I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the quality of Maryland wines sampled during the Twitter Taste-off at the DrinkLocalWine.com 2010 conference.  I’ve praised Maryland wines for some time now (see my earlier recap) and continue to be impressed with the quality of wines being produced.  I didn’t have time to sample all of the offerings, but did revisit two favorites, Elk Run Vineyards and Black Ankle Vineyards.  I also had the opportunity to meet Kevin Atticks, Executive Director of the Maryland Wineries Association and author of “Discovering Maryland Wineries,” my first regional wine book.  Highlights included the textbook Cold Friday Chardonnay from Elk Run and the Black Ankle Leaf Stone Syrah (in my opinion, the best Syrah from the East Coast).

Black Ankle Vineyards 2007 Crumbling Rock

But tonight’s post focuses on a wine I purchased during my last visit to Maryland, the 2007 Crumbling Rock from Black Ankle.  The 2009 Maryland’s Governors Cup winner, the Bordeaux-style blend retails for $45 and clocks in at 15.1% alcohol.  In the glass, the wine displayed a beautiful nose of black fruit and cherries with a hint of nutmeg and leather.  Flavors of cinnamon, spice, tobacco, and red fruit coat the palate.  An age-worthy wine from the excellent 2007 vintage.

The Maryland wine industry is on the cusp of great things, and it was a welcome site to see the enthusiasm for the wines.  Cheers!

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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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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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Interestingly, these wines have something more in common than just the Governor’s Cup.  The Crumbling Rock comes in at $40, while the Keswick Cab topples that at $60!  Yes, that’s SIXTY DOLLARS!  Don’t get me wrong, I love the other 46 states and do my best in spreading the word, but these latest prices are out of control.  I have a hard time believing these wines can stand alongside some great Napa Valley Cabernets, for example Sequoia Grove, Honig, and Whitehall Lane.  All of these wines retail in the $30 price range and offer great value each vintage.

Before I get inundated with emails, I must disclose I have not tried either wines and this is solely my opinion.  Both wines are out of my price range, although I would welcome the opportunity to sample each.  I continually read complaints about the high price tags on wines from the other 46 states, and unfortunately, these wines definitely don’t help matters.  But then again, these two wines could be outstanding, and ultimately compete for their spot in the global wine marketplace.

Or, this could all be hype…

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