Early Mountain Foothills

Blend: 42% Cabernet Franc, 31% Merlot, 16% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Petit Verdot, 3% Petit Manseng, 2% Tannat

Winemaker Note:   We always have fun making the multiple variety blends like Five Forks and Foothills. Both wines are made from vineyard blocks that produce fruit that stands in contrast to how we are told red wine or white wine should be, and that’s refreshing. As someone who does not have unlimited resources, these wines are closest to the price range where I normally drink wine; self interest makes the stakes higher. 2018 marks a return to a fresh and snappy style after the more weighty 2017 Foothills. Cabernet Franc takes the lead for the first time, and Syrah no longer figures as the block at Quaker Run was pulled to make room for Tannat and Petit Verdot. It marks the third year we splash in Petit Manseng to play with the aromatics and texture of the wine. 2018 was a vintage that brought in full focus the need to be nimble in both the vineyard and cellar in Virginia. This wine proves that if you embrace the character of the vintage (fresh, energetic), rather than forcing it down a path, you can successfully make delicious wines year in and year out.

Description:   In some ways 2018 was a Foothills vintage, as much of the material was picked earlier, before major rains as a strategy to preserve the acidity and freshness. The result is a wine that is lively in both aromatics and texture, with snappy red fruits, herbs, and subtle floral aromas that ask you to lean in. On the palate, the wine is light on its feet, graceful, and thirst quenching. This is the antidote for tannic bruisers and palate fatigue; it cleanses and energizes, drawing you back for another sip.