What on earth is a vertical tasting? You may be thinking one of two things: yes, I know exactly what you’re talking about or no, I have no idea. Do you do a handstand while you taste wine? Do you go up stairs as you taste each wine? Is it a magical tasting designed by unicorns? Well, it is fairly straightforward and it is, in a way, magical.
A vertical tasting is where the same wine, either a blend or single varietal, has 2 or more vintages to taste back to back. For example a vertical tasting might include Cabernet Franc from 2012, 2013 and 2014 from the same vineyard. What is the significance of doing a vertical tasting? Well, I’m glad you asked!
A vertical tasting is where the same wine, either a blend or single varietal, has 2 or more vintages to taste back to back. For example a vertical tasting might include Cabernet Franc from 2012, 2013 and 2014 from the same vineyard. What is the significance of doing a vertical tasting? Well, I’m glad you asked!
Vertical tastings can give the guest a bit of a glimpse of a particular vintage. Such as how much rain or lack thereof, how hot or cool a season was, etc. Let’s use two recent vintages for example: 2017 and 2018. 2017 was an AMAZING vintage. There wasn’t much more that could have made this vintage absolutely perfect. The weather was perfect and harvest took place at just the right time. Now, let’s look at 2018, pretty much the complete opposite due to the excessive amount of rain we saw and also how cool of a season it was as well.
Back in late April, we held a vertical tasting in our Meeting House. There were three stations with seven different wines and 21 labels total. We had a variety of whites, reds and our estate grown dessert wine, Blue Ice. Below is a list of the wines we had at the event.
Back in late April, we held a vertical tasting in our Meeting House. There were three stations with seven different wines and 21 labels total. We had a variety of whites, reds and our estate grown dessert wine, Blue Ice. Below is a list of the wines we had at the event.
- Vidal Blanc
- Chardonnay (oak aged)
- Petit Manseng
- Merlot
- Cabernet Sauvignon
- Houndstooth
- Blue Ice
Missed the event? No worries! There are a select few of the wines that are still available for bottle purchase in the tasting room. You can even do a mini vertical in the tasting room on your next visit! Currently on our tasting list we have both the 2013 and 2014 Petit Verdot. We re-released the 2013 earlier this spring and guests are able to see what one years difference did with the same grape.
Thanks for tuning into this week’s edition of Out of the Barrel. Cheers
Thanks for tuning into this week’s edition of Out of the Barrel. Cheers
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