Our Wines
All our wines are grown on the estate where we work throughout the year to ensure the highest quality fruit. At harvest all grapes are picked by hand into lugs and sorted, then cooled before being crushed or fermented. Many wines are made in small lots so we can coax unique characteristics from different yeasts and terroir. For wines that are blended, blind taste tests are conducted to find the best blends for each vintage.
Our 25 acres of vineyard are spread among five distinct vineyards on the property: the original 10 acre block, the Viognier field, the Mountain vineyard which is sited on the highest portion of the property at 880 feet, the Pinot Gris block at the winery, and the Smuggler vineyard. The last was named for one of David's great-grandfather's silver mines in Colorado where he founded the town of Aspen. This block has our Cabernet Sauvignon and a special Merlot.
In 2009, we bottled two wines which we consider to have "reserve" status. For us this recognizes a high quality which may be attributed to especially favorable growing conditions, use of native yeast, or simply the identification of best vineyards lots. Not all years will permit this. We were excited with our award winning 2007 Cabernet Franc which is now sold out and a 2008 Chardonnay, both of which met this standard.
Meritage 2007, unfined/unfiltered
Cases Produced: 350
Varietals: 44% Cabernet Franc, 43% Merlot, 13% Petit Verdot
Vineyard/winemaking Notes: This wine continues our tradition of making a red blend based upon careful selection of barrels from each of the three varietals. We begin a blind tasting of different proportions of varietals in November after the varietals have completed 12 months in barrels using 60% new French oak and 40% neutral barrels. Based on the selected mix, varietals are blended and barrel another 5 months. This blend was bottled in early 2009 and aged another 13 months prior to being released, permitting the various components to come together for a nuanced flavor.
Tasting Notes: This wine presents a full bodied, opulent feel in the mouth with silky tannins and sound acidity to frame blackberry, pomegranate and leather flavors. It has a dense ruby/purple hue with a sweet nose of dark fruit, lilac, leather and pepper.
Price: $24
Cabernet Franc 2008, unfined/unfiltered
Cases Produced: 430
Vineyard Designation: Original 10 acre and Mountain Vineyards
Vineyard/winemaking Notes: Conditions for red wine were excellent in 2007. Nearly perfect weather throughout the season allowed for intense maturation and balanced fruit. Crushed into both tank and T-bins, this wine is the result of many yeast strains and very hands on control of fermentation and extended maceration. It aged 14 months in oak with 40% new French barrels.
Tasting Notes: Dark garnet in color, this wine has fragrances of pomegranate , cherry, cassis and fresh cracked black pepper. On the palate there are impressions of ripe blackberry, cassis and dark cocoa flavors, all with a velvety texture.
Price: $20
Cabernet Sauvignon 2007, unfined/unfiltered - SOLD OUT
Cases Produced: 196
Vineyard Designation: Smuggler Vineyard
Vineyard/winemaking Notes: The soil type/rootstock relationship of our clone couldn’t be much better than that in our Smuggler vineyard. Low yielding vines and small berries brought this fruit to a quick maturity and provided intensity in both color and mouth feel.
Tasting Notes: This wine is one of our best vintages yet for reds. It expresses our terroir, dusty tannins and great minerality and a perfect oak profile. Its flavors include eucalyptus, blackberry, and cassis combined with a hint of spice.
Price: $24
Merlot 2008, unfined/unfiltered
Cases Produced: 425
Vineyard Designation: The original 10 acre block and the Smuggler vineyard.
Vineyard/winemaking Notes: Harvested mid-September 2008. These grapes were cold soaked before fermentation in micro lots and subjected to extended maceration, which results in the deep color and extraction of flavor and tannins. Cooperage was 45% new French oak and 55% used to neutral for 14 months. Bottled 2/18/10
Tasting Notes: Dark cherries, rich chocolate and a hint of oaky sweetness abound . This wine is fruit forward but still has great structure. With a rich garnet hue, it has cherry and oak aromas with notes of flint and nutmeg, sweet tannins and an enticing velvet finish
Price: $20
Petit Verdot 2008, unfined/unfiltered
Cases Produced: 275
Vineyard Designation: The original 10 acre block and the Mountain Vineyard
Vineyard/winemaking Notes: Harvested 9/23/10. Consistent with treatment of our other reds, these grapes were cold soaked before fermentation in micro lots and subjected to extended maceration. We used a very light press pressure to extract only the soft tannins. The wine was aged 14 months in French oak barrels. Bottled 2/18/10
Tasting Notes: This wine is full and round on the palette with peppery spice and hints of earthiness making a long lingering finish. Aromas of ripe berry and plum fruits present themselves in this rich, dark Virginia favorite.
Price: $24
Durant Red 2009
Cases Produced: 560
Varietals: 50% merlot, 50% cabernet franc
Vineyard/Winemaking Notes: The goal of winemaking for this wine is a Bordeaux style blend which is a lighter, less tannic style for easy sipping. The grapes were fermented in stainless steel and pressed off the skins two thirds of the way through fermentation then allowed to finish fermentation. This creates a fresh, fruit forward red wine. Bottled 1/14/10
Tasting Notes: Intended to be fresh and young, unlike our other reds, this wine, was brought to bottle without aging so as to capture the bright fruit elements of the varietals. They include raspberry and strawberry with a richness that makes this a very approachable table wine.
Price: $16
Chardonnay 2008
Cases Produced: 270
Vineyard designation: Original 10A and Mountain Vineyards
Vineyard/winemaking Notes: The fruit load of this vintage was very high, yet fruit character was better than it has been in the past providing exceptional acidity and minerality from the soil. The wine was fermented in a combination of 60% stainless steel and 40% oak. The oak was a blend of new and neutral. Many yeast strains were used to achieve a dynamic palate and structure, reflective of our terroir and varietal preference.
Tasting notes: This wine is crisp and bright with great minerality. The flavor profile reveals quince, pear, lemon and melon. It is a very versatile wine, pairing well with many foods.
Price: $14
Chardonnay Reserve 2008
Cases Produced: 133
Vineyard Designation: Mountain Vineyards
Vineyard/winemaking Notes: As with our estate version, this wine is reflective of a great vintage. Native fermentation in French oak barrels drives the structure of the wine as the vintage intensity carries through on the palate and nose. It was allowed to go through 30% malolactic fermentation.
Tasting Notes: This wine is both creamy and bright with great structure to age. It has tangerine, orange, lemon and tropical fruit flavors balanced by a beautiful acidity at the finish. This is a wine worthy of its title.
Price: $25
Pinot Gris 2009
Cases Produced: 390
Vineyard Designation: The original 10 acre block as well as the Pinot Gris winery block.
Vineyard/winemaking Notes: Our first pick of the harvest on 8/19/09. The grapes were crushed and cold soaked overnight imparting the barest hint of the red grape coloring before being fermented in stainless steel. Bottled: 1/14/10
Tasting Notes: This is a fresh, lively, full flavored wine with fragrant notes of citrus, melon, pear and a floral background. On the palate one tastes ripe stone fruit and lychee layered with a hint of sweetness balanced by wonderful acidity.
Price: $18
Viognier 2009
Cases Produced: 390
Vineyard Designation: Viognier Block
Vineyard/winemaking Notes: Harvested 9/6 and 9/9/09 after reaching 24 brix. These grapes were crushed and cold soaked 12-16 hours. The wine was fermented in stainless steel and kept chilled until bottling to maintain freshness. Bottled 1/14/10
Tasting Notes: 2009 was an exceptional year for grapes and can be experienced in the expression of this varietal. The wine is a light gold color with an impressive array of apricot, peach and mango flavors. Medium bodied, it is exceptionally textured with round, ripe layered flavors and outstanding depth. A juicy finish delivers another wave of fruit with buried minerality.
Price: $20
Durant White 2009
Cases Produced: 565
Vineyard Designation: From all vineyard blocks on the estate where white varietals are grown
Varietals: 60% chardonnay; 30% viognier; 10% pinot gris
Winemaking Notes: This wine continues our making a popular white blend with each varietal fermented in stainless steel, then blended together. Bottled: 1/14/10
Tasting notes: This wine is intended to be crisp and elegant with flavors of bright vibrant lime, green apple, quince and passion fruit. Without the tannic structure from oak aging or extended skin contact, this wine is approachable for both new and experienced wine lovers
Price: $16
Rosé 2009
Cases Produced: 125
Vineyard/Winemaking Notes: Our rosé is made from juice bled (saignee) from each of the four red varietals during their respective cold soaking stage. The combined juice, having been exposed to the red skins for a short time, retains a pink hue. It is then blended and fermented in stainless steel and chilled until bottling. Bottling: 1/14/10
Tasting Notes: Our classic rose is crisp and dry with a refreshing finish. It is bursting with flavors of fresh ripe strawberries, cherries and rose petals. Raspberries, cranberries and melon fill the palate as a bright acidity works to keep the harmony.
Price: $16
Mille Fleurs 2008
Cases Produced: 80 of 24 bottles each
Winemaking Notes: Our Mille Fleurs is a blend of eau-de-vie brandy and a late harvest viognier wine creating a wine in the style of a port. This fortified wine has an alcohol content of 17.5% and a residual sweetness owing to the viognier whose fermentation was stopped with the addition of brandy
Tasting Notes: On the nose this wine shows candied apricot, honey, fig, hazelnut and stone fruit, all attributable to the strong viognier base. Intense and invigorating peach and citrus flavors fill the palate to maintain a distinct acidity. The sweetness is not overpowering and perfectly balanced by the structure of the oak and flavor of brandy.
Price: $30
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