Drink (and think) like a somm
King Family Vineyards
Mountain Plains Red
Virginia
Monticello
Cabernet Franc 45%
Merlot 37%
Petit Verdot 18%
Black Currant, Plum, Red Cherry, Violets
22 Months
New French Oak 100%
Ripe fruit characteristics and firm tannins provide structure, while prominent oak spice and vanilla contribute to a rich palate. Lifting acidity keeps the wine vibrant, leading to a long, lingering finish.
Low
Med -
Medium
Med +
High
ABOUT
King Family 2022 Mountain Plains Red
Our winemaking process begins with meticulous hand-selection of our estate grown fruit. Following destemming, the wines undergo a lengthy maceration—four to eight weeks—in open-top, concrete fermentation tanks.
This careful process extracts vibrant color, robust tannins, and concentrated flavors. After pressing, the wines are aged individually for 22 months in new oak barrels from the Tronçais forest in Central France, chosen to impart refined tannins and a seamlessly integrated oak profile.
The final blend is then further aged to ensure harmonious melding of the varieties. This wine’s rich texture, dense complexity, and powerful structure promise exceptional aging potential.
PAIRINGS
IN A PINCH
Blue cheese, grilled meats.
DEEPER DIVE
This wine is very well balanced, with elevated acidity, rich tannins, and a smooth mouthfeel. All of which means this is a great wine on its own, but will also be a perfect food pairing wine as well.
Its firm structure and earthy notes are going to be great with just about anything off the grill, especially red meats like beef and lamb so long as they aren’t covered in sauce. Look toward leaner meats as well since this wine prioritizes elegance over power.
STANDOUT FEATURES
- Balanced Structure
- Rich mouthfeel
- Ripe Fruit Flavors
STEAR CLEAR
Anything too spicy will shift this wine out of balance.
PAIRING SCALE
Light Dishes
Salads
Raw Bar
Med – Dishes
Fatty Fish
Roast Chicken
Med. Dishes
Lean Meats
Rich Poultry
Med + Dishes
Burgers
Fatty Meats
Full Dishes
Stews
Rich Sauces
CHEESE OPTIONS
Stilton
Stilton
Country: England
Animal: Cow
Type: Strong, funky
Texture: Hard
Style: Full-bodied, tangy
Taleggio
Taleggio
Country: Italy
Animal: Cow
Type: Soft
Texture: Creamy
Style: Mild, sweet, aromatic
Roquefort
Roquefort
Country: France
Animal: Sheep
Type: Semi-hard
Texture: Creamy
Style: Rich, tangy, creamy.
RECIPE IDEAS
SERVICE
WHICH GLASSES?
Large Bordeaux or All-purpose glasses would be best.
BORDEAUX
BURGUNDY
FLUTE
COUPE
ALL-PURPOSE
WHITE
DESSERT
SHOULD I DECANT THIS?
WHY “Yes”?
There’s a lot to unpack in this wine, and most of it will be missed if it doesn’t have at least a little time to breathe.
HOW LONG?
Generally you would want to decant a younger wine for longer to help it open up and be cautious of exposing older wines to oxygen for too long. There are always exceptions of course, but this is a pretty good rule to follow.
Minutes to decant this bottle:
Year opened
SERVING TEMP
The correct serving temperature is important to show a wine’s true potential, but don’t stress over getting the temp exactly right. Use the chart below to try to get in the right ballpark.
AGING
WHEN SHOULD I OPEN THIS?
If a wine has been released by the producer, it means it is ready to drink. Wines don’t necessarily get “better” with age, they just change. Typically, this change involves things like losing fresh fruit flavors in exchange for more savory notes.
The moment you should open the bottle depends on your preference, so it’s more important to understand the evolution and the life span of the bottle than it is to try to time its opening perfectly. (It’s far better to open a bottle too early than too late.)
This bottle should probably be opened between:
20
-
20
Development
Year Opened
PRODUCER
6550 Roseland Farm,
Crozet, Virginia 22932
ABOUT US
After moving to Charlottesville from Houston, Texas, in 1995, we purchased the original 327 acre farm in 1996. In late 1998, a young man named Tom Vandenberg, knocked on our door and asked if he could lease ten acres for a vineyard. Sparked by his curiosity and research, we did our homework, and soon hired a vineyard consultant. A nursery in California had a few extra vines, so six months of hard work later, our first eight acres of vines had been planted.
Initially the plan was to simply sell the fruit, but in the interest of learning as much as possible, we decided to make wine with a portion of the harvest and sell the rest. 480 cases in 2000 became 1,050 cases by 2001, and it all sold! After a quick visit to California for ideas, we designed our winery on the back of a napkin and by October 1, 2002 opened our real, honest-to-goodness winery. Since then both the vineyard and the business have grown.
OUR VINEYARDS
Situated in the heart of the Monticello AVA (American Viticultural Area), our farm is home to some of the best vineyard sites in Virginia. Only 16 miles from where Thomas Jefferson first planted European grape vines at his Charlottesville home, Monticello, we continue the centuries’ old viticultural traditions of Virginia.
From the original eight acres we planted in 1998, our vineyards have expanded to cover 46 acres. Located between 780 and 820 feet above sea level, the distinctive dyke-loam soils found in this part of Albemarle County, combined with a favorable aspect, help us grow exceptional fruit for distinctive wines.
THE LAND
MONTICELLO AVA
In recognition of the unique qualities imparted to grapes by their region of origin, wine growing areas have been defined and delimited in some manner for centuries. In the US, these regions are known as American Viticultural Areas. King Family Vineyards is located in the heart of one of Virginia’s premier wine regions: the Monticello AVA. This area is named in honor of Virginia’s first wine growing pioneer, Thomas Jefferson, and is home to over thirty wineries. While each vineyard is unique, we share a similar environment and face many of the same challenges. Experimentation of all kinds can be found throughout the AVA, but staple varieties such as Cabernet Franc, Chardonnay, Merlot, Petit Manseng, Petit Verdot, and Viognier are widely grown.
Interested in joining our wine club?
MEMBER BENEFITS
- TWO COMPLIMENTARY TASTINGS PER VISIT
- 10% OFF WINE IN-STORE AND ONLINE, ALONGSIDE MULTI-BOTTLE VOLUME DISCOUNTS
- EARLY ACCESS TO NEWLY RELEASED WINES
- ACCESS TO MEMBER-ONLY EVENTS
- QUARTERLY PICK UP PARTIES
