The Richmond Wine Society Presents Our
6th Annual Formica Award Dinner
Honoring Winemaker
Emily Hodson of Veritas Vineyard and Winery
Saturday, May 9, 2026, at The Place at Innsbrook,
4036-C Cox Rd, Glen Allen, VA 23060, 6:30 p.m.
Attendance will be limited to 80 attendees.
Please join us for the sixth annual Joe Formica Award presentation, which will honor Veritas Vineyard and Winery winemaker Emily Hodson for major contributions to the wine industry and feature five of their wines!
MENU
Welcome wine & appetizer trio (Plated per person at table)
Shrimp cocktail, Spanakopita, Bacon-Wrapped Scallops
Monticello White 2023 -- Blend of 50% Chardonnay, 22% Viognier, 17% Sauvignon Blanc, and 11% Petit Manseng. Aromas of white flowers, orange blossom and acacia that precede aromas of Meyer lemon, stone fruit, and ginger. On the palate the wine has bright mouth-watering attack that is softened by the unctuous mouthfeel as notes of citrus and fresh green grass lead onto stone fruit, peach, apricot, and pineapple; hints of toasted coconut and ginger add to the wonderful complexity of this wine. The finish is complex and long lasting
FIRST COURSE
Caesar salad with freshly baked rolls.
Viognier 2023 -- This 100% Viognier continues the reputation of the unsurpassable Viogniers made in Virginia. The varietal correctness shines through with the legendary aroma of aromatic peaches, and apricots, with a hint of fresh mango. On the palate fresh apricots are clearly articulated with a fresh finish. Light, lively, and relatively soft on the palate in its youth, the 2023 Viognier will be bright and fruit forward. As the wine ages it will lose acidity slightly and begin to show more richness and depth in mouth feel. Peak for this wine is within 5-7 years from vintage.
ENTRÉE – SURF AND TURF
Filet with demi-glace and Salmon blackened with pineapple salsa, Au gratin potatoes, carrots, broccoli
Cabernet Franc Primeur" 2024 – This Cabernet Franc has all the niceties of a good Virginia Cabernet Franc, coupled with an amazing vintage and perfect conditions for the grape. The Cabernet Franc grapes are hand-harvested and hand-sorted in the vineyard to remove any fruit that may tarnish the true quality of the vintage. Our ‘primeur’ is a fruit-driven wine with notes of redcurrant and bramble fruit. The wine has been aged in oak for a short time, which gives it a well-balanced mouthfeel with the light oak character complementing the intense fruit characters nicely.
AND
2022 Reserve -- The Reserve is the flagship wine of Veritas red blends. It is made through an intense sampling process of all of the barrels in the cellar to decide the perfect master blend. The 2022 vintage was fabulous for Cabernet Franc, and therefore it sits in the leading seat of this wine. The blend is 50% Cabernet Franc, 29% Merlot, and 21% Petit Verdot. It is deep garnet in color, and the bouquet is a deeply integrated balance of leather enveloped in an aroma of fresh black fruit. Luscious flavors of blackberry unfold with rich tannins on the palate leaving a structured and elegant finish accentuated with complex flavors of caramel and mocha from barrel aging.
Dessert
Chocolate Layer Cake
Claret 2023 – This blend is modeled after the great wines from St-Emilion in Bordeaux, France. The result; a new world wine with old world charm. The blend uses three of the five classic Bordeaux varieties. Cabernet Franc (8%) gives the wine round fruitiness of raspberry and plum with soft elegant tannins. The Merlot (37%) contributes a soft floral version of cherry and pepper notes. The core backbone of Petit Verdot (55%) fleshes out the whole wine as it adds structure and weight to the mid-palate as well as color to the blend. It fills the mouth with rich flavors of delicious ripe fresh fruit and brambles and spicy notes. Soft yet assertive tannins round off the fruit flavors on the palate, leaving a delicious, long-lasting finish.
Additional information
Event costs: $120 per person for members and guests.
Online Registration: Please use this registration method whether paying by check or online; this will ensure you have a place on the attendee list). Payment: Payment can be by check (use the form received in your email notification) or by credit card through PayPal on our website.
Paying by check - mail to Jack Berninger, 9006 Splitwood Circle, Richmond VA 23229. Make checks payable to Richmond Wine Society.
Deadline: Registration must be completed by May 1, 2026. No refunds after this date.
Questions? E-mail jacberninger@aol.com or call (804) 754-6148
