Holiday season means drinking. Yes, it means a bunch of other things too. But by and large, you, your family, your friends—you will all be drinking.
So to dispel any misnomers and misinformation about what to drink this season, we went straight to the experts. Well, just one: Kevin Atticks, the executive director of the Maryland Wineries Association, shared with Patch what wines and local beers to pair with your meals over these next two weeks.
Fiore Winery Cabernet Franc:
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According to Fiore Winery's website, their Cabernet Franc is "very ripe, round and polished with plum and black cherry fruit." The wine has won a number of awards, including two bronze and one silver medal at the Maryland Governor's Cup competition. According to Atticks, it's a perfect pairing for holiday foods—turkey, stuffing and the like. Grown and bottled in Harford County, Fiore Winery's Cabernet Franc goes for about $18 a bottle.
Serpent Ridge Vineyard Seyval Blanc (2009):
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Serpent Ridge Vineyard's Seyval Blanc contains traces of green apple and citrus. The vineyard itself suggests pairing the wine with poultry dishes, white-sauce pastas and salmon, especially salmon cooked on the grill. Bundle up in your parka and get grilling. Grown in Montgomery County and bottled in Carroll County, Serpent Ridge Vineyard's Seyval Blanc retails for $14 a bottle. It was also a 2010 bronze medal winner in the Maryland Winemasters Choice Competition.
Bordeleau Vineyards Reserve Chardonnay (2007):
Bordeleau's Reserve Chardonnay, like Serpent Ridge Vineyard's Seyval Blanc, pairs well with seafood and white-sauce pasta dishes. It also goes well with chicken. Hints of tropical fruits and lemon are infused in the wine, as well as scents of butterscotch, caramel and vanilla, according to Bordeleau's website. The Reserve Chardonnay is grown and bottled in Wicomico County. It retails for $20 a bottle.
For the beer drinkers out there, Atticks suggests two beers brewed right in Baltimore: Clipper City Brewing Co.'s Heavy Seas Winter Storm Ale, which pairs well with cheddar and—yes—ribs, and Brewer's Art's Green Peppercorn Tripel.
