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No Wine-y Bunch of Sour Grapes
By Nicholas Graham
The Loudoun lowdown
Competition is a fierce thing.
None more so, surely, than among the 23 or so wineries whose vineyards drape and paint the idyllic landscape in Loudoun County – coined (or is it ‘corked’?) as “D.C.’s Wine Country” by the Loudoun Convention and Visitors Association.
Every vintner must think their wine is tops. The ‘mine-is-better-than-yours’ skullduggery must be pretty bottled-up and always fermenting below the surface when Loudoun winemakers gather.
I always imagined vintners armed with flamethrowers torching each others’ grapevines in the wee hours of night. Secretly pouring Pine-Sol or Cheer laundry detergent into each others’ wine barrels. Short-sheeting each others’ beds. Hanging homemade “Welch’s Grape Juicer is Better!” signs on the front doors of each others’ houses.
Why, it’s gotta be something akin to great American feuds of lore. Like, the Hatfields versus the McCoys. The Sharks versus the Jets. The tightie-whities versus the boxers crowd. Or, the Viogniers versus the Francs?
It’s actually not a home-grown (excuse the pun) version of “Family Feud” Rather, it appears to be a ‘big happy family’. A very merry, berry bunch. Of course, who wouldn’t be, if you had an unlimited supply of vino within arms reach all day – any day?
On a serious note, I can’t let the importance of this grapeful bunch to our county and state wither on the vine.
The nation’s very first wineries were produced in Virginia – by none other than Thomas Jefferson himself – 400 years ago. Our state ranks fifth in production among grape-growing states – up from eighth in 2006, according to the Virginia Wine Board. Loudoun produced 836 tons of grapes in 2006 (up from 718 tons in 2005), according to the VA Commercial Grape Report.
Residents and visitors can both avail themselves to about 100 wineries statewide – almost half within an hours drive of the D.C. metro area (So that nifty slogan touting our vineyards sure makes sense). Wineries drive huge volumes of tourism traffic, and makes the green stuff (dollars, not grape leaves) pour down on Virginia every year. Think jobs too. Winemaking is an undisputed barrel of economic benefits.
And everyone wants their slice. Sure sounds to me like a recipe for ‘the grapes of wrath’ between cut-throat winemakers.
Lori Corcoran, veteran proprietor of Corcoran Vineyards and outgoing President of the Loudoun Winegrowers Association, thinks my head’s been in one of her barrels.
“We’re all in it to help each other,” she corrected me. “We all get along, and make sure we help each other when needed.”
Bob Rupy, a relatively new winemaker and co-owner of Bluemont Vineyards in the western reaches of Loudoun, concurs. “The wine scene is very collaborative,” he says. When he got into the business, Rupy says that established vineyards here actually came to his aid, lent advice, and counseled him actively.
“They were very helpful – giving me the lay of the land,” he adds. Rupy spoke to the owners of vineyards such as Willowcroft, Corcoran, Breaux and Chrysalis. “That was a big help…talking to them about what it was like when they started – about what to do, and what not to do.”
But the collaborative culture is not just ‘all talk’. Winemakers in Loudoun, when necessary or even when just asked, rush to help each other out in times of need.
Corcoran said that recently she had a huge wine ‘chiller’ machine break down, potentially ruining all the wines she had in process. She needed one fast. “Sunset Hills [Vineyard] had the exact same one, and they jumped through hoops to lend it to us. We used it for the whole season,” she notes. It’s other winemaking tools too that get shared. “If someone needs a chemical, you just give it to them.”
Rupy cites such incidents too in his experience here. “I just sold out all of my white wine,” he said. “So, I am bringing in some guest wines instead.” As proof, he cites that he is now pouring Corcoran’s chardonnay, Hiddencroft Vineyard’s Traminette, and North Gate Vineyard’s chardonnay.
Bacchanalian crisis averted.
“Everyone wants to pour their own wine – but I don’t have a problem pouring others’ wine,” he says. He goes further: “But I am so happy and proud to pour it. People will enjoy it, and it will make the experience more ‘whole’ in our tasting room.”
And, when things appear a bit ‘fruitless’ in terms of finding and growing just the right grape for a wine concoction, there are no barriers to getting needed goods.
Rupy says he was at Breaux Vineyards recently, talking to owner Dave Collins about some fruit needs and the challenge of blending wines just the right way. “I asked him for help on my Viognier and my Vidal Blanc,” says he. “Dave gave me great information, and he also grew the fruit that I am now making my wine with.”
Why do all this?, I asked Rupy and Corcoran. “It’s not to get rich – that’s for sure!,” exclaimed Corcoran. But she notes that by collaborating instead of feuding or fighting for market share, everyone truly wins and it helps the overall industry in Loudoun get that much more powerful – by working together, not apart.
“It’s all focused on quality,” Rupy agrees. “We’ll do anything we can to help [each other]. Forging partnerships…sharing best practices.” Doing so, he says, helps set “a better course – a more productive course.” He cites winemaker Doug Fabbioli as one who has been active in the ‘big family’ of winemakers. “Everyone wants to raise the bar,” adds Rupy, with a surely unintended pun.
These folks can be very direct with each other, too. Corcoran, in her role, helps lead tastings across Loudoun and Northern Virginia. They sample each others’ wines and give opinions. It can be a brutally honest affair, she notes. If she tries a wine and it tastes like NyQuil, she admits she’s likely to blurt out, “Oh my gosh – this is awful – what happened here?” The goal, of course, isn’t to be acidic.
“We bring problem wines, share views, and offer suggestions. Everyone has a bad wine now and then, but you just fix it,” Corcoran says.
I tried to goad her – peel her away from this ‘happy camper’ view of Loudoun’s winemaking family: “Lori, come on, can’t you just say, your wine is best?”, I asked. “Gosh, no!,” exclaimed Corcoran, to my surprise. “Each winery in Loudoun has something to offer. Quality is on the increase in Loudoun. I don’t think anyone can say, ‘I’m the best’. Next harvest, the wine that won the award could be completely different.”
Or taste of sour grapes.
Rupy agrees that collaborating is better than feuding. He says the winery association is “a great group”, and helps winemakers with marketing, sales, legislative advocacy, and quality assurance. “We’re getting more sophisticated, and smarter.”
Lori Corcoran tells it straight: “I do it for the good of Loudoun and the wine industry.”
Wow. Who knew? A ‘cheers’ is in order. With such great attitudes – and wineries – in Loudoun, we can all drink to that.
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