Something to wine about: Linganore Winecellars

Linganore Winecellars welcomes home 3^rd generation winemaker The Mount Airy, Maryland Linganore Winecellars announces the addition of its third-generation winemaker, Melissa Aellen, to its wine making team.  Following in the footsteps of her father, Anthony Aellen, and grandfather, Jack Aellen, Melissa is excited to work side by side with her family in carrying on the legacy that began in the early 1970’s.  Melissa graduated from Cornell University in 2013 with a degree in Viticulture and Enology.  During her time at Cornell and after graduation, Melissa gained experience at several different wineries, including those in Indiana, Illinois, New York, Oregon, California, and New Zealand. She brings with her a wealth of knowledge in all aspects of wine making, from growing and harvesting grapes to the production and marketing of wine. For more information about Linganore Winecellars, go to http://www.linganorewines.com.

Get your Maryland Wine ON! 5th Annual Winter Wine Showcase

Squeezed inbetween restaurant weeks and Valentine’s Day is the 5^th Annual Winter Wine Showcase, sponsored by the Maryland Wineries Association on Thursday, January 26^th 2017 from 6 – 9:30 pm at the B & O Railroad Museum. Over forty award-winning selections from top Maryland wineries, poured by the winemakers and proprietors themselves; highlighting a vast array of sparkling, red, whit ean dessert wines.  Tickets are $55.00 for the “Roundhouse Tasting” (7-9:30 pm) and $70.00 for the “Sparkling Wine Pre-Reception + Roundhouse Tasting” (6-9:30 pm) and are available by logging onto http://www.marylandwineevents.com/winter-wine/ or by calling 410-252-WINE.

Winter Wine Showcase at the B&O Railroad Museum will feature stationary hors d’oeuvres, live jazz music provided by David Bach, and an opportunity to mingle with the leading folks in the Maryland wine industry, all the while amidst the largest antique train collection in the country. Al Spoler, Host of WYPR’s “Cellar Notes”, will be on hand serving as Guest Curator, to ensure that the most notable wines from across the state are showcased.  The VIP Sparkling Wine Pre-Reception, from 6-7pm, will give guests the opportunity to get to know Maryland’s best traditional and non-traditional sparkling varietals and learn about méthode champenoise from the producers themselves.  (Tickets for this VIP Reception are limited.)

Maryland wine competition announces their winners

The Annual Comptrollers Cup Competition, formerly known as the Winemasters Choice Competition, brings together wine makers from across the state of Maryland for a blind judging where the judges only know the composition of the wine, not the label, price nor any other details.  A flight of wines in a single category was dispersed to the five judges for evaluation.  

It is time to make room in your wine cellar for 2016 "Best in Class" Winners:

• BEST WHITE: Boordy Vineyards • Landmark Reserve Albariño 2015 (Baltimore Co.)
• BEST WHITE BLEND: Old Westminster Winery • Greenstone, Third Edition (Carroll Co.)
• BEST ROSÉ: Crow Vineyard • Rosé 2015 (Kent Co.)
• BEST RED: Old Westminster Winery • Malbec 2014 (Carroll Co.) *Best in Show
• BEST RED BLEND: Sugarloaf Mountain Vineyard • Evoe 2013 (Montgomery Co.)
• BEST CIDER: Great Shoals Winery • Hard Blackberry (Montgomery Co.)
• BEST FRUIT: Linganore Winecellars • Mango Sangria (Frederick Co.)
• BEST MEAD: Charm City Meadworks • Sweet Blossom (Baltimore City)
• BEST DESSERT: Linganore Winecellars • Indulgence (Frederick Co.)

Barrel and tank tasting at Linganore Winecellars

 Learn about wine production from the vine to the bottle with the owner and president, Anthony Aellen whose parents started Linganore in 1971. Taste right from the barrels the aging cuvée earmarked for champagne production; compare a 2015 ruby port versus a silkier, smoother aged 2014 port.  The enthusiastic Aellen generously shared his wine production knowledge and entertaining antidotes during the media barrel tasting tour.  

Read the complete story and check out the slideshow HERE.