I recently participated in the December edition of #VAwinechat. Regular readers of my blog know I believe something very special is happening in the Virginia wine industry and I am a huge fan. December’s #VAwinechat focused on Trump Winery in Charlottesville, Virginia. To me the name Trump signifies high quality so I felt great anticipation about this virtual tasting. As I opened the box of media samples I was greeted by four bottles with elegant labels accompanied by a black and gold folder filled with all the information I needed about the wines and winery to prepare for the tasting. #VAwinechat is hosted each month by Frank Morgan, Drink What YOU Like, with a live feed happening on UStream and wine writers, enthusiasts and critics participating through the #VAwinechat hashtag on Twitter with questions and comments. It is a fast paced hour that is always a lot of fun! This month Frank was joined by Trump Winery winemaker Jonathan Freeman who offered insights to Trump Wines as well as the wine industry in Virginia and as a whole. It was a very educational and insightful hour. As I segway into sharing my notes on these four Trump Wines I would first like to say each and all of these wines would make an outstanding addition to your holiday gatherings; I took what was left of all four to a party with friends the night following our #VAwinechat tasting and each wine was a huge hit with the crowd for their great aromas, flavors and price points!

Trump Wine Sparkling Blanc de Blanc 2009: This wine poured an effervescent soft golden yellow into the glass. It opened with soft aromas of orchard fruit, citrus and a hint of brioche. On the palate it delivered pleasing flavors of green apple, pear and lemon zest; finishing with the lash taste of brioche. It was light and refreshing, slightly sweet yet dry with well rounding acidity that lingered a bit on the palate. This wine was crafted from 100% estate grown Chardonnay in the foothills of Carter’s Mountain in the Monticello AVA. This sparkling wine was crafted in the Methode Champenoise tradition. After a combination of stainless steel and French oak barrel aging, the wine gained complexity by aging on the less in the bottle for a minimum of three years. It contained 12% alcohol. It was light and refreshing; a perfect sparkler to enjoy on its own or as an aperitif or with mild cheese, seafood, soup or salad. SRP $24. I recommend this wine.

Trump Wine Sparkling Reserve 2008: This wine poured an effervescent light straw into the glass. This wine opened with layers of aromas including: orchard fruits, honey, toasted bread and spice. On the palate it was a richer and fuller sparkler than the 09 Blanc de Blanc; delivering flavors of baked apples and pears, lemon custard, yeast and caramel on the back of the palate. The bubbles were smaller, creating a mousse like consistence and mouth feel. Though it had a more complex texture it was equally enjoyable and pleasing to drink with round acidity and a lingering finish. This wine was crafted from 100% estate grown Chardonnay grapes that were hand selected from the oldest and most expressive vineyard blocks in the foothills of Carter’s Mountain in the Monticello AVA. This sparkling wine was crafted in the Methode Champenoise tradition: aging in 25% French oak as well as 5+ years on the lees. It contained 12% alcohol. It was layered and complex; a perfect sparkler to enjoy with a meal. SRP $45. I recommend this wine.

Trump Wine Viognier 2013: This wine poured a golden yellow into the glass. It opened with bright notes of tropical fruit, floral, and orchard fruit. On the palate this wine delivered lively flavors of peaches, pears, melons, and lemon curd. The flavors were delicate yet round. Viognier is not a high acidity grape; therefore, some winemakers chose to add a small percentage of another high acidity grape to add acidity to the wine. Winemaker Jonathan Freeman chose to craft this wine from 100% Viognier to showcase the fullness of the grape. It was light and lively but lacked the acidic dryness I personally enjoy in wine. It had a lovely flavor and offered a full mouth feel with a slight sweetness and creaminess that I enjoyed. It was aged in 1/3 neutral French oak barrels and contained 12.5% alcohol. This wine would pair beautifully with seafood, creamy soups and rich pasta dishes with white sauce. SRP $24. I recommend this wine.

Trump Wine New World Reserve 2012: This wine was a Bordeaux blend, crafted of 42% Merlot, 33% Cabernet Franc, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Petit Verdot. It poured a deep purple garnet into the glass and opened with an inviting aroma of black fruit, chocolate, spice and a deep earthiness. On the palate this silky smooth wine pleased with full flavors of black cherry, plums and currants, raspberries, a good dusting of dirt (which I mean in a very favorable way), spice, a hint of cola, and toasted oak, finishing with milk chocolate and vanilla lingering on the palate. It was very well balanced with a dry, lingering finish. Though it was very enjoyable and drinking beautifully time will only make this wine rock! This wine was aged in 70% new and 30% used French oak barrels for 14-16 months. It contained 13% alcohol. This wine would pair beautifully with beef, lamb, pasta with red and/or meat sauce and game. SRP $28. I recommend this wine.

From the Trump Winery web site:

“Planted in 1999 and nestled in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Trump Winery is situated on a 1,300 acre estate just a few miles from Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello, the birthplace of American Viticulture, and James Monroe’s Ashlawn-Highland in Charlottesville, Virginia. Planted with nearly 200 acres of French vinifera varietals, Trump Winery is Virginia’s largest vineyard. Opening in 2011, the winery features over 50,000 square feet of state of the art winemaking facilities, 100,000 gallon tank capacity, and 750 barrel cave producing sparkling, white and red wines. Trump Winery is privileged to continue Virginia’s rich legacy of winemaking dating back to the Jamestown settlement of 1607. Today we are proud to be one of the more than 260 wineries in Virginia which ranks 5^th in total wine production in the United States.”

Trump Wines are distributed to 25 states and 3 countries. If your state or country are not one of them; I encourage you to order these four wines direct from Trump Winery. These four wines were very high quality; additionally, rarely does one get to enjoy wines of this quality for such a reasonable price point. Order these wines immediately for your holiday delight! Please visit the Trump Winery web site to learn more about the winery, view their entire portfolio of wines and order these four today.

My Song Selection: The song I have chosen to pair with these four Trump Winery wines is “In These Shoes” by Kristy MacColl . The Trump name is synonymous with style. When I found out the four wines for #VAwinechat were from the Trump Winery I knew by name alone they would be good. Therefore, I think this song is a perfectly fun and sophisticated choice to pair with these wines. Go with me on a journey….the scene is an elegant, high class bar in Latin America; Daniel Craig as James Bond is having a serious discussion with someone, the conversation is tense and suspenseful; Bond has a beautiful woman by his side who is drinking a glass of Trump sparkling wine and in the back ground you can hear this song and for a moment just glimpse the band performing it. It is a relatively short scene and the music and woman drinking the bubbles are merely props, yet you notice all of it; it resonates with you because the scene is sexy: Bond is sexy, the woman is sexy, the bar is sexy, the band is sexy and the wine is sexy! That is why this is the perfect song selection for Trump Wines and holiday parties.

Get your own bottles of Trump Winery wines and let me know what song you would pair with them. Cheers!