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Va
La Vineyards
www.valavineyards.com |
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©
2006 Evans-Walls |
Nestled
-- or dare I say hidden -- along route 41 in Avondale, Pennsylvania,
which is a most unlikely place to grow grapes, sits a little known
rock star in the arena of new world wines. I say little known because
Va La is a micro winery that produces limited production wines
(rarely more than 300 cases of any wine) that you simply cannot find
on the shelves of Wine & Spirit Shops or the "Wine
Marts" of the world. But rest assured, Va La is a rock star in
the new world wine set with a cult-like following of loyal supporters
known as the Va La Nation. And yes, we are card carrying members. |
The History
Owner
and winemaker Anthony Vietri is a fourth generation owner of the Va
La farm, which consists of a hillside cellar, seven acres of vines,
and one family dedicated to each other, and to the creation of
unusual but opulent wines that could certainly compete with any of
the great wines actually produced in Italy.
The
Va La farm was started in 1928 by Matteo and Carolina Carozzo, two
immigrant farmers who struggled and saved little by little to buy the
property. They worked the fertile land tirelessly and produced
everything from milk and cheese to aged meats and poultry. Anthony
and his wife, Karen, took it to the next level by doing the
unthinkable, growing grapes and making wine in the heart of the
mushroom capital of the world. They named the farm "Va La"
to honor a tiny village in Piemonte called Giusvalla, which is where
Anthony's family originated. The literal translation is "Go
There" and that is our command for anyone who seeks to discover
world class wines in Pennsylvania.
The Mystery
Va
La is more than simply a place where grapes are grown, and wine is
made and tasted. It is an all-encompassing experience for every sense
because as soon as you find your place at the tasting bar ($10
tasting fee includes signature glass) you enjoy each Va La wine
offered that day with specially selected locally produced bread,
cheeses, spreads and chocolates. There is no rushing at Va La. In
fact you are encouraged to meander and enjoy music and art work
displayed on the second floor of the beautiful property.
The
staff, consisting mostly (if not entirely) of family, makes every
visitor feel right at home. They each are extremely friendly and
knowledgeable, but never pretentious. The air is always filled with
excitement and laughter. And this authentic charm is fully expressed
in the wines.
The Wines
Anthony
seems to be of the opinion that less is more, both in the number of
wines produced -- eight -- and the quantity of cases made. And we
could not agree more. There is nothing worse than visiting a winery
that boasts a selection of 20 or more wines. If I remember correctly,
the Jack of all trades never mastered any of them. But Anthony is a
master indeed. He is part farmer, part chemist, part artist, part
musician, and part entrepreneur. He's necessarily both obsessive and
compulsive about his creations. As a result, his wines are
thoughtful, mature and painstakingly well-crafted. The perfect
combination of nature and nurture. As a result you should expect to
pay $20-$40 for wines at Va La.
Va
La currently offers two whites, Zafferano (Pinot Grigio -
SOLD OUT) and 2005 La Prima Donna (a blend of Malvasia Bianco,
Tocai, Pinot Grigio, and Viognier). We tasted the La Prima Donna on
12/16/06 and it was truly a treat. Warm tropical notes of pineapple,
mango and a touch of honey with almost a sensual mouth feel make LPD
a must-buy wine! And although we did not taste the Zafferano at that
time, we know firsthand that it is top notch (check out our cellar
list on the home page). We are happy for us but sorry for you that we
purchased the last 5 bottles of Zafferano on Saturday. Hey, they only
made 45 cases. And membership in the Va La Nation does have its privileges! |
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The
reds encompass both traditional and unusual varieties. The 2005 Silk
is a delicious and nicely structured blend of Cab Franc, Barbera,
Merlot and Primitivo, in a style known as a Rosatto. It is a
light-bodied "everyday" red that has a silky mouth feel,
wild cherry and plum notes and no tannins. Those who like white but
are looking for a transitional red should definitely try Silk. And
red lovers will enjoy this on its own or paired with a wide range of
mild foods -- salmon, chicken, veal, cheeses.
The
2005 Cristallo is a big "Super Tuscan" style wine
that is comprised of 85% Sangiovese with the remaining 15% made up of
Cab Franc and Cab Sauvignon for structure. This wine is delectable
with its intense, full bodied flavor. Wild strawberry and subtle
notes of cocoa bean predominate. A mineral finish allows the wine to
linger a bit on the palate so you continue to enjoy the wine long
after it leaves the mouth. Drinkable now with no discernable benefit
to lay it down for long. It will probably pair well with burgers,
chops, steaks and tomato-based or spicy sauces.
The
2003 Barbera was JUST released. Made of 100% Barbera, this
wine is dark, dense, chewy and spicy. Not for the faint of heart.
Mature palates will appreciate this complex wine because it offers
notes of stone fruit, chocolate, and earth. The winemaker's notes
suggest that it pairs well with a wide range of dishes from tame to
spicy and heavy. This wine will stand up to foods that normally
overwhelm wine. Consider decanting and buying a few bottles. One to
drink now and at least one or two others to try later in order to
discover how the wine changes over time. As good as it is now, we
think this '03 Barbera will continue to get better!
The
2005 Chiaretto is Va La's "upside down"
Bordeaux-style blend. They call it upside down because the grapes
that usually predominate a Bordeaux (Merlot or Cab Sauvignon) now
take a back seat to the lesser known varietals. In this case, Anthony
chose to lead with Petit Verdot (which is usually used in small
amounts for blending), followed by Cab Franc, Merlot and Cab
Sauvignon. Opulent deep purple in color, bone dry with classic
Bordeaux blend style notes (berry, pepper, toast/oak). Low tannins
despite being aged for 6 months in french oak barrels. This is a big
wine that virtually leaps out of the glass. It's best to decant for
at least thirty minutes but it is certainly drinkable now. Note, the
grapes were sourced from 15 year old vines at Mica Ridge.
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The
bell of the ball at the last tasting was the newly released 2005
Il Rustico ("The Rustic One"), made from 100% Carmine.
Finding wine made from 100% Carmine is rare indeed and actually all
prior releases of Il Rustico were blends. Both the nose and palate
pick up dark berries, smoke and a bit of tobacco or licorice in the
finish. This is a great "stand alone" wine but it can also
be paired with textured meats like wild game as long as an
accompanying sauce is not spicy. |
Ratings/Recommendations
It
is tough to recommend only a few wines. Firstly, because we enjoy
and have purchased multiple bottles of each wine discussed above. But
secondly, Va La wines sell out sometimes before they are even
released due to the mile-long pre-release sign up lists for each
wine, and certainly within months of release. So we'll make our
recommendations, but you'll have to check the website to see if a
particular wine is still being offered.
Info
www.valavineyards.com
(610)
268-2702
Hours:
12-6 PM Friday-Sunday (every day during the Christmas holiday)
8820
Gap Newport Pike (Route 41), Avondale, PA 19311
Fees:
$10 (tasting includes signature glass); $7 (tasting w/o signature glass)
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Copyright
2006-present Evans-Walls. All rights reserved. |
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