:Valhalla Vineyards
{{Short description|Vineyard and winery in Roanoke, Virginia, US}}
{{Infobox Winery
| winery_name = Valhalla Vineyards
| winery_logo = File:Valhalla-Logo.jpg
| location_city = Roanoke, Virginia
| location_country = USA
| appellation =
| former_name =
| other_labels=
| year_founded = 1994
| first_vintage = 1998
| key_people = Debra Vascik, winemaker
Jim Vascik, vineyard manager
| parent_company =
| cases_per_year =
| signature_wine = Gotterdammerung
Valkyrie
| varietal1 = Cabernet Franc
| varietal2 = Cabernet Sauvignon
| varietal3 = Merlot
| varietal4 = Norton (grape)
| varietal5 = Sangiovese
| varietal6 = Viognier
| varietal7 = Petit Verdot
| varietal8 = Syrah
| varietal9 = Chardonnay
| varietal10 = Malbec
| other_product1=
| other_product2=
| other_product3=
| other_product4=
| other_product5=
| homepage= [http://www.valhallawines.com www.valhallawines.com]
| distribution
| tasting= Open to the Public
}}Valhalla Vineyards is a vineyard and winery located in Roanoke County, Virginia, founded by James and Debra Vascik in 1994.{{cite web |last= DeBord |first= Matthew, Wine Spectator |url= http://www.winespectator.com/webfeature/show/id/American-Way-of-Wine_1530 |title= The American Way of Wine |date= December 10, 2002 |access-date= 2009-12-27 |archive-date= 2012-03-22 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20120322022649/http://www.winespectator.com/webfeature/show/id/American-Way-of-Wine_1530 |url-status= live }}{{cite news | url=http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/fg19990812db.html | title=Virginia's wines gaining praise with a little help from Valhalla | newspaper=The Japan Times | author=Davis Barrager | date=August 12, 1999 | access-date=January 19, 2010 | archive-date=June 7, 2011 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110607065551/http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/fg19990812db.html | url-status=live }}DeVito, Carlo, (2003) East Coast wineries: a complete guide from Maine to Virginia pp.308-09. {{ISBN|978-0-8135-3312-4}}{{cite news | url=http://discuss.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/zforum/02/r_food_wine092302.htm | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020925073610/http://discuss.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/zforum/02/r_food_wine092302.htm | url-status=dead | archive-date=September 25, 2002 | title=The Grapevine | newspaper=The Washington Post | last= Franz | first= Michael | date= September 23, 2002 |access-date=January 19, 2010}}
History
The Vasciks paid $1.2 million for the {{convert|200|acre|ha|adj=on}} property in 1993.{{cite web|last= Associated Press|first= Wilmington Morning Star|author-link= Wilmington Morning Star|title= Neurosurgeon turns mountain orchards into winery|url= https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=D98dAAAAIBAJ&pg=6771,1453877&dq=valhalla-vineyards&hl=en|date= October 19, 1998}}{{Dead link|date=March 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} Planting of the Valhalla vineyard began in 1994 on {{convert|21|acre|ha}} of converted peach orchard.{{cite web |last= Adams |first= Duncan, The Roanoke Times|date= October 20, 2005 |url= http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-137763211.html |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20121102221831/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-137763211.html |url-status= dead |archive-date= November 2, 2012 |title=Taking a bite out of profits |publisher=highbeam.com |access-date=2009-12-27 }} Construction on the winery building and {{convert|200|ft|m|adj=on}} wine cave began in 1996.
The winery's first vintage was in 1998 and released in 2000. Valhalla was one of two Virginia vineyards to process its grapes underground in 1998. The vineyard uses a "gravity flow" system in which grapes are pressed through holes in the roof of the winery, which is set into the hillside. The goal of this pump-free process is to prevent damage to the grapes.{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=WnV4Euir2jcC&q=valhalla+wines+governor%27s+cup&pg=PA269 |title=Breaking Away to Virginia and Maryland Wineries, by Elisabeth Frater |isbn=9781892123794 |access-date=2009-12-27 |last1=Frater |first1=Elisabeth |year=2002 |archive-date=2021-10-02 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211002112624/https://books.google.com/books?id=WnV4Euir2jcC&q=valhalla+wines+governor%27s+cup&pg=PA269 |url-status=live }}
Valhalla Vineyards has primarily received attention for their red wines, such as the Götterdämmerung Cabernet Franc/Merlot blend.{{citation |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4XGmBChATLgC |page=282 |title=Oz Clarke's Pocket Wine Guide 2005 |author=Oz Clarke |date=November 2004 |isbn=9780151011001 |access-date=2021-10-02 |archive-date=2021-10-02 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211002112624/https://books.google.com/books?id=4XGmBChATLgC |url-status=live }}{{cite news |url= https://www.nytimes.com/2000/09/13/dining/jefferson-gets-his-wish-at-last-a-decent-bottle-of-virginia-wine.html?pagewanted=1 |last= Apple |first= R.W. Jr.,The New York Times |title= Jefferson Gets His Wish: At Last, a Decent Bottle Of Virginia Wine |work= The New York Times |date= September 13, 2000 |access-date= October 2, 2021 |archive-date= March 3, 2016 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20160303204931/http://www.nytimes.com/2000/09/13/dining/jefferson-gets-his-wish-at-last-a-decent-bottle-of-virginia-wine.html?pagewanted=1 |url-status= live }} Their 1999 Syrah was praised by Wine Spectator as being the best of its class from Virginia and the US South.{{citation |title=Romantic Virginia |author=Andrea Sutcliffe |page=186 |year=2003 |isbn=978-0-89587-255-5}}
References
{{Reflist|2}}
External links
- [http://www.valhallawines.com/index.htm Valhalla Vineyards official website]
- [http://wine.appellationamerica.com/vineyard/Valhalla_Vineyards.html Valhalla Vineyards at Appellation America]
{{Coord|37.22424|-80.05553|format=dms|type:landmark_region:US-VA|display=title}}
Category:Roanoke County, Virginia
Category:1994 establishments in Virginia
{{Virginia-stub}}