I came out of my early morning haze with two words running through my mind – Dig Deepa! You see, I brought along the Shaun T Insanity workouts and I knew that I was about to sweat out the wine, cheese, dessert, nuts and other sins of yesterday. After a very ugly workout session, I was ready for day two.

Our first stop was Chrysalis Vineyards. This was to be my first experience with Norton and I was excited. I had read the “The Wild Vine: A Forgotten Grape and the Untold Story of American Wine,” by Todd Kliman and was very intrigued to taste the native Virginia grape that was such a labor of love for Dr. Norton. The Norton grape was almost destroyed during the Civil War and then again during Prohibition.

Chrysalis Vineyards is a 412-acre farm that is known for being the world’s largest grower of Norton, deemed by owner Jennifer McCloud as the “real American grape.” In addition to Norton, McCloud has planted a variety of Spanish and French varietals in addition to the usual line-up. The vineyard also has several American milking Devon cows and will be making cheese and ice-cream soon.

We were split into two groups and our hostess, Pat, was born to showcase Chrysalis wines. She introduced us to “Sarah,” namesake of several blended wines and the vineyards gorgeous outdoor patio. Sarah, who died an untimely death of “consumption” or tuberculosis at the age of 16 in 1855, was the daughter of the property owners of the estate in the 1800s. Based on what I saw, she’s definitely resting in peace.

We tried 15 wines – all except for two were grown on the estate:

- 10 Chardonnay – this was made in the Old World almost Chablis-like style with lots of acidity and green apple. This is one of the wines sourced from grapes outside the vineyard, $17.

 - 09 Barrel Reserve Chardonnay – more New World in style. Citrus and oak abounded, $24.

 - 10 Viognier – very refreshing with notes of vanilla, melon, floral and peach notes, $29.

 - 10 Mariposa – a dry rose with notes of raspberries and strawberries. Not my favorite wine as I struggle with rose wines that do not sparkle, $15.

- 10 Sarah’s Patio White – I tasted citrus, honey and almost a Chinese spice, $15

- 10 Sarah’s Patio Red – This 100 percent Norton had almost a hint of sweetness to it. Big cherry, raspberry and a note of Asian spice. Pat talked about how good this is as a base to sangria and I’m inclined to agree, $15.

 - 08 Rubiana – This wine combined Spanish and Portuguese varieties and tasted of black fruits and pepper, $17.

 - 07 Norton Estate – I really wanted to love Norton especially after reading about its resurrection and knowing this vineyard brought back Norton in 1992, but the earthiness combined with fruitiness made me pause, $17.

- 10 Norton Barrel Select – This wine was made in a Beaujolis style and was very fruity, n/a

- 08 Norton Locksley Reserve – Aged for three years in the bottle, this blend of Norton (75 percent), Petit Verdot and Nebbiollo was very earthy with pepper and chocolate. I would have been interested to see what happened to this wine had it been decanted.

- 06 Petit Verdot – I tasted chocolate, pepper and earthiness, $35.

- 07 Tannat (or poker playing wine) – I tasted mocha, currant, vanilla and blackberry. This wine could benefit with several more years in the bottle, but had nice structure, $35.

 - 08 Papillon – Had notes of mocha, cedar, pepper and pine, $35.

 - 10 Albarino – An explosion of white peaches, floral and even a bit of mango. This was one of my absolute Virginia favorites at $24.

Then it was time for the pinnacle – the 10 Petit Manseng, reserved for only the VIP wine club members and it usually sells out instantly. Chrysalis was the first to bring this wine to the Americas. I tasted honey, candid fruit, spice and orange. It was a very special wine and as much as I tried, I couldn’t convince anyone to sell me a bottle.

Our next stop was Boxwood Winery. Rachel Martin, EVP of Boxwood and the daughter of Rita and John Cook, former owners of the Washington Redskins, greeted us and talked about the history of the winery. Designed by Architect Hugh Jacobsen, it’s an airy, light filled and cheery place to experience wine. The 16-acre winery was first planted in 2004 and focuses on French Bordeaux varietals – Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Merlot and Petit Verdot. The focus is producing fine wines in a French style with Virginia terrior.

Stephane Derenoncourt, a French winemaker, consults with Adam McTaggart, Boxwood’s day-to-day winemaker. Boxwood was Derenoncourt’s first U.S. consulting venture.

We tried several wines:

- 09 Topiary Rose, a dry sipping wine with tasted of strawberry. You guys know I struggle with roses, but the rest of the bloggers enjoyed this wine, $14-16

 - 08 Topiary, a blend of Cabernet Franc and Merlot, was done in a right bank style. It had a deep purple color, dark fruits, berry, smokiness, spiciness and eucalyptus notes, $25-27.

- 08 Boxwood was done in the left bank style and was a blend of petit verdot, cabernet sauvignon and merlot. I tasted blackberries, black cherries and almost a sandalwood essence, $25-27. – 09 Topiary, muted berry, cedar and earthiness. This wine will be released in the Fall, n/a.

- 09 Boxwood had big berry, a powerful structure and benefitted from a quick whirl in the Wine Soiree (actually both 09 wines did). I brought home a bottle of the 08 and 09 to compare at a future tasting, n/a.

A few things struck me after spending these two days tasting Virginia wines. First, I was surprised at the number of European influences on the wine styles and the grapes being planted. Second, it is clear that no expense has been paid to bring in some of the world’s top wine consultants. And finally, Virginia is an area that is making the commitment today to make some serious wine in the future.

He’s an agreeable guy and very passionate about wine, so I found myself in the totally revamped Pyramid Restaurant & Bar at the Fairmont – with a tasteful local focus on Texas products and a rooftop garden.  I was handed the list, which received a Wine Spectator 2010 Award of Excellence, and like a kid in the candy store, I started perusing.  As Hunter hand-selected the 250 wines that are on the list, it was important find a variety of on and off “the beaten path” wines at any price that patrons would love.  I especially enjoyed the Underrated Reds and Underrated Whites sections that had a number of wines I have enjoyed in small little wine bars or across the country.  I never expected to see them at a restaurant in a national hotel.  You’ll also find grapes you’ve probably never heard of nor had the opportunity to try like Aligoté, at least in Texas, until now. 

Gruet was one of the selections on the Underrated Reds list and I mentioned that I had never tried its still wines.  In short notice, I had a glass of the 06 Gruet Pinot Noir Cuvee Gilbert in hand.  Hunter also had a large selection of wines that are positioned by varietal vs. region to encourage experimentation of all different types of grapes from around the world.

Of course, because this is Texas, you will find the usual big suspect Cabernets -we all know that restaurants have to carry these to please certain patrons.  Also, I believe that having some of the big steakhouse wines gives people the trust factor to try other wines that may not have considered otherwise.  

Wines that are sustainable, organic and environmentally farmed are given special consideration.  You’ll probably see a future focus on building out the French section of the list in 2011.  Hunter’s credo, like The Wine Century Club, is to broaden the wine drinking scope at every opportunity.  I, for one, look forward to my trip around the world with his wine list as my guide.

Courtesy of Desert Wind Winery

Desert Wind Owners Greg and Amber Fries served as exemplary hosts from the moment we arrived and greeted us with a refreshing glass of Sauvignon Blanc on the spacious patio.  We had some time to relax in a fabulous, fully-stocked suite that had everything one could need from bottles of wine to munchies to luxurious bath products (and I love luxurious bath products). 

Just when I didn’t think it could get any better, we started our food/wine experience. We began with a tour of the winery and had the opportunity to barrel taste the 08 Petite Verdot, 08 Barbera and 08 Tempranillo. I was impressed that Greg was so willing to go off the beaten path of the varietals to  see what wines would blossom with his talent.

Chef Frank Magana and Darren Dewalt from Picazo 7 Seventeen treated us to a multi-course dinner paired with Desert Wind and Duck Pond wines (Greg is also the wine maker).  The food parade started with Dungeness Crab Cakes with Chipotle Aioli Firecracker Prawns, Patatas Bravas, various wonderful cheeses, Marcona Almonds and Olives, paired with Desert Wind’s 2008 Sauvignon Blanc and  2009 Viognier.  My foodie and chef hobbyist husband was absolutely in heaven.  I innocently asked Chef Magana exactly how many course were coming and realized some restraint from the appetizers would be necessary in order to stay the course.

The good news is that you too can enjoy Mojave by Picazo at Desert Wind, which is open noon – 3 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays.  But back to this meal, this glorious meal….

Our first course was Prosciutto-wrapped Mixed Field Greens with Ancho Chile Vinaigrette, paired with 2009 Dry Rose’ and 2008 Semillon. If you read this column regularly, you know I’m not the biggest fan of Rose and I’m allergic to pork, so I choose the Semillon and had a special menu adaptation.

We moved on to the Basil-Stuffed Salmon with Tempranillo Pan Sauce, Blue Prawns & Trumpet Mushrooms with Cream paired with a 2008 Tempranillo and 2006 Duck Pond Cellars ‘St. Jory’ Pinot Noir, one of the many library wines we tried. Loved, loved, loved this course.

And then came the beef – the filet of Beef Tenderloin Ruah Sauce, Black Truffle Risotto followed by Grilled Lamb Chops with Ruah-Garlic Marinade was delightful. The meats and sauce paired perfectly with a vertical of Desert Wind Ruah wines from 04, 05, 06 and 08.  Sublime.

I was glad to have run that morning (even though I got lost like an idiot) because the dessert plate … well, it rocked.  It was a trio of Espresso Crème Brulee, a Chocolate Crème Brulee and then a Gorgonzola Truffle.  It’s been a few weeks now and I still fantasize about that darn truffle matched with a 04 Duck Pond Port.

When I returned from my run the next morning, there was a food basket waiting for us with yogurt, fresh fruit, baked goods, coffee and other assorted goodies that we enjoyed on our balcony.

If you are looking for a great winery and gourmet food married with a five-star resort experience that is centrally located near several great wineries in Prosser, I highly recommend checking out the hospitality of Amber and Greg.  It will certainly be an experience that you will always remember and I’m certainly looking forward to my return.

I never thought I would experience Six Flags like thrills on a winery tour  until I was invited by Rick Bakas from St Supery to visit Dollarhide Ranch.  Rick promised spectacular views and that he’d break out the VGS (very good shit).  He was right on both counts.

After our Goosecross excursion, we met a larger group at Dean & Deluca where we stocked up on provisions for our Dollarhide Ranch picnic.  Wine.  Check.  Glasses.  Check.  Food.  Check.  Rick piled in our disco tour bus appropriately named for the cheesy lights that were around the interior and off we went.

So picture two caravans with a total of 12 women going up a really, really, really steep hill. Or at least trying to. I mentioned a few posts ago how much food we ate over the weekend and the bus was having some issues due to the recent rain.  We got halfway up.  Then went down again.   And again.  Just when we resigned ourselves to hiking it up the hill, our driver gunned it and up we went.  The view was gorgeous and made even more so by a glass of the 08 Dollarhide Ranch Reserve Sauvignon Blanc ($37), my hands down favorite Sauvignon Blanc of the trip.

Then it was time for the picnic portion of our trip.  We gunned it down the mountain taking out several wine glasses and from the sound of it, a tailpipe.  My two friends in the back experienced zero gravity as they bore the brunt of the vehicle landing.  The weather did not participate due to the boggy ground so we weren’t able to have lunch by the picnic tables near the 150 year old oak tree. So we went old school — eating our lunches on the ground with another glass of the Sauvignon Blanc in hand.

We were supposed to venture back to the winery to barrel taste and tour, but we had such a great time at Dollarhide Ranch, we had to power through our tasting.  I wrote about the wines that I tasted during the last St Supery Tweetup including the St Supery Sauvignon Blanc, St Supery Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, St Supery Cabernet Sauvignon Rutherford, Virtu and Elu, so I’ll spend time on the ones that I had not tried before.

We tried many wines, but for the purpose of this blog and to not disclose how many we tried, I’m going to highlight a few.  We started with the 08 Semillon, which had a big peach taste with a nuttiness that I liked.  At $25, it was a very refreshing wine.  I am a big fan of “off the beaten path” varietals and I enjoyed the 06 Petit Verdot ($50).  It was a big wine with lots of berries, spice and earthiness.  The estate 05 Dollarhide Cabernet ($85) was another big boy that needed some age.  I tasted big flavors of black cherry, currant, vanilla tobacco, chocolate and mocha.

We were also indoctrinated to “Rickisms,” unforgettable colloquial sayings.  Because this is a family column (ignore first Rickism above), my favorite printable one is “drop my name and drop it like it’s hot.”  So for a great afternoon of wine tasting and an amazing view, ask for Rick, make sure you have unbreakable stemware and your vehicle has traction.