As we all try to enjoy summer a little differently this year, wineries are a great social option because you can social distance and enjoy something new without the repeated interactions of restaurants. And the good news is new things are always happening at Virginia wineries!
New Kent is the Richmond area ‘hub’ for wineries, and Virginia’s newest addition celebrated a successful grand opening on July 3rd. A visit to Jolene Family Winery coincided perfectly with my visit home to see family for the holiday weekend.
The Aesthetic
The winery is very conveniently located along Route 60 on property owned by the Mikelaites family since the 1960s. According to their website, co-owners Sandy Lewis, Brian Mikelaites and Cindy Mikelaites are renovating the former family nursery, and the winery name is a tribute to their parents Joseph and Helene Mikelaites.
The winery has a very casual feel, almost as if you are enjoying wine in your backyard. A small but open tasting room leads out to a porch with tables and a canopy of pine trees with plenty of room to picnic against a backdrop of beautiful Tom Brooks Lake. I really liked being able to picnic as I’m not quite ready to be at a table close to people! Future additions of a production facility and event space were in the process of being constructed.
I briefly met co-owner Brian Mikelaites at the grand opening, and reached out to him to get more insight about his family’s journey to winery ownership. He explained that his family's passion for wine and the friendly atmosphere of the Virginia wine industry was the main impetus for transforming the property into a winery. Creating a friendly and family-like atmosphere is very important to the Mikelaites family, and can be seen from the layout of the winery as described above, to the winemaking itself.
Brian described his winemaking philosophy as "creating a spectrum of offerings where there is a wine for everyone to enjoy", and is most proud of their Family White and Family Red (which I'm also a fan of!) that are very balanced and feature bottle artwork designed by his daughter-in-law. Brian also emphasized that the Virginia winery family has been extremely welcoming and supportive in allowing use of production facilities and grape purchasing while the family's own vines mature.
The Tasting
Like most wineries right now, Jolene Family Winery offers a self-guided tasting, and this one included 10 of their wines! If you are more of a white or red fan you can get flights of just those wines too.
One thing to keep in mind when trying wine is your wine preferences may vary widely depending on the time of year. In this case, my favorites were very much based on it being 95 degrees outside when a refreshing wine was definitely on my mind.
The Whites: The tasting offered 4 whites - two blends, a Pinot Grigio, and a Vidal Blanc. If you are a fan of slightly sweeter, fruit forward white wines, this is a spot for you! All the options were easy to drink, with the Lakeview White (Vidal Blanc/Chardonnay blend) being the sweetest of the four. My favorite was the Family White, another blend of Vidal Blanc and Chardonnay that had distinct tropical notes on the front but the slight dryness of a Chardonnay in the middle to balance things out.
The Rosé: The tasting included a merlot rosé that is the fun color of the inside of a grapefruit. This is made a little different than what you may be used to as it is a sweet rosé with distinct cherry flavors.
The Reds: The tasting offered 4 reds - two blends, a Chambourchin, and a Cabernet Franc. For my red wine fans, you will definitely like the Cabernet Franc as the smokey and peppery notes are right in line with most that I’ve tried in Virginia without being too dry on the end. For Bordeaux blend fans there is the Family Red blend of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon.
My favorite was the Chambourcin - you are starting to see more of this made as a single varietal in Virginia, and it’s my go-red right now. Jolene’s did not disappoint! Their description of violets was perfectly matched in both the smell and taste and not something I’ve tasted from this wine before.
Peach Wine Time! My favorite wine of the afternoon was their Vasara peach wine. While sweet, it tasted very natural rather than syrupy and perfect for a hot summer day.
Stacy’s Take
Red Range: *** - there a red wine for everyone!
Family Friendly: *** - plenty of grassy area for kids!
Tasting Fee: $10 for 10 wines
Outside Food Allowed: Yes!
My order: I purchased a glass of the Family White and split a bottle of the Vasara with my sister. We also purchased a bottle of each of these to take home as I needed more summer sipping options!
I really enjoyed my time at this winery, and definitely recommend if you’re looking for an easy to reach spot that is following the social distancing rules while also allowing picnics with a nice view.
Comment below if you have suggestions for future Summer 'Sip n' Sees' or wines to review!
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