Drink Local Wine Conference 2013, Baltimore, Maryland

When we learned that the 2013 conference for Drink Local Wine was to be held in Maryland, our home state, we were happy that we didn’t have to travel far for the conference. We had just returned from Europe for a conference so distance was on our minds. I did wonder how Maryland wines would be seen by the media core that would attend the conference. Wine media can be an anxious group of individuals, some with impressive credentials while others are just beginning. A media group can have quite individuals as well as overly loud individuals. Some in the media can be mean spirited toward each other and towards the wineries and wine. Some in the wine media only want to bash wines, winemakers, growers and regions. So I wondered how Maryland would be perceived by the DLW13 media group.

After two days with this group, I would use the word “respectful.” This has been the first time I was with a group of wine media where this term could apply. They were respectful toward each other and towards the winemakers, owners and wines. Sadly this wasn’t case in my previous media group appearance a month earlier, nor was it the case with the DLW12 media group last year.

What happened to gain their respect and gentle handling? I believe the Friday media trip to three Maryland wineries sealed the fate for this group of writers. The Maryland Winery Association organized the trip, and quite frankly, blew them away. Our first visit was to Sugarloaf Mountain Vineyard. There was a beautiful food spread and wine served by Sugarloaf Mountain and Elk Run Vineyards. One activity was to taste four wines and choose the one the group liked. Sugarloaf Mountain was going to use the media group’s input to determine the blend to make. Our second winery stop was Blank Ankle Vineyards. The Black Ankle wines were paired with a multi-course lunch that was perhaps the best meal we all have had in quite awhile. Lame, done three ways, was barbecued outside the tasting room. There were oysters on the shells presented two ways. The food just kept coming. You know you captured a group when they comment on how good the potatoes were in addition to the other foods. At this point, Maryland could do no wrong.

Our third stop was Boordy Vineyard where they served their wines along with Fiore and Cygnus. There was such a diverse selection that everyone tried several items. Boordy also had 2012 barrel samples for the group to try. Fiore brought their grappa, some of the best in the country, and limoncello. If there was a small distraction for the day, it would have been the wine glasses used at our first stop. After that, everywhere else used fine stemware. That evening the media group had another meal in Baltimore at the  Waterfront Kitchen.

The next day we had conference sessions and the Twitter Taste-Off. The conference was held at the Tremont Suites in Baltimore. Although undergoing construction of the reception area, the conference room, breakfast room and room for lunch were the most elegant of any Drink Local Wine Conference sites. The site of the Twitter Taste-Off was the warehouse at Camden Yards. We had marvelous views of the ballpark that included a game, not the Orioles, and a wedding. The room the wines were served was long and well lit. The brick walls gave a sense of the oldness of the area. If we had to search for a negative, Internet access was spotty at times.

Maryland did the conference right. The state should become the poster child for the Drink Local Wine Conference and provide a blueprint for future conferences. They calmed a potential beast of a wine media group.

Cheers,
Terry

Session III: Maryland’s New Guard

Ed Boyce of Black Ankle Vineyards

The “Maryland’s New Guard” session was introduced by Kevin Atticks, Executive Director of Maryland Wineries Association and followed by Ed Boyce of Black Ankle Vineyards, Tom Shelton of Bordeleau Vineyards & Winery and Dave Collins from Big Cork Vineyards.

Kevin Atticks gave an overview of what he has seen over the past 10 to 12 years. He mentioned there are wines from all over the world that have faults. Where does Maryland need to go?

Ed Boyce mentioned that the challenge isn’t quality; it is consistency as Maryland can make quality wines. Through his research he discovered the models of grape growing on the East Coast do not follow what is done around the world. He noted that Maryland winery/vineyards cannot follow California. Instead Maryland should look to Europe. California has different weather. In a bad weather year Black Ankle will pull what would go into a higher-level wine and put it into a lower level wine. Therefore the lower level wines are always consistent. There may not be a higher-level wine each year. Ed thinks that the one thing in the industry that will change over the years will be the grower.

Tom Shelton from Bordeleau Vineyards & Winery agrees that consistency is important. Tom has seen a positive change in the image of Maryland wine. He mentioned that Pinot Gris and Chambourcin do well on his Eastern Shore vineyard. His philosophy is that every time they bottle a wine it has to be better than the one they ran out of (sold out of.) Tom likes using blending as a means to establish consistency.

Dave Collins of Big Cork Vineyards helped to plant 22 acres of vineyards in Washington County. His experience in growing grapes in Virginia has taught him that the more acres of vineyards that people drive past the more likely people will search out the winery. People come to the property for the experience not necessarily for the wines.

The third session, “Maryland’s New Guard,” provided information and inspiration for Maryland winemakers, wine growers and wine enthusiasts. It is obvious that the Maryland wine industry is growing both in size and in quality and will continue to rise.

Dr. Joe Fiola, University of Maryland

Session I: Creating Maryland’s Wine Identity

This panel presentation began with an introduction of panel members including Marguerite Thomas, author of Touring East Coast Wine Country, Robert Deford, owner of Boordy Vineyards, and Dr. Joe Fiola, from the Cooperative Extension, College of Agriculture & Natural Resources, University of Maryland.

According to Robert Deford, Boordy Vineyards really began during Prohibition but it was not civil disobedience.  Current owner Deford noted that Wagner wanted to re-introduce wines to Americans. He also introduced hybrid grapes.

Deford talked about the state identity including marketing the state. He mentioned that political lines don’t have any meaning. He went on to mention the difficulties of the wine industry in Maryland. Maryland should do research on vineyards and wineries. Maryland’s wineries need to develop a political voice and continue marketing. He noted that in Maryland if something is not mentioned in the laws it implies that means it cannot be done. Deford ended by asking “Is wine too fancy for Maryland?”

Marguerite Thomas started by saying that Maryland wines as far back as 1990 were not very good.  She did not back up her statements. She also mentioned the use of hybrids but said that wasn’t bad.  She also so noted that in 2001 Kevin Atticks was the start of an increased interest in Maryland wine.

Dr. Joe Fiola followed Marguerite’s brief presentation. In Dr. Joe Fiola’s opinion Maryland is not going to be known for unique varieties. Instead Maryland can do a lot of varieties well.  Success for the Maryland wine industry will include people who evolve with the industry, leadership to get positive legislation, a new breed of wineries, better understanding of vineyards and site selections.  Dr. Fiola educates about the differences depending where the grapes are grown in the state. Many vineyards are using current research as well as conducting their own research.

Dr. Fiola believes that the future of the Maryland wines lies with the Bordeaux varieties, Chambourcin, Chardonnay, Barbera, Sauvignon Blanc and Albarino. In the past it was shocking that European vitis vinifera could be grown on the East Coast.

This session, “Creating Maryland’s Wine Identity” took a look at the Maryland’s wine industry and offered encouragement that Maryland’s wine industry is growing and will continue to grow.

The Colorado Twitter Taste–Off took place during the afternoon session. Twenty-two Colorado wineries poured two of their wines for conference attendees. Everyone voted for the best red and best white wines. Best red award went to Ruby Trust Cellars for their The Smuggler. The best white wine went to Guy Drew Vineyards for their Pinot Gris. The people’s choice award went to Redstone Meadery for their Nectar of the Hops. While the media’s favorite wine was the Guy Drew Vineyards Pinot Gris.

To continue with a theme I began at the Wine Bloggers Conference in 2011, my wine tweets consist of Haikus. Here is a sample of the Haikus written for the 2012 Drink Local Wine Twitter Taste-Off.

Desert Moon Vineyards
Altitude with attitude
Enjoyed the tannins

Redstone Meadery
Carbonated fruit honey
Raspberry Nectar.

Ruby Trust Cellars
The Smuggler Cab Franc pepper
Spicy dark black fruit.

Holy Cross Abbey
Cabernet Franc red cherry
Pepper and tannins.

Meunier Pinot
Jack Rabbit Hill fruity red
High altitude blend.

Mesa Park Vineyards
Cherries, black pepper blended
Where’s the barbecue?

Whitewater Hill Chard
Zero Below apricot
Drink this all day long.

Settembre Cellars
Cab Sauvignon dark fruit spice
Tannins blackberries.

Cheers,
Terry

The 2012 Drink Local Wine Conference takes place in Denver, Colorado on April 28. The Drink Local Wine Conference began in 2009 and each year the annual Conference takes place in a different state. Previous conferences have taken place in Texas, Virginia and Missouri.

The 2012 sessions include “Colorado’s Terroir and the Challenges of High Altitude,” “Local Food, Local Wine, and Why They Don’t Like Each Other,” and “Consumer Perception of Colorado and Regional Wine.” At noon, there will be a Colorado Blind Challenge followed by lunch and then the Nomacorc-Colorado Twitter Taste-off.

The origin of the Drink Local Wine blog was the brainstorm of Jeff Siegel and Dave McIntyre. Jeff is from Texas and writer of the Wine Curmudgeon blog. Dave is from the East Coast and writes a wine column for the Washington Post as well as writing for numerous wine-related magazines. Drink Local Wine focuses on the 47 less known wine states.

If you have the opportunity to join the 2012 Drink Local Wine Conference in Denver, tickets are available online. Watch for the location of the 2013 Conference to be announced.

Hope to see you in Denver!

Cheers, Kathy

On Sunday, April 25^th wine writers, bloggers, winemakers, growers and wine enthusiasts will meet at Landsdowne Resort near Leesburg, Virginia for the 2010 Drink Local Wine Conference. With the conference only two days away, I began to reflect on the meaning of drink local wine as interpreted by restaurants.

I have a few observations after eating in many restaurants. Some restaurants simply do not understand the concept of drink local wine. To them the term local is a country rather than a state or an area within a state. When asked to see a list of local wines, they think of local as the United States and present a list of California wines. Restaurants need to be educated as to the meaning of drink local wine. A second observation is that many of the restaurants that do understand the terminology simply do not want to risk putting local wines on their menu. A restaurant that serves people from out of the region, such as a restaurant close to an international airport, incorrectly assumes that they need an international portfolio of wines. They want to present a wine list that their patrons will recognize rather than a wine list that suggests trying the local wines. When I travel to anywhere in the world, I’m more interested in the local cuisine including local wine than having the familiar.

Education is obviously one of the methods to change perceptions of local wine. The DrinkLocalWine.com website helps. Their conference in the spring and regional wine week event in the fall help to gather wine writers and bloggers. In addition, wineries should consider approaching restaurants and introduce their wines. There was a time not that long ago when a California wine was unheard of in a New York City restaurant. Wineries can’t assume that if they make wine in a community that people and restaurants in that community will come and discover their wines. There are some wineries that do a good job of educating restaurants and have had success in getting their wines on restaurant wine lists. However, it seems that the winery must approach the restaurant rather than the other way around. Education is a key concept if the drink local wine movement is going to gain momentum.

Wine Trail Traveler is ushering in the New Year with its 2010 New Year’s Resolutions.

1. Visit and write reviews of 150 wineries
2. Visit wineries in several wine regions we haven’t visited
3. Taste 25 new grape varieties to add to our DeLong Wine Century Club list
4. Attend a Sommelier Conference
5. Attend the 2010 Twitter Taste-off at the Drink Local Wine Conference
6. Write and publish two wine related books (already in progress)
7. Add more Partners (advertisers) to the Wine Trail Traveler website.

Many of these resolutions will take a large investment of time and effort but we are excited about 2010.

What are your wine-related New Year’s Resolutions?

Cheers! Kathy