Vintage Virginia Spaceport Wine Released

The Virginia Commercial Space Flight Authority and Holly Grove Vineyards are pleased to announce ‘Genesis’, a new Virginia wine, with a very unique wine label celebrating the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport (MARS) and Virginia’s return to space. Billie Reed, the Space Authority’s Executive Director will give ‘Genesis’ to his NASA hosts when he attends the launch of the Space Shuttle Discovery in Florida, scheduled for November 1, 2010.

Jonathan Bess, the owner and vintner at Holly Grove Vineyards on Virginia’s Eastern Shore discussed this idea with Spaceport officials while attending a presentation by Bigelow Aerospace, another company investigating launching its rockets from MARS.

“I know Wallops is where our nation’s space program was started,” Bess said. “NASA Wallops and NASA Langley tested rockets and trained astronauts before Kennedy or Johnson Space Centers were created. I’m really excited about the Taurus II launches. This is going to have a positive impact here on the Shore and on our nation. I wanted to be a part of making history so I suggested a special wine label in celebration of America’s first space coast’s return to space!”

The fine Virginia spaceport wine make for wonderful holiday gifts for space enthusiasts and wine connoisseurs. The Genesis wine is a special Bordeau blend of 33% Merlot, 33% Cabernet Franc, 33% Petit Verdot. UPDATE HERE.