This past Saturday, April 5th, we embarked on a barrel tasting adventure through six Loudoun wineries—four new discoveries and two familiar favorites. The experience offered not just delicious wine, but a deeper understanding of how Virginia’s terroir shapes its distinctive vintages and a fascinating education in winemaking.

Throughout the day, we learned how barrels from different origins—American, French, and Hungarian oak—each impart unique flavors to the aging wine. We discovered that older “neutral” barrels have less influence on flavor as they’ve already released much of their oak character in previous uses. Perhaps most interesting was gaining insight into which grape varieties thrive in Virginia’s sometimes challenging climate, with its heat and unpredictable rainfall patterns.

Here are my takeaways from our day away from all the noise.

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