Sugarloaf Mountain Vineyard opened its doors in 2006. It has been a highly regarded quality producer ever since. I first discovered them at the Drink Local conference in Maryland hosted by Dave McIntyre and co-hosted by The Cork Report's Lenn Thompson. It was a pleasant surprise to find as I was searching around the basement for something to go with a fresh pasta dish I was making.
The vines are grown in the unique microclimate at the base of Sugarloaf Mountain. The winery’s 22 acres of vines are French vinifera clones grafted on American rootstock and were carefully selected by world-renowned viticulturist Lucie Morton. They currently grow five white varieties and five red varieties. The grapes are hand-picked, cold-soaked, cold-fermented and aged in stainless steel or French oak barrels.
The winery currently produces Chardonnay, Unoaked Chardonnay, Viognier, Penelope (dry white blend), and Siren(off-dry white blend). Their red list includes Cabernet Franc, plus their signature Bordeaux-style blends: Comus and EVOE!, Petite Merlot, Petitie Verdot,
The team consists of new owner Emily Yang, the winemaker Manolo Gomez, the Vineyard Manager: Julio Rivas, Jeffrey Lund managing the tasting room, along with Tasting Room Assistant Manager Dominique Forsman.
The Sugarloaf Mountain Viognier 2015 was lovely. Peach, tangerine, apricot, and sweet apple and pear come off the nose. Hints of other tropical fruits also abound. The wine is off-dry. There's a hint of sweetness, but there's also some lovely zippy acidity which makes the whole wine come alive. Really, really pretty wine!