Join Howard and Melissa Schulte, General Manager of Black Ankle Vineyards, as they talk about her story on getting into the wine industry in Maryland. We also discuss how the changing face of wine culture in the state has deepened her appreciation of their customers – especially in the midst of Covid restrictions. Melissa also shares some advice for anyone who’s interested in delving into a winery as a business.

About Black Ankle Vineyards:

Ed Boyce and Sarah O’Herron, owners and founders of Black Ankle Vineyards, were wine drinkers and wine lovers long before they decided to give grape growing and winemaking a try.

For Ed, it started with a special bottle of wine one Thanksgiving: a 1979 Mouton Rothschild (incidentally, the critics consider this vintage very disappointing for Mouton!); for Sarah, it evolved as she grew up in a family in which drinking wine was part of every special occasion.

After years of simply appreciating wine, they began to wonder about the differences in the wines they were drinking. The wine enthusiasts were fascinated by the questions of why certain wines made foods taste better, while others seemed to overwhelm the drinker, why some wines revealed layers of subtlety and nuance, while others seemed to show all their stuff in the first sip, and what went into making wines of different styles and character.

The more they learned about what goes into making a bottle of wine, the more fascinating the whole process became to them. After much “happy research” and travel around the world, they decided to try their hands at making the kinds they liked to drink right here in Maryland.

I’d say they succeeded.

Connect with Black Ankle Vineyards on:

Website:https://www.blackankle.com/

Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/blackankle/

Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/blackanklevineyards/

Twitter:https://twitter.com/blackanklevines

Catch Barrel Tasting with Howard Fletcher on:

Website:https://barreltastingpod.com/

Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/BarrelTastingPod

Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/barreltastingpod

Twitter:https://twitter.com/fletchDC