Winery Review - Chateau Merrill Anne Chateau Merrill Anne is a very new winery, their tasting room opening the first week of March. The Good - - the people. Have you ever walked in and met someone, and immediately it was like youd known them forever? Yeah, like that. The owners were behind the bar, made you feel at home immediately. They know their wines, but more than that, they tell the story. And I have never laughed so much during a tasting. - the wines. They currently produce 4, in the $16 - $19 range (typical Virginia wine prices). Theyre all very approachable, very drinkable. Tend to be a little sweeter, but not obnoxiously so. Their Palace White, a blend of seyval and cayuga, is the sweetest - but then, its seyval and cayuga, so thats to be expected. Its got some citrus notes, clean, refreshing. Their Vin Gris is a Chambourcin blush - fruit forward, berry with the chocolate notes Chambourcin is known for. Ive yet to meet a Chambourcin I didnt like. Their driest wine is a Malbec/Merlot blend, Gov. Spotswoods red. Very yummy, perfect steak wine. Dry, but not too dry. Heathers not a red wine drinker, but she really liked this one - shes the one who decided a bottle of Spotsy was going home with us - dont have to twist my arm! The Bad - - if youre a fan of big reds, you should wait awhile before visiting They dont have many yet - just Gov. Spotswoods. More are coming, though - end of April they should be bottling a Chambourcin/Merlot blend (Im really looking forward to trying that one), and this summer should be releasing a Cabarnet Sauvignon - It isnt really a bad, but the location could be challenging - its not on the beaten path (again, typical of Virginia wineries). The tasting room (a converted corn crib - its nicer than it sounds) is at the end of a long gravel driveway, with cows looking at you with bovine curiosity as you drive it. If you have a choice between a car and a truck/SUV for this trip, opt for the larger vehicle. Verdict - Remember how I said Early Mountain wasnt your neighborhood winery that you pop into every few weeks for a bottle? Chateau Merrill Anne could be. Definitely check it out.
Posted on: Mon, 24 Mar 2014 01:17:03 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015