Maggie's 2014 Tannat wins Double Gold

Have you been looking for a good reason to join Maggie's Wine Club? 
We've got 95 of them. 
That's how many points her 2014 Tannat scored in the San Francisco International Wine Competition (SFIWC) in July.
SFIWC is the largest and most influential international wine competition in America that sets the standard for professional wine judging. 
A SFIWC medal is a reliable indication of wine excellence. More than 3,200 wines from 30+ countries were judged in 2017.
Maggie's Tannat 2014 won the SFIWC's double gold medals and best of show for Tannat. (Both Maggie's Petit Verdot 2014, currently on the Wine Cave tasting menu and already a silver medal winner in the Virginia Governor's Cup, and her to-be-released Viognier 2016 also won bronze medals in the competition.)
Originally, the limited-release Tannat 2014 was distributed to the Maggie Malick Wine Cave Wine Club members only. One of the many privileges of membership is access to limited-release wines - at a 20 percent discount!
The 2014 Tannat was so good, it sold out quickly. 
But, don't despair. In August, Maggie bottled 1,094 cases of 10 red wines. Tannat 2015 was among them. All the 2015 reds should begin appearing in the Wine Cave sometime in 2018.
From Winemaker Maggie...
Harvest is my favorite time of year - when we reap the benefits of our spring and summer labor, and bring the ripe fruit into the winery to become wine.
Harvest brings many decisions:  What are we going to improve or expand on from previous years?  What new techniques, oak, yeast, etc., are we going to try?  All of these impact the flavor profile of the finished  product. 
This fall we have a new fruit to work with - Sauvignon Blanc!  This is one of my favorite summer wines so I'm excited to be producing our own first vintage. 
The Sauvignon Blanc grapes were the first to ripen. We picked the grapes on the last days of August. The juice has been fermenting slowly, under temperature-controlled conditions for about two weeks, and is exhibiting some beautiful grapefruit flavors and bright acidity. 
I expect our first Sauvignon Blanc to be in the tasting
room early next summer! 
Stop by the tasting room and watch as we bring in the season's harvest - expected to continue now through November.  You may get the chance to sample ripening  grapes, some juice, or a partially fermented wine.
The Wine Cave team doesn't just pour wine; we enrich you with knowledge about the entire wine-making process!
Cheers,
Maggie
...and Grape Grower Mark
Maggie and I play integral parts at the winery. Simply put, I grow 15 varieties of
Old World grapes on our 30 acres of vineyards. Maggie turns them into award-winning wine.
Our  2017 harvest already is underway. Thanks to a warm spring, the grapes are about two weeks ahead of last year in the harvest schedule. 
The first grapes to ripen this year also were part of our first Sauvignon Blanc harvest. Those grapes were picked Aug. 28 and the wine is ferme nting in the Wine Cave. It will be bottled next spring. 
We expect to hand-pick a total of about 125 tons of grapes through November, as each grape variety ripens at different times throughout the harvest season. 
Harvest is no easy feat. We rely on a loyal crew of our workers and volunteers who help us bring in the grapes every year.
NOTE: If your personal bucket list includes harvesting grapes, now is the time to do it! 
We provide several opportunities for volunteers to pick the grape harvest.  Hand-picking grapes is fun, but it is work. Afterward, we celebrate, on a September or October Saturday evening, with an after-picking picnic where we enjoy good food and the satisfaction of bringing in the harvest. (The after-picking picnic date is TBD.) We are limited to accepting just 20 volunteers, so sign up early by texting (540) 270-3399.
- Mark, the Wine Dude
Wine Club Release Party is Friday, Sept. 22
Attention Wine Club members:
Join Maggie in the Wine Cave 6-9 p.m. Friday, Sept. 22 when she releases her September Wine Club pick up.
This quarter's release features Maggie's delicious 2016 Dry Petit Manseng, 2014 Cabernet Franc (a bronze medal winner in the Finger Lakes competition) and 2014 Petit Verdot (a silver medal in the Virginia Governor's Cup and a bronze medal winner in the San Francisco International Wine Competition). 
New award-winning wines now on sale! 
Maggie has two new wines on sale in the Wine Cave. Both are award winning, estate grown and Cave aged: 
  • Meritage 2012 - 3 bottles for $59
  • Chardonnay 2015 - 3 bottles for $39
Meritage 2012 is a  well-balanced, medium-bodied blend that pairs well with grilled tuna, roasted turkey and steak.
Chardonnay 2015 is a fruit-forward, stainless steel-aged wine with a crisp finish. It pairs well with seafood and chicken dishes. 
Both wines placed in 2015 and 2017, respectively, at the Eastern International Wine Competition.
Take some bottles home today!

Captain's Cuvée pairs with Beef Bourguignon
This month's wine and food pairing features Maggie's Captain's Cuv ée, her estate-grown twist on the iconic French classic blend of grenache, syrah and mourvedre grapes.
Maggie recommends pairing it with a rich, tomato-based Beef Bourguignon - a delicious stew - just in time for the cooler autumn weather. 
Maggie's Captain's Cuv é e is her take on the French Chateauneuf du Pape wine from Southern Rhone region. The  French wine is Mark's favorite blend. 
Maggie's 2014 Captain's Cuv é e garnered bronze in the Virginia Governor's cup. She just bottled her 2015 Captain's Cuv é e in August, along with nine other red wines that should start appearing in the Wine Cave early next year.
Check the Wine Recipes page on Maggie's website for the Beef Bourguignon recipe, as well as other great food listings for Maggie's Cave-aged wines.
Maggie Malick Wine Caves  12138, Harpers Ferry Road, Purcellville, VA 20132