Loving Cup Vineyard & Winery
One of the most beautiful vineyard of Virginia
Loving Cup Vineyard & Winery is a small farm in Virginia created in 2010 by Karl Hambsch It is specifically in the Albemarle County in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains in the Monticello AVA. Loving Cup Vineyard & Winery is conducted in organic agriculture since it’s creation.
“I grew up here on this field. My family and I are originally from Miami but at the age of 7 we moved to come here. It was a wonderful playground for me!
At first there were no vines, there was growing grain, fruit trees and we raised cattle and poultry. But a few years ago I planted some vines because I thought we had a good soil and then the wine is a field that fascinates me. Prior to planting the vines I did an apprenticeship work and research to better understand what the vine and wine were, and to be able to plant the most suitable varieties. I worked in wineries like Prince Michel Winery or at Veritas Vineyards and there I received advice from some people. At first we were doing the right wine for us. We did not intend to open one day a Winery “. (Karl Hambsch)
In 2013 Karl Hambsch built a building with cellars and a tasting room. This allowed him not only to book production to friends and family but to be able to sell to the general public. 2012 was his first official vintage.
Personnaly I need to say that the discovery of Loving Cup was for me one of my best experiences in the region. In addition to the beautiful wild and retired setting with a feeling of being timeless, my meeting with Karl Hambsch marked me very much by his passion and the way he talked about his work! I can only encourage you to stop by there if you happen to be in the region.
Where does the name of the property come from?
The name “Loving Cup” comes from a song by the famous English band Rolling Stones. Karl Hambsch chose this name not only because he was a fan of this band but also because it gives “a lot of love to the vines. It reflects what we do in the vineyard. ” (Karl Hambsch)
Wines of Loving Cup Vineyard & Winery are “table wines,” why did you choose to stay away from the AVA appellation ?
“I’m looking to make wines for every day that you can open at any time, wine enjoyment, not wines for speculation or custody. So there is no interest in the name, only the taste and enjoyment count.” (Karl Hambsch)
If you had to summarize this property in a few words, what would you say?
“Love is organic! ” (Karl Hambsch)
Why did you choose the organic production?
“This question requires a long answer … We want to be proud of every aspect / every step of our production. I would say we love our vineyard, we pay attention to it. It does not only produce wines, it produces fruit too. Making wine is a complementarity between the work of man and nature. We must work with what nature gives us. First and foremost, our primary objective is to produce good grapes.
It’s easy to make wine with these local varieties, they are naturally resistant. We can not grow the same grapes everywhere, well, they are not meant to be everywhere. We did a lot of research and one hundred plants (hybrids) that corresponded to our vineyard were selected.
In the world most of the wines are made from Vitis vinifera (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot … etc). The grapes produced by these varieties are extremely susceptible to diseases and are ill-suited to our climate. That is why we have chosen not to grow but instead to plant local hybrids. They are more durable, less susceptible to disease and cold.
Our research has also enabled us to find solutions based on natural products to protect the vines. Solutions that are safer than chemicals.” (Karl Hambsch)
For information, Loving Cup Vineyard & Winery is the first winery in Virginia that has been certified with organic farming management.
What characterizes the wines of Loving Cup Vineyard & Winery?
To me what characterizes the wines of Loving Cup Vineyard & Winery is a great purity on the palate. They are also very fruity wines, frank, fresh, very expressive, and the specific aromas in which the fruit is most important.
Side anecdote:
Loving Cup Vineyard & Winery has a “Wine Club”. So far nothing special; however in this case it is not simply a loyalty card but much more. In fact, when you subscribe to the Wine Club of Loving Cup Vineyard & Winery you agree to come to work eight hours per year on the property. The purpose behind this idea is to create a true community, everyone is familiar with and know the work of the vine and wine what. This will also allow you to no longer consider wine as any other product and share experiences with other wine lovers.
Thanks to Karl Hambsch for his hospitality.
Choukroun Chicheportiche Jonathan
Loving Cup Vineyards & Winery
3340 Sutherland Rd, North Garden,
VA 22959, États-Unis
+1 434-984-0774
