Vol. 35 - "Wine States Series of the U.S. East Coast: Virginia"

Wine States of the U.S. East Coast Series

What is new is old - Virginia State

Book of Bertil.1.34

Although native vines were already abundant along the East American coast when the first English settlements arrived, the Vitis Lambrusco (a North American vine) did not yield good results for wine production in the colony. In 1562, a group of French Huguenot Protestants settled on the shores of what is now Florida and produced the first American wines using an indigenous Muscadine grape variety called Scuppernong. However, it was not until 1582 that English settlers established the first vineyard, known as The Mother Vine, in North Carolina.

It was Lord Delaware in 1619 who brought the first Vitis Vinifiera vines to be planted in Virginia. Unfortunately, these European grape varieties were sensitive to fungi and Phylloxera and died without exception in the second year of planting. It was not until 1740 that John Alexander discovered the Alexander grape variety (a natural cross by pollination of Vitis Lambrusco and Vitis Vinifiera) near William Penn's house in Pennsylvania, which was resistant to diseases such as powdery mildew and to infestations such as phylloxera.

The cultivation of grapes could have disappeared, but it is thanks to Thomas Jefferson who had made it his mission to revive the practice at the end of the 1700s. In 1825, Dr. Daniel Norton developed and cultivated a local grape that eventually yielded quality wines, and this is how the first Virginian grape, the "Norton," was born. (It was not until 1849 that Ephraim Wales Bull created the Concord in Massachusetts).

Virginia has been the cradle of the history of American viticulture and today is has more than 8 major AVAs (American Viticultural Areas), and more than 250 wineries across the state. Charlottesville has been considered the capital of Virginia's wine belt, due to the success of the Monticello Wine Company whose wines won many coveted awards at the Paris World's Fairs and later at the Columbian World's Fair in Chicago in 1893. With a capacity of 200,000 gallons, the four-story winery was successful for more than forty years, until 1916 when Virginia vineyards were subject to the Prohibition Act. It wasn't until 1976 that viticulture was reborn with Zonin's acquisition of Barbour in Orange County, just north of Jefferson's Monticello, which would become the launching point for Virginia's modern wine movement.

Geography

Understanding Soils

Being a wine region that is largely unknown to the general public, Virginia wine is perceived as a singular landscape, but in reality, the geology of this state is exceptionally diverse. It is home to five major geological regions that range from zero to 5,729 feet above sea level, with base materials ranging from sedimentary rock to metamorphic rock. To the west of the Blue Ridge Mountains, sandstone and limestone are the main minerals in the region's soils. Metamorphic rocks and ancient volcanic soils dominate in the central Blue Ridge and Piedmont regions, with more sandstone and shale in the former compared to the concentration of gneiss, shale, and greenstone in the latter, while young clays and sand predominate as elevations descend to the sea in the coastal plain of Virginia. At a latitude of 36 to 39 degrees, climatic conditions vary from the interior plateaus to the seacoasts. Overall, the climate is warm and hospitable, with fluctuations in temperature and rainfall well distributed throughout the year, allowing the regions to grow a wide range of grapes.

AVA Shenandoah Valley

Created in 1982, this region located in western Virginia was the first AVA in the state. The limestone soil of the region has long been associated with the great wine regions of Europe. Due to its cooler and relatively dry climate, the Shenandoah Valley allows the grapes to reach a higher acidity, but also its geographical location between two mountain ranges makes the valley an ideal place for viticulture. The conditions in the AVA are therefore more hospitable than those east of the mountains for Cabernet Franc, Chambourcin, Cabernet Sauvignon, Lemberger, Petit Manseng, Petit Verdot, Pinot Noir and Riesling.

Middleburg AVA

This wine region is located in the northern part of the state, west of Washington, D.C. and is made of granite and sandstone soils ideal for growing Bordeaux grape varieties, Viognier, and Chardonnay. Even though the AVA was only established in 2012, it is home to more than 229 acres of producing vineyards and about 20 wineries.

Monticello AVA

Located in the central Piedmont region, near the city of Charlottesville, this appellation is home to many vineyards planted along the eastern slopes of the Blue Ridge Mountains in fertile granite-based clay. Norton, Alexander, but especially Viognier, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc are grown there.

Roanoke AVA's North Fork

Located in the Blue Ridge region of southwest Virginia, this AVA is located on the eastern slopes of the Allegheny Mountains. While it is known for its varietal wines made from Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot, winemakers there are also experimenting with a number of other new-generation hybrid varietals.

Rocky Knob AVA

These vineyards are located on the eastern slopes of the Blue Ridge Mountains on well-drained loamy and gravelly soils create well-structured and intensely fragrant wines, with grape varieties similar to those of its neighbor in Roanoke.

Northern Neck AVA (birthplace of George Washington)

West of the Chesapeake Bay, this wine region benefits from the moderating effect of the nearby waterfront. With sandy loamy soils, Northern Neck is the most prolific AVA in Virginia, with classic grape varieties such as Chardonnay or Cabernet Franc, but also hybrids such as Vidal Blanc and Chambourcin.

Eastern Shore AVA

At the southern end of the Delmarva Peninsula is the eastern coast of the AVA, which is bordered by both the Chesapeake Bay and the Atlantic Ocean. Here, in a decidedly maritime climate similar to that of Long Island, NY, the wines produced in this AVA are lively and characterful.

AVA Virginia Peninsula

This brand-new Virginia AVA, bordered by the wide estuaries of the James and York Rivers, is on sedimentary soils and stretches about 50 miles long. While it hasn’t yet established its winemaking potential, it is continually developing and expanding.