2008 Lovingston Seyval Blanc

Virginia certainly has a thriving wine industry, and even has a magazine, Virginia Wine Lover, dedicated to their wine. So I was excited when my wife received a gift of a bottle of wine from Virginia, the 2008 Lovingston Seyval Blanc.

Lovingston Winery is located in the rolling countryside of the Blue Ridge Mountains. It is mainly family operated except for their head winemaker Riaan Rossouw. It is a small winery that produces small quantities of wine, with a goal of producing high quality wines. I spoke to John of Anything Wine, a resident of Virginia, and he had very positive things to say about the winery.

Seyval Blanc is a hybrid grape used to produce white wines. It is conducive to cool climates so can grow well in Canada, New Engaland and New York. It is known for possessing a citrus taste as well as a nice minerality. The winery states that the 2008 Lovingston Seyval Blanc ($13) "...carries a refreshing minerality with a nose of grapefruit and lime. The crisp acidity makes it a perfect seafood-pairing wine,.."

I found the wine to have a light golden color with a pronounced smell of citrus, especially grapefruit, as well as mineral notes. On the palate, I found it to be rather full bodied and slightly effervescent. The citrus flavors shone through, mostly grapefruit with hints of lemon. It was fairly crisp and very pleasant to drink. The finish was moderately long. I enjoyed this simple wine, though it did not overly impress me. It would be nice on a summer day or as a light apertif.