Mark’s Score 8.7
I have been hearing whispers about Salted Vines for the last couple of years. It is off the beaten path, and even a bit hard to find. But their name kept popping up at dinner parties and social events. Salted Vines is near the beaches, which I avoid during the tourist season. But now that the weather has turned colder, it was time to check out Salted Vines. Besides, the meandering drive through the farms and fields of southern Delaware is an enjoyable and bucolic drive.
Salted Vines is owned by Adrian Mobilia, who hails from a long line of vintners in Erie, Pennsylvania. Adrian had previously owned Fenwick Wine Cellars, which closed in 2015. The Mobilias purchased 26 acres (10.5 hectares) of farmland in Frankford, Delaware and soon after closing Fenwick Wines they began construction of a production facility and tasting room for their new winery. While the buildings were under construction the Mobilias planted their first grapes, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, in April of 2016. Since the original plantings they have also added rows of Malbec and Vermentino (a southern Italian white grape). In addition to their locally grown grapes, they also import grapes from their Erie, Pennsylvania vineyard and from California.
The gravel driveway takes you through the center of their front vineyard. You can tell by the size of the vines that this vineyard is young, planted less than ten years ago. At the end of the driveway, stands the tasting room. Behind they tasting room is another more extensive vineyard that stretches to a majestic stand of trees. In my view, there is nothing prettier than a vineyard in winter, and this vineyard has a quiet peaceful beauty. The gravel driveway, flat landscape, and distant trees put me in mind of the vineyards in the Coonawarra. I walked past the tasting room and into the back vineyard, planted with vermentino grapes. I stopped for a moment to take in the stark beauty of the dormant vineyard.
I walked into the tasting room decorated for holiday with a Christmas tree and a row of stockings hanging from the fireplace mantle. Having never tasted their wines, I ordered their ”Signature Wine Tasting.” It is a bit on the expensive side, but you get a personal “wine tender” to guide you through the daunting 14 wines included in their tasting menu.
There are too many wines to go through here, and both the vines and the vintner are young and full of promise. So, I will just provide my general impression. The soil type and nearby ocean create a terroir similar to the famous vineyards of France’s Medoc appellation. I enjoyed their Chenin Blanc and Vermentino, but I suspect, given time for both the vineyard and the wine to age, this vineyard will produce some excellent clarets in the future.
For the moment, their reds need more aging, but I am keeping my eye on this vineyard. I am looking forward to tasting their Merlot and Cab Sav ten years from now.
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