Retired: Maryland's Best

"Maryland's Best" Limited Edition - Now Retired. 

"Maryland's Best" was captured at Black Ankle's Grand Opening, but is not our only Black Ankle image. Check out our store / website for other Maryland Winery art, including Black Ankle. 

New Release: BV Cubed

"BV Cubed"

New Release "BV Cubed" will be available at Wine in the Woods, May 19 & 20, 2012.

Found It!

The quest to replace the beloved everyday Barefoot wine is finally over.   After trying just about every high value wine from our local wine store we finally found it. It took a visit downtown to one of our favorite wine bars, VNO. I sampled Broad Bent, a Vinho Verde from Portugal.  And, well, hmmm, tasty!

The sun was shining and the air was warm so we grabbed an outdoor seat and ordered a bottle. Crisp, soft with a little effervescence. We grabbed a few extra to take home.

Once we got home we realized the wine was low octane, even better I thought, 9%. I can drink this with dinner on a school night and not feel guilty.  

We're still sampling other Vinho Verdes to find the best one. More to follow.

Barefoot Burn-Out

How long does it take for one to burn on a favorite, everyday wine?

About a year.

We love Barefoot wines, especially the pinot grigio. The price point is right. It's a perfect everyday wine but then something happened. We took a vacation back home to Florida. We got sick with an upper respiratory infection that left us thinking everything tasted funny.

We continued our vacation with our last stop on St. Augustine. We tried a few new wines and made our best attempt to enjoy the remaining days in Florida funny taste notwithstanding. It didn't work so well.

We returned home after a 16 hour uneventful drive. There was plenty Barefoot waiting for us to unwind, but we just couldn't enjoy it like before.

I was wondering "how could I be sure it was the sickness affecting me?" But the following two weekends Barefoot just didn't hold it's allure.

Now the quest begins to find a replacement.

Canton Wine & Jazz

New Event for us, Canton Wine and Jazz Festival. We wanted to give it a try because it was downtown. That was good for me - sometimes it feels like I don't get into the city enough.

It was a small town feel. A party in the streets.  Local Wine and good local music. Nothing over powering or too loud. Jazz really is a great pairing with wine.

The only downside to this festival is the wineries were only allowed to sell wine by the glass.  I think that was determined by the hosting organization, The Canton Homeowners Association. As a result the lines were long; the crowd was frustrated.  At some point some of the wineries gave into the crowds or people purchased wine by the bottle to take it home but just opened it there instead. Some of the wineries sold out of wine, too. That helped us close up a little early....festivals are always really long days anyway.

Overall it was a great show. We've heard rumor it may not be held next year, but if it is we'll definitely return.

Collector Shows Off Wine Flights

Wine lover and art collector Jordan Schneyer shows off the four 'flights' he discovered at Wine in the Wood, May 2011. "A King's Army," "Instrumental Red," "Double Your Pleasure," and "Space" are  perfect complement his wine bar.

Image courtesy of Jordan Schneyer

Image courtesy of Jordan Schneyer

Thanks Jordan for sharing your artwork and wine bar with us!

About the Wine & Tropical Flight Series:

With the economic situation deteriorating and consumers spending less and less. R&R Fine Art Photography wanted to be sure that art collectors could still afford high quality art work. Late 2010 we introduced a new series of images Wine Flights and Tropical Flights.  These are 'flight' size images that typically sell for less than $65 per image. Quickly these images were a hit! The feedback was outstanding....not only are the prices affordable but they work in small spaces.

Lapis Luna

2006 Lapis Luna Chardonnay 

Perfect and light minus the oak.  Could easily be confused with a Pinot Grigio, with it's citrus flare including a slight hint of pineapple. Perfect pairing with lunch at the beach with a side of crab balls, fish tacos or even a chicken cesar wrap. 

Thank you Tiki Island Bar and Grill for this awesome beach lunch break. 
Cheers!

Pizza & Wine (again)

Los Alamos was the first Malbec I tried. Fortunately for me I was working for my grandfather at one of his Ellicott City liquor stores (Lucky Me!) when the Los Alamos brand was first coming on the market. I remember the distributor offering up samples at ten in the morning....and looking over at my grandfather for permission, but I really didn't need it... as I soon learned sampling Panama Jack Rum at nine in the morning a few day later.

So I tasted the Los Alamos, thinking this is from where? South America....oooh...I loved South America...i just spent four years studying it...and what a surprise. And still Los Alamos doesn't disappoint. It is a reliable Malbec, although not my favorite pizza paring (you'll have to keep reading my blogs to find out which one is) it's a good, quick and easy paring with pizza.

No worries drink more wine!

Happy Anniversary Stephanie & Brian!

"Pinot Gorgeous"

Collectors Stephanie & Brian selected a Running Hare Vineyard image to commemorate their first year anniversary.  R & R offered the couple the opportunity to name the never before printed piece.   Full credit goes to Brian for a well matched title "Pinot Gorgeous."

Cheers to Stephanie & Brian!

Happy Anniversary!

Happy 40th Dan!

Image courtesy of Dan & Debbie Wilson

Dan is showcasing his 40th Birthday present "Boordy Barrels" from good friends Rob and Rose Praydis of R & R Fine Art Photography.

Happy 40th Dan Wilson! 

No Worries Drink More Wine!

The County Cork

It's always great to try new places. The County Cork is a new Wine Pub offering full service wine and liquor bar with an up scale menu tucked in between the farms of Carroll County.  Although the walls are a little naked (and would R & R Fine Art Photography could clothe them well) the furniture and other decor are close to achieving a high end wine atmosphere. However, the feel is just a bit confusing between pub-like and high end wine bar, but perhaps that's what the owners attempt to achieve a blended pub feel with a classy wine atmosphere.

The waitstaff was quite knowledgeable with the wine and food menu. It was a nice touch to pour water from a wine bottle which keep my interest while I was waiting for my water to turn into wine!

We selected the Padrillo Malbec  from the quite small wine list, but it was an excellent choice.  The Stuffed Pepper, only one served but was plenty.  Cook spinach on side was awesome and I was able to eat the mushrooms, a good sign for a mushroom hater! The ahi tacos were average and the date filling was less than desirable.

We had to finish with a  dessert, the waitstaff wasn't even sure they had, Chocolate cake super  chocolaty - super rich. It was a slow eat and well followed with a glass of Red Guitar.

Overall The County Cork is off to a good start, however, we'd like to see a bit more maturity in both the food and the ambiance.  While we are waiting for a more polished dinner experience we'll check in once in awhile to have a glass of wine and appetizer to watch them grow!

Maryland Pizza & Maryland Wine

Since 1955, Ledo's Pizza, a University of Maryland favorite, (Go Terps!) crafted a unique pizza with special homemade sauce, extra provolone cheese on thin, square/rectangle crust. I know because I use to make them!
Ledo's Pizza still maintains a local Maryland flavor which makes for an excellent match with some local Maryland red wines! This pizza pairs well with Serpent Ridge's Basilisk, Running Hare's Shiraz, or Black Ankle's Passeggiata. If you are a California fan try this great budget red, Tisdale Shiraz. Always enjoy with friends.

No Worries, Drink more Wine!

So, how does one drink a sparkling red?

We received this as a gift from a winemaker friend whose own sparkling red is underway. So in anticipation of his, he offered up this Australian Sparkling red to float on.

It begins with a POP! Pours with a subtle foam even softer than the sea into one red wine glass and one champagne flute, because we really weren’t sure how to drink it.

Per our son’s request the big red buoy earned first honors, swirling like a red with short stubby legs, driftwood and a traveling steam trunk. The trailing bubbles rose to the crest of mouth quickly followed by licorice and leather.

But, the champagne flute took a different route leading us closer to port with little foam at the dock. The steam truck, leather and licorice held tight. With the first swallow, it was clear, red right returning to the big wine glass!

No worries, drink more wine!

"Glow"-Best Release To Date!

Shortly after the wine makers approval and it's debut at Running Hare Vineyard (three weeks to be exact) "Glow" one of our newest releases, became popular. Five of this limited edition to twenty Giclee on Canvas found permanent homes. Perhaps your home is next!

No worries...drink more wine!

Running Hare Pinot Grigio - Tasting Notes

This American White Wine is crisp, and light with a soft nose, but don't let that fool you. This summer-style wine is ready for a picnic and has a story to tell. So get your blanket ready....your chicken salad sandwich or fresh cheese and Baguette and enjoy....the only thing that completes this Pinot Grigio is a family Frisbee game next to the vines...it's just too bad that only a few cases remain.














To complement your taste buds check out our eye candy of this Pinot Grigio, a limited edition Fine Art Piece "Double Gold" at the Events Room at Running Hare Vineyards..... www.runninghardvineyard.com and www.randrphotos.net.

No worries....drink more wine!

Serpent's Song - Tasting Notes

At 7 am the bottle was opened releasing the Serpent's Song. Soft and airy this song was a subtle temptress....until just after noon when her song began to beg her image captors for a tasting. So we, with out hesitation, released the zork from holding captive, this amazing song.

One hundred percent Vidal Blanc this semi - sweet white wine is soft, sweet and melodious. It much like a Sauvignon Blanc absent of grass and musk. A perfect sipping wine that pairs well with goat cheese and french bread on a cool sunny Sunday. Stop by the tasting room at Serpent Ridge Vineyard, for more information go to - Serpent Ridge.

No worries, drink more wine!

Roseanna Praydis
R & R Fine Art Photography

Bedlam 2007 - Tasting Notes

Black Ankle Vineyard Grand Opening

Black Ankle Vineyards was a pleasant surprise. The facility was the perfect blend of Tuscany, South West America, and the Maryland Country side. The tasting room was immaculate and cozy complete with a fireplace beckoning our return on a cold winter day. The party room opens to a a bounty of outdoor seating and a toy box so even children have the opportunity to enjoy the culture of winemaking. Grand Opening was warm, happy and full of life, yes the mere fact children were racing around, blankets and picnic baskets were open and the wine was flowing made a warm November day truly grand.

Oh, and the wine. What a Surprise! I would have never guessed a local winery could produce a wine that taste straight from Napa Valley. Smooth and gentle, what they lack in value they make up in taste and ambiance. A definite must taste and experience.