Clones are the winegrowers’ secret that we seldom hear about. What is a clone? The official definition of a wine grape vine clone from the Wine Enthusiast is, “A grape clone is a genetically identical copy of a specific grapevine cultivar, created through vegetative propagation...
Virginia wine
Is Petit Manseng a cult wine?
It is in Virginia wine country and may become the next big thing in wine. Petit Manseng produces the highest-quality wine of all the Manseng grapes: Petit Manseng, Gros Manseng, and Manseng Noir. It is named “petit” for its small, thick-skinned berries (a grower term...
I loved writing this book – A Wine Lover’s Guide to Virginia Wine
A Wine Lover’s Guide to Virginia Wine is a book of samples. When testing the purity of a large and dynamic body of water, it is unnecessary to test all the water it contains. It only requires collecting and analyzing water samples from critical locations...
Could COVID-19 have a silver lining?
It is hard to say if the cloud of COVID-19 could have a silver lining. Regardless, my time spent at home with family inspires this article. While spending several months at home with a cat, dog, and six family members, one needs a hobby, a...
What do you think of Virginia Wine?
People often ask, “What do you think of Virginia wine?” Usually, that’s a loaded question given away by body language and facial expressions. I cautiously answer, starting first with context. One must realize where Virginia is now, remembering that it wasn’t until 1976 that Virginia...