Lightwell Survey, The Weird Ones Are Wolves Shenandoah Valley Red, 2023

Virginia, reimagined. Lightwell Survey is the project shining a new light on the mid-Atlantic wine map, and "The Weird Ones Are Wolves" is their playful, Cabernet Franc-driven red from the Shenandoah Valley. The blend shifts each year, with the Franc backbone joined by splashes of aromatic whites like Riesling and Petit Manseng co-fermented into the mix, which is exactly the kind of "weird" the name celebrates. This is a young, energetic 2023 made to drink now, ideally with a slight chill. Proof that some of the most exciting American wine is coming from places you'd least expect.