The Premium wines started with the 2008 Chambourcin Reserve, described by the winemaker as a "complex Zinfandel-style wine" which piqued our interest. Unfortunately, I'm not really sure how to describe it except to say that it was not Chambourcin as we know it. The nose was a little oaky and I couldn't really pick out any flavor profile. Having said that, I didn't dislike it but it wasn't really up my alley. The 2008 Pinot Noir Reserve had the same brownish color in the glass as the first Pinot but the nose was more earthy. The tannins were firm with some fruitness in the back of the palate and it finished with hints of black tea.
The tasting ended with two dessert wines. The first, the 2009 Late Harvest Vidal Blanc, was lovely! Nicely balanced - sweet but not cloying - it had a hint of petrol and dried apricot on the nose with a long honey-apricot finish. The second was the port-style Chocolate Cherry Truffle. A fun, light-bodied after-dinner drink reminiscent of chocolate-covered cherries, I can see sipping this one by the fire on a cool fall night.
In a nutshell, I would say that Crossing Vineyards was a mixed bag for us. My PIC was more disappointed than I was but perhaps our bars were set differently. I thought that the whites were pretty solid but most of the reds were just not my style. We did, however, exit through the gift shop, and did not leave empty-handed.
I have to admit I was kinda disapointed. Based on what I had seen online, I expected it to be more to my liking.
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