Barboursville Riesling (2008)

For the first Riesling Project review I've chosen to begin in my home state with a Virginia Riesling from Barboursville Vineyards. You might not think Virginia has a typical Riesling climate, but many of the state's vineyards produce Riesling in addition to better-known Virginia varietals such as Norton and Vigonier.

 
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 The Label
"A dry white wine with a hint of sweetness. Very delicate with a charming bouquet of honey and almonds. Good balance and clean earthy finish."

My Thoughts
Refreshing, slightly tart lime is how I'd describe this wine as it first swirled around my mouth. Mineral and stone notes came forward right away, in a nod to European style Rieslings. After a few minutes I noticed nectarine tones, and as the wine warmed in the glass, a floral taste emerged and the fruity flavors faded into the background.
 
Barboursville's Riesling is an excellent antidote to hot summer weather that will pair well with other flavors of the season--and for me that means some nice, cold honeydew.

Other People's Impressions (i.e., other reviews)
Aside from one-liners at wine shopping sites, I couldn't find any reviews of this wine. This review, then, is my first one to write and this wine's first one to receive.

How I Got This Wine
Purchased at Barboursville for $11.99

About Barboursville Vineyards
Barboursville is located just north of Charlottesville, Virginia, was founded in 1976 by Italian winemaker Gianni Zonin, and is directed by chief winemaker Luca Paschina.

Dezel of My Vine Spot visited Barboursville back in 2007, and I won't try to outdo his comprehensive review. I'll simply summarize that Barboursville has an informative tour and a pleasant, low-pressure tasting. If you want to get outside the tasting room and let your kids run some energy off, you can take a short walk to the ruins of James Barbour's residence. That trail was snowed over during my visit to Barboursville in February--so I'll have to go back and get the full experience.

And speaking of Charlottesville, start making your plants to attend the 2011 Wine Bloggers' Conference there. Virginia has lots of unknown wine gems, and you can't ask for a more charming host city with a wonderfully walkable downtown and an abundance of history and wine.

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