I don’t pretend to be any sort of experienced taster, but in my opinion the weather for most of Virginia has much wonder swings than no cal.
It’s not uncommon at all to see 90’s in early April, it’s not uncommon to see above 90 temps for 45 plus days to over 60 in some years. Sometimes you go that long without rain, then this year it seems to rain all the time.
I have never had a Virginia red that I would rate above a 85. Are there exceptions to this, of course. I am sure some of these listed here rate in the scale, but on average a Virginia red will never reach an average Cali red in my opinion.
The chards however are a different story. I would say many of the va chards give the Cali wines a run for their money.
I bet the KJ vintners reserve will show better than most of VA chardonnays if tasted blind. I don’t drink the KJ VR much but it is like DP, mass produced but maintains high quality.
Mark, with all due respect, I think you need to dial it back a little. I don’t know if anyone here qualifies as a “hater.” But I can say that I have been to Linden many times (we used to pick heirloom apples there every year), have had their wine any number of times on site and elsewhere, and although I think they make an enjoyable, perfectly fine array of whites, nothing I have tasted from Linden or, for that matter, from any other Virginia winery comes within shouting distance of “stellar.” I wish it were different. Maybe Black Ankle is “the one”; I have never seen a bottle or even heard about it until this thread.
Being as this is a wine board, where people have been known on occasion to share their opinions about wine, I think it may be asking a little much to have people choke back their own views just because they are not universally shared. I am delighted that you think VA wines are stellar and I hope that some day I agree with you. I don’t currently
I enjoyed a Linden Chardonnay with friends in Reston on Friday. It had a nice acidity and a responsible amount of oak. Not a steal at $29, but I’m sorry I didn’t bring back another bottle or two to put away for a couple of years, as it was so nicely balanced and structured that I think it might evolve.