyards & Winery
2007 Meritage

Rosemont Vineyards & Winery
2008 Syrah

Sunset Hills Vineyard
2008 Reserve Chardonnay

Sunset Hills Vineyard
2009 Nettare di Tramonto (late harvest-style)

Veritas Winery
Scintilla sparkling

Veritas Winery
2009 Sauvignon Blanc

Veritas Winery
2009 Viognier

The Winery at LaGrange
2007 Tannat

Afton Mountain Vineyards
2008 Festa di Bacco (Super Tuscan-style)

Chateau Morrisette
Red Mountain Laurel (red blend dessert)

Chateau Morrisette
2008 Frosty Dog (white ice wine-style)

Chatham Vineyards
2008 Vintner’s Blend (Bordeaux-style blend)

Chatham Vineyards
Rose’

Cooper Vineyards
Noche (dessert)

Fabbioli Cellars
Pear (fruit wine)

Fabbioli Cellars
Raspberry Merlot
(dessert)

Flying Fox Vineyard
2009 Viognier

Gray Ghost Vineyards
2009 Gewurztraminer

The Hague Winery
2008 Chardonnel

Jefferson Vineyards
2009 Monticello Series Pinot Grigio

King Family Vineyards
2009 Roseland (Chardonnay-Viognier blend)

Lexington Valley Vineyard
2007 Traminette

Narmada Winery
2009 Midnight Chambourcin

Pearmund Cellars
2008 Vinecroft Vineyard Viognier

Philip Carter Winery
of Virginia
2008 Late Harvest/
Vidal Blanc

Potomac Point Winery
2009 Abbinato (red blend)

Potomac Point Winery
Rose’

Rosemont
Vineyards & Winery
2009 Pinot Grigio

Rosemont
Vineyards & Winery
2009 Traminette

Rosemont
Vineyards & Winery
2008 LaCrosse
(white dessert)

Rosemont
Vineyards & Winery
2008 Rose’ of Chambourcin

Rosemont
Vineyards & Winery
Lake Country Blush (rose’)

Sunset Hills Vineyard
2009 Rose’

The Winery at LaGrange
2007 Merlot

The Winery at LaGrange
2009 Toll Gate Vineyard Pinot Gris

The Winery at LaGrange
2008 Snort (Port-style blend)

Fox Meadow Winery
2008 Syrah

Gray Ghost Vineyards
2009 Merlot

Lexington Valley Vineyard
2006 Black Tie Norton

Lexington Valley Vineyard
2008 Chill Norton

Lexington Valley Vineyard
2007 Norton

THE CRITICS
Marcel Desaulniers – restaurateur, former owner of The Trellis in Williamsburg	Marisa Marsey – food and wine writer; Johnson & Wales University representative	Joshua Haugh – sommelier, food and beverage director at the Sheraton Norfolk Waterside	Sydney Meers – chef/owner, Stove The Restaurant, Portsmouth
Frank Morgan – wine blogger	Charlie Rizzo – sommelier, River Stone Chophouse	Bobby Huber – executive chef, Steinhilber’s, Virginia Beach	Dr. Roy Williams –wine educator; chemistry professor emeritus, Old Dominion University
Whitney Vines – food and beverage director, Wyndham Virginia Beach Oceanfront	Ian Honaker – sommelier; owner Let’s Talk Wine shop, Chesapeake	Patrick Evans-Hylton – Virginia Wine Lover magazine executive editor; food and wine educator

A special thank you to owners Cindy and Chef Sam McGann and Brian and Teresa Mullins and their staff at River Stone Chophouse in northern Suffolk for their hospitality in hosting the third annual Virginia Wine Lover Magazine Wine Classic judging. Their stunningly beautiful arts-and-crafts-style restaurant was the perfect venue for the judging. We encourage you to stop by and sample the award-winning cuisine and outstanding wine list.

River Stone Chophouse
8032 Harbour View Blvd.,
Suffolk
757-638-7990
www.riverstonechophouse.com

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