We visited Orchid Cellar Winery in Middletown Maryland (USA) to taste some Eastern European meads. We have heard about this style of meads, 1 part honey, 2 parts water or some juice or spices and herbs. We were very please to learn that they had also earned 2 silver medals in this years Mazer cup. Andrzej and Marzanna Wilk chatted with us while pouring samples of their Polish meads. Aged in French oak barrels, clear with a beautiful rich golden color. The first swirl and sniff finds the honey, the first taste ever of this style for us was so rich and smooth. Yes its very sweet, but every part of it was well balanced so there is no cloyingly sweet about it, its very strong and tastes like smooth fermented honey, not some stuck ferment that people bottle young. Every batch we tasted was impressive, we got to sneak a taste of some still in the works, if you are lucky you will get to taste their white peach mead, I think its ready to bottle, they said they are going to age it another year and check it again. I thought I had patience, not by a long shot, I would probably have drunken it all before they even decided it was time to bottle! Their son is the meadmaster, they do extensive research on the history of mead and import authentic ingredients to make their meads adapted to American honey. I must go now and take a honey inventory to see how many batches of Polish mead I can get started.
I also took a beekeeper friend along with me, they have several hives at the cellar and so dearly love their bees. Charles the beekeeper shared some of his passion for bees and we got to learn about how to make Polish style meads.
They have a very pleasant tasting room with a view of the mountains from their patio. Its very easy to find the cellar, its set in the beautiful rural Middletown valley. They are also expanding and building a new cellar and tasting room. Dont forget to oogle their Mazer medals, you get an extra good full shot for that.
www.orchidcellar.com
WVMJ
I also took a beekeeper friend along with me, they have several hives at the cellar and so dearly love their bees. Charles the beekeeper shared some of his passion for bees and we got to learn about how to make Polish style meads.
They have a very pleasant tasting room with a view of the mountains from their patio. Its very easy to find the cellar, its set in the beautiful rural Middletown valley. They are also expanding and building a new cellar and tasting room. Dont forget to oogle their Mazer medals, you get an extra good full shot for that.
www.orchidcellar.com
WVMJ
