About the Wine Uncensored episode

Aileen Sevier, VP of Strategy & Marketing for Early Mountain Vineyards in Virginia, joined John Sporing, founder of A Life Well Drunk, to celebrate #OpenLocalWine day on April 8, 2021.

 

Did you miss the live tasting? No worries, watch it here:

In our conversation with Aileen, we were guided through three of their wines:

• Rosé 2020: Fresh, energetic, and pure dry Rosé.
• Petit Manseng 2019: A flavor explosion! Tropical and citrus fruits, rich texture, rippling power.
• Shenandoah Valley Cabernet Franc 2019: Blended from two mountainside vineyards. Aromatic, pure and velvety. Raspberry fruit with herbal undertones. Bright and tangy.

Meet the Maker

In 2005, Jess and Sharon Sweely planted the first vineyards on the property. Jean Case and her husband, Steve, purchased the property in 2010 and, after some renovations, re-opened it under the Early Mountain brand in 2012. In 2015, Early Mountain expanded its acreage to include Quaker Run Vineyard, 14 miles north of the Early Mountain estate in Madison County. That year, Early Mountain increased its acreage of classic Bordeaux-type varietals such as Cabernet Franc and Merlot and added new varietals including Malvasia Bianca, Sauvignon Blanc, and Tannat.

In 2016, Early Mountain Vineyards was voted the number one tasting room in the nation by USA Today in its 10 Best Readers’ Choice contest.