The Charlemagne Wine Tasting Club of London, the oldest wine club in England, recently acquired wines from the Eastern United States for sampling. This U.S. wine region was not well known abroad and BlackStock's Reserve Merlot ranked among the best.

This tasting was described my members as "eye opening", "educational", "very surprised by the high quality." We were thrilled to learn BlackStock's 2005 Reserve Merlot was " ranked a half point behind Barboursville Vineyards' red blend "Octogon", a wine reviewed by many as "The Best red wine on the East Coast".  Also see our review, below, by wine critic Henry Barrow who rates OUR Reserve Merlot as the "Best red wine on the East Coast".

BlackStock's 2005 Reserve Merlot would be a very special gift for the Holiday Season. However, our quantities of these award winning wines are very limited. Please purchase today.

"...This is an elite wine, and probably the best wine made on the East Coast of the United States..." - Henry Barrow, Talking About Wine Podcast.

Wine Enthusiast, Henry Barrow recently visited BlackStock and interviews Wine Maker, David Harris. "...Blackstock is Georgia’s benchmark winery and I wanted to see and taste why. It didn't take long..."

Read the entire review of BlackStock wine here and listen to Henry's podcast with David Harris here.

BlackStock’s 2005 ACE Family Reserve received the highest score given to a Georgia red wine by a recent tasting panel at Grape Anticipation Magazine. The 2005 ACE scored 90 points for wines priced between $20 and $35. The judges’ comments stated that it had a “very bright red cherry color that carries through on the nose & palate. Complex red blend that pairs well with grilled meats & other hearty fare. This is the Blackstock star.”
BlackStock 2006 Viognier was rated at 88 points in the $20 to $35 category for all submitted Georgia white wines. Judges found the wine to have “lots of floral notes on the nose with hints of peach & honeysuckle on the palate. Ends with a very nice, creamy vanilla finish.”

Other wines in the scoring were BSVW 2004 reserve Merlot and BSVW 2005 Touriga Dulce posting an 86 and 85 respectively. The 2004 Reserve Merlot was found to have “notes of dried fruits & white pepper throughout with a soft, pleasant mid-palate note that carries to the finish.” The 2005 Touriga Dulce was described as a “dessert-style red which offers notes of dried red fruit on the nose, with a full-bodied balance on the palate. It finishes with a nice, sweet red fruit flavor.”

Tim Rutherford, wine writer for The Savannah Morning News, recently selected two Blackstock releases as his featured “wine(s) of the week”. The first was the Blackstock Sangiovese, a light-but-flavorful red, perfect for the hot sultry Savannah summers. The other featured Blackstock was the “big and bold” Reserve Merlot, stating that it is “the steak wine from BlackStock.”

Rutherford concluded that “the consistency of the wine from this pioneering Dahlonega winery is no accident. The wines common thread of creaminess and minerality is attributed to the land and the weather… Harris is an intelligent and goal-driven winemaker who clearly sets the pace for fellow Peach State winemakers.”

In the same issue, Rutherford, suggested an exclusive pairing of BlackStock wines with the “Luncheon al fresco” Southern menu suggested by culinary writer Damon Lee Fowler.

The floral and balanced Blackstock Chardonnay paired well with the challenging Asparagus dish, while the “wonderfully dry” Sangiovese Rose paired with a cayenne pepper laced recipe with Georgia shrimp. This wine’s gentle nature “preserves the sweetness of the shrimp while soothing the tang of the cayenne. The Ginger Ice Cream was paired with the Touriga Dulce port, described as “rich, without the high alcohol of ports, decadent with a slice of chocolate torte” and “equally pleasing with a good cigar.”

For both May 28 articles and recipes link to SavannahNow.com.

National Distributing Company has come to an agreement with BlackStock Vineyards and Winery to act as their wholesale wine distributor in Georgia. National is the largest distributor of in Georgia, and the second largest wine distribution company in the country.

As challenging as it is with National’s vast portfolio, Blackstock has actually filled a niche’ in National’s family of wine brands. Blackstock represents the first and only Georgia winery to be picked up by National. “We visited Blackstock, tasted through the wines, both current and upcoming productions in the cellar and felt the quality and consistency of the product was remarkable for the region” says Chip Stevens of National, “The quality of the vineyards were also impressive, we are looking forward to promoting a local regional wine.”

“This will make Blackstock one of only three Georgia brands that has a distributor with truly ‘statewide’ reach”, added Harris.