How did you hear about The Maryland Wine Festival®? Please Choose... TV - WBAL-TV 11 TV - Other Radio - WZBA 100.7 FM Radio - WYPR 88.1 FM Radio - WTMD 89.7 FM Radio - Other Comcast mailer Newspaper - Carroll Co. Times Newspaper - Baltimore Sun Newspaper - Washington Post Newspaper - Other Magazine - Maryland Life Magazine - The Grapevine Magazine - Other Brochure Winery WWW: MarylandWine.com WWW: Maryland Wine Fest site WWW: TheWBALTV.com WWW: Other Word of mouth Attended previously If "other"..., where? What is your zip code? please click only once!

The American Wine Society (AWS) is a national non-profit educational organization devoted to the training of wine judges, educating members on wine making and grape growing, and promoting the appreciation of wine. It is open to all who are interested in wine. There are currently nearly 3,000 members in the United States.

The AWS sponsors three events during The Maryland Wine Festival. They include the Wine Education Seminars, the Amateur Winemakers Judging, and continuous demonstrations of winemaking.

Wine Education Seminars
One of the goals of Festival-goers is to sample the wines from the various wineries and decide what they like. There is a bit of a technique to doing this, especially if you have only a small amount of wine to sample.

The Wine Education Seminars explain the sensory aspects of wine – taste, aroma, color, clarity and finish – by the tasting of two different wines. The lectures are given by AWS members, professional wine educators, wine critics, and wine makers.

Attendees are surprised to learn that the tasting techniques taught in the seminars can be applied to other beverages, as well as wine.

The lectures are light-hearted and entertaining – AWS is intent on dispelling the aura of “mystery” that often surrounds the knowledge of wine. The subject of wine and health is also addressed, and the audience is invited to ask questions and give their opinions of the wines during the program.

The AWS seminars are included in the festival entrance fee. Four seminars are scheduled each day, every hour on the hour, from Noon to 3 p.m. on Saturday, and 1 to 4 p.m. on Sunday.

Amateur Wine Judging
Ever tasted a wine made from cranberries? How about parsnips? Violets? We hadn’t either until such was entered in the Wine Judging Event at past Maryland Wine Festivals. Over the years, members of our agricultural community have produced wines made from a variety of ingredients other than the standard fruits.

The Amateur Wine Judging will take place on Sunday, September 19 at 1 p.m. Each pre-registered entry will receive a certificate of participation along with a copy of the judges’ rating form. The rating system is the standard AWS 20-point scale, which assesses appearance, aroma and bouquet, taste balance, and aftertaste. Wines can be made from grapes, fruits other than grapes, and non-fruits (e.g., dandelion or parsnips).

Judges are all members of the American Wine Society. Learn more about entering your wines into the competition.

Winemaking Demonstrations
The winemaking demonstration is a continuous presentation which shows how wine is made, starting with fresh grapes and proceeding through crushing, pressing, and fermentation. Fresh-squeezed grape juice can be tasted by just holding your glass under the press.