Virginia is for Donald Trump

     When I first heard of Donald Trump buying a winery in Virginia, I was not surprised. Virginia is a beautifully wonderful state, full of rolling hills, scenic mountains, beaches, and abundant land. Besides the instability of our climate, Virginia seems to be (in my opinion) a great place to have a winery. In fact, Virginia is up and coming right now in the American wine industry. We all know (and love) Californian wines but Virginia is on the rise to one day be another state known for its wine. The Daily Progress has an article about Virginian wine- an interesting read. I have only been to a couple wineries but I plan on making a trip to Trump Vineyard in the next couple of months. 

     Trump Vineyard is 900 acres, nestled in Charlottesville, Virginia (GO HOKIES!), and just a few miles away from Thomas Jefferson's Monticello. Trump Vineyard has several wine varietals including: Albemarle Rose, Albemarle Sauvignon Blanc, Albemarle Simply Red, Cru (which I will discuss later on), Kluge Estate New World Red, Kluge Estate SP Blanc de Blanc, and Kluge Estate SP Rose. I learned all of this information from the Trump website.  

     I am in a winery tourism class this semester. It's awesome. I have learned a lot. Recently, we had a Virginia wine tasting. I was impressed. Among the wines we tried, we had the opportunity to try Cru. Cru tasted like a Chardonnay wine (pretty sweet) with a Bourbon finish. You heard me, Bourbon. I personally am not a fan of Bourbon and would definitely never have considered mixing its flavor with a Chardonnay but Trump wineries has done a wonderful job. Cru was a hit at our tasting session. Below is a description from the Trump website about Cru for those interested:

"Unique to Trump Winery, Cru is created by blending Chardonnay juice with Chardonnay brandy in lieu of a traditional fermentation. This fortified wine is then aged for over a year in American bourbon barrels. The result is an aperitif wine that is truly all-American."

"Deep, fresh aromas and flavors of pear, citrus, bourbon and toasted almonds. This fortified wine is 18% alcohol, so it works equally well neat or as a mixer." 

  

     So, if you love wine, Virginia, and Donald Trump- you are in luck. If you love Chardonnay and Bourbon- you are in wine heaven. I liked trying new things, so Cru was a fun experience. Below is a good song to listen to while you SIP (18% alcohol) this wine:

Tune: Take it Easy

-The Eagles (because they are a classic)