Black Ankle Vineyards

Not often do you see the new kid on the block make the splash Black Ankle Vineyards has in its inaugural year.  Winning Maryland’s top wine award two years in a row, the coveted Governor’s Cup for their Crumbling Rock Bordeaux blend, Black Ankle has won “best in show” in three of the last four Maryland competitions.  Not to be outdone, their 2008 Bedlam also won best white blend at the 2009 Maryland Governor’s Cup competition.  How does a winery receive such high accolades in their first year you ask?  Owners Ed Boyce and Sarah O’Herron did their homework.

Black Ankle Vineyards

Black Ankle Vineyards sits on a 146-acre farm in Frederick County, Maryland, and includes all the right ingredients: altitude (600 feet), relative altitude, well-drained and low vigor soil, and a mix of different eco-systems (creek, floodplain, steep hills, rolling fields, forests, and pond).  The tasting room is constructed with local, sustainable materials, and is a testament to Black Ankle’s wine philosophy, wines that express the unique flavors and atmosphere of the land on which they are grown.

Black Ankle Tasting Room

I was warmly greeted at the tasting counter and taken through a flight of 5 whites and 5 reds.  The 2008 Bedlam, a blend of 39% Viognier, 19% Chardonnay, 15% Grüner Veltliner, 9% Albarino, and 3% Muscat, was crisp and clean with notes of citrus and minerals.  The 2008 Viognier, another delicious white, exhibited floral aromas along with a creamy, rich texture in the mouth.  Another white receiving lots of press, the Albariño, was unfortunately sold out.  The reds were highlighted by the 2007 Crumbling Rock and the surprising Leaf Stone Syrah.  The Crumbling Rock (look for a future review), a blend of Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Petit Verdot, is focused and polished.  The Leaf Stone Syrah, a sexy and seductive red, is perhaps the best Syrah on the East Coast.  Both retail for $45.

If you haven’t had the opportunity to visit Black Ankle, what are you waiting for?  Pack a picnic, jump on the Frederick Wine Trail, and make a day of it.  Regional Wine Week is coming to an end, so don’t forget to head over to DrinkLocalWine.com to stay updated on all of the action.  And more importantly, remember to drink local!

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Elk Run 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon

In continuation of Regional Wine Week, I pick up where I left off with a review of the Elk Run 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon.  Produced from grapes from their Cold Friday Vineyard, the Cabernet was recently awarded a Best in Class in the 2009 Maryland Governor’s Cup competition for top red.  The wine also took home gold at the Wine Masters Choice Award and the International Tasters Guild.

A terrific growing season, 2007 provided plenty of sunshine, sufficient rainfall, and warm temperatures through harvest, making for ripe, concentrated grapes.  A fruit bomb, the medium-bodied wine exhibited blackberry, currant, and spice on the nose and palate.  A solid effort and another reason to seek out East Coast wines from the 2007 vintage.  Cheers!

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Elk Run Vineyards

Elk Run offers two tastings, a featured flight of 6 wines for $5 OR your choice of 6 wines for $8.  I opted for the latter, considering I had already zeroed in on a few wines prior to my visit.  My lineup included 2 whites and 4 reds.  Up first, the Cold Friday Chardonnay, was fermented in stainless steel and aged in French oak.  A full-bodied Chardonnay with vanilla and oak notes.  The second wine, a 2008 Gewürztraminer, took first place for the whites and is a consistent winner for Elk Run. The 2009 Winemasters Choice gold medal winner, the Gewürztraminer firmly cements Maryland’s place on the wine map.  Bravo.

Elk Run Vineyards

For the reds, the 2007 Cold Friday Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon were the runaway winners.  The Cab Franc is a spicy, peppery wine that can stand alone or pairs well with food.  The Cabernet Sauvignon ($25) was my wine-of-the-day and will be featured later this week in a separate post.  Stay tuned.

If you haven’t visited a Maryland winery, what are you waiting for,  just do it!  I promise, you won’t be disappointed.

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I recently visited Maryland and jumped on the Frederick Wine Trail to visit 2 award-winning wineries, Elk Run Vineyards and the 2-time Governor’s Cup winning winery, Black Ankle Vineyards.  Situated in the heart of the Piedmont region, the Frederick Wine Trail is made up of 6 wineries and their combined 120 acres of vineyards.  A short drive from Washington DC, the trail offers everything from quaint antique shops to picturesque landscapes dotted with historic homes and battlefields.  A perfect day trip.

Stay tuned this week for a recap of my visit along with a review of the 2009 Governor’s Cup Best in Show Crumbling Rock and Best in Class Cold Friday Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon.  Cheers!

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2009 Regional Wine Week

Today marks day 1 of Regional Wine Week, an annual event started by Dave McIntyre and Jeff Siegel over at DrinkLocalWine.com in 2008.  Wine writers and bloggers across the US will be sharing their stories about “wine from around here” -– wherever “here” might be.  During the week, DrinkLocalWines.com will act as a portal to allow interested readers to find bloggers who are writing about local wine.

Considering I write about local wine everyday, I decided my focus this week will be on a state I haven’t explored on TheOther46.com, Maryland.  I recently had the opportunity to visit and sample some great wines and experience an exciting, growing industry.  Be sure to check back this week for my recap and also bookmark DrinkLocalWines.com to stay up-to-date on all of the action!

Remember, think globally, drink locally.  Cheers!