Charlemagne
Wine Club - 2010 Tastings
Monday 20th September 2010
Eastern USA presented by Robin Hall
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Robin Hall will be presenting an update on his tasting last year on East Coast USA. A lot has happened since that last tasting. Virginia wines have been coming on by leaps and bounds – there are now 162 wineries and six AVAs (equivalent of AC), with a seventh in the pipeline. In terms of production, Virginia is now the 5th biggest wine producing state in USA. There are serious efforts to build exposure and distribution in UK – most Virginia wines to be tasted were purchased over the counter near to Ealing (at The Good Wine Shop in Kew and at Whole Foods in Kensington). Georgia remains a speciality region, with very little distribution out of the state – a high proportion is sold at the cellar door. More than a dozen wineries are now producing vinis vitifera wines, and three times as many concentrate on wines from French-American hybrids and muscadine grapes. Wines to be tasted are all from Robin’s private import stocks. Robin has been a Charlemagne member for ten years. Those of you who have discussed with him his plans for the next ten will know that he is planning to retire to Georgia and take even more interest in wines produced in the foothills of the Appalachian mountains. Wineries featured will be Virginia : Barboursville, Breaux, Kluge Estate, Williamsburg Georgia : Blackstock, Three Sisters, Wolf Mountain |