The tasting room is very cheerful composed of a long, roomy bar backed by windows overlooking the vineyards, plus a fireplace with very comfy chairs and pine paneling throughout; outside is a deck that wraps the second story of the building and tends to get any little breeze that blows past – a welcome relief on our visit because the weather was, reiteratively, very hot and humid!

Naked Mountain’s wines are diverse and delightful.  A tasting consists of six different wines including three whites and three reds.  From the top, their newly released 2008 Unoaked Chardonnay – or stainless steel aged – is “… 100% varietal; and is composed of a bright, fruit-forward chardonnay that is aromatic, clean and refreshing on the palate.” A 2006 Barrel Fermented Chardonnay – Naked Mountain’s signature wine and well worth the $20 per bottle price – is also 100% varietal and described by those in the know as “ … a smooth, rich, dry white wine vinted in the style of a classic French Meursault; this chardonnay vintage was fermented and aged in French and Hungarian oak barrels for ten months.”  Personally, I don’t know the difference between French and Hungarian oak, but there must be something else why distinguish?  Regardless, there really is something to be said for the barrel aged vs. stainless steel varieties, but that’s another topic for another time!  Apparently the Naked Mountain Chardonnay has been served at the White House during state dinners – not just once, but twice!  The third white, their 2009 Chardonnay/Riesling is just that – a blend of 78% Chardonnay and 22% Riesling – with, if I am not mistaken, a 2% residual sugar.  So the wine is not truly sweet, nor very dry; rather, it was greatly refreshing served very chilled on a hot summer afternoon!

And here a mention of the two lovely ladies met while tasting.  There passed an enjoyable hour on the deck sipping and nibbling cheese with Claudia and Nancy, our new BBF’s, and Nancy’s gorgeous German Sheppard dog!  They gamely traveled hither and yon while I managed to take us eight miles out of the way trying to find the next stop of the day – the Philip Carter Winery.  Stay tuned for more of this mis-adventure …

On to the reds – much more complex and challenging to this taster.  By far and away, my favorite vintage of this winery is their 2006 Cabernet Franc – yes, yet again those Cab Franc’s make the top of my list of most delectable vintages. Naked Mountain’s is most competitively priced at $22 per bottle!  Their Cabernet Franc is a blend – go figure – of 85% Cab Franc + 5% Merlot, 5% Tannat and 5% Petit Verdot.  The website description says it all:  “a medium bodied red wine [reminiscent of a fine Pinot Noir] with a nose that comes alive with aromas of violets, dark cherries, and candied currants, and subtle hints of earth and smoky oak. The well rounded tannins on the palate are accompanied with flavors of black cherry, raspberry, green peppercorns, stewed plums, and leather (huh?).”  Except for the leather – honestly, I didn’t taste any leather – but the black cherry, raspberry, and pepper – green or otherwise – make a decidedly delicious combination!  The winery’s website mentions additional reds as 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon, 2005 Merlot, 2006 Raptor Red, and their 2005 Scarlet Oak – a blend of 48% Syrah, 48% Mourvedre, 4% Tannat – the vineyard’s first Rhone style blend, a rich, red wine with smoky character and aromas of plums, dark berries, and violets; the palate is dominated by jammy fruit and tar, with hints of leather, spice, and eucalyptus in the lingering finish. There’s that mention of “leather” again; it just conjures up images of old shoes!

Thanks to the staff, and our new BFF’s, for a wonderful visit!

http://nakedmtnwinery.com/

Naked Mountain Sauvignon Blanc