Earlier this month I attended the Maryland's Best Expo in Annapolis which is a program from the Maryland Department of Agriculture to connect farmers, watermen, and other businesses to consumers.
I was mostly attracted to the event because of the participating distilleries and wineries starting with Oversea Distillery in Columbia and their Baijiu and whiskies. Then there was Pathfinder Farm Distillery and their red corn moonshine; rum galore from St. Michaels Maryland and Lyon Rum; sugar based moonshine from our friends at Rosie Cheeks and finally canned cocktails and craft spirits from Frederick’s Tenth Ward.
I specifically wanted to interact with Dodon Vineyards to learn more about their regenerative farming and expect much content and a site visit early next month. I was delighted to see the German inspired wine from Penn Oaks Winery and later the classic red wines from Black Ankle Vineyards. Mully’s Brewery represented Maryland craft brewers showcasing their unique expressions from southern Maryland.
Then there were oysters - should pair with the Dodon Sauvignon Blanc or could have previewed the Department of Agriculture’s beer and oyster program. There was plenty of dairy like Chesapeake Gold Farm & South Mountain Creamery. Mushrooms, pies, really delicious pies, lots of honey and a reminder for the Guinness Open Gate Brewery Honey Ale coming out in March. More produce, My Dad’s Chips, and Rancher Shane’s Beef Jerky.
"Agriculture is such an important part of our history, our heritage, and our economy," said Governor Hogan. "That is why it is in the best interest of our state to keep our farms growing and thriving, and that includes our vineyards and our rapidly growing wine industry. Our wine producers are doing so much for Maryland, and the Governor’s Cup competition brings together the best of the best among Maryland-produced wines." -- Maryland Governor Lawrence J. Hogan, Jr.
The judging for the 29th Annual Maryland Governor’s Cup Competition took place August 13 where over 30 regional wine experts tasted over 150 different wines across the multiple styles of sparkling, whites, rosés, reds, fruit, and cider. This past Monday, December 11th the winners were presented their awards by Maryland's First Lady Yumi Hogan at Old Maryland Grill in College Park. This new restaurant focuses on Maryland sourced food and complements meals with a full range of Maryland craft beverages. In fact, Proprietor Mike Franklin also owns the long running Franklin’s Brewery not far away in Hyattsville and visited over 50 Maryland wineries to round out the cellar. These include many of the competition winners which noted Maryland wine expert and Lead Judge Al Spoler commented that this year's entry's were the best across the board. Based on the reception following the awards ceremony, I concur completely.
Newcomer Cool Ridge Vineyard was the clear and unsuspecting champion of the competition where it was awarded two Best of Class medals for their Cool White 2016 ($21) and Cool Red 2015 ($32), with the later earning the Governor’s Cup Best in Show. Not bad for first time entrants. The red blend consists of 45% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Cabernet Franc, 20% Merlot and 15% Petit Verdot and is delicious. Simply delicious. Owner Gerhard Glocker was quite gracious and was just as proud of his Gold medal single varietal 2015 Cabernet Franc ($27). The winery and vineyard is located in Washington County near Hagerstown and there's no wonder that Old Westminster Winery sources their fruit for their Cool Ridge Vineyard, Limestone ($32) - a blend of 70% Grüner Veltliner and 30% Viognier.
"The Jack Aellen Cup is a recent addition to the competition and specifically highlights fruit wine, cider and mead. The cup is named after Linganore Winecellars founder, Jack Aellen, who pioneered wines from fruit and honey in Maryland" . This year the winner was Great Shoals Winery Hard Plum 2016 ($16). Made from Japanese Shiro plums grown in Carroll County, the wine is made in a cider style - light bodied but plenty of flavor. Legally, its a wine since cider can only be made from apples or pears, but for all intents this is one fabulous cider. Move over Spencerville Red.
The remaining Best of Class wines were equally impressive with the Big Cork Vineyards Cabernet Franc 2015 ($46). Tasty young, the wine will age nicely as the tannins mingle with the dark fruit. The Willow Oaks Craft Cider and Wine Gloaming NV (500ml $25) starts funky and tannic then transitions to sweet tartness from organic black currants; another newcomer that impresses. Black Ankle Vineyards Terra Sol 2016 ($30) is a late harvest Grüner Veltliner and a successful experiment as it is very clean with plenty of acids to balance the sugar. Finally, I was fascinated with the Boordy Vineyards Pinot Gris 2016 ($16). The wine is flavorful and weighty - both, according to Dr. Joe Fiola, the result of vineyard selection and not wine-making techniques (no lees or malo and fermented in stainless steel). Cheers to Maryland wine.
Best in Show
Governor’s Cup Winner: Cool Ridge Vineyard • Cool Red 2015 ($32) (Washington Co.)
Jack Aellen Cup Winner: Great Shoals Winery • Hard Plum 2016 ($16) (Montgomery Co.)
These are exciting times for the Maryland Wine industry and based on the results of the 2013 Governor's Cup Competition the recent expansion has augmented the supply of excellent wine. Both new and old wineries shared in the haul of awards. And how do I know the quality? Fortunately the 2013 Drink Local Conference was held in Baltimore and we were able to sample many of these vintages - particularly the Governor's Cup winner: Black Ankle Vineyards Crumbling Rock 2010. And no surprise from Sugarloaf Mountain Vineyard; but check out the haul from Port of Leonardtown Winery. Looks like I have some traveling to do for DCWineWeek. The full results are listed here; but I've listed the the major awards below. Cheers to Maryland Wine.
Last weekend I was fortunate to be included in a two day celebration of local wine, particularly, Maryland wine, at the 2013 Drink Local Wine Conference. During these two days of tours, tasting, and seminars; a common question was posed: "what is the best wine grape for Maryland?". That's a tough question considering the diversity of wine we sampled; from traditional Bordeaux varieties, to Chambourcin and Vidal, Chardonnay and Chardonel, Pinot Grigio and Noir, Albarino and Syrah, Sangiovese and Zinfandel, Gruner and Gewurztraminer and even Pinotage and Barbera. And that's not even listing blends.
During one seminar, Al Spoler, co-host of Cellar Notes, stated that Maryland should follow the road of Oregon (Pinot Noir), New Zealand (Sauvignon Blanc), and Virginia (Viognier) and hang its hat on Cabernet Franc. And I tasted several tasty Cab Francs over the course of the weekend, in particular from Boordy Vineyards, Sugarloaf Mountain Vineyard, and Old Westminster Winery. Heck, Thanksgiving Farm even poured a white Cabernet Franc - made in the saignee style with all pigment removed. I would say Cabernet Franc has a future in the state.
However, during the next panel, Ed Boyce, from Black Ankle Vineyards, disagreed stressing that Maryland's best grape is a red blend, particularly when the state experiences unusual weather. Just look at 2011 when an "unscheduled irrigation event" occurred and most wineries experienced over 25 consecutive days of rain from late August through September. In these situations, Boyce believes the sub-par grapes can be blended and "declassified" into a lesser brand so that quantity becomes the problem, not quality. On the other hand, when conditions are more Californian, then the grapes can be blended into a reserve classification. And we tasted quite a few fabulous blends, starting with the standard portfolio from Sugarloaf Mountain Vineyard (EVOE, Circe, Comus) and Black Ankle Vineyards (Crumbling Rock & Rolling Hills) to the Landmark Series from Boordy Vineyards (harvested from the Piedmont's South Mountain), the Thanksgiving Farm Meritage, and Big Cork Vineyards future wines. There's no doubt that red wine blends are solid offerings in the Free State. But there are other red varietal wines worth noting. Boordy and Black Ankle bother offer excellent Syrah and then there's the old champion Chambourcin. The Fiore Winery Reserve Chambourcin was the first Maryland wine I ever tasted - at least a dozen years ago - and today is still a favorite. I think I was one of a couple people who voted for it in the Twitter taste-off. Let's not forget the Knob Hall Winery Chambourcin and on two occasions our group was poured the Port of Leonardtown Winery Chambourcin and just as tasty as the Fiore.
Then there's the suggestions from Dr. Joe Fiola (UofM) who, for the past decade, has been assisting Maryland vineyards determine which grapes best suit their site. (Here's a brief video of his presentation.) For the the warmer southern region, where the diurnal fluctuation may reach a lackluster 15 degrees in the summer, he suggests southern Spanish and Italian varieties that are characterized by higher acids and tannins. One of these was the Slack Winery Barbera - a juicy, yet silky wine - as well as the Woodhall Wine Cellars Pinotage, harvested from the Schmidt Vineyard in the Eastern Shore, and more pinot than "tage" - very smooth.
What about the white wines? Black Ankle wowed us with their Gruner Veltliner and Albarino. I look forward to trips to the beach to grab some Bordeleau Pinot Grigio or I'll just travel closer to home for some from SMV. Chardonnay is a stable in all Maryland regions as we tasted several very nice brands; and where that grape can't grow, Slack Winery proved that Chardonnel is a decent alternative. Port of Leonardtown also poured a refreshingly acidic dry Vidal and another favorites was the Gewurztraminer from Elk Run Vineyards.
So which grape may be the best wine grape for Maryland? I don't know; maybe its this diversity which will strengthen and expand the industry. Or maybe its none of these grapes at all. We tasted several experimental wines being produced from Dr. Joe's research vineyards which included Colombard, Marsanne, Verdejo, Barbera, and most interesting a slew of hybrids from the former Soviet Union. These cold hardy grapes were actually planted in his southern Maryland vineyard and showed some promising results. Maybe the future of Maryland wine is SK 7753 or SK 771099. Here's Dr. Joe leading us through a tasting of these wines.
Drink Local Wine Session IV: Tasting Maryland's Future
The fifth annual Drink Local Wine conference will be held this April13, 2013 in Baltimore Maryland, focusing on that state's growing wine industry. DLW 2013 will include seminars showcasing Maryland and regional
wine as well as the Maryland Twitter Taste-off, featuring two dozen
of the state’s best wineries. The Maryland Winery Association is the primary sponsor for the conference and according to Kevin
Atticks, the Maryland Wine Association’s executive director, “We're growing a world of wine styles and varieties throughout Maryland, and we're excited to share them through Drink Local Wine”. And yes, they are growing; the number of wineries now stand at 61- almost 50 percent more than in 2010. And the grape varieties planted are extremely diverse, from European vinifera, to the French-hybrids, to native labrusca. In fact Mr.
Atticks informs us that there are more than 90 grape varieties grown in the state. According to our WineCompass database vinifera is the most popular with Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Chardonnay, and Merlot leading the field. Vidal Blanc, Chambourcin, and Seyval Blanc are the most popular hybrids with a few instance of Concord and Niagara representing labrusca grapes. There's even some Blaufrankisch, Norton, Riesling, and Italian varieties such as Barbera, Sangiovese, and Montepulciano.
The Free State consists of four main grape growing regions - the Piedmont Plateau, Eastern Shore, Southern Plain, & Western Mountains. Each region is diverse and hosts a different assortment of grapes - from the more cold hardy variety in the Western Mountains to those that flourish with the strong diurnal fluctuations in the Eastern Shore. The Piedmont Plateau and Southern Plain seem to be the most populous regions and host several wine trails for visitors. The Piedmont Plateau encompasses a large area from the base of the Catoctin Mountains to the west to the head of the Chesapeake Bay. The rolling hills are reminiscent of horse country within Virginia's new Middleburg AVA. The Southern Plain is hot and humid and this is where the Mediterranean varieties excel particularly where the sandy soils can limit yields.
We've visited many of the wineries in these regions through WineCompass, MyJoogTV, and even VirginiaWineTV. And on each visit have been impressed with the wines as well as the dedication and enthusiasm of the winemakers. In the coming weeks we plan to showcase Maryland's wine trails and wines - starting with an old video of Ed Boyce co-owner of Black Ankle Vineyards - discussing why many of us consider him the premier winemaker in the state. Hope to see you in Baltimore on the 13th.
This week DrinkLocalWine officially announced the site for the 5th annual DrinkLocalWine Conference and the winner is a historic wine region as well as a rising player in the local wine industry: Maryland. I say historic, because Philip and Jocelyn Wagner, founder of Boordy Vineyards, were instrumental in the resuscitation of the East Coast wine industry by propagating French-American hybrids in their Maryland nursery. To learn more about this story we recommend Maryland Wine: A Full-Bodied History written by Regina McCarthy, former marketing coordinator for the Maryland Wineries Association. I mention rising wine industry because the Free State is currently home to over 50 wineries and cideries and about a dozen more in the pipeline. The state is also diverse in its topography from vineyards located in the sandy southern Maryland and the Eastern Shore to the rolling hills of the Catoctin & Linganore AVAs near Frederick, and the mountainous Cumberland Valley AVA to the extreme West. The conference takes place April 12-14th 2013 in Baltimore and count us in - get ready for some crab cakes and wine. Here is the official press release. And below that are three videos we filmed at Maryland wineries. Cheers.
Nov. 19, 2012 - DrinkLocalWine will
hold its fifth annual conference April 12-14, 2013 in Baltimore, focusing on
Maryland wine. The state's industry is one of the fastest growing in the
country, nearly doubling in size over the past two years with more than 60
wineries.
The state's four growing regions produce a variety of wines,
including the classic European varietals, but also some that are distinctly New
World in style. The Maryland Winery Association is the conference's primary
sponsor.
“We're growing a world of wine styles and varieties throughout
Maryland, and we're excited to share them through DrinkLocalWine,” says Kevin
Atticks, executive director of the Maryland Wine Association.
DLW 2013
will include a Maryland Twitter Taste-off featuring two dozen of the state’s
best wineries, plus three seminars featuring some of the top names in Maryland
and regional wine.
Maryland's modern wine history dates to the 1970s, but
grapes have been planted in the area since the 17th century. Most of the state's
wineries are in the Piedmont Plateau in central Maryland, but grapes also thrive
in the Eastern Shore, Southern Plain, and Western Mountains.
DLW 2013
follows the success of the first four conferences - the inaugural conference in
Dallas featuring Texas wine in 2009, in Loudoun County featuring Virginia wine
in 2010, in St. Louis featuring Missouri wine in 2011, and in Denver featuring
Colorado wine in 2012. DLW also holds an annual Regional
Wine Week in the fall, in which more than 40 wine bloggers, writers and
columnists from the U.S. and Canada write about their favorite regional wines,
ranging from Ontario to New York to Florida to Texas to
Colorado.
DrinkLocalWine.com's goal is to spotlight wine made in the 47
states and Canada that aren't California, Washington, and Oregon. It's the
brainchild of Washington Post wine columnist Dave McIntyre and wine blogger Jeff
Siegel, The Wine Curmudgeon.
Opportunities to Drink Local Wine continue next month as the Maryland Wineries Association announces Maryland Wine Week, running June 8-17. During this week several Maryland restaurants and wine shops will "celebrate local wine and produce by hosting a range of events themed around Maryland wine, including wine maker dinners, tastings, wine flights, and more!"
Never tried a Maryland wine? Don't know much about the industry? Then check out a few videos featuring Maryland wineries (Black Ankle Vineyards, Sugarloaf Mountain Vineyard, and Old Westminster Winery. Or better yet, check out the 20th Wine in the Woods festival this weekend (5/19-20) in Columbia and sample wines from over thirty Maryland wineries. That will prepare you for the Annapolis Arts & Crafts Festival held June 9th and 10th. Here are the restaurants and wine shops participating in Maryland Wine Week. Hope to see you at one of their events or follow along on Twitter and Facebook.
While visiting Budapest & Vienna, we happened to stumble upon several wine bars in each country where they served young, ready to drink white wines. We made it a ritual to start our day at these wine bars having a glass of dry Furmint in Hungary and some type of white grape in Austria. These wines had low alcohol levels, so we indulged a few times during the day and were refreshingly acidic in the summer heat. It wasn't until years later, when my wine knowledge expanded, that I realized that the unknown Austrian grape was most likely Grüner Veltliner - the most popular white wine variety in that country. The grape has an interesting heritage, deriving from a natural cross between the mother Traminer and an unknown father. Unknown, at least, until a few years ago. Apparently in a small hillside in St Georgen (Burgenland) there was a vine known to the village elders that bore no fruit. Local historian, Michael Leberl, was able to locate the vine and have it genetically tested. The surprise result was that it was the predominate parent of Grüner Veltliner and subsequently named St. Georgen-Rebe. Despite surviving phylloxera, war, and cattle; this vine has a precarious future - so please read the story here.
The Weinviertel region, just northeast of Vienna is the oldest agricultural region in central Europe as archaeologists have unearthed artifacts nearly 7,000 years old. Today, vineyards stretch from the Danube and Vienna to the Czech republic to the north and Slovakia to the east. And each sub-region provides distinct wine styles. The northeastern section produces sparkling wine from Grüner Veltliner and Welschriesling; the western, dry reds along side Grüner Veltliner and Riesling. Closer to the Danube and Vienna, Grüner Veltliner dominates. Many of these vines supply the Heurige Inns that we frequented, but lately are being used to make age worthy wines. In early 2003, Austria implemented a DAC standard - which translates to "controlled designation of Austrian origin". The Weinviertel DAC was introduced as Austria´s first DAC Wine, with the quality regulated by “Qualitätswein” (quality wine) definitions; blind tasting; at least 12% alcohol; lean, crisp, peppery-spice character; and no discernible oak characters. And in 2009, Austria introduced the Weinviertel dac Reserve in order to promote fuller wines. These wines share the same characteristics as the dac but can contain subtle traces of Botrytis or oak. Furthermore the minimum alcohol content was increased to 13% and the blind tasters expect a denser structure with a longer finish.
The dac system has proven quite beneficial for both producers and consumers. In the past, small family wineries had trouble marketing their wines to wholesalers or exporters. But with a dac label, these wholesalers and exporters assume less risk in marketing the wines. The same holds for consumers. When searching for a Grüner Veltliner, look for the dac label. You should be assured of a certain level of quality.
We still have plenty to learn about this grape. So join us as our education continues this Wednesday during #winechat where Austria Wine will be discussing Grüner Veltliner from Lower Austria during the Twitter tasting.
October is Wine Month. Not only in Virginia, but also at DrinkLocalWine.com which has designated October 9 through October 15 as "Regional Wine Week". The site honors "The Other 47" states (excluding California, Washington and Oregon) and has instituted the "DrinkLocalWine 47 Words Contest" where you can submit 47 words describing the hidden gems among the other 47 wine producing states. Entries (drinklocalwine@gmail.com) are due by midnight ET on Sat., Oct. 15; and there are several cool prizes. Thus, during Regional Wine Week, make a concerted effort to sample a local wine from your area - preferably from a winery visit and let DrunkLocalWine.com know about it in 47 words.
On the 9th, we hope to be attending The Festy, so there will be ample opportunities to visit some wineries in Nelson County, Virginia. Actually there's no excuse since Wintergreen Winery is across the street from the venue: Devils Backbone Brewing Company. The following weekend, we should probably head across the Potomac into Maryland to visit some of our favorites in that state: Black Ankle Vineyards or Sugarloaf Mountain Vineyard. As an added benefit, each of these wineries host live music. What are your Regional Wine Week plans. I'm thinking of a theme... You can always check out WineCompass for wineries and events in your area.
The Maryland Wineries Association just released the results of the 2010 Maryland Governor's Cup Competition with the cup going to Fiore Winery for their Sangiovese 2007. Plus their apple wine must be pretty good. Congratulations. The official presentation will occur during The 27th Anniversary Maryland Wine Festival®, September 18-19 at the Carroll County Farm Museum, Westminster, Maryland.
Last night we filmed our third episode of MyJoogTV, where we pair musicians with makers of wine, beer, and spirits. This show featured Ed Boyce, co-owner of Black Ankle Vineyards in a discussion of wine and blues with Uncle Dave Huber, a local blues musician. Specifically, we discussed terrior, Black Ankle wines, markets, and the blues. We then filmed a couple songs performed by Uncle Dave. The video podcast should be available at the end of the month.
Along with several popular wine bloggers, we will be attending the 2010 DrinkLocalWine.com conference set for Loudoun County, Va. on April 25. Registration is open to the public and will set you back only $65, which includes three seminars, lunch, and the Twitter Taste-off. Plus its held at the famous Lansdowne Resort. Questions? Call (978) 276-9463 or send an email.
We have been receiving reports lately about the Grand Opening of Black Ankle Vineyards, but really took interest when we learned that the winery was awarded the Maryland Governor's Cup in their first vintage. The winery was founded by Ed Boyce and Sarah O'Herron, who decided to craft their own wine after years of being consumers. They research grapes, the wine-making process, terrior, and discovered a farm in central Maryland that met their criteria. The duo decided on several traditional grapes - but also planted a few unique grapes - primarily the Spanish grape Albarino, the Austrian favorite Gruner Veltliner, and the ancient Muscat. The other estate white wines are made from Viognier and Chardonnay, whereas the reds consist of Syrah, Pinot Noir, and all five Bordeaux red grapes: Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot, and Malbec. It was a blend of these five grapes that won the 2008 Governor's Cup, their 2006 Crumbling Rock.
Black Ankle Vineyards is located just outside of Mt. Airy and is situated near several other wineries. However, Black Ankle differs from these wineries in that they produce only dry wines - if you care for sweet wines - then visit the other wineries afterward. The tasting room is a large stucco building with enough comforts to encourage a long stay - particularly the fireplace and indented table. And the wines were terrific. Ms. O'Herron explained that they attempt to make wine in the style they enjoy - dry, but with flavor and structure. Their Viognier and Gruner Veltliner were good examples of this approach. They both were earthy with honey flavors and a slight nutty finish. Odd for wines aged in stainless steel. The Viognier was much different than the traditional Virginia versions - more old world than new world. The Albarino was also excellent - much more citrus than the other whites. The final white wine we tasted was the 2006 Bedlam - a blend of all their white grapes. It is a refreshing acidic wine with good lineage: the 2007 version was awarded the 2008 Maryland Winemaster's Choice Award.
The red wines were just as intriguing. We started with the 2006 Passeggiato - made from 100 percent Syrah. It is unique in that it is made with a light body - but full of raspberry flavors. The more traditional Syrah spiciness is evident in their 2006 Syrah, which includes 10% Pinot Noir. Even with the spicy finish, it is a smooth wine - we noticed cherry flavors and some vanilla. The first Bordeaux styled blend was the 2006 Cosecha - made from all five of the Bordeaux grapes. It is medium bodied and very drinkable now - in fact - it was our choice for dinner that evening. It is earthy and smooth - with some cherry and raspberry flavors. Finally we tried the 2006 Crumbling Rock - and yes, we can see why it was awarded the cup. Interestingly it has a higher percentage of Cabernet Franc than the Cosecha and contains no Malbec. It is made full bodied - earthy, with enough tannins that Ms. O'Herron suggests will age very nicely. The wine also differs from the Cosecha in that the flavor is more evident of black fruits and not red fruits. This is a nice wine - that proves that vinifera grapes can make excellent wines in the mid-Atlantic. And that was it. No semi dry wines nor dessert wines. Just an excellent addition to the Maryland wine community.
