Upcoming Events

The 8th Annual Hottest Cool Jazz Festival
May 22-23, 10 am-6 pm

Hey, get hip, daddy-O. Jazz - yeah, man, come hear 'em beat it out at Chrysalis Vineyards. Be cool cats on the lawn; slide your jibe, down some wine, some bread and cheese ... now that's in the groove. Great wines, breathtaking views, food and jazz on the patio ... what could be better!?

It is hard to imagine more breathtaking views than Locksley Estate in the spring. Add to this, incredible jazz from the areas hottest bands; food for sale from local "BBQ Catering King;" cheese and chocolates from Virginia's most highly regarded producers; exquisite jewelry, photographs, and artifacts from top-notch designers; and fine art from renowned artists, then you have the makings of not just a festival - rather, an experience. Factor in that you are at Chrysalis Vineyards, the world's largest grower of Norton, The Real American Grape!^® and you truly have a celebration.

Admission is $20 at the door, $15 in advance. Free for our VIP Club members. Email Hump Astorga HAstorga@ChrysalisWine.com or call 540-687-8222, ext. 205. For complete festival details, click here.

Wine Dinner

The Restaurant at the Goodstone Inn and Estate
36205 Snake Hill Road, Middleburg, VA 20117
540-687-4645
www.goodstone.com

March 11, 2010 - 7:00 pm

Chrysalis Vineyards is teaming with Chef William Walden from The Goodstone Inn and Estate for a wine dinner destined to please the most discerning of gourmands. Chef Walden’s passionate and straightforward philosophy in the kitchen is to use only the freshest and finest ingredients available, mostly sourced from Goodstone's own organic herb and vegetable gardens as well as only the finest purveyors in the country. Tucked away on the outskirts of Middleburg, this hospitable Virginia estate welcomes visitors from all over the world, who are often enamored by the beauty of our countryside. Turning its attention to a premier culinary event, which will celebrate local food paired with world-class wine from Chrysalis Vineyards, we are excited to embark on an evening that will showcase the best of Loudoun County. This is a dinner not to be missed!

Click to view the menu

Volunteer Opportunities

March, April and May, will each see the bottling of our remaining 2008 and 2009 wines. We have a few slots open on each of the days for volunteers to help with our bottling efforts. Bottling work is manual labor, which sometimes requires lifting, and is performed outdoors. Most of the work occurs after the wine has been bottled, utilizing the help of our volunteers to accomplish many tasks. It is an amazing process, mixing automation with manpower, and relying on teamwork to accomplish some lofty goals. All in all, it's a fun day and quite educational - though work nonetheless.

We start each day with coffee and doughnuts around 8:45 a.m., go to the bottling line around 9:00 a.m., and then break for a hearty lunch on us, around 12:30 p.m. Of course, we send you home with TWO bottles of the wine you bottled, for each shift you volunteer. (4 Bottles Total for a full day - both shifts). The shifts are: 8:45 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. and/or 12:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.

• Tuesday, 3/30/2010: 8:45 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. (Includes Coffee and Doughnuts + Lunch) and/or 12:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. (Includes Lunch)
• Tuesday, 4/20/2010: 8:45 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. (Includes Coffee and Doughnuts + Lunch) and/or 12:30 p.m. -6:30 p.m. (Includes Lunch)
• Tuesday, 5/18/2010: 8:45 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. (Includes Coffee and Doughnuts + Lunch) and/or 12:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. (Includes Lunch)

If you would like to volunteer for any or all of these shifts, please contact Hump Astorga 540-687-8222, ext. 205 or email HAstorga@ChrysalisWine.com.

Wine Updates

2008 Chrysalis Vineyards Private Reserve White - sorry, sold out - VIP Club only

2009 Chrysalis Vineyards Nouveau Blanc - sorry, sold out - VIP Club only

2009 Chrysalis Vineyards Riesling - coming very soon - VIP Club only

2009 Chrysalis Vineyards Private Reserve White - coming soon - VIP Club only

2009 Chrysalis Vineyards Mariposa - coming soon

Et cetera, et cetera, et cetera, and so forth

Current Wine Releases and Tasting Notes

On our website, we maintain a complete list of all currently available wines, pricing and tasting notes. Click for details.

Recent Awards and Recognitions

New results since the October Newsletter

The Florida State Fair International Wine Competition, February 4 - 6, 2010
• Chrysalis Vineyards 2008 Albariño - Double Gold Medal
• Chrysalis Vineyards 2008 Viognier - Silver Medal
• Chrysalis Vineyards 2005 Norton Estate Bottled - Silver Medal
• Chrysalis Vineyards 2005 Norton Locksley Reserve - Silver Medal

Dallas Morning News Wine Competition, February 1 - 2, 2010
• Chrysalis Vineyards 2005 Norton Estate Bottled - Silver Medal

The Virginia Governor’s Cup Competition (Reds) - January 23, 2010
• Chrysalis Vineyards 2005 Norton Locksley Reserve - Gold Medal (Eligible for Governor's Cup)
• Chrysalis Vineyards 2005 Norton Estate Bottled - Silver Medal
• Chrysalis Vineyards 2006 Tannat - Bronze Medal
• Chrysalis Vineyards 2008 Viognier - Silver Medal
• Chrysalis Vineyards 2008 Albariño - Silver Medal

San Francisco Chronicle International Wine Competition, January 8, 2010
• Chrysalis Vineyards 2008 Viognier - Silver Medal
• Chrysalis Vineyards 2008 Albariño - Bronze Medal
• Chrysalis Vineyards 2005 Norton Estate Bottled - Bronze Medal
• Chrysalis Vineyards 2005 Norton Locksley Reserve - Bronze Medal

The Jefferson Cup Invitational Wine Competition, November 19 - 20, 2009
• Chrysalis Vineyards 2008 Viognier - American Examples of Greatness
• Chrysalis Vineyards 2008 Albariño - American Examples of Greatness
• Chrysalis Vineyards 2005 Norton Estate Bottled - Certificate of American Merit
• Chrysalis Vineyards 2005 Norton Locksley Reserve - Certificate of American Merit

A complete list of our Competition Awards is on our web site.

Click here for 2010 Awards
Click here for 2009 Awards

VIP Club at Chrysalis Vineyards

Receive a 15% discount on ALL purchases at Chrysalis Vineyards; enjoy our Private Reserve White and Private Reserve Red, made EXPRESSLEY for our VIP Club members, be our guest for the VIP Club members' Recognition Party and much more. Click for details.

Groups and Facility Rentals

Hosting an event or having a wedding? Planning a group tour? Click for details.

Report from the Tasting Room

Perhaps you have noticed that in these monthly newsletters, we have asked various members of our Tasting Room staff to share their thoughts about wine and their work at Chrysalis Vineyards. Since the beginning of 2009, we have included the thoughts and observations of our loyal crew, which we believe enables you to interact at a more personal level with all of us. We hope to continue with these contributions, as it is always special to make a connection with those who pour your wine. Enjoy!

I am so honored to share with you a little of my 5 wonderful years as part of the Chrysalis Vineyards family. As many of you who have participated in my tastings know, my history with Chrysalis Vineyards goes far beyond that. I found Chrysalis Vineyards quite by accident. I was searching for wines I could talk about with my best friend in California. Virginia was an emerging wine market then, and my friends challenged me to find wines worthy of conversation. I found success at Chrysalis Vineyards! I was introduced to Viognier, Norton, and other amazing grape varietals through impassioned tastings conducted by Jenni at various locations on the farm. I continued hitting the wine trails but inevitably returned to my wine home on Locksley Estate. I recall days of Norton, the first farm dog, greeting me as his daughter "Fer" does now. Okay, their greeting was one of looking for food, but it makes me feel welcome just the same.

My early days were watching the completion of the Winery, the Tasting Room open, and the farm expand, all while the grape vines and the customer base grew. When the Tasting Room first opened, I never imagined that the room would be full, and now we have 5 tasting locations on the grounds. In the past, I have conducted sometimes 6 to 7 different tastings, simultaneously, to row after row of waiting patrons; whereas now, we provide a very comprehensive format that is well organized and that allows a more exciting tasting experience for you. Our Tasting Room staff has experienced changes and growth as well, and while I do miss some of my fellow comrades, I know we’ll see them on the other side of the tasting stations soon. I am thankful for our VIP club members - the original members through to our newest ones this week - for faithfully supporting Chrysalis Vineyards, and in turn Virginia agriculture, every month. I have had the distinct honor of observing and participating in this growth as a customer, a volunteer, and ultimately as an employee. Through all of this growth, I have seen exceptional quality, and from my first bottle of Chrysalis Vineyards wine to the one I opened last night, I see miraculous consistency in great wines that have fullness and complexity, and just the right amount of fun.

As I write this, I am looking at a sunlit snow bank, anticipating not only the arrival of spring but also the opening of the 2005 Norton Locksley Reserve in front of me. It's time for my weekly call to my best friend, and yes, we will enjoy drinking and discussing Chrysalis Vineyards wine once again. I look forward to seeing you soon and creating many warm memories!

Melissa Nulter, Tasting Room Sales Associate

Report from the Chef

"Little Miss Muffet sat on a tuffet
Eating her curds and whey,
along came a spider,
who sat down beside her
And frightened Miss Muffet away."

So now you’ve heard, the word is out - Chrysalis Vineyards plans to bring on board a new member of the team…Little Miss Muffet!

Such is the road that lies before us; we will further our expansion by relying on a nursery rhyme to guide our path!

What you may not know is that Little Miss Muffet is likely to be a "Tamworth" or "Large Black" - two breeds of domestic pigs, native to England, listed as Critically Endangered by the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy, yet has great hardiness toward adverse climates. These animals are not only durable and rugged, but also extremely well suited to forest grazing, which makes them efficient meat producers. The bristle density and coat color protect their skin from ultraviolet harm from the sun and make them tolerant of many sun-born illnesses. So, as we move forward with our plan to create sustainable agriculture at Locksley Estate and Caeli Farm, we will include pigs that are similar to our Devon cows - able to live outdoors with minimal human intervention. Our goal is to produce world-class charcuterie from the animals we raise and feed them what we produce. Now that you sort of understand which pigs, then why the whey?

Whey is the watery part of milk that is separated from the curd when making cheese and is an excellent source of protein, vitamins, minerals, and lactose. We plan to feed the pigs grains that we soak in the whey, resulting from our cheese making, to make a highly nutritious food. This, along with the grass they eat, will comprise their diet. Without getting too technical - why the need to supplement the grains with whey?

Pigs, like the other livestock species, need high-quality protein. All of the grains, except soybeans, have low-quality proteins that have low levels of essential amino acids, which are extremely important for pig growth. Soybeans have a higher quality protein profile, but the amount of soybeans that can be fed to pigs is limited because soybeans produce what is known as "soft pork," when consumed in a high percentage to the total diet. Softness refers to the pig’s fat - soft pork fat is just that, soft and greasy. Pigs deposit a significant amount of the fat they consume in their bodies in the same form in which it is consumed. Soybean oil is nearly liquid at room temperature; therefore, pork fat that contains a high percentage of soybean oil will also lean toward liquid at room temperature, and this does not make appropriately cured meat. Since the standard American pig diet is corn and soybeans, and corn has a tendency to produce soft pork, American-cured pork products are not very highly regarded. Of course, since we’ve grown up eating soft pork, we don’t know the difference. Compare the U.S. to Italy, where the famous hams of Parma and San Daniele are produced. Pigs from these regions consume diets based on grains, nuts, and whey.

Finally, because pigs are omnivores, they have relatively small stomachs and cannot consume as much fiber as would be necessary to satisfy their high-quality protein needs from forage. Therefore, an all-grain diet for pigs is deficient and will produce extremely slow weight gain and lesser quality pork, unless it is fortified.

So, there it is folks, our plan for Miss Muffet. Surely many hurdles will lie before us, but the "whey" we figure it, just gotta take care of that spider!

Try your hand at curing your own Pancetta! What? Did you just say, "No whey!"? It’s really not difficult. The art of curing meats has been a staple in many cultures for generations, for many reasons. Equally as important to preserving the meat for better safety and prolonged shelf life is the ease with which curing can be performed. There are many books on the subject, but one I recommend that is readily available is the classic Charcuterie: The Craft of Salting, Smoking, and Curing by Michael Ruhlman. This book is a great catalyst for learning the basics, which once you master, you can experiment with refining your own flavors for cures. In light of the future expansion at Chrysalis Vineyards, I am including a recipe for Home-Cured Pancetta, which is pork belly (bacon) that is cured but not smoked, and uses one of my favorite spice blends. Once you taste the difference between what you can create yourself compared to what you buy at a store, you will also become a convert. Pair dishes that are flavored with your pancetta with big, earthy wines, such as our 2006 Chrysalis Vineyards Tannat, and you achieve a true symmetry between agriculture and repeatable processes.

Click here for the recipe.

Hump Astorga, Director of Hospitality and Culinary Operations

Report from the Winemaker

The month of February has, perhaps, been no more nor less fun for Brenden and I than it has been for you. Coming from sunny southern California, this weather has really harshed my buzz. Now that the snow and ice have turned to mud my car is brown half way up the side. It is an appealing shade but, I look forward to a dry and firm road to travel on. While the work load for us in the winery is not excessive at this time of the year, there are many critical tasks to perform if we are to avoid working day and night, night and day, to prepare for the upcoming bottling events. Fortunately, Brenden and I have worked together long enough to find our groove and finish jobs in much less time than it would take if either one of us were new to the program.

Along the way we have encountered problems to solve. One problem involves a stuck fermentation. We have had practice with this and knew just what to do. Fortunately, when we face challenges we do it as a team. Another problem concerns a couple of the Malo-Lactic fermentations of 2009 red wines. These have been moving along at a speed that is now causing me to lose sleep because these wines are vulnerable to chemical and microbial degradation. We have been monitoring the progress of the MLF with paper chromatography. We also keep checking for potential degradation through chemical as well as organoleptic analyses. We will be much happier when MLF is complete and we can add sulfur and protect these wines. On top of these wine issues we were confronted with a couple of technical and logistical problems that were solved with the help of our friends Noe, our groundskeeper/chicken-wrangler and Ray, who is our new handy-man-about-town. We in the winery are, as always, grateful for the assistance they give us.

As we keep checking our chemistry we are also racking the 2008 reds for elevage. Of course, we need to be evaluating them organoleptically as we work. With every wine that we make, we would be shirking our duty if we failed to put it in our mouths. Just as exciting, and far less tedious, are blending trials: the "romance of winemaking" as my mentor Ken Fugelsang would say. With science, arithmetic and our senses of sight, smell and taste, we have worked out the blends for the wines that will go to bottle in March and have begun the process of assembling, fining and stabilizing. Once we have gotten those tasks behind us the filtration can begin. After experiencing the very successful and quite substantial bottling event in December, I am confident that we can handle every task required and get a good night’s sleep most of the time. Of course, it is best to not count our chickens before they are hatched.

Curtis Vincent, Winemaker

Report from the Vineyard

February was certainly a memorable month from the perspective of unusual winter weather. Record snowfall was recorded with two blizzards occurring only a few days apart. Hopefully, we won't experience snow events like that again for another 100 years or so.

Despite the snow, dormant winter pruning continued with only about a one-week interruption. This interruption was mostly due to Champe Ford Road being impassable for the best part of a week. Understandably, pruning proceeded more slowly than normal due to the necessity of wading through residual snow that accumulated in the vineyard. I know the vineyard staff was worn out after a days pruning in knee-deep snow. Fortunately, the snow did not have any lasting negative impact on the vines or the vineyard other than disrupting workflow and being hard on equipment and staff engaged in snow removal. That said, I don't think the cows or the vineyard dogs were all that excited about the snow. Even though the dogs have well insulated dog houses in the vineyard, we brought all the dogs to the stables to make it easier for us to provide them with food and water on a daily basis. The cows simply had to tough the snowstorm out, which they are quite capable of doing, as long as they have ready access to quality feed and clean water. Of course, it was a bit of a challenge to transport roughly 1,500 pounds of feed and 300-400 gallons of water daily to outlying pastures with nearly 3 feet of snow on the ground!

March promises to be an exciting time on the farm as spring calving begins about the middle of the month. The majority of our cows are bred to calve in the spring during a 45-60 day window. The goal is to have calving coincide with the growth of highly nutritious and palatable new forage (grass). The lactating mother cows’ nutritional requirements peak shortly after calving, and they should have access to the best forage available. The "best" forage is green-growing grass direct from fertile pastures. Hopefully, March will begin to produce lots of green grass and not white snow, or even worse, torrential rain.

Perry Griffin, Locksley Estate Manager

OK… OK, UNCLE!!! Enough winter weather already! I can’t believe how much snow we’ve had this year (and as I write this, Wednesday morning, the 24th) there’s supposed to be even more tonight and tomorrow. Holy tomoly.

Aside from the near impossibility, at first, of moving around the farm and the completely drenched soils, and all the mud, after we carved a few trails (which is no small annoyance, mind you), the snow was really pretty. After that first big snow at the beginning of February the whole of Bull Run Mountain valley was a site to see. Simply breathtaking.

Knowing that we’d be socked in, I invited a couple friends for a "snow party", and they arrived just in the nick of time. (Fredi, our vineyard manager, and I actually had to take the tractor down Champe Ford Road to pull them up the hill.) We drank wine, ate deer stew I simmered for hours in my Crockpot, and had a big snowball fight at midnight in the middle of the storm. I don’t think I’ve had that much "snowstorm fun" in 40 years! (And, oh yeah, I seem to recall taking the 4-wheeler out into the south Norton field and running out of gas :-) But we survived and they were able to leave the farm the following Monday morning. I was impressed that VDOT got the road plowed after we got 2 feet+ of snow. The tasting room was open on Monday and then the next storm hit, and that was it for the rest of the week. The winds caused drifts that were 6 feet tall on Champe Ford Road and the plows couldn’t cut through. The road remained closed for the next 4 1/2 days.

With a month like February, I look forward with great anticipation to my absolute favorite season: Spring. I just love seeing nature’s awakening from what appears to be lifelessness into explosive bright green growth. What a wondrous thing. I’m ready!

Jennifer McCloud Chrysalis Vineyards 23876 Champe Ford Road Middleburg VA 20117 email: McCloud@ChrysalisWine.com telephone: 540-687-8222 website: http://www.ChrysalisWine.com