“Wine is one of the most civilized things in the world and one of the most natural things of the world that has been brought to the greatest perfection.” – Ernest Hemingway

Imagine you’re having a dinner party. You have carefully selected a menu that both reflects your taste and the tastes of your guests. You have gone to the market to pick up the things you will need to prepare the meal, and carefully selected local ingredients. Your attention to detail—down to the tablecloth color—is precise. You know the prep work you need to do beforehand, and have planned out how the night will go.

Next, you need to pick out the wine. For some, any wine will do, but you are not that person. You want the wine to match the flavor of your food, while enhancing it to its fullest. You walk into your local liquor store or wine shop and stare blankly at the racks and shelves of wine.

Which wine should you choose?

Which wine complements your meal, but is one that you will still like? And where did the wine come from? Your potatoes and squash may have come from the farm up the street, and you want your wine to match that local, authentic Maryland flavor.

That is where Maryland Wineries Association comes in. With over 400 wines all made in the state of Maryland, it shouldn’t be hard to find one that suits your tastes. We represent over 60 Maryland wineries and promote and encourage Marylanders to drink, buy, taste, and support local wine.

Local wine can be found at over 800 retailers and 300 restaurants across the state, and over 800 tons of grapes are harvested each year across 600 acres of grapevines. Our climate in Maryland is similar of that to wine specific areas in Europe, making for ideal growing conditions.

Hard to believe? Just visit any one of our local wineries and see for yourself. Instead of heading to Tuscany for a week, you can traverse the Carroll Wine Trail for a day of wine tasting at five wineries. Or stop in for a quick tasting and Maryland wine history lesson at Boordy Vineyards, Maryland’s oldest winery!

Do you have a favorite local wine? Tell us in the comments section below. 

The roots of Maryland wine trace back to as early as the 1560s. Even John Adlum, a major in the Revolutionary War, made his wine on Maryland soil and shared it with Thomas Jefferson in Washington D.C. Perhaps it was Adlum’s Maryland wine that helped influence some of our country’s greatest decisions – or perhaps it was just supplied at regal dinner parties with foreign dignitaries.

Whether you are an avid wine drinker, or just experiencing the joy of wine today, we encourage you to check back for this weekly blog on Patch.com. We’ll feature new and exciting wineries, wine pairing suggestions, and anecdotes about Maryland wine. Until next week, don’t forget to Ask for Maryland Wine!

Follow us on Twitter at @mdwine and look for us on Facebook! Sign up for our newsletter at http://www.marylandwine.com

If you are interested in joining our Maryland Wine Passport Program, please visit http://www.marylandwine.com/md-passport 

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Locapour: (n) A person who drinks only locally produced wine or beer. [Blend of local and pour.]