Pollak Vineyards - Virginia Wine Market

Wine Grapes

You know Merlot and Cab. Meet the ‘other red’ Chambourcin.

Most red drinkers start with Merlot or Cabernet Sauvignon. Virginia’s Chambourcin is the under-the-radar hybrid that thrives here and pairs with real-life weeknight food. Learn what it tastes like, how to serve it, and where to find...

Finding Virginia’s Pinot Noir: Styles, Pairings, and the Producers to Know

Pinot Noir is a cool-climate classic that thrives in a handful of Virginia’s highest, breeziest sites. Here is how it tastes here, how to serve and pair it, and the producers to know—including houses crafting traditional-method...

The Spanish Invasion. Virginia Albariño Takes Gold in 2025

Albariño has crashed Virginia’s white-wine party in the best way. Clean citrus, seaside snap, and just enough stone fruit to make your heart flutter. Let’s toast the 2025 Governor’s Cup golds proving this Spanish original has a...

Viognier 101. Aroma-driven elegance from Condrieu to Virginia

Viognier is the white that seduces with perfume before a sip ever hits the lips. Apricot, peach, honeysuckle, and a hint of ginger define its signature style. In Virginia, this grape has become a calling card for wineries that favor richly...

Petit Verdot in Virginia: Flavor, History, and Smart Pairings

Petit Verdot is one of Virginia’s quiet powerhouses. This late-ripening Bordeaux grape delivers saturated color, floral aromatics, firm tannin, and structure that make it a favorite for both blending and varietal bottlings in the...

Port-Style in Virginia. History, Makers, and Perfect Moments to Pour

Port began on the steep schist of Portugal's Douro. Today, Virginia winemakers channel that tradition with their own fortified reds and whites. Here is your playful, practical guide to who makes port-style wine in the Commonwealth, how it...

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Guides to Wine

What is Meritage?

The Mystique of "America's Bordeaux"

This history of the use of the word Meritage in labeling wines really is fascinating. The brainchild of a group of American vintners, who wanted a way to identify and promote American wines that used the same grapes as those used in Bordeaux. A contest was held to come up with a name to call this American blend. Of the more than 6,000 entries received, Meritage, a completely made up word to combine the words Merit and Heritage was chosen. It is pronounced like heritage, with an M.

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