November 15, 2023 - Really fabulous Right-bank style red that is in top form right now and likely to continue drinking well for at least another 5 years.
Heady floral, almost Burgundian nose followed by a palate of red currant, pomegranate, cedar, and citrus oil with silky tannins. Lingering finish. Great by itself but would pair with a wide range of food, including Thanksgiving fare.
This is not even the top cuvee from Glen Manor (that would be the Hodder Hill) but it really showcases what the top Virginia wineries can do in good vintages (and that these wines age well). This would kick some serious ass in a blind tasting!
October 15, 2023 - Tasted blind with Francophile/Cali people, very much right bank character (46% Cab Franc, 46% Merlot, 8% Petit Verdot) and felt to be St. Emilion by group, dark fruit, blackberry, soft, integrated tannins, long finish, really drinking very nicely
January 16, 2022 - The most impressive wine of my visit to Va. I tasted this with Dad and Zach. Red fruits, Virginia red clay, and lots of vegetal flavors--like bell pepper and eggplant--and herbs. I'd like a little more fruit flavors mixed in here as it borders on too much vegetal. This is a blend of Cab Franc and Merlot and you can tell. Still, this has aged well and could last for several years more. I've had better from VA, but this seems like it represents the higher end of what VA can do.
November 22, 2018 - Deep ruby color. On the nose medium plus intensity of aromas of red fruit- cranberry red currant, cherries, vanilla, dusty earth. On the palate the wine is dry with medium acidity, tannins (fine, ripe, velvety) with high ETOH and medium plus body. The palate shows red fruits as noted above along with anise, some coffee, toast, baking spices and of medium plus intensity. the finish is also medium plus. This wine is very good demonstrating balance, length on the finish, intensity and complexity. Despite the high alcohol, this is balanced by the fruit and structure to carry well. On day two was drinking just as well, wish I had bought more.
May 28, 2018 - A nice blend that Glen Manor does very well.
May 26, 2018 - Nice Cab Franc blend that shows the quality of Glen Manor
January 10, 2018 - Great blend. Nice tannins and finish.
July 22, 2017 - Season
2013 consisted of a troublesome growing season and a beautiful ripening and harvest season. The spring and early summer months were warm and wet resulting in the vines growing wildly and rapid. This, in turn, caused us to work long and rapidly just to keep up. But by mid-August and through October the rains ceased and the vines stopped growing and put their energies into ripening their fruit. There were no tropical systems in our area and we enjoyed many sunny and warm days and very cool crisp nights. Harvest began in late September and lasted through the middle of October.
Winemaking
The grapes were hand harvested and chilled overnight. A triple sorting, (at picking in the vineyard, and on the crush pad, pre and post destemming) was performed and the berries were destemmed without crushing. The whole berries filled small one-ton fermenters and then cold soaked for 4 days. Moved into the fermentation room, the bins were warmed to 60ºF and inoculated with yeast. Fermentation temperatures reached into the mid-80s and lasted about 7 to 10 days with two cap punch downs each day. ML fermentation began in the bins after primary fermentation was complete. After additional maceration time of from two to three weeks, the wine was pressed off, allowed to settle overnight and then racked into new and older French oak barrels where ML fermentation completed. The wines rested for five months before this blend was assembled during the summer of 2014. This wine was bottled unfiltered and unfined in July 2015.
Varietals
46% Merlot, 46% Cabernet Franc, 8% Petit Verdot
Production
350 cases
Aging Potential
2015-2030