Here are the drinks that won our 2021 Made in Virginia Awards.
(Photography by Fred and Elliott)
Black Chevron Vodka
(Three Crosses Distilling: in Powhatan)
For the Davenports, their 80-proof vodka had been high on their wish list since the beginning. “When we were coming up with products before the distillery opened, we had several people ask us to make vodka,” says Michelle, one of only a handful of female distillers in Virginia. Boasting a crisp, clean slate, this spirit should be at the top of every bartender’s list.
$21.99 ThreeCrossesDistilling.com
Kali Hibiscus Gin
(Virago Spirits: in Richmond)
Brothers Barry, Bart, and Brad Haneberg say Virago Spirits focuses on “misunderstood and forgotten” spirits, such as rum, brandy, and gin, many of which have historical ties to Virginia. The Hanebergs use a French still to make nuanced, sophisticated products and then create variations by aging them in finishing barrels, sometimes trading used barrels with other producers to layer the flavors. Kali is an alternate version of Virago’s gin made “to appeal to adventurous consumers,” says Brad. “Hibiscus and orange is a classic combination in spirits, and …we were not shy with either the hibiscus or the orange peel, but we feel that the resulting product is visually stunning and quite unusual.” Kali adds complex flavor and gorgeous holiday color to any cocktail.
$42.99, ViragoSpirits.com
3 Bootlegged Lemonade Boxed Whiskey Cocktail
(MurLarkey Distilled Spirits: in Bristow)
(Photography by Fred and Elliott)
Founded in 2015 by cousins Tom Murray and Mike and Jim Larkin, MurLarkey Distilled Spirits was named the No. 4 distillery in the country by Travel + Leisure this year. MurLarkey recently introduced boxed cocktails, “the first of their kind, as far as we know,” says social media coordinator Josh Luckenbaugh. MurLarkey pivoted from cans to boxes last year when demand for eco-friendly packaging coincided with an aluminum can shortage. Luckenbaugh calls the boxes “more environmentally friendly and easier to enjoy.” The first offering, Bootlegged Lemonade, features MurLarkey’s popular Lemon Whiskey mixed with all-natural lemonade. Bootlegged Tea (Three Tea Whiskey and lemonade) and Bootlegged Cider (Cinnamon Whiskey and apple cider) are coming soon. Plus, look for MurLarkey’s first bourbon, called Birthright™, later this year.
$18.99, MurLarkey.com
2019 Viognier
(Jefferson Vineyards: in Charlottesville)
(Photography by Fred and Elliott)
Jefferson Vineyards has dedicated nearly a quarter of their vineyard to Viognier vines (from a white wine grape originating from the northern Rhone region of France), and has produced multiple iterations in the past 20 years. Their 2019 edition is masterfully crafted, with a bouquet of peach, apricot, and lychee that gives way to a vibrant acidity, followed by peach and pineapple on the palate, before a round and lengthy floral finish. The Viognier has won double-gold in the 2020 San Francisco International Wine Competition among other national awards.
$31.95, JeffersonVineyards.com
Ragnarok Rye
(Catoctin Creek: in Purcellville)
Internationally renowned metal band GWAR has been dabbling in the spirits game since opening their own hipster bar in Richmond’s Jackson Ward neighborhood in 2015. But things got scaringly serious when they teamed up with Purcellville’s Catoctin Creek Distillery to create Ragnar k Rye (that’s old Norse for “Fate of the Gods”). The 92-proof whisky is aged in charred new white oak, then sugar maple and cherrywood.
“This is an exciting release, but we were quite surprised when GWAR showed up at our distillery,” says Catoctin Creek founder and general manager Scott Harris. “We had to constantly keep an eye on them to keep them from breaking stuff, and they even tried to eat our dog, Otto. The only way we could get them to leave was to agree to bottle their whisky for them.”
$99, CatoctinCreek.com
2013 Bone Orchard
(Horton Vineyards: in Gordonsville)
(Photography by Fred and Elliott)
A while back, Horton Vineyards made some port-style wine using tannat grapes, intending to blend it into the company’s Vintage Port; tannat is often used to add color, tannins, and structure to other wines. Something went incredibly well with the batch, though, and after it had aged for six years, the family “found these two barrels to be exceptional and felt they needed to be showcased on their own,” says general manager Shannon Horton.
The result is Bone Orchard, a smooth, rich, not-overly-sweet dessert wine with notes of dark fruit and chocolate. In 2019, National Wine Review ranked it among Virginia’s best port-style wines. Part of winemaker Caitlin Horton’s steampunk line, each limited release, hand-numbered bottle features a metal image of the winery’s front gates.
$65, HortonWine.com
Verjus
(Revalation Vineyards: in Madison)
(Photography by Fred and Elliott)
Since 2014, Franoise Seillier-Moiseiwitsch and her husband, Julian, of Revalation Vineyards, have made a variety of award-winning wines in Madison County’s picturesque Hebron Valley, including their signature “Verjus” (green juice in French), an acidic, non-alcoholic juice used in gourmet cooking that has been gaining popularity in the United States due to its versatility and flavor profile.
Verjus is produced by pressing unripe (green) grapes. The light acidity formed by the lower sugar content allows the juice to have a fresh, tart flavor that adds zest to sauces, dressings, and marinades, without overpowering other delicate aromas, making Verjus a valuable commodity for chefs and mixologists alike. Revalation Vineyards sells the only Virginia-made verjus.
$32 for 1 liter, RevalationVineyards.com
2020 Virginia Hewes Crab Single Varietal
(Big Fish Cider Co. in Monterey)
(Photography by Fred and Elliott)
A cidermaker for 28 years, the past six of them commercially, Kirk Billingsley says he makes cider professionally the same way he made it at home, using nothing but fermented apple juice. The owner and “Chief Cider Evangelist” at Big Fish Cider Co., Billingsley says his dry Virginia Hewes Crab Single Varietal cider, “came about unintentionally. I have never been a fan of single varietal ciders. That is, until I fermented this apple. I pressed this juice from 100-percent Virginia apples for fermentation in 2019. It was supposed to go into a blend of other apples, but the depth of flavor and intensity fascinated me, and I felt like I had to bottle this variety by itself to showcase its excellent qualities.”
$19.50, BigFishCider.com
Shenandoah Blue Tea
(Dominion Tea: in Purcellville)
Hillary and David Coley founded Dominion Tea in 2013. “We both love the product and its history. Providing a great product to customers requires travel and strong relationships across Asia and Africa, and it provides the challenge of building a brand that retail consumers and wholesale customers love,” says Hillary. At Dominion Tea’s tasting room, customers can “explore tea—learning where it comes from, how it’s produced, and finding the right teas based on their preference and experience,” she says. A longtime favorite, Shenandoah Blue is a smooth blend of black tea, blue cornflowers, and dried blueberries inspired by Virginia’s native blueberries and named for the Blue Ridge Mountains.
$9.99, DominionTea.com
Colombia Las Brisas Whole Bean Coffee
(Grit Coffee: in Charlottesville and Richmond)
(Photography by Fred and Elliott)
Richmond’s Grit Coffee began with a vision, a little bit of grit, and a whole lot of beans. Today, their journey has led them to six shops (and counting), an expansive roasting operation, and a flourishing e-commerce business. Grit’s Colombia Las Brisas Whole Bean Coffee embodies the roaster’s philosophy of top quality, freshness, and the best ingredients, sourced from a group of almost 50 growers in Rioblanco, Colombia, which is famous for its steep mountains, abundant water, and deep valleys. This relationship allows Grit to source green coffee at a fixed price for the long term. With notes of lemon candy, almond, and cocoa powder, Grit’s Las Brisas is a perfectly balanced brew.
Starts at $16 for 12 ounces. GritCoffee.com
