Orchid Cellar Winery was one of our stops on our winery/meadery/cidery/brewery tour over Memorial Day weekend.  When we pulled into the driveway of Orchid Cellar we thought we had made a wrong turn as we approached someone’s home.  Nope!  We were in the right spot.  Their tasting room is right inside the rear entrance to the home and gave it a nice warm, welcoming atmosphere as we were guided through the winery’s tasty offerings.  The mother/son duo were incredibly knowledgable and hospitable during our visit.  Their dog even came out to say hello and play a bit.

Winery Background:
“Orchid Cellar Winery is located in the foothills of the Catoctin Mountains in Middletown, MD just between Frederick and Hagerstown. With a few acres under vines, the view here is picturesque. At Orchid Cellar, we are focused on bringing history and tradition together with innovative ideas and technologies to produce the finest quality wines, producing Maryland’s premier meads and traditional Merlots.”

Tasting Notes:
A beautifully deep, golden color, this mead, or more specifically, honey apple wine, greets you with strong aromas of fresh honey and peppery spices.  I think Lumberjack is the perfect name for this because the flavors twist themselves together into a soothing woodsy flavor.  The first tastes that come across are of honey with a slight hint of apple before being taken over by a spicy warming taste and sensation.  Usually meads are way too sweet for me after about a half a glass, but the spiciness of this one definitely helps to balance that out.  At 16-18% it packs a pretty powerful punch and is definitely made for sipping.  Being bottled in 375ml bottles also encourages a more relaxed enjoyment.

This would be best enjoyed on a cold evening in front of a fire.  Perhaps even after a long day of lumberjacking…is that even a word?  Well, you know what I mean.  This would be best paired with cuddling since it gives the warm snuggly feeling on the inside. This would also be really good for a sore throat or the onset of a cold.  You know…in case  you were looking for a medicinal excuse to enjoy something different!

On a scale of “this tastes like piss” to “oops, I just drank the whole bottle” I would give this a “Fetch me a flannel shirt and an axe!  Or at least build me a fire and pour me a glass.” Would I buy it again? I’m glad I picked up that second bottle.

Final Grade: A-