Bogati Bodega & Vineyard Review
Address: 35246 Harry Byrd Hwy Round Hill,Virginia 20142.
Phone Number: 540-338-1144
Tasting Hours: 12:00-5:00, Fri open until 9:00
Region: Virginia
Reviewer: Anthony Marocco
Review Date: 8/17/2013
Reviewer: Anthony Marocco
Rating: 4
The Review
A few weekends ago while returning from my journey to Bluemont Vineyard, I passed Bogati Bodega & Vineyard on Route 7 in Round Hill and decided to visit. The sister winery to Veramar Vineyards, this Argentinian-inspired boutique winery provides patrons with a tapas menu and live music on the weekends. From the outside, Bogati shares its space with a country store in a rustic warehouse-style building.
As you enter the front door, the floor to ceiling wood glistens in the sun, and the L-shaped tasting bar lies directly in front of you. To the left, a fireplace and very large restaurant style tasting room filled with tables, perfect for ordering some food and sharing a bottle while live entertainment plays in the rear of the room. The Terrace provides a few bistro tables set up for those who are brave enough to weather the intense summer heat or would like fresh Spring or Fall air. During the warmer months, guests can relax by the pond and enjoy the tranquil setting of the Buenos Aires Terrace.
Bogati yields around 3,000 cases per year, and they boast a members-only Black Label wine club with exclusive club discounts and members-only wines. Tastings are $5 for the six wine flight or $20 for the paired tasting that consists of six wines paired with charcuterie, cheeses, gourmet pizza, or handmade empanadas. On this particular afternoon, the traditional tasting would suffice. We chose the right time to visit, arriving just after the rush which allowed us a one-on-one experience with the tasting room staff.
We began the tasting with the 2011 Bogati Seyval Blanc ($19), which tends to be a very acidic, tart wine in my experiences in Virginia. This particular Seyval displayed intense citrus fruit but added some honey aromas on the nose and floral undertones on the palate highlighted by a fairly dry and lengthy finish. I was quite surprised by the finish and quickly adapted to prevent my palate from going into citrus shock.
The Bogati Tango Blu ($20), which is a non-vintage white blend that presents great depth, fresh flavors, and soft structure highlighted by a plethora of floral, tropical fruit, apricot, and herb characteristics from the nose to the finish. An excellent wine for the patio that needs no pairing aside from good company and a gorgeous view. This wine earned a spot in our cooler for the ride home.
The recently released 2012 Bogati Touriga Nacional ($26) was fruit forward with a lot of development potential. In addition to the fruit, though, leather and oak aromas jumped from the glass. The flavors were running wild with jolly rancher cherry, plum, and blackberries from start to finish, but showing some good potential for aging with nice firm tannins.
We wrapped up the tasting with the final selection – a 2011 Bogati Malbec ($24). Complex and approachable with a strong floral presence on the nose adding some wild berries and a hint of oak for good measure rolling out the red carpet for plush flavors of cherry, blackberry, and raspberry. The back of the palate revealed some lovely floral notes that highlighted the velvety smooth, semi-sweet finish that is guaranteed to put a smile on your face.
We cleansed our palates with a glass of Bogati Sangria before hitting the road, but not without grabbing a bottle of two. The staff was very knowledgeable and friendly, and the facility inviting and chic. Be sure to stop by Bogati Bodega for a tasting, especially if you plan on heading up to the Shenandoah Valley area as you literally run right into Bogati on the way.