Sauvignon Blanc - Big Cork Pre-release

Big Cork 2019 Sauvignon Blanc

Sunday, March 15th, the Ides of March, I risked a personal confrontation with the coronavirus and attended a wine party at Big Cork Vineyards. One of the highlights of the event was sampling the 2019 Sauvignon Blanc which will be released on April 11th for the Easter holiday. 

The wine is simply excellent. I have recently enjoyed some very nice Sauvignon Blancs from the Marlborough District of New Zealand and this wine compared very nicely. 

The wine was light and had the grassy nose which was inviting. It was solid and had the classic crisp, elegant and freshness that a Sauvignon Blanc should have. It kept calling me back for more! Standing in a large room with huge windows overlooking the pre-bud break vineyards this wine just screamed SPRINGTIME to me. 

While the pricing for the bottles were not released, the 2018 vintage had a roughly $20 price point. 

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Barboursville Octagon 2008

The other evening, Chris and I attended a birthday party for our 12-year old grandson. The main attraction for the adult crowd was the opening of a 12-year old bottle of Barboursville Octagon. 

Octagon is the flagship wine of Barboursville Vineyards. We have visited the winery on many occasions and even enjoyed a behind the scenes tour of how the wines are selected for Octagon, which is a blend. It is reported that Octagon is one of the wines that has been served at State Dinners and in the White House. 

This particular bottle of Octagon had been purchased at the winery during a visit a few years ago and it seemed perfect that it would be opened to celebrate the birthday. 

According to Cellartracker, the optimal drinking period for the Octagon 2008 was 2013-2017, and so this being 2020 it was possible that the wine would be hopelessly over-the-hill. The wine was opened about an hour before we were to drink it and, well, we were pleasantly surprised. I did not notice any visual signs of a wine that is past its time. The nose was, however, slight and the fruit flavors were very subdued but still recognizable. The tannins were gone and the mouth feel was very smooth, but unremarkable. The wine was past peak, the layers and complexity were gone, but it was still very drinkable and enjoyable. While the remaining bottles of this vintage likely do not have many months left, this bottle was consumed by adoring fans!

-- Bob and Christina Doan, Elkridge, MD

Fabbioli Cellars

Fabbioli Cella's Entrance
Leesburg, VA
February 22, 2020

It was a fantastic February Saturday, meaning it was a great day to go on a wine expedition. 

Wine Pouring into Fabbioli Wineglass
February 22, 2020

We realized that it had been a few years since we visited Fabbioli Cellars and we decided that we should check out the wines while updating our notes. 

Wine Rack in the Fabbioli Tasting Room

Right up front, let me say, we were impressed. The new, within the past three years, tasting facility is magnificent and highlights the quality wines produced by the Cellars. The tasting was conducted in a small group of six around an individual table and we were treated to the enthusiastic Brian and Melissa who provided an informative and entertaining tasting experience. The real stars of the tasting, of course, are the wines which were all well done and balanced. 

Fabbioli Tasting Room Ceiling
An Interesting and
Visually Stimulating Experience

The unique thing that Fabbioli does is to provide sample morsels to pair with the wines. Not just cheese and chocolate, but small culinary creations that highlight the beauty of the wines when combined with food. For instance, one of the morsels was Port wine cheese, apple slice, 34 Degrees natural crisp, and red jammies. The tasting costs $15, but the creative combos make it definitely worthwhile. 

As for wines, they are moderately priced with a good price point for the value. The prices were in the $18-$24 range, with the exception of the Carmenere, which was $45. The highlights of the tasting were the Carmenere and the Chambourcin. The other wines, including two whites and a pear wine, are all worth tasting and experiencing. 

Recommendation: Visit this winery! It is worth the trip off the beaten path and on the dusty backroads to get there. 

-- Bob and Christina Doan, Elkridge, MD 

What We Are Drinking - Cabernet Franc

Our favorite Maryland winery is Big Cork near Rohersville. Chris and I are members and visit there every few months and sample new wines sand pick-up our wine shipments. 

The other night, we enjoyed a 2017 Cabernet Franc. The wine has an 89 rating from Cellar Tracker.We found it to be one of the most full-bodied Cabernet Franc wines produced in the entire mid-Atlantic region. The 2015 vintage of this wine won Best in Class at the Maryland wine competition. The 2017 is also a flavorful and fantastic drinking wine. The flavors of plum and dark berries with earth combine to make a very special wine. 

The wine is available from the winery for $47. Yes, it is a bit pricey, but definitely worth the effort for a special evening. This Cabernet Franc holds up to red meats and is also good for pork dishes.

-- Bob and Chris Doan, Elkridge, MD

What We are Drinking - Italian Red from Puglia

The wine is Marchese di Borgosole Salice Salentino Riserva. It is from Puglia, Italy. We found it at Total Wines for about $13 and it turned out to be a great buy and a very nice wine. Of course with coupons, it can be bought for less.

Chris served it with salmon, asparagus, and Caesar salad. It was a perfect compliment to the meal.


The grape was a new one for us--we are closing in on about 300 different wine grapes. This one is the Negroamaro. According to wine searcher, Negroamaro is a dark-skinned grape variety that has been associated with the Puglia region in southern Italy for at least 1500 years. Most commonly found in a blend, alongside Primitivo, Malvasia Nera, Sangiovese or Montepulciano, Negroamaro is valued for its deep color, medium-full tannins and dark berryfruit flavors. The variety can also add earthen tones that can cross over into slightly medicinal flavors. It is mildly aromatic and can produce complex wines that show characteristics of ground brown spices such as clove, cinnamon and allspice.

The wine went very nicely with dinner and food. It was well balanced with just the right amount of complexity to compliment, but not overpower the food. 

We made a conscious decision to begin working through a variety of Italian wines before our upcoming trip to Italy. While we are more focused upon Tuscan wines for our trip, we picked up this red to give it a taste. And we were not disappointed. 

-- Bob And Chris Doan, Elkridge, MD

What We Are Drinking - Willamette Valley Vineyards Pinot Gris

During the cold winter months, people often turn their tastes towards full-bodied red wines to fight off the cold. But, sometimes there are good reasons to enjoy a nice white wine, even during the winter months. 

Willamette Valley Vineyards Pinot Gris is one of those wines that can stand upon to the cold by adding a splash of excitement to the tastebuds. The wine retails for about $17 per bottle--I have seen it advertised from $15.99 to $19.99. The 2017 vintage is still available in some areas, but the 2018 is the current vintage and more widely available. 

The wine makers notes for the 2018 vintage:

Aromas of nectarine, tangerine, lime zest and elderflower lead to a medium-bodied palate revealing fresh flavors of green apple, lychee, honeydew and pineapple. The wine features a beautiful balance between fruit flavors, refreshing acidity and a satisfying crisp, lingering finish.

So, don't be afraid to change things up and try a white, even during the winter months. It will bring some excitement to your palette.

-- Bob and Chris Doan, Elkridge, MD

Wine of the Week - August 23, 2017

We are going to revive our blog and do a better job documenting the wines that we enjoy. In addition to the vineyards and wineries we visit, we are going start designating a wine of the week.

The wine of the week is a 2009 Keswick Cabernet Sauvignon Estate Reserve. 

We chose this bottle because it is now 8 years old and we decided it should be at the peak of flavors.

It was, The color was a rich ruby with no hint of brown around the edges. It was clear and bright. The nose was rich with currants and dark fruit and hints of leather and oak. The mild mature tannins were a joy in the mouth and the wine was a complete mouth experience. It is such a pleasure to experience a mature wine with well rounded flavors.

This wine still has a few years left before it will be over the hill and that is why we lay wines down, so that we can experience truly good wines at the peak of their flavors!

-- Bob and Christina Doan, Elkridge, MD