This time of year wineries all over the northern hemisphere are taking delivery of freshly coopered oak wine barrels. "Barrel" is an almost uniquely American colloquialism that is occasionally sneered at outside of American winemaking circles. What we think of as wine barrels is usually known in the rest of the world by the French term, barrique. However, barrique refers specifically to the Bordeaux style of wine barrel that holds 225 liters of wine (or 59.4 US gallons). The

This French term has been adopted by English speaking wine grape growers and simply refers to the onset of ripening. But like many technical terms used in the wine industry its current meaning has taken on a slightly different context than its original usage. While grape clusters are always developing, veraison refers specifically to the time when the grape vine ceases vine growth (development of leaves and lengthening of shoot growth) and directs photosynthesis to ripening i

Progress at Antietam Creek Vineyards

Jason's wines have received the following scores from Stuart Pigott in an April 2017 review of Virginia: Chrysalis Vineyards Virginia Papillon Hollin Reserve 2013: 94 Chrysalis Vineyards Norton Virginia Locksley Reserve 2014: 93 Chrysalis Vineyards Norton Virginia Barrel Select 2014: 92 Chrysalis Vineyards Nebbiolo Virginia Hollin Reserve 2013: 90 See the whole story here: THOMAS JEFFERSON IS PROVEN RIGHT AS VIRGINIA WINE COMES OF AGE