This year’s Drink Local Wine Conference was held in Lansdowne, Virginia. One of the surprises came in a session that discussed the grapes that grow well in Virginia. The three winemakers on the panel all axed Cabernet Sauvignon. It wasn’t due to the fact that Cabernet Sauvignon can grow in Virginia. It was due to the fact that the grape can’t compete with the quality and quantity of Cabernet Sauvignon grown elsewhere. The Virginia terroir will in some years produce very nice Cabs while other years produce average Cabs.
I did manage to raise a few eyebrows when I talked about the Cab I’m making at Vint Hill Craft Winery in Virginia. Afterall this is a drink local wine gathering, and I used Cabernet Sauvignon grapes sourced from California rather than Cab sourced from Virginia. However after the session on grapes there were no raised eyebrows regarding my sourcing Cab from California.
I had to make a decision long before harvest as to where to source grapes. Virginia Cab is as unpredictable as its weather around harvest time. California Cab is more predictable. So I decided on using California Cab. The cost to produce a barrel of wine is at the $30 per bottle point. I’m trying to make a wine comparable to a $60 bottle wine. There are few Virginia Cabs at this price point. It’s a matter of economics. If it cost me $30 a bottle to make, I want it to be worth more than $30.
Virginia as a state is beginning to show it wisdom in the wine business. To realize that the king of grapes is not the best fit for the state is an example of the state’s growing wine maturity.
Unfortunately I was not in the room for that conversation, but I found it interesting when I moved to NC from Warrenton that the Cabs actually seemed to improve. I’m not saying we can’t make a good cabernet in VA, but you are right, you just never know exactly what you are going to get.
I’ve watched this wine industry grow and mature over the last 10 years – and VA wine is worth every effort that was put into #DLW10 by the winemakers, the bloggers and the organizers. In addition to the educational moments, we had a lot of fun.