Wednesday, June 9, 2021

Weather and Wine Flight Tastings

 

Loudoun County Winery, VA
June 6, 2021


We experienced a COVID-19 modified wine tasting at a prestigious Northern Loudoun County, Virginia, winery the other day.

The facility was beautiful and reservations were highly encouraged for the Sunday tastings. I had made a reservation and the check in process went smoothly. We were given a nice souvenir glass, which I think we left at the table when we departed, and went off to the covered porch to enjoy a nice tasting. There was pleasant music and everything seemed very to be working perfectly. 

Then came the tasting. 

There were, in fact, two tastings--the first, for $22 was for six of their normal wines and the second for $18 was for three of their recent award winning wines. We did both--starting with the normal tasting. The wines were poured into plastic cups and I have to admit they were very small pours. We then took the tray with the cups and information about the wines to our seats to conduct the tasting on our own.

Here comes the problem. It was a near 90 degree day. Meaning it was hot. With the small pours and all six wines already poured the samples quickly warmed to a temperature which was not suitable for the tasting. We tasted two whites, one rose, and three reds during the first tasting. I have to admit, none of the wines, except for the Meritage tasted well. 

Believe it or not, I then went and bought the second tasting which was the real reason we visited the winery. Same problem. Three wines, all red with price points above $50 per bottle were too warm and were not enjoyable by the time we tasted them. 

I dearly wanted to buy something and find a drinkable wine, but because of the environmental conditions of the day, there was no way the wines could hold up. 

Lesson Learned: tasting flights of wines outside on a hot day is not a good way to enjoy the fruits of the winemakers labors.


-- Bob and Chris Doan, Elkridge, MD