June 2021 Wine Club
Virginia Wines!
Welcome back! As you know, at Grandiflora we choose wines that are grown and made responsibly, and we have focused on the local environmental and social impact of those wines. We also highlight winemakers that are curating wines with historical or cultural relevance. With this in mind, we would be remiss if we didn’t address our own backyard: Virginia!
Region Focus: Virginia
Virginia winemaking since its inception has been plagued with challenges both social and environmental. The plantation economy was not well suited to producing wine, and the historical poverty and gradual decimation of smallholder farmers in Virginia has prevented their entry into the capital-intensive wine market. Virginia’s hot and humid climate also presents its own viticultural challenges. More recently, the domination of the wine market by globally recognized French varietals has forced winemakers to choose between planting varietals that are marketable but ill suited for the climate, or varietals that are hard to sell but well adapted.
For these and other reasons, winemaking in Virginia has remained a cottage industry for much of the state’s history. In the last two decades, however, that has begun to change, with the number of wineries in Virginia nearly tripling. We believe that the natural wine movement’s embrace of winemaking that adapts to its environment rather than drastically altering it will play a decisive role in the growth of Virginia’s wine industry. A strong natural wine industry in Virginia would also enable us to significantly reduce our carbon footprint, as wine’s main contribution to atmospheric carbon comes from the use of chemical fertilizers (something we already reject) and its transportation.
All this is to say, we are proud and happy to present the following two Virginia wines!
Lightwell Survey, Strange Hybrid Moments 2020
Producer Focus: Lightwell Survey
If you’ve spent much time at Grandiflora, we’ve probably talked to you about Lightwell Survey. Based in Waynesboro, Lightwell Survey is a project run by several D.C. and Charlottesville wine and restaurant veterans, perhaps most notably Ben Jordan, the winemaker running Early Mountain’s production. Their About Us page is pretty hilarious, and informative. Operating out of a repurposed mill, their focus is on experimental wines that break that mold and push the boundaries of what’s possible without relying on chemical interventions in the vineyard or winery. There’s already a natural alignment with Grandiflora — natural winemaking and low-impact development — and their 2020 rose release finds us on the same page yet again.
Strange Hybrid Moments: Adapting and Evolving
I believe this a wine that represents the future of Virginia winemaking. It derives its unique style from several adaptations to our unique climate. First, rather than being an estate wine, grapes are sourced from Sherman Ridge, Barren Ridge, and Bluestone vineyards, placing this wine in the Shenandoah Valley AVA. Locally sourcing grapes promotes diversity in winemaking by distributing the cost of capital. The varietals are also 62% hybrids — Vidal blanc, Chambourcin, and Traminette — which are better suited to this climate and require less intervention.
The vinification of this wine is also a strange hybrid: it’s 100% whole cluster, with the Vidal blanc, Blaufrankisch, and Traminette undergoing semi-carbonic maceration with 12 days of skin contact and then being combined at press with the Chambourcin and Petit Manseng. The combined juice was then cofermented in neutral barrels.
The result of all this weirdness is surprisingly smooth and polished, although I am less surprised every time Lightwell Survey pulls off another of their experiments successfully. With well integrated acidity, just enough bitterness to open it up, and a touch of residual sugar (0.03%) to round it all out, this is a rose that has enough complexity to satisfy my nerdy curiosity and enough zest to cut the summer heat. The extended skin contact gives it soft tannins so it can stand in for a light-bodied red and the acid and sugar makes it pairable with rich or spicy dishes.
Wisdom Oak, Petit Manseng 2019
Producer Focus: Wisdom Oak Winery
Wisdom Oak is a winery that Erin and I originally encountered on a pairing menu at Fleurie in Charlottesville. Founded in 2001 by hedge fund manager Jerry Bias and sold to current proprietors Jason and Laura Lavallee in 2014, Wisdom Oak represents the next generation of estate wineries in Virginia — small (6ac), owner-operated and focused on the local community and environment. Jason Lavallee was kind enough to give us a tour of the vineyards and winery where he farms his grapes and makes his wine, each step meticulously by hand.
2019 Petit Manseng
Wisdom Oak’s Petit Manseng has been winning awards for the last decade, and with Jason and Laura at the helm we hopefully have many more vintages to look forward to. Petit Manseng, like Malbec and Tannat, is originally from southwest France and so is well adapted to a humid Atlantic climate. It ripens quickly, resists rot due to its loose clusters, and produces high yields, making it a great choice in a patchwork winemaking region like Virginia.
The 2019 Petit Manseng from Wisdom Oak is hand-harvested and direct pressed into stainless steel for fermentation and maturation. It displays an excellent balance between its natural ripe tropical sweetness, well developed honeysuckle aromatics, and firm, tart acidity. It’s a category example, showing off what’s possible with a single varietal, clean cultivation, and straightforward vinification.
Want in? Want more?
If you’re not part of our wine club already, or you are and you would like to stock up on these beautiful wines (subject to availability), hit us up at orders@grandiflorawine.com.
Cheers,
Jason
