Nov 2010 03
[caption id="attachment_2118" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Jerry and Lauren Bias, Owners of Sugarleaf Vineyard"]
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If you like wine, then youll love Sugarleaf Vineyards. An experience you dont want to miss. Why? Its one of 12 minority/AA owned vineyards in the United States, it rests on picturesque acres of rolling greens, and it has a modest, but award-winning, palate-pleasing portfolio of wines. If thats not enough, try a day out of the city with an afternoon of chesse and wine tasting. Even the most novice wine drinker will warm up to that!
[caption id="attachment_2116" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Road to Sugarleaf Vineyard"]
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[caption id="attachment_2123" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Sugarleaf Vineyard rests in a valley of Monticello greens"]
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On an early, crisp Fall Saturday morning we drove (my Guy and I) two hours and change to the breath taking vineyards of Monticello (near UVA).
Virginia boasts of a World-Class Wine Experience with over 160 wineries on more than 3,000 acres of vineyards. Sugarleaf Vineyard is not excluded from Virginias wine pride. As a grape-producing newbie ordering their first vine in 2001, Sugarleaf (SL) is a gem. (Some of Virginias vineyards date back to the 1600s)
A boutique winery that focuses on producing superior fruit and award-winning, limited production wines. A couple of the wines in the portfolio were out of stock at our tasting due to high demand.
[caption id="attachment_2121" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Vines at Sugarleaf"]
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The wine portfolio is focused and concise: Chardonnay,Cabernet Sauvignon,Vigoner,Vidal Blanc,Petit Manseng,Cabernet Franc,Petit Verdot,Cuvee Neubia. I purchased a couple of bottles of the Cabernet Franc my portfolio favorite. This light to medium red had me with the heated spicy nose and white peppery finish.
[caption id="attachment_2122" align="aligncenter" width="297" caption="PT. sipping Vignor, snacking on a special pepper jack cheese blend, yummy!"]
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As only my second trip to a vineyard, I was pleasantly surprised by the quaint and inviting experience at Sugarleaf Vineyards. My first vineyard experience was in Epernay, France at Mot & Chandon its hard to measure up to that. Albeit, in Spring, Im looking forward to a weekend of wine tasting throughout Monticello maybe next year my circle of friends as well, but a re-visit to Sugarleaf is definitely on the 2011 to-experience list. Live Brightly!
