Virginia sparkling wine gains momentum

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Virginia sparkling wine movement gains momentum

by L.M. Archer

The home of Thomas Jefferson is making a name for itself in traditional method sparkling wine, reports L.M. Archer.

Colonists in Jamestown, Virginia, planted America’s first wine grapes in the early 1600’s. Later, Thomas Jefferson established vineyards on his estate in Monticello.

Despite its noble past, victors did not write the true history of Virginia wine until the 1970’s, when a band of winemakers set about reviving it.

Today, this pioneering spirit also informs Virginia’s sparkling wine movement.

Southern grit

Located halfway between Europe and California, Virginia is home to 10 regions, eight AVA’s (American Viticultural Areas), and 300 wineries. Virginia Wine Board touts its “Old World Grace, and Southern Grit.”

Appellations include The North Fork of Roanoke AVA, The Rocky Knob AVA, Shenandoah Valley AVA, Monticello AVA, The Middleburg Virginia AVA, Virginia Peninsula AVA, Northern Neck George Washington Birthplace AVA, and Eastern Shore AVA.

Vineyards total about 4,000 acres, with elevations rising between zero to 5,729 feet above sea level. Soils range from granite slopes and red clay valleys, to sandy shores. Rain falls year-round, averaging  around 43 inches. Humidity proves another constant, rising to over 70% in some areas.

Diverse microclimates

Such diverse microclimates favour a broad array of grape varieties. This includes Norton, an American grape developed in 1820. Notably, grafting Norton root stock onto European vines helped mitigate the 19th century phylloxera outbreak.

Additionally, hybrids such as Vidal Blanc also flourish. But since the 1970’s, predominate cultivars include Viognier, Petit Manseng, and ‘Left Bank’ blends like Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, and Merlot.

Sweet spot

Moreover, traditional sparkling wine varieties Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier find favour, particularly in Monticello and the Shenandoah Valley.

“Monticello AVA has had a head start with producing sparkling wines,” says Annette Boyd, marketing director of Virginia Wine Board. “But most regions in Virginia are very capable of producing lovely sparklings.” READ MORE HERE.

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