Yadkin Valley Wine Tour: Day 4

Day four was our return journey to Raleigh with two stops along the way. First stop was an old favorite: RayLen.  This place has been one of our favorites ever since they opened. Here the vines are grafts from California vines so they inherently have the flavors that people who like California wines will recognize and enjoy. RayLen also blends wines for many other wineries in the area such as Flint Hill. The RayLen property is very scenic and their staff in the tasting room is fantastic. Note that they are not open on Sunday but are one of the few in the area open on Monday. Our consistent favorite here is the Category 5 Bordeaux style blend. It is a nice big, bold red wine that always pleases. The RayLen Cabernet is also an excellent red wine for those looking for a basic Cabernet instead of a blend. We tasted all fifteen wines (note that the tastings are broken up into flights of white or red or the complete flight which is all white and red plus reserve wines).

• Pinot Grigio – very light, some fruit, not overly tart
• Chardonnay (no oak) – light, clean, best non-oak Chardonnay of trip
• Barrel Chardonnay (oak) – warmer then the non-oak, some sweetness
• SMV Chardonnay (oak) – reserve wine, light, has some oak
• Viognier – crisp, nice fruit, bright
• Yadkin Gold (Riesling, Viognier, Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio) – green tasting, light, crisp
• Riesling – buttery, cannot taste the honeysuckle they indicate is in it, sweetest of the whites
• Carolinius (Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petite Verdot) – light red, has nice spice, can taste the Cabernet Franc
• Shiraz – light spice, good body
• Merlot – not peppery like most Merlot, blackberry flavors
• Cabernet Franc – nice body but needs food to really enjoy
• Category 5 (Cabernet Sauvignon blend) – nice, dry, big, excellent wine
• Cabernet Sauvignon – good basic Cabernet with hints of tobacco
• Eagle’s Select (Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petite Verdot) – reserve wine, good tannins, some tartness from Cabernet Franc, oaky
• Pale Red (Rose) - sweet, very fruity

The view at RayLen

Childress was our last stop of the wine weekend and quite different from the majority of other vineyards and wineries we toured. This place is huge and reminds me of some of the major estates in Napa. Here the varieties are more of the European based ones; therefore, like RayLen, they are closer in flavor profiles to that of California wines versus native NC varietals or the more non-traditional varieties that many people are growing in NC. Also, money can buy instant success with a well renowned wine maker directing the blending. There is nothing wrong with this and it is an amazing winery with wonderful wines which is good for NC and the growing wine tourism industry. But everyone should also experience the mom and pops, the ones struggling to get people to understand and appreciate the differences in NC wines grown both from native grape varieties and varieties that most people are not familiar with that do quite well in NC but do not taste like it was grown in Napa. Having said that – if you want to buy an impressive NC wine for those who love California wines this is one of the few places in NC (along with RayLen) to do so. 2006 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon is well worth the money. They have three tasting options and we opted for the Signature tasting which allowed us to taste both the signature and reserve wines (total of seven wines). That tasting also got us the nicest wine glasses we have ever received during a tasting.

• Signature Chardonnay (oak) – harsher bouquet, strong alcohol scent, good mouth feel
• Reserve Chardonnay (oak) – some crispness, buttery, preferred over Signature Chardonnay
• Signature Meritage (red blend) – nice bouquet, good balance, more oaky
• Signature Merlot – peppery on finish, more oak, not as pleasing as Reserve Merlot
• Reserve Merlot – light pepper, medium tannins, very nice
• Reserve Cabernet Franc – very pleasant, best Cabernet Franc of trip (normally this wine is only used in blends)
• Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon – big red, bold, very well balanced

Childress