PICK OF THE MONTH

Barboursville Winery

Mary & I traveled to Charlottesville, Virginia to watch our youngest daughter, Katie, compete in the Half-Marathon. We thought it would be fun to visit a winery before meeting with Katie. We contacted our friends at Country Vintner, one of our long time wine distributors, and asked for some help arranging a visit at Barboursville Winery. We arrived late for a personal tour because I got lost going down, so when we arrived we had lunch at the Palladio Restaurant. It was a beautiful day and we had a wonderful lunch with several wines matched to the meal. When we were done, Luca Paschina, the winemaker joined us at our table and was gracious enough to give us a tour of the winery. Well, it was a great tour and Luca was a gracious host. We spent time talking with him and his winemaking philosophy. Afterwards, we tasted through several more of his wines and were super impressed with the high quality of his wines.

During the spring, we are featuring four of Luca's wines at AIDA Bistro. Please stop by to try some of the best wines coming from our Southern neighbor. Better yet, arrange to eat at Palladio and take a tour of the winery. It is a beautiful place and a great weekend trip!

2006 Pinot Grigio: Perhaps one of the best we have had from any winery in the Northeast and a close second to our favorite from California, Benessere. It is bright with nice fruit, layered with touches of tropical fruit, good acidity and a touch of sweetness, although it is fermented dry. Come on by, try a bottle with our Fish Special, Homemade Flat Bread, Calamari or Seafood Pasta.

2006 Sauvignon Blanc: Wow, that's all I can say. It is as good as some of the same wines coming from California. Bright fruit, some citrus nuances, a touch of herbal but not overly grassy, crisp and palate cleansing in the finish. Try with Shrimp Scampi, Fish Special, Seafood Pasta.

2006 Viognier Reserve: Mary's favorite white varietal. Again, one of the best viogniers made, period. It was made without oak and in a style that will age nicely, but why wait! It has a full-bodied mouth feel, complexity and texture unmatched in many oaked viogniers. This is one to have with Beef Carpacio (that's what I had it with), Free Range Chicken, Seafood Dishes and with Our Cheese Plate Featuring Vella Jack & Artisanal Goat cheeses. It will surprise you with its range!

2005 Cabernet Franc Reserve: I love Cab Francs made in the Northeast. This is another top of its class wine. It has great depth of dark fruit, spicy and chewy, well balanced with a long finish. A Must try for lovers of Cab Franc! Another wine that will age well. Try this one with our Lamb T-Bone, Three Pepper Bison, Duck Confit or Free Range Chicken.

For more information, visit Barboursville's website and let them know that we sent you!: www.barboursvillewine.net