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Veramar Wines Win AGAIN at USA Wine Competition ( Virginia Winery News, Press Release Articles)

Veramar Vineyard, the award-winning Virginia Shenandoah Valley producer of premium wines, achieved one of the industry’s highest honors recently with the announcement of the winners of the in 2009 Riverside International Wine Competition was released recently. This is one of America’s largest wine competitions with entries from around the world.

“We're definitely getting there.” Said Jim Bogaty Grape Farmer at Veramar Vineyard. For years Veramar Vineyard has ranked among the country's top award winners. Veramar Vineyard, one of the top awarded wineries in the nation, winning over 100 medals, from the San Francisco to the London International, Veramar Vineyard wines have earned a reputation for excellence and are continuously ranked among the best. Veramar Vineyard winemaking style is best described as “Hand Crafted”. From the selection of special blocks of choice grapes within a vineyard to our small fermenting tanks, our wines receive the hands on attention required to produce wines of the exceptional quality that exhibit the intense flavors and character of each varietal. All our wines are then aged in American, French or European oak barrels until they are ready for bottling. This winemaking approach has earned our wines the highest ratings in all competitions.

“Veramar and the Shenandoah Valley is know where great wines come from; exceptional fruit. So with vineyard owner Jim Bogaty and winemaker his son, Justin, they strive to grow the highest quality fruit possible by focusing on lower yields with greater complexity and concentrating on the berries. The result is Veramar Vineyard & Winery, a relatively new winery (the winery’s first vintage was 2000), it is just now being discovered both domestically and internationally for its spectacular, limited production wines. The “Blueridge View Forever” vineyard, located on a hillside with breathtaking views and growing conditions that rival some of the finest growing regions in the world, is already accumulating medal awards in INTERNATIONAL, national and regional competitions i.e. Veramar Vineyard Chardonnay earns a coveted medal the largest and most prestigious wine competition in the world, the Decanter World Wine Awards in London England UK. Here is a sample of what’s waiting for you to discover at this wonderful winery: Chardonnay, Rooster Red, Cabernet Franc, It is always an honor for our wines to be recognized in such a significant way by an esteemed competition such as the San Francisco International Competition” remarked Veramar Vineyard’s proprietor Jim Bogaty. “It’s especially significant that both our Cabernet Franc was honored in light of the growing prominence of these varietals in Virginia. These awards continue to be a great compliment to our winemaker, Justin Bogaty.

“We have demonstrated once again that growers in Clarke County Virginia, using proper management practices, are capable of producing fruit that, in the hands of outstanding winemakers, can be made into award-winning wines,” said Justin Bogaty Veramar’s winemaker.

Veramar Vineyard earns accolades in competitions from around the world. At Veramar Vineyard you can have a truly great wine experience getaway without going out of your way. While visiting the Shenandoah Valley, you won’t want to miss sites that are filled with history, natural glory and International award winning wines. Find this respite in the land where legends of civil war heroes and explorers survive. Discover a quaint vineyard near the banks of the Shenandoah River. Experience a far away feeling so close you can taste it.

Discover Veramar Vineyard.
Veramar Vineyard, situated on a private 100-acre estate in the heart of Northern Virginia Hunt County at the base of the Blue Ridge Mountains along the Shenandoah River, a 55 minute drive from Washington DC, is a small, family-run winery dedicated to producing naturally dry, full-bodied wines.

Veramar Vineyard is located at 905 Quarry Road, Berryville, Virginia in Shenandoah Wine Country- SWX. For more information, call Veramar Vineyard 540-955-5510 or go online at http://www.veramar.com Further information on Veramar Vineyard, and media interviews are available by calling James Bogaty at 540-955-5510 or email jamesbogaty@veramar.com

Grand United Kingdom Debut for Veramar Vineyard Wines ( Virginia Winery News, Press Release Articles)

Washington, DC 2009 – Veramar Vineyard Chardonnay earns a coveted medal the largest and most prestigious wine competition in the world, the Decanter World Wine Awards in London England UK.

“It is always a great honor for our wines to be recognized in such a significant way, especially to earn such respected awards at this incredible competition; the most respected in the world!” remarked Veramar Vineyard Owner Jim Bogaty. “It is very significant for us to have our award winning wines highlighted by Decanter at the London International Wine Fair while we are attending for the first time; and to shine as one of the top participants from the United States. All these awards continue to be a great compliment to our winemaker, Justin Bogaty!”

The 2009 Decanter World Wine Awards attracted more entries this year than any other wine competition in the world, cementing its position as the world's biggest wine competition. In total 10,285 wines were entered, more than double the amount when the competition launched six years ago. The number of companies submitting wines increased by 23% to 2,240. The Decanter World Wine Awards is the largest and most influential wine competition in the world. The competition is among the most rigorous in the world.

Veramar Decanter Award presented to Justin Bogaty by the Chairman of the Decanter awards Steven Spurrier, a British wine expert and former Merchant in Paris, France, who has been described as a champion of French wine. Spurrier organized the Paris Wine Tasting of 1976, which surprisingly dispelled the myth of French wine superiority and promoted the expansion of wine production in the new world.

Veramar Vineyard wine excelled in the UK Decanter competition; also the Veramar Cabernet Franc wins Silver Medal at the 2009 Riverside International Wine Competition.

Veramar Vineyard earns accolades in competitions from around the world. At Veramar Vineyard you can have a truly great wine experience getaway without going out of your way. While visiting the Shenandoah Valley, you won’t want to miss sites that are filled with history, natural glory and International award winning wines. Find this respite in the land where legends of civil war heroes and explorers survive. Discover a quaint vineyard near the banks of the Shenandoah River. Experience a far away feeling so close you can taste it.

Discover Veramar Vineyard.
Veramar Vineyard, situated on a private 100-acre estate in the heart of Northern Virginia Hunt County at the base of the Blue Ridge Mountains along the Shenandoah River, a 55 minute drive from Washington DC, is a small, family-run winery dedicated to producing naturally dry, full-bodied wines.

Veramar Vineyard is located at 905 Quarry Road, Berryville, Virginia in Shenandoah Wine Country- SWX. And on the Generals Wine & History Trail http://www.thegeneralswinetrail.com For more information, call Veramar Vineyard 540-955-5510 or go online at http://www.veramar.com Further information on Veramar Vineyard, and media interviews are available by calling James Bogaty at 540-955-5510 or email jamesbogaty@veramar.com

'Virginia Makes Wines?' Yes, and London Likes Them ( Virginia Winery News)

Washington Post Foreign Service Wednesday, May 27, 2009

LONDON -- Lisa Abbott, a cork master at her English wine club (it's called the Wasters), took a sip of a Viognier from Virginia and declared with obvious surprise, "It's an absolute classic!

"I didn't know Virginia produced wine," she said, echoing a comment heard over and over at the recent London International Wine Fair.

True, Virginia wines barely existed in the 1980s, but today the state has more than 150 wineries. A dozen of those winemakers came to the London extravaganza, which drew 15,000 people from all over the world, as part of Virginia's efforts to step out on the world wine stage.

"That is really impressive," said Cristina Proietti, who works in sales for British wine seller Majestic, as she swirled a red, the Cuvee des Champs of White Hall Vineyards, in her glass. After several rounds of sipping, spitting and considering the wine from the Blue Ridge, she declared it "more approachable than a Bordeaux." (The French winemakers were a safe distance away.)

"It's well structured and not overtly New World," she said, in that Old World way. "I didn't have an image of a Virginia wine. It's quite new, but it's slightly traditional."

The United Kingdom is the world's biggest importer of wine. Well aware of the importance of cracking the multibillion-dollar market, Christopher Parker, a Reston resident who is marketing what he calls the "Virginia wine lifestyle," is setting his sights on his native country.

Originally from London, Parker says that many tourists, particularly the British, will go to Virginia to taste the local grape and see the state's historic sites and lovely landscape. For Europeans, he said, "it's a lot easier to fly to the East Coast than Napa Valley."

The British also have intrinsic interest in the former colonies, said Parker, whose company, New Horizon Wines, plans trips for wine-tasting tourists that also feature luxury local organic food, hiking and other outdoor activities, and stops in places such as Jamestown, Williamsburg and Charlottesville. "International recognition will bring national recognition," he said.

The annual London fair, held this year in the cavernous Excel center, is a way for thousands of winemakers to show off their best to buyers, tasters and wine industry writers. France, Spain and Italy commanded a huge presence, with large, fancy stands and thousands of offerings; Virginia had a relatively small space next to Uruguay. Bosnia, Romania and Bulgaria had booths, too.

"Nowadays, everyone is producing wines; I have heard even Texas!" said Juan Chavarri, a most agreeable man representing Spain's Rioja region. As he stood in front of a grand booth featuring hundreds of bottles of Rioja, Chavarri said countries like his, where winemaking has been going on for centuries, are well aware of the newcomers.

Fifty years ago, he said, New Zealand and Australia were busy with "sheep and meat," and now they are exporting good wines. "So if you tell me Virginia is producing wine, I believe you," he said.

But few had tasted it. Many didn't know where Virginia is. "Virginia is not on my radar," said J.C. Bekker, South African winemaker for the DGB group, which includes the much-visited Boschendal winery near Cape Town.

"Virginia makes wines?" asked English wine enthusiast John Boughton, who had a puzzled look on his face as he neared the booth for a taste.

Abbott, the cork master from the Wasters wine club, said she didn't have a firm image of Virginia: "What I think of is 'The Waltons,' " she said, recalling the 1970s TV show about John Boy and the rest that still airs in Britain. "I think of the Blue Ridge Mountains, fantastic countryside, religious American families."

As she tasted Barboursville Vineyards' much-praised Cabernet Franc Reserve, its winemaker, Luca Paschina, showed her a map of Virginia wineries and how near they are to Washington.

"We are plenty surprised about Virginia wines," said Abbott. She said she would urge a group of 20 English friends who like to play golf and drink wine to go to Virginia for vacation next year.

Tony Champ, whose White Hall Vineyards is on the eastern slope of the Blue Ridge Mountains, said he first planted grapes in 1992 and in the past five years has doubled production. His winery is open for tastings as well as for weddings and other events, as are many of the other wineries, which have begun a push to draw more visitors.

Typically $16 to $20 a bottle, Virginia wines tend to be pricier than those from regions that produce wine on a bigger scale. Several, including those from Rappahannock Cellars, Barboursville, Pearmund Cellars, Veritas Vineyard & Winery, Veramar Vineyard and the Williamsburg Winery, won awards and commendations from the Decanter World Wine Awards, announced in London. Much of the buzz around the state's wines focused on its Viogniers.

Chris Pearmund, whose winery is in eastern Fauquier County, noted that Virginia settlers in the 17th century planted grapes and made wine. But for much of the 20th century, winemaking was prohibited in Virginia under Prohibition-era laws that lingered in the commonwealth longer than

elsewhere. "We started making wine in the state 400 years ago, but now we are starting to get it right," he said.

By Mary Jordan

Emily Pelton Wins Judges Choice Award In 2007 National Women's Wine Competition ( Virginia Winery News)

EMILY PELTON WINS JUDGES CHOICE AWARD IN 2007 NATIONAL WOMEN’S WINE COMPETITION

Emily Hodson, Winemaker Emily takes her place beside the best women wine makers in California as the Overall Winner of the red, white, Sparkling and Dessert wine categories in the Women Winemakers Challenge portion of the 2007 National Women’s Wine Competition.

Other gold medal winners included Carol Shelton of Shelton Wines, Joy Andersen of Erath Vineyards, Eileen Crane of Domaine Carneros, Dorothy Schuler of Bodegas Paso Robles, Denise Shurtleff of Cambria Estate Winery and Domenica Totty of Beaulieu Vineyards.

The winning wine:
Veritas 2005 Kenmar, Traminette, Monticello AVA
Emily Pelton, Winemaker

The winning wine also won:
Sweepstakes Winner (Open) Competition
Dessert Wine
Gold Medal
Sweepstakes Winner Women’s Winemaker’s Challenge Competition
Dessert Wine
Gold Medal

Determined on a career in wine making Emily completed a Masters in Enology at Virginia Tech with Bruce Zoeklein. The winemaker at Veritas Winery (annual production of 10,000 cases per year) in Afton Virginia; Emily puts the quality of wine above everything constantly working on characterizing the terroir of the vineyard in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Veritas began operations in 1999 producing the first vintage in 2001 the year both her Grandparents died. Her grand - mother Marjorie rejoiced in sweet wine “so we decided to name our sweet wine after Kenneth and Marjorie calling it “Kenmar” in honor of their memory” Emily explained.

Traminette is a French- French hybrid of Gewurtztraminer and Joannes –Seyve (JS) 23-416 which originated from Cornell in the mid nineties. The grape is to all and intents and purposes a Gewurtztraminer that grows beautifully in Virginia. The wonderful aroma of roses in the Kenmar -is the ‘Gewurtz’ component from the Traminette. The wine was made using an Ice Wine- like process with cryo – extraction resulting in a 14.5 % alcohol and 8% residual sugar in the wine. The perfect balance of sugar and acid accentuate the panoply of honeyed tropical fruit, and crystallized citrus flavors that fill the mouth finishing in mellifluous harmony.

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