'Rock vs. World' among Black Ankle events

A shot of the tasting room at Black Ankle Vineyards.

Spotted a couple of events coming up this weekend on Black Ankle Vineyard's site that I wanted to mention. The Mt. Airy winery won the Maryland Governor's Cup for its 2006 Crumbling Rock, a red Bordeaux blend, even while just opening for business. That award distinguishes the wine as the best in the state.

So this Sunday, from 2 to 5 p.m. at the winery, guests can participate in a competition called Crumbling Rock vs. the World. According to the winery's Web site, they've asked "some of the finest wine retailers in the state to recommend their best $35 to $50 Bordeaux-style wines, and we'll taste five of them blind to see how they stack up against our home town favorite. An array of appetizers and discussion of the wines, their regions, similarities and differences will round out the afternoon."

The cost is $50 per person. For more information and reservations call Tracy at 301.788.1412, or e-mail tracy@blackankle.com.

The next day, March 30, chef Ken Lurie of Bud's on Silver Run will prepare a seven-course meal and pair each course with a Black Ankle wine. It will begin at 6:30 p.m. with a mix of hors d’ouevres, including Hot Oysters with Sautéed Bok Choy, Mini Crab Crostini and Cider Poached Foie Gras on Grilled Ciabatta, served with Black Ankle's 2007 Viognier. Dinner will be served starting at 7. The cost is $125/person.

If you haven't gotten over to Black Ankle yet, it's worth the visit. Some already are calling it among the finest wineries on the East Coast; others simply say this one will set the bar for the wineries to come. No question that those from central Pennsyl;vania, for instance, might be aghast at the prices of the wine, which peaked at $40 when the winery opened. But for a winery in its first year of business, the wines are uncharacterically superb. The winery, by the way, is a member of the Frederick Wine Trail and one of several located within only a few miles of one another.