Reserve Tasting at Williamsburg Winery

This was not our favorite tasting room visit ever. We spent $36 per person for the extensive tour and reserve tasting. The tour guide was pleasant and the tour was interesting, right up until we got to the tasting room. I can forgive them for missing our palates with the wine - that's ok - but I doubt that the proprietors would be very excited to hear these quotes from their tasting room staff:

"I don't like Merlot because it's too heavy and fruit forward for me. The wine I really like most is Ravenswood Zinfandel."

"There's so much good wine out there that I think anyone who spends more than $14 on a bottle is really wasting money."

"Yellowtail is a very dependable brand if you're in the store and not sure what to buy."

No, these are not exaggerations. I did not make them up. They actually happened.

By the way, none of their wine costs less than $14/bottle.

• 2011 Williamsburg Winery Viognier

  USA, Virginia

  this is crisp and juicy, with bright fresh ripe green apple on the nose and palate.

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• 2010 Williamsburg Winery Chardonnay Acte 12 of Sixteen Nineteen

  USA, Virginia, Central Virginia

  muted nose; not very expressive. Creamy mango on the palate is actually quite intriguing - but the short finish means you have to hold it in your mouth if you want to contemplate it.

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• 2010 Williamsburg Winery Chardonnay Vintage Reserve

  USA, Virginia, Central Virginia

  this is buttery and flabby, with the butter followed by more butter. Oddly, despite all the oak-induced butter, there are no vanilla notes at all. If there's any fruit in there, I couldn't find it.

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• 2007 Williamsburg Winery Merlot Reserve

  USA, Virginia

  this drinks like a cherry popsicle in a glass, with cherry pie topping all around the rim of the glass.

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• 2006 Williamsburg Winery Gabriel Archer Reserve

  USA, Virginia, Blue Ridge Highlands

  interesting pinkish color, awesome smoky nose had me with very high hopes. unfortunately, I'm very sensitive to slightly green/underripe wines, which this revealed itself to be. otherwise I would have been there on this wine.

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• 2006 Williamsburg Winery Cabernet Franc Trianon

  USA, Virginia

  sharp and acidic, very tannic, did not enjoy this on its own but it ended up doing very well when paired with the heavy cheeses on the tasting tray.

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• 2007 Williamsburg Winery Cabernet Franc Trianon

  USA, Virginia

  green, smoky, sharp on the back palate. ultra dry - tannins very evident.

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• 2008 Williamsburg Winery Adagio

  USA, Virginia

  this is smoky and rich, a huge step up from the previous wines in the tasting. Interesting raspberry notes on the finish. We liked this one.

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• 2009 Williamsburg Winery Vidal Late Harvest

  USA, Virginia, Central Virginia

  thick and syrupy, with notes of honey and apricot. slightly off-putting sour note on the finish.

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