Gazette Newspapers: Wine Growth in U.S., Maryland

Gazette Newspapers, January 19, 2007 (HAT TIP to Isaac Smith of The Old Line):

The Maryland wine industry is budding and Americans are decanting, sniffing and sipping more wine than ever before, according to the Congressional Wine Caucus’ first nationwide economic study of wine and grape products.

...

Maryland wineries have followed the industry growth trend recently, including a 19 percent increase in sales in 2006, which is above the national average, according to Kevin Atticks, director of the Maryland Wineries Association.

‘‘We’ll have 32 wineries by the end of this year,” Atticks said. ‘‘Four years ago there were only 12.”

Welcome news. I do recall seeing a paltry number of wineries at the Maryland Wine Festival some years ago. Thirty-two wineries is a welcome number.

Robert Parker's Wine Glossary

Maryland-based wine expert Robert Parker has a useful glossary of wine terminology on his website. Sample definition:spicy:

Wines often smell quite spicy with aromas of pepper, cinnamon, and other well-known spices. These pungent aromas are usually lumped together and called spicy.