Jefferson Vineyards Wine Blog

Christopher Ritzcovan, Our Winemaker

"I started working at Jefferson Vineyards in 2007. I was 24 and had just graduated from UVA the year prior. I stumbled across the Assistant Winemaker job on Craigslist and thought it would be a great experience before heading off to grad school. At the time, my wine knowledge consisted of little more than watching my Dad make wine in the garage, literally destemming individual clusters by hand, and then proudly sharing these bottles with my friends. After a year at JV, where I was able to take part in the full cycle of the winemaking/growing process, I left for architecture school. The endless days sitting through class, working in the studio, made me realize how much I missed and loved the winemaking process and the special connection it has with the land. Pruning in the freezing old, continually taming the wild growth of vines all summer, picking fruit in the fall, and then guiding its transformation into wine, these are all gifts of place... After school, I returned to the vineyard and have dedicated the last decade to the art of winemaking. I find the Estate Reserve wines that much more gratifying knowing the full effort that went into the process, from vine to bottle, and that the story unfolding in your glass will be unlike any other." 

- Christopher Ritzcovan, Our Winemaker

To celebrate our 40th Anniversary and enjoy our Limited Releases, click here.

Terroir: A Connection to Place

“Terroir”.  You'll hear this word as our tasting room ambassadors detail the characteristics of the wine in your glass.  Attila, our owner, may mention it while hosting a tour or private tasting.  In truth, you'll hear it referenced at nearly every vineyard, or in every wine guide, book, or tasting. 

Pronounced, “tare-WAHr”, this French term refers to the imprint a place leaves on a crop. For our purposes, it is the inextricable traits given to grapes by the area in which they are grown. With this term, one references the entirety of variables defined by a location and the consequential traits on the fruit. It is the nutrients a soil holds, the climate, the weather, at what elevation grapes are planted, what else grows beside the grapes, and how the land is cared for. Each will have an influence on the grapes, and ultimately, the wine. 

The significance of this influence brands the location of a vineyard as - well, significant. Each grape variety has distinctly defined ideal conditions, and the uniqueness of every planted block within a vineyard will bear its mark. For this reason, we have carefully selected four separate plots of land on which to plant our vines, each chosen for its precise characteristics and each planted with particular grapes.

Our Upper Vineyard, for instance, was planted in 1981 on a rolling slope 608 feet above sea level. The slope of the land dictates how cold air will run off the vines, working to prevent frost. Rainwater too will rush down the angled land. The Viognier planted in the lower block grows on even steeper land. This results in drier soil, prompting the vines to stop their growth early, and though counterintuitive, produce high-quality Viognier fruit. While the Viognier planted in the upper left blocks tends to have more water in the soil, their proximity to the woods has kept them better protected from detrimental frost.

Even in the 1770s, as Tuscan viticulturist, Philip Mazzei, worked to establish the Virginia Wine Company on our present-day property, he took note of the land and climate as he monitored the vines’ growth. In a 1778 letter addressed from Colle, he described the growth of early vine cuttings and wrote that their success “prove in my humble opinion the superiority of this, either soil or climate, perhaps of both”. Though in its infancy relative to the centuries-old growing regions of Europe, the booming Virginian wine region and countless modern-day accolades stand as a testament to Mazzei’s early, glowing assessment. 

Tasting food from another place is to step momentarily into a culture, a tradition, or simply a place other than that which you describe as ‘home’. The relationship of place to the final product is magnified in a glass of wine. From color, to aroma, to finish, wine too catalogs a place. What rolling hills, what sun the seasons drank, what flora too grows - all can be sensed.

In celebration of our forty-year anniversary and our varied terroir, our winemaker has curated a special selection of wines that best reflect the distinct differences of our land and climates.  So, as you enjoy a glass of our beautifully aged Estate Reserve wines, or savor a sip of Riesling, or Malbec, what you taste is an expression of origin, a connection to a place.  To celebrate this connection with us, please visit our Monthly Limited Release page.

A Wine For Every Thanksgiving

 

Perhaps this Thanksgiving your family’s, generations old, sworn secret, sweet potato pie recipe will again grace the table. Perhaps this is the year to break from tradition, embarking on a culinary exploration into an untested recipe, or dare I say it, the year you make ham - not turkey. This holiday season may be unlike any other, but it need not keep us from enjoying good food and great wine as we take a day to be thankful.

For a Classic Thanksgiving

Golden brown turkey, roasted fall vegetables, gravy, stuffing - the plethora of flavors in a traditional Thanksgiving meal can make wine pairings tricky. Yet, this complexity creates room for experimentation. You might pair different wines for different courses. For instance, our Riesling 2019 with lavender, clove, and coriander on the nose and a vibrant acidic finish would pair beautifully with a light first course or could be served as an aperitif. This could be followed by a softer medium-bodied red, like our Cabernet Franc 2019, characterized by its dark cherry and vanilla aromas, dark fruit on the palate, and a balanced acidity.

Our Chardonnay Reserve 2018, which received a Silver Award from the 2020 Virginia Governor’s Cup, has rich oak and vanilla notes greeted with green apple and pear flavors and a balanced, elegant finish. This pairs well with light meats, like Turkey, and roasted vegetables making it an equally fine choice to accompany a classic Thanksgiving meal. For those who prefer less oaky Chardonnays on Thanksgiving, our stainless steel aged Chardonnay 2018, offers a lively and expressive palate with citrus fruit on the nose, and a bright acidic finish that pairs nicely with oyster dressing.

For a Fried Turkey

Those who choose to stay true to the turkey tradition but opt to fry versus roast may too want to veer from the above wine pairings. The flavors offered by the frying process are best balanced against a rose wine. Our Semi-Sweet Rose 2018  bursts with ripe cherry and berry flavors and finishes semi-sweet, per the name, with a hint of tannin and would set wonderfully against the salt and juiciness of your fried bird. The drier Rose 2018, with fresh strawberries on the nose, a bright and refreshing palate, and a dry finish would also cut the salt and fat of a fried turkey.

For a Turkey-less Thanksgiving

Though most enjoy turkey on Thanksgiving, many choose otherwise. What wine you open will ultimately depend on what meat you serve. If ham is your preference, either the floral aromas and smooth finish of the Cabernet Franc 2019 or the bright acidity of our Chardonnay 2018 will compliment your main course. If you prefer to serve lamb or a rich beef cuts, try the Meritage 2018; a Bordeaux-style blend with aromas of oak, cedar and vanilla, a smooth palate integrated with bright fruits, and a creamy finish.

For a Meatless Thanksgiving and Vegetable Fanatics

Roasted root vegetables are best offset by our Vin Rouge 2018,  a light-bodied and fruit-forward red with soft tannins and a velvety finish. This wine works especially well with sweet potato-based dishes, be they roasted, pureed, or casseroled. If you like your veggies green, roasted asparagus, and a host of sauteed greens pair wonderfully with both the Riesling 2019 and Chardonnay 2018 as these wines add a touch of citrus to the dish.

As you choose between the solace of a tried and tested menu or venture beyond tradition, said simply - there is a wine for that.