A Maryland Wine Tasting

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One thing that I learned early in my adjusting career is that every state produces wine, some good some bad. Lots of bad to find the nuggets of good.

I’ve probably written about our wine tastings, well I try to buy wine from wherever I am for the next wine tasting. And so it is here in Maryland, I figured that if Virginia wines are good then Maryland must be ok too.

I’d heard about a wine festival on TV, advertised that lots of Maryland Wineries would be there, lots of food and crafts. I thought it might be fun to do a wine tasting ourselves, eat some good food and buy some Christmas Presents at the craft show.

As it turned out we were really late as I had claims in DC. Dolly went sightseeing while I worked, we picked her up and went on to Baltimore. We only had 1 hour before the tasting closed but as it turned out we had quite enough wine in a very short time.

The festival was set at Carroll County Farm Museum, a farm and setting of old buildings. A sort of “Kern County Museum” in Bakersfield. So to set the scene; the parking is across the road and one walks by a grove of trees with a pond to the left of the party. White tents are set up to the right. The farm buildings are not really visible but then I didn’t know what I was looking for anyway.

This was their 28th annual festival and we were shocked by how many wineries were represented. According to the information about 38 wineries were represented. Unfortunately, one winery used grapes grown in Lodi, CA so I refused to taste their wine. I won’t drink wine made from those grapes at home so I sure won’t here in Maryland. Yes you can call me a snob!

Now I am a pro at these tastings. My first one, in Paso Robles, I drank the entire amount poured in my glass and boy was I happy!!! Just wasn’t happy to be not enjoying the wine. This time I insisted on the tinniest sips and then threw out the rest if there was more than that. I was able to taste quite a few wines and not feel the effects. But we sure saw lots of people who felt the effects of the wine; loud disinhibited levity and then those who were a little sick! (or more than a little)

We tasted a bunch of wine, most of it not what I’d ever drink again but some not so bad and we did buy several bottles of wine.

For a reduced rate Dale became our designated driver. He kept asking me what I thought of a particular wine and I’d say “it’s really different”. Poor guy I said that about so many wines but I couldn’t articulate why it was different. After trying I don’t know how many wines I was tired of tasting and it was time to find some food.

We went around and found some really great Cajun food, and it was gluten free so I could eat.

We finally got to the craft fair when everything was closing down. Oh well, no one needs a present.

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