Wine Is Changing.

(Cool Ridge Vineyard in the foothills of South Mountain.  Washington County, Maryland)

For centuries great wine was unapproachable to the average consumer. Too expensive and too pretentious. But that’s changing. Great wine is more accessible than ever.

Since understanding is a pillar of appreciation, the information age has served wine well.

Wine drinkers today have access to information that was hard to imagine just 15 years ago. The internet, smartphones and apps have made wine infinitely more approachable and less intimidating….  

But information hasn’t just served consumers well, it’s also served grape growers and winemakers around the world well. The secrets are out. The science is known. Great wine is being made by skilled producers in surprising places.

Notable wines of the future will no longer be exclusive products of France, Italy, or California. They will be coming to you from unsuspecting places and they will turn the heads of the most refined palates. Blind tasters will be astonished when they find out that one came from Virginia, or New York, or Maryland.    

The only prerequisites of great wines are a suitable vineyard site – marked by rolling hills and rocky soils – thoughtful farming practices and a skillful winemaker. Want to guess where you can find these things?

Maryland.

Local wine is making a serious run all over the US and the world. Folks are discovering hidden gems in their backyard. Dave McIntyre recently wrote a piece in the Washington Post titled, “Visit a local winery, bring home bottled adventure “. In it, he says, “The next time you’re at a local winery, ask about its winemaker’s experiments. You might discover a gem.”

Regional wines are changing the landscape around the world. Great wine will soon be on everyone’s table. As small, regional producers craft delicious world-class wines and experience the support of their communities, the tide will rise. There will always be a place for Bordeaux and Burgundy, but so many more wines around the world are offering incredible enjoyment and value.

Great wines have always told a story; there are simply more stories to choose from today than ever before.

Drink adventurously!