A week or so ago I was at the Maryland Governor's Cup tasting in Frederick, MD. While there I had the opportunity to taste with Catoctin Breeze, a family-owned vineyard located in the northeastern foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Catoctin Breeze Vineyard in Thurmont, Maryland, is owned and operated by Adam Fizyta and his wife, Vanessa. Adam took over the family business from his parents, Voytek and Alicja Fizyta, who established the winery in 2010.
Adam leads the vineyard's expansion, sustainable production, and winemaking. Adam is an avid outdoorsman. He developed a love of wine and viticulture and never looked back. Adam went on to complete the “Terroir and Vineyard Management” program led by renowned viticulturist Kees van Leeuwen in Bordeaux. This was followed by back-to-back stages with Jim Law at Linden Vineyards and Joshua Grainer at Lost Mountain Vineyards (RdV), respectively. That's a heckava resume right there.
Catoctin Breeze Albariño 2024 is a 100% estate grown wine. This was a bigger Albarino than I was expecting. A solid, medium-bodied white. Big notes of tangerine and orange blossom, hints of nuts - hazelnuts and almonds. Notes of tangerine & almond. Great balance. Lovely acidity, but not the acid bomb that you sometimes get. Nonetheless, juicy and that fruit lingers a lovely, long time. Elegant and polished, this wine is a sophisticated white that is very very impressive. texture on the palate, with a beautifully soft finish. An absolutely impressive wine.