While I was at the DLW 2013 Grand Tasting at Camden Yards in
Baltimore, MD, I started to hear some buzz among the wine writers. Had I tried
the two very nice wines from Thanksgiving Farm?
I am not stranger to Thanksgiving Farm. I reviewed them
several years ago. But I had not sampled their wines in a while…not because I didn’t
want to…I just couldn’t get my hands on it.
Thanksgiving Farm® wines are grown, produced and bottled at
Thanksgiving Farm in Harwood, Southern Anne Arundel County, Maryland, by Doug
and Maureen Heimbuch. It’s a family owned and operated business dedicated to
grape growing and wine making.
Thanksgiving Farm is approximately 58 acres in size and was
once part of a 332 acre farm called Richland. In 1892, Richland was purchased
by Robert and Mary Cheston from the estate of John Kremelburg. In 1954, the
Cheston family sold 58 acres of Richland to the Taliaferro family, who named
the parcel Thanksgiving Farm. The Taliaferros sold Thanksgiving Farm to the
Heimbuch family in 1996, at which time there were no vineyards at Thanksgiving
Farm.
To preserve the rural character of Thanksgiving Farm in
perpetuity, the Heimbuch family granted Anne Arundel County, Maryland, a
conservation easement for the Farm under the County’s Agricultural and Woodland
Preservation Program.
Thanksgiving Farm® Franc Blanc is made from the white juice
of Cabernet Franc grapes. An amazing wine. Great flavor. Bright, crisp, with
tremendous flavor. This was one of the biggest surprises of the tasting. A white wine made from Cab Franc?! Too cool! And t's a great white!
Thanksgiving Farm® Meritage is their premium blend of Merlot
58%, Cabernet Franc 16%, Petit Verdot 16% and Cabernet Sauvignon 10%. It’s
soft, dry red wine in the style of red Bordeaux. As with the previous edition,
lots of dark fruits, blackberry, plum, dark raspberry, a touch of prune. A hint
of vanilla. Smooth. A beautiful wine!! Elegant!!!
Read my 2007 Thanksgiving Farm Meritage 2007 review:
You can also read the Maryland Terroirist: