Basignani holiday open house Saturday/Sunday; among a number being held around the region

Safe to say that wineries across the region want one thing this weekend, and that's good weather for their holiday open houses. Some, such as Basignani Winery in Sparks, Md., held their first of two weekends last Saturday and Sunday and spent a lot of time, well, maybe sipping their own wine as the snow fell outside their windows. Lynne Basignani said by phone a few minutes ago that all they want are some crowds this weekend after the weather kept a lot of people indoors last weekend.

Basignani will hold Part 2 of its annual open house from noon to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Cost is $8 per person, which covers a tasting glass that visitors can take with them, wine tastings and food such as bread, cheeses and Christmas cookies. Lynne said they served hot mulled wine last weekend made out of Marisa, what the winery terms its version of a Beaujolais with a little more structure. The fruity mix includes a blend of Foch, Chambourcin and Chancellor grapes.

At least give Piccolo, the winery's newest offering, a try. Tasted it after harvesting in October and really liked it. The red table wine pairs equal parts of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot and sells for $11.99/bottle. Works superbly with any kind of pasta or a beef or steak dish.

It's the law now: Maryland's St. Mary's County opens door for wineries to open

Maryland wine's biggest supporter checked in around dinner time today by phone with news that St. Mary's County in southern Maryland had only hours before adopted zoning regulations to allow wineries. Association of Maryland Wineries executive director Kevin Atticks said that will allow a few to open over the next 12 months.

Outside of that, the festival season ended last weekend at Salisbury, where Atticks said around 2500 people came out amid torrential rains Saturday and chilly temperatures on Sunday.

We talked about some of the events being held at Maryland wienries, including the upcoming wine and food pairing at Black Ankle in Mt. Airy. Atticks noted that Elk Run, only a cow chip's toss away from Black Ankle, had what he called an amazing dinner on Oct. 13 as part of their harvest celebration. That one featured Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc and a five-course meal prepared by chef Bryne Voltaggio of Volt Restaurant in Frederick. I didn't ask Attick if he had heard how many attended; the cost was $165 per person, including tax and gratuity. That's by far the most expensive pairing I've written about in this blog, but the menu had a little bit of everything and contained local products and meats.

Among the events on Elk Run's list for the next couple months are a champange release on Sunday, Nov. 15, and an open house from noon to 4 p.m on Dec. 5-6.

This weekend's activities run gamut from grape stomp to wine trail celebration

This is a busy weekend coming up for winery-based activities in the Pennsylvania-Maryland region. One is what's now become the annual grape stomp down at Sugarloaf Mountain Winery in Dickinson, Md., on the way to Washington D.C. Activities will run Saturday and sunday from noon to 5, with everything from music to tours to tastings and, of course, the stomp, with prizes awarded to the fastest (and most accomplished) on their feet. Love the photo I've attached on here of the toddler in the barrel; borrowed it off their Web site. Online advance tickets are $12; they will be $15 at the gate.

Across the Mason-Dixon Line in Pennsylvania will be the celebration of the harvest on the Lehigh Valley Wine Trail, an event called Chambourcin Weekend. All nine wineries will feature special tastings and food pairings, entertainment, seminars and more. You can hit the trail site for specifics. Expect things to commence Saturday at 10 a.m. and running until 5 p.m., with maybe a little more room to move around on Sunday once the NFL kicks off. Wineries that day are scheduled to be open from noon until 5 o'clock.

Down the road a bit will be the sixth anniversary bash at Crossing Vineyards & Winery. There's a new building dedication on Saturday, in addition to tastings and a birthday drawing that can win you two free tickets to a wine and food dinner on Nov. 14.

These are just a taste of what's going on. You can do a wider search by stopping by the Web sites of the Association of Maryland Wineries or the Pennsylvania Winery Association and clicking on the individual winery sites.

Crossing into the subject of Viognier

The Association of Maryland Wineries has a page on its site called GrapeView, where various grapes grown around the state are identified and then put in the context of what they're like to grow and the type of juice they produce. This month's is Viognier, a wine you'll find on a sizeable number of wine lists throughout both states.

It seemed ironic to see Viognier [pronounced VEE-own-YAY] highlighted yesterday on the heels of a Wednesday conversation with marketing and PR director Chris Carroll of Crossing Vineyards & Winery in Washington Crossing, Pa., which will be blowing out six candles on its cake during a birthday party the weekend of Oct. 17-18. In the midst of talking about the wines they make, she said the one that has had the most surprising success has been their Viognier.

While their Merlot and Cabernet Franc have been recognized recently in competition, a conversation that I'll detail more in a future post, Carroll refered to their 2007 Viognier as "a sleeper."

"It wasn't as good initially as it turned out to be," she said by phone. "It was a little hot-tasting to me in the beginning and it settled down nicely. A very elegant wine. And, it's funny, because we're overlooking it and [statewide wine educator] Mark Chien came to our tasting room one day unannounced, which we always love him and welcome him, and he was tasting the wines, and he said 'You know, this Viognier is really good.' He said, 'You're charging 17 bucks. That's a real good value for that wine."

High praise from someone who knows his wines and isn't afraid to speak his mind, good or bad. Carroll said those comments affirmed their desire to nurture this grape and maintain it as part of their growing line.

"We were very pleased at [Mark's comments] because Viognier is a wine we're committed to making," she said. "and it's not an easy sale. Because many people in Pennsylvania do not know the varietal. They know Chardonnay and they know Sauvignon Blanc, and if they're not familiar with it, they often don't like it because it's tastes different from Chardonnary. And it's something you have to understand and know what to expect."

As for some background on the grape, here's the description that appears on the Maryland wines Web site:

It is with great patience and determination, Maryland vineyards have taken on the difficult task of cultivating the Viognier grape. Its name coming from a Latin phrase meaning “road to hell,” the Viognier is neither eager nor willing to be harvested to create wine. Taking on this task displays the passion and dedication of Maryland winemakers and grape growers.

“Growing grapes just because they are easy to grow would make Maryland wines extremely one dimensional and uninteresting,” states Mark Cascia, the owner of Cascia Vineyards in Stevensville.

The Viognier, a white grape, is thought to have been brought to the Rhone Valley in France by the Romans in the third century. It is extremely rare, making up only a small fraction of grapes grown in the world and was nearly extinct by the mid 20th century after two World Wars and the relentless onslaught of insects and disease.

By the end of the 20th century, however, the Viognier was planted in both North and South America and southern Australia. The growing season of this particular grape is longer than most, leaving a very small window to be harvested. If picked too early the rich taste cannot fully develop and if picked too late the grape becomes oily.

The strength and resilience of this grape is evident in its bold taste. Mark Emon, the owner of St. Michael’s Winery describes the Viognier as “complex and rich,” perfect for blending with other wines such as Syrah/Shiraz, which is done in Cote Rotie of France. Emon says that this wine is enjoyed by red wine drinkers, who usually prefer a heavier, fuller taste. St. Michael’s goes as far to list the Viognier on their “Red Lovers” list.

This wine is described by most as having a taste and aroma of citrus fruits. Viognier differs from other white wines because it contains an array of volatile aromatics, which give it its complex taste. It is paired well with seafood and chicken as well as spicy dishes such as Thai and Vietnamese cuisine.

Though frustrating to growers, the final result of the Viognier is worth the trouble and long wait. This unique, versatile wine stands alone, unlike its family of white wines. It is this unwavering perseverance that sets Maryland Wine makers apart; there is no task too difficult or tedious when it comes to making a great wine.

Four Maryland winery owners, and how they got started, profiled in magazine story

Two quick notes out of Maryland before I head out the door to class.

The newest e-letter of the Association of Maryland Wineries links to a story that Baltimore Magazine recently published on four wineries in the state -- Black Ankle, Boordy, Sugarloaf Mountain and St. Michaels -- and how they got started. A good read with an ample mix of background and quotes. I've dealt with three of the four wineries, and all three have been media savvy and eager for the publicity. I've always appreciated their cooperation. The one I haven't visited as yet is St. Michaels.

Wanted to also call attention to the Eastern Yacht Club's Bayside Blues and Wine Fest, scheduled for noon to 6 p.m. Saturday in Essex, Md. "Seven wineries in the proximity of the yacht club will be pouring. You can find out more by clocking on this link.

Md. to 'cut ribbon' on Piedmont Trail next week

The Association of Maryland Wineries sent out an invitation earlier this week announcing a press conference at Fiore winery in Pylesville on Wednesday, Sept. 16, from 2 to 3 p.m. Officials will announce the creation of the Piedmont Wine Trail, which will include the following wineries: Basignani, Boordy, Dejon, Fiore, Harford, Legends, Mount Felix Estate and Woodhall.

Several of these wineries already are on other wine trails, such as Basignani and Woodhall, which are member of the Mason Dixon Wine Trail with members across the state line in Pennsylvania. But there's no such thing as too many affiliations, said Kevin Atticks, executive director of the winery association.

Atticks wrote in an e-mail: "Yes, they've realized that trails=visitors, so if they can be a part of multiple trails [each with a different audience], then all the better."

No event specific to the trail is planned as of yet, but Atticks noted all will be attending Legacy Chase on Saturday, Sept. 26.

Two very different award-winning Rieslings are being sold at Boordy Vineyards

As Maryland wineries await word on the results of the 2009 Governor’s Cup, it seemed like the appropriate time to check in with owner Rob Deford at Boordy Vineyards in northeastern Baltimore County to talk about his two top finishers in the recent 2009 Winemasters Choice Awards competition.

His 2007 Riesling won a best of class in the off-dry division and his 2008 Riesling was among the gold medal winners. Two wines with the same word in the name and grape in the bottle, but two made distinctly different. Both are available for sale at the winery.

That 2007 vintage is called Eisling, what the winery calls its sweet Riesling reserve.
It’s described as “the nectar of Riesling grapes with aromas of honeysuckle and ripe melon. Seductively sweet and full bodied. The crowning touch to a gourmet meal.”

By phone the other day, Deford called is a “faux ice wine that we make where we give nature a helping hand by putting the grapes in a walk-in cooler. I would never promote it as a true ice wine. I have huge respect for those. It’s a Riesling-based wine; 100 percent Riesling. We press the juice of and freeze it and thaw only the first third to 40 percent and ferment that, so you get a nectar in the thawing process.”

That leads to a wine with 11 percent sugar and 10 percent alcohol and very high acidity, “so it’s actually remarkably in balance so it doesn’t feel cloying but it’s definitely a dessert wine.”

The other is what Deford called ”a straight Riesling. The standard Riesling is a classically cold fermented Riesling . . . with just wonderful Riesling characteristics. I love the Riesling grape. I might have told you before that we tried growing it for 18 years. These are not wines made from our fruit, we import the fruit."

Deford called that attempt at nurturing the grape a fairly honest try that just never had a chance of succeeding. "Riesling needs to be grown in a place where the graph of sunlight is very, very different, the northern latitudes."

Still, that hasn't stopped them from importing it. “I love the wine,” he said, “and enjoy working with it. Unfortunately, we can’t grow it.”

Three other quick mentions. What the Hydes, Md. winery terms its sustainable Happy Hour will continue on Thursdays from 4 to 8 p.m. through Sept. 10; the last of its Saturday night concerts series (from 5:45 to 9:45) will be tonight and next week, Sept. 5; and its Autumn Wine Fest will run during Sundays in October. For more, click on this link.

Md. e-letter features winemaking school

Quick note on a winemaking school featured in the last Association of Maryland Wineries newsletter. Tin Lizzie Wineworks is located in Howard County and run by Dave Zuchero, who earned his degree in Microbiology from Indiana University of Pennsylvania and then continued his studies at UC-Davis, where he was a member of the first graduating winemaking class.

“After gaining all of this winemaking knowledge, I wanted to bring it to Maryland,” Zuchero said. "There are other winemaking schools on the east coast, but it is still a relatively new concept here.”

Just click here to read the rest.

Expecting results of the 2009 Maryland Governor's Cup any time. And when I see them, you'll see them.

Tales from a Mason-Dixon Summit and a smattering of other wine news from the region

What's nice after corresponding with someone for as long as I have with Kevin Atticks, the director of the Association of Maryland Wineries and a fellow professor, is finally sitting down over lunch and some good wine. Had that chance earlier today, at Pomodoro's Italian Restaurant just off I-83 in York. We needed two tables to accommodate the plates of food, a chiller to place a bottle of the 2008 Bordeleau Pinot Grigio (a 2009 Winemakers Choice Best of Show) that he brought, and a spot for the 2007 Pinnacle Ridge Chambourcin (Best of Show at the 2009 Farm Show) that I brought along. Great meal. Great wine. Not a whole lotta news to come out of it, except that Atticks expects next year to be one that sees a number of new wineries open in his state.

He's also expecting results of the Governor's Cup to be announced Friday, which many wineries across the state are eager to see. We'll post those as soon as wwe get them. Competition was held Sunday at Loyola College, where Atticks teaches. Just as a refresher, here are the results from last year's competition.

Afterward, we took a quick spin to the Allegro Vineyards store and both bought a bottle of Trio, a unique collaboration that includes grapes from Allegro, Manatawny Creek and Pinnacle Ridge for a blend that includes Syrah, Cabernet Franc and Merlot. Will report back on what we both thought of the wine, one that Allegro winemaker and owner Carl Helrick termed as "an off-the-wall idea has matured into an imminently drinkable and ageable wine.”

Helrich continued in a release: “2007 was a wonderful vintage, producing some of the best wines of this decade.” The three wineries thought it would be an interesting concept to take the best of what they did and blend it together. He added, “It turned out the blend is about as different as we are."

The juice aged for approximately 18 months at each winery and then was blended at Manatawny Creek. Helrich described the result as a fruit-forward wine with tame oak and very supple tannins. “This is a wine that should deliver numerous years of drinking pleasure, as long as you’re one of the lucky few who is able to get it before it's gone,” he said. Each winery contributed just four barrels toward the effort, supplies are limited.

Finally, since I mentioned the Maryland contest, I saw where New York State release results of its Governor's Cup. Since awards are one way to judge the quality of a winery and its product, you're welcome to peruse this news release and the accompanying list. Cheers.


Governor's Cup release:

Anthony Road Wine Company 2008 Semi-Dry Riesling from the Finger Lakes won the coveted “Governor’s Cup” trophy at the 2009 New York Wine & Food Classic competition, held on August 17 & 18 at the Glen Harbor Hotel in Watkins Glen, NY. The “Winery of the Year” award went to Sheldrake Point Vineyards, another Finger Lakes winery.

The elegant Governor’s Cup, a large silver chalice, recognizes the “Best of Show” or top prize of all 805 entries in the Classic, known as “The Oscars” of New York wine. The “Winery of the Year” award is presented to the winery with the best overall showing based on the level and number of awards in relation to entries.

This year’s competition included 805 New York wines and spirits from the Long Island, Hudson Valley, Finger Lakes, Niagara Escarpment, Lake Erie, and other regions of New York State. The Anthony Road 2008 Semi-Dry Riesling was also voted Best White Wine, Best Riesling and Best Medium Dry Riesling on its way to the ultimate award. Sheldrake Point Vineyards received 1 Double Gold, 2 Gold, 4 Silver, and 1 Bronze awards on its way to that honor.

A “Specialty Wine Champion” award was added last year to recognize consistent quality among the increasing number of wines made from fruits other than grapes, or honey. The 2009 winner was Montezuma Winery with 1 Double Gold, and 4 Silver awards.

The awards were based on blind tastings by 24 expert judges—6 from California, 12 from New York, and 6 from other states. Judges included prominent wine writers, restaurateurs, retailers, and wine educators. Four-judge panels determined the initial awards, with top-scoring wines evaluated by all 24 judges for Best of Category and Governor’s Cup awards.

Celebrating its 24th year, the Classic is organized by Teresa Knapp of the New York Wine & Grape Foundation, and is open to all 258 New York wineries from all regions. In 2009, a total of 26 Double Gold, 71 Gold, 266 Silver, and 279 Bronze medals were awarded. In addition, “Best of Category” and “Best of Class” designations were awarded to wines rated as the finest in various areas. Double Gold medals require unanimity among a panel’s judges that a wine deserves a Gold medal, whereas Gold medals require a majority vote.

The “Best of Category” awards, all eligible for the Governor’s Cup, went to Anthony Road Wine Company 2008 Semi-Dry Riesling for Best White, Miles Wine Cellars NV Wisteria for Best Blush, Swedish Hill Winery 2007 Cabernet Franc for Best Red, Sheldrake Point Vineyards 2008 Late Harvest Riesling for Best Dessert Wine and Earle Estate Meadery NV Pear Mead for Best Specialty Wine.

The “Best of Class” awards for different varietals or proprietary blends, which were tasted off for “Best of Category” awards, went to Sherwood House 2007 Oregon Road Chardonnay for Best Chardonnay, Keuka Spring Vineyards 2008 Gewurztraminer for Best Gewurztraminer, Anthony Road Wine Company 2008 Semi-Dry Riesling for Best Riesling, Belhurst Estate Winery 2008 for Best Dry Riesling, Anthony Road Wine Company 2008 Semi Dry Riesling for Best Medium Dry Riesling, Billsboro Winery 2008 Riesling for Best Medium Sweet Riesling, Martha Clara Vineyards 2008 SO VIN ON BLONK for Best Sauvignon Blanc, Billsboro Winery 2008 Pinot Gris for Best Pinot Gris, Highland Cellars 2007 Cayuga White for Best Cayuga White, Knapp Winery NV Pasta White for Best Seyval, Goose Watch Winery 2008 Traminette for Best Traminette, Keuka Spring Vineyards NV Celebrate for Best Hybrid White Blend, Honeymoon Trail Winery NV Diamond for Best Diamond, Lakewood Vineyards 2008 Niagara for Best Niagara, Lucas Vineyards 2008 Captain’s Belle for Best Hybrid Blush, Miles Wine Cellars NV Wisteria for Best Native Blush, Glenora Wine Cellars 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon Mason Vineyards for Best Cabernet Sauvignon, Fox Run Vineyards 2007 Merlot for Best Merlot, Swedish Hill Winery 2007 Cabernet Franc for Best Cabernet Franc, Damiani Wine Cellars 2007 Meritage for Best Vinifera Red Blend, Swedish Hill Winery NV Viking Red for Best Hybrid Red Blend, Earle Estates Meadery NV Pear Mead for Best Mead, XXX for Best Fruit Wine, Sheldrake Point Vineyards 2008 Late Harvest Riesling for Late Harvest Wine, and Casa Larga Vineyards 2006 Fiori Delle Stella Vidal Ice Wine for Best Ice Wine.

The following wines were awarded Double Gold medals: Anthony Road Wine Company 2006 Tierce, Anthony Road Wine Company 2008 Semi-Dry Riesling, Anthony Road Wine Company 2008 Semi-Sweet Riesling, Atwater Estate Vineyards 2007 Cabernet Franc, Billsboro Winery 2008 Riesling, Billsboro Winery 2008 Pinot Gris, Cascata Winery 2008 Regatta Red, Dr. Konstanin Frank Wine Cellars 2007 Reserve Gewurztraminer, Earle Estates Meadery NV Pear Mead, Fox Run Vineyards 2007 Merlot, Goose Watch Winery 2008 Traminette, Highland Cellars 2007 Cayuga White, Honeymoon Trail Winery NV Apple, Keuka Lake Vineyards 2008 Semi-Dry Riesling, Keuka Spring Vineyards 2008 Gewurztraminer, Keuka Spring Vineyards NV Celebrate, Knapp Winery NV Pasta White, Knapp Winery NV Prism Lucas Vineyards 2008 Captain’s Belle, Montezuma Winery NV Cranberry Bog, Rock Stream Vineyards NV Grappa, Rooster Hill Vineyards 2008 Estate Semi-Dry Riesling, Sheldrake Point Vineyard 2007 Riesling, Sherwood House Vineyards 2007 Oregon Road Chardonnay, Shinn Estate Vineyards 2006 Ultra Brut, Young Sommer Winery NV Cherry Breeze.

The following wines were awarded Gold medals: Americana Vineyards NV Crystal Lake, Atwater Estate Vineyards 2008 Riesling, Atwater Estate Vineyards 2008 Gewürztraminer, Belhurst Estate Winery 2008 Dry Riesling, Bet The Farm Winery 2008 Village White, Brotherhood, America's Oldest Winery NV Holiday Spiced Wine, Casa Larga Vineyards 2006 Fiora Delle StellaVidal Ice Wine, Castello di Borghese Vineyard 2008 Riesling, Chateau LaFayette Reneau 2008 Late Harvest Riesling, Damiani Wine Cellars 2007 Merlot Barrel Select, Damiani Wine Cellars 2007 Meritage, Duck Walk Vineyards 2007Vidal Blanc Ice Wine, Eagle Crest Vineyards NV On-no-lee, Earle Estates Meadery NV Autumn Harvest, Earle Estates Meadery NV Apple Enchantment, Fox Run Vineyards 2008 Reserve Riesling, Fruit Yard Winery NV Natural Plum Wine, Fulkerson Winery 2007 Riesling Traminette, Glenora Wine Cellars 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon Mason Vineyard and 2008 Meritage; Goose Watch Winery 2008 Diamond, Hazlitt 1852 Vineyards 2008 Homestead Reserve Riesling, Hazlitt 1852 Vineyards 2008 Pinot Gris, Heart & Hands Wine Company 2007 Barrel Reserve Pinot Noir, Honeymoon Trail Winery NV Diamond and NV Honeymoon Sweet; Hosmer Winery 2008 Dry Riesling and 2008 Seyval; Imagine Moore 2008 Love Riesling, Keuka Lake Vineyards 2008 Dry Riesling, King Ferry Winery 2007 Treleaven Meritage, Lakewood Vineyards 2008 Niagara, Lamoreaux Landing Wine Cellars 2007 Chardonnay Reserve, Liberty Vineyards & Winery NV Fredonia, Lucas Vineyards 2007Cabernet Franc, Magpie Farms NV Legendry Magpie Honey Mead, Martha Clara Vineyards 2008 SO VIN YON BLONK, Miles Wine Cellars NV Wisteria, Peconic Bay Winery 2006 Riesling, Pellegrini Vineyards 2007 Chardonnay, Pellegrini Vineyards 2005 Merlot, Penguin Bay Winery 2008 Surfside Chardonnay, Pindar Vineyards 2007 Johannisberg Riesling, Red Newt Cellars 2007 Cabernet Franc Red Newt Cellars 2007 Merlot, Rooster Hill Vineyards 2008 Semi-Sweet Riesling, Scarola Vineyards 2007 Cabernet Franc, Schwenk Wine Cellars NV Lake Breeze White, Sheldrake Point Vineyard NV Ice Apple Splash and 2008 Late Harvest Riesling; Sherwood House Vineyards 2004 Blanc de Blanc, Shinn Estate Vineyards 2006 Cabernet Franc, Standing Stone Vineyards 2008 Vidal Ice, Stoutridge Vineyard 2007 Cabernet Franc / Noiret, Swedish Hill Winery NV Naturel, 2008 Dry Riesling, NV Viking White, NV Viking Red, and 2007 Cabernet Franc; Thirsty Owl Wine Company 2008 Dry Riesling, 2008 Pinot Gris, 2008 Diamond, and 2007 Reserve Pinot Noir; Torrey Ridge Winery NV Summer Delight, Ventosa Vineyards 2008 Pinot Gris, Ventosa Vineyards 2007Cabernet Franc, Villa Bellangelo 2008 Semi-Dry Riesling, Wagner Vineyards 2007 Chardonnay Reserve, 2007 Semi-Dry Riesling, and 2007 Meritage; Young Sommer Winery NV Traminette, Semi-Dry.

Complete results of the 2009 Classic will soon be posted under “New York Gold” at www.newyorkwines.org, which also includes Gold medal New York wines from other major competitions.

Maryland wineries workshop concludes with runaway victory in tasting of Bordeaux blends

You might have had trouble reaching folks at some of Maryland's wineries earlier this week, and it had nothing to do with trying to squeeze in some last-minute tanning time at the beach.

The executive director of the Association of Maryland Wineries said that the organization held a winemaking seminar Monday and Tuesday in Annapolis. According to Kevin Atticks, Monday was spent learning about detecting/fixing/preventing wine flaws and Tuesday included a tasting of the best Mid-Atlantic Bordeaux style blends, hosted by out-of-state winemaking consultants. The lineup was:

Childress 2005 Meritage
Elk Run 2007 Cab Franc
Sugarloaf Mountain 2007 Comus Reserve
Linden Hardscrabble 2006
Octagon 2005
Chaddsford Cab Sauv 2006
Chateau O'Brien 2007 Meritage (Barrel Sample)
Michael Shaps 2007 Cab Franc
Pollock 2007 Cab Franc
Serpent Ridge 2007 Vintner's Reserve
Black Ankle 2007 Crumbling Rock

Atticks noted that all were brown-bagged and tasted blind by the group (about 50 people). In this case, the four Maryland wines turned out to be the four favorites.

Serpent Ridge ready to cut the ribbon

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News. News. News. Let's see. Haven't been able to catch up with Greg and Karen Lambrecht, who's Serpent Ridge Vineyards will open tomorow in Westminster, Md. It's the first one to open in that community and the newest to open in Carroll County. They are planning to be open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days this weekend, and for the near future anyway. They're starting out with five wines, close to the average for any new winery that I've seen debut in this region. Those will range from a Vintner's Cabernet (blend of Cab Sauv and Cab Franc) to a what's become an accepted to an American Cabernet blend aged with American and French oak alternatives to a Rose to two whites, a Seyval Blanc and an Albariño.

I don't often just lift from another Web site's story, but the Association of Maryland Wineries that Dr. Kevin Atticks directs posted a feature on the couple recently in its e-letter. Let me run that to give you an introduction to the couple and the winery, and then try to get down there this weekend and gather some more details.

Famed Australian Max Schubert once said “The greatest wines have implanted in them the ideas of the winemaker as to what they should be. His character is part of the wine.” True to form, Greg Lambrecht produces structured yet innovative wines. Greg is the winemaker at Serpent Ridge Winery, which he owns with his wife Karen.

Over the past 22 years, Greg’s Coast Guard career kept him travelling. He spent some time in the Russian River Valley of California, and that is where his love for wine and the art of wine making blossomed. “The unbelievable vistas coupled with the wonderfully new experiences on my palate had me hooked.” Greg devoted as much time as he could to experience those wineries and to tasting wines.

It wasn’t until the mid 1990s that Greg and Karen began their small-scale winemaking. This lead to a love affair with the vines, the grapes, and the wines they produced. In their new passion, they found the perfect location on a beautiful 5+ acres, and named it Serpent Ridge due to the abundance of the reptiles found on the hill.

Greg compares the climate and its challenges similar to grape growing areas like Bordeaux, Northern Italy and Eastern Europe.

“Because we are blessed with this climate we can successfully produce many vinifera and hybrid varieties,” says Greg Lambrecht. “I use the word blessed because I do not consider our climate a negative but rather one of the influences that work to define the wonderful character of our wines.”

He is a firm believer that Maryland’s grapes offer wonderful varietal characteristics and earthy undertones. These are quite different from the more popular “big” reds from the West Coast, but Lambrecht poses the question “the characteristics of Maryland wines are derived from the regional differences offered by our climate. This 'regionality' is embraced in other parts of the world–why not here?”

Serpent Ridge consists currently of two acres of grapes, and this leads to a hands-on approach to wine making. Each vintage is made in small lots, and aged in stainless steel or new age oak. The bottles are sealed with a Zork, a relatively new and quite innovative approach to bottle closures. In regards to the debate of art versus science when wine making, Greg says this “At Serpent Ridge we allow the art of winemaking to be nudged by science if it decides to wander too far from our vision.”

Serpent Ridge officially opens in April. Look out for Serpent Ridge Albariño and two Cabernet blends, both influenced by Greg’s favorite varietals. Serpent Ridge will also be making a Pinot Grigio, Seyval-Blanc, and Ophion, a semi-sweet blush.

Blending together a bit of this, that

Amid all the e-blasts and e-mails I have received the past 48 hours, let me clear the notebook a bit.

From Adam Borden, who's heading up Marylanders for Better Beer and Wine Laws and directed an effort to hand out flyers at Monday's Opening Day at Camden Yards in Baltimore: "We had a decent but not great turnout, about 10, and handed out probably 10,000 fliers," he wrote. "Boy, did I have to get my elevator pitch down! I got it to: 'We're a Maryland non-profit trying to change our laws.' Many people said they did not care about changing any Maryland law without even hearing what law it was, though on the opposite side, a few actually were already members and had signed up for email alerts. I am not sure we will do it again, but we sure got in front of a lot of Marylanders."

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From Dr. Vino, who posted on his blog Thursday a link to a story that ran in Tuesday's New York Times on restaurants beginning to serve wines from refillable tanks: essentially, wine on tap. Here's the Times story and below the Dr. Vino blog entry.

The NYT ran a story yesterday about wine served in restaurants from refillable tanks. It’s a win-win idea since it lowers the cost per glass of wine reduces wine’s carbon footprint with less packaging mass, similar to the bag-in-box idea I detailed in the Times last summer.
Let’s just hope the restaurants that do use the system pass on the lower costs to diners. Such is the case of those detailed in the story. Last spring, I also saw an affordable tank wine (”Mas vino,” pictured above) offered by the glass at Small Shed Flatbreads in Mill Valley. I didn’t try it because I was too busy trying a prosecco.

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Paradocx Vineyard in Landenberg, a member of the Brandywine Valley Wine Trail, will hold its 2nd Annual "Bud Break Bash" from noon to 8 p.m. on Saturday, May 9. There will be live music from 3 to 6 p.m. and a bonfire from 6 to 7 p.m. It's a celebration of the beginning of the grape growing season, signified by the grape vines breaking their first buds. “Bud Break Bash” will have something for all ages, including live music from The Acoustic Groove Project, wine tastings, cheese samples, hayrides, winery tours, and tours of the vineyard, where those conducting the tour will point out new bud growth. A ceremonial burning of the old grape vine trimmings will be held after dinner. Standard wine tasting fees apply ($5 for tasting of 7 wines). Everything else is complimentary.

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Clover Hill Vineyards & Winery in Breinigsville listed its receipes from the recently completed March Madness and gave notice to one of this region's unique events: A Day in the Vineyard. Held in conjunction with Pinnacle Ridge and Vynecrest, "the Hill" will serve as the location for grand tastings several times on Saturday, June 6, and Sunday, June 7. Activities after the grand tastings then will move to the other two wineries. The cost is $25. To sign up or for more info, call Clover Hill at 610.395.2468.

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Maryland Governor's Cup winner Black Winery Vineyards has moved to summer hours (Wed-Fri, noon-5 p.m.; Sat, noon-6 p.m.; Sun, noon-5 p.m.) and will begin a weekly "happy hour" called Friday Night Flights starting next week, the 17th, from 5 to 7 p.m.

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Black Ankle and Serpent Ridge Winery (Westminster) are among various Maryland wineries looking for volunteers to pour during the upcoming summer festival season. Best place to start is the site for the Association of Maryland Wineries for a list of wineries near you. If they need help, you'll likely find that request on the winery's home page. E-mail Tracy at tracy@blackankle.com if you'd like to assist Black Ankle and volunteers@serpentridge.com if you want to assist Serpent Ridge. Those folks are asking for the following: Name/Contact Info/Date and shift you would like to volunteer, First (11:30 a.m.-3 p.m.) or second (2:30-6 p.m.). Time slots will be filled on a first-come basis and we will need to know if you would like to volunteer by May 1.