Episode 99: 2003 Hanover Park Vineyard 1897

North Carolina Wine TV Review:
The Hanover Park Vineyard 1897 is a blend of 2003 vintage Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot that spent nearly 5 years in the barrel. It has a very fruit forward nose, filled with red cherries, blackberries, raspberries. That is combined with some black pepper, savory herbs and a bit of earthiness and woodsiness. This is a dry, French-style wine that is very well-balanced with no alcohol. The flavors of the wine follow the nose with the savory herbs like thyme, along with cherries, cranberries and touch of vanilla. There is also some black tea flavor on the back end. There is a good amount of oak, but there is a loss of vibrancy of some of the fruit, as if the wine has already peaked. Like other wines from Hanover Park, this is good food wine, but it is not so dry that it can’t stand on its own as a thinking wine.

Rating:

according to the North Carolina Wine Ratings Scale

Price: $29

Availability: Directly from the winery and select wine shops.

About 2003 Hanover Park Vineyard 1897:
1897 is unique. It is a full expression of Hanover Park. It is a blend of Cabernet Franc, Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon aged in older oak for almost 5 years. This 2003 red was bottled in September 2008 and won a gold medal at the 2008 NC State Fair.

About Hanover Park Vineyard:
A month-long honeymoon in the south of France in 1996 changed the lives of these former art teachers. Michael and Amy Helton returned home with a love of old world wine and the countryside, and by December, Hanover Park Vineyard in the Yadkin Valley of North Carolina began. Two artists and teachers took a chance, worked very hard, and turned an old farm into a thriving vineyard.

They began planting vineyards in the spring of 1997 and 1998. The farmhouse, built in 1897, was transformed into the tasting room and winery in 1999 for the first harvest producing 375 cases with the tasting room opening July of 2000.

Michael’s education in Viticulture and Enology has been independent and self-directed. As a former educator and researcher, he understood how to learn from universities, seminars, interviews, and websites involved with wine and grapes. In the summer of 2002, they returned to the south of France with appointments with winemakers in order to further understand the older French methods and blends.

Retiring from teaching in 2004 has provided Amy a new career filled with adventures and new experiences running the tasting room, planning all events, as well as developing a marketing and branding program.

Interview with Amy Helton, Owner of Hanover Park Vineyards

Locate Hanover Park Vineyard:

View Larger Map

2 Tweets

4 Responses to “Episode 99: 2003 Hanover Park Vineyard 1897”

1. Larrney David says:

   January 21, 2010 at 5:31 pm

   Wow,that was a huge risk picking a 2003 red – it rained all summer. I wonder how they did it (i.e. made such a good wine).

   Word Hizzzup
2. ncwinetv says:

   January 21, 2010 at 6:22 pm

   Today’s wine spent nearly 5 years in the barrel. Plus a preview of episode 100. http://bit.ly/85csOD #ncwine

   This comment was originally posted on Twitter
3. Jeffrey L. Cohen says:

   January 21, 2010 at 7:02 pm

   Thanks for the reminder of that summer’s weather.
4. bodybalancezen says:

   January 21, 2010 at 10:33 pm

   Hanover Park Vineyard 1897 | North Carolina Wine TV http://bit.ly/8PZUxR

   This comment was originally posted on Twitter

Additional comments powered by BackType