While spring break may bring visions of Cancun for some, others know spring means the annual reopening of the Stone Mountain Vineyards tasting room. Don’t expect to find college coeds in bikinis or MTV doing a live remote instead expect to discover exceptional wines as well a different kind of fantastic vista.
Walking into the enormous tasting room, with its rich heartwood pine floors and exposed beams, one might think the space was designed from inception for large events. In reality, the size of the tasting room was dictated by the needs of the winery below. Large windows surround the room providing a clear view of the vineyards and valley below.
The tasting room features comfortable furniture and coffee tables beckoning the visitor to sit and enjoy the view from inside, but one would be remiss not to go out on the observation deck regardless of the weather. From a vantage point of 1,700 feet, the deck offers views of four counties.
The clear crisp spring mountain air greets you as you step out the door of Stone Mountain Vineyards tasting room on to their expansive observation deck. Hawks gracefully ride the gentle geothermal waves from the valley below.
Located on Wyatt Mountain in Greene County, Stone Mountain Vineyards is making a name for itself as one of the Monticello appellation’s premier boutique wineries.
Winemaker Chris Breiner explains the idea of a mountain winery came from his late father, Al Breiner. “My Dad was riding on a train in Germany and saw the steep vineyards planted on either side of the Rhine River and thought if they can grow grapes on these steep slopes, I bet I can do back on my mountain farm in Virginia.
“That moment was the birth of the vision,” Breiner explained. “The winery building site was selected for its unbelievable views. Dad often said he should charge for the view and give away the wine!”
The architecture for the building was designed to maximize gravity flow processing within the winery, and to create a low profile building to not disturb the viewscape from below. There were many hurdles to building a large timber structure halfway up the side of a steep mountain, not the least of which how to get the large timbers up a twisting mountain road.
Wyatt Mountain Road has grown become an important part of the Stone Mountain experience. One of the first things visitors remark on is the ride up the state maintained road. They then see the views and taste the wines and they determine the ride was well worth it. Embroidered on the back of every Stone Mountain baseball cap is the saying “How ‘bout that road”.
From the beginning Stone Mountain has focused on high quality, low quantity vineyard production. Working with Gabriele Rausse, one of the fathers of the rebirth of Virginia wine, each vineyard was oriented to maximize the intensity of the fruit. In addition, the steep slope of the mountain prevented the heavy spring frost from settling in and damaging the vines.
Unlike some properties, Stone Mountain Vineyards still believes hand picking the fruit is a critical step in the winemaking process. By select handpicking, the fruit that arrives at the winery is only the best the vineyard has to offer; less attractive clusters are left. This results in a more powerful and fruit centered wine.
With its rich ruby color and fruit forward flavor profile, Stone Mountain Vineyards Cabernet Franc is the unofficial wine of spring. Much more expressive than the average California Cabernet Sauvignon, SMV Cabernet Franc Reserve features rich cedar undertones highlighted by plum and raspberry notes. It is best enjoyed with grilled or braised beef or lamb.
While there are many schools of thought regarding white wines, in wine growing circles, Chardonnay remains the benchmark. It is Virginia’s highest volume wine grape. Stone Mountain’s altitude combined with its vineyard practices and its winery regime produces Chardonnay fruit that shines in two stylistically different wines.
2006 “Stainless” Chardonnay – Stainless steel fermentation (Alsatian style) produces luscious ripeness and crisp lingering finish, orange blossom honey, perfectly ripe green apple, pineapple, and other tropical fruits dominate the bouquet.
2006 Chardonnay Reserve – Partial Malolactic fermentation provides a bouquet that hints of toasted barrel heads. This well integrated vintage starts with a subtle attack and a rich full mouth feel leading to a well balanced memorable finish in this well crafted vintage.
The Chardonnay Reserve benefits from eight months of aging in Stone Mountain’s wine cave. Using a unique mix of French and American oak barrels the wine is stored at a precise fifty-five degrees in natural cave humidity to protect the aging process and integrity of the fruit.
The April calendar features two great wine events in Greene County. The Monticello Wine Trail Wine and Food Festival (www.monticellowinetrail.com) featuring twenty wineries will be held at The Morris Farm on April 19th and 20th. The following weekend Stone Mountain Vineyard (www.stonemountainvineyards.com) hosts its eighth annual spring open house. With hearty Brunswick stew and delicious desserts, the open house includes tours of the winery facility and barrel tastings in the wine cave on the hour.
A Spring break to Stone Mountain Vineyards is just what the doctor ordered. While looking over the observation deck to the valley below and with a glass of award winning Stone Mountain Cabernet Franc in hand, the Breiner family vision can be seen, tasted, and most fully appreciated.
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