Riderwood residents who enjoy wines and wine-tasting gather every other month to sip and savor interesting wines and to share wine stories. Wines come from nearby stores, online shops, or wines brought back from trips to various wine-producing areas of the United States. Participants take turns volunteering to host a wine event, either in a scheduled public place around campus, or in their apartment. The host chooses the wine theme, grape varietal, or wine region. They purchase 4 bottles (enough for 12 people to get a proper taste) and very simple and appropriate snacks. Participants reimburse the host prior to the event they plan to attend. If you are interested in joining the Wine Enthusiasts, and are able to occasionally host an event yourself or in partnership with another, please contact Rod Summerford or Catherine Brousseau. Contact information is in MyErickson.com under “Resident Directory.”
Wine Enthusiasts gather for a tasting in January, March, May, July, September, and November. The specific date and time depend on the host. If not in their apartment, the host works with a Community Service Rep or Dining Services to reserve the space and fill out the reservation form. Our wine tasting events have taken many expressions: a tasting in one’s apartment, gathering in a private dining room, people bringing their Meal-of-the-Day to a meeting room and enjoy the wine with their take-out dinner, relaxing in a quiet place like the Encore Theater lounge or the Wellness Center Terrace, etc.
ONE IMPORTANT RULE: We may not exchange money at the wine tasting event (unless it is held in one’s apartment). To do so would be in violation of Riderwood’s alcohol license with the counties in which we live (Montgomery and Prince Georges). Therefore, once the wine tasting hosts let participants know what they owe to help pay for the wine and snacks, participants deliver the payment to the host before the event. This can be hand-delivered, left on the host’s package shelf, put in their cubby, or sent via campus mail.
Other Resources
Stores: Total Wine (Laurel MD); Maryland Farms Liquors (Silver Spring MD and very near Riderwood); LAX Wine & Spirits (Beltsville MD); Montgomery County Oak Barrel & Wine (Calverton MD); Colesville Beer & Wine and Prime Beer & Wine (Colesville MD); BottleGo Beer & Wine (Burnt Mills MD). Calvert Woodley Fine Wines & Sprits in Washington DC and Wine Cellars of Annapolis are also highly recommended.
Apps: Vivino for wine bottle information and feedback from people; Delectable for fast access to information on a bottle of wine; Cellar Tracker for seeing critical reviews and professional scores, plus bar code scanning of the wine; HelloVino for suggestions on wine and food pairings; Wine-Searcher for price comparison and rare bottle search; Wine Advocate for Robert Parker’s ratings and vintage charts. These apps may require taking a cell phone photo of the wine bottle to retrieve their advice. Download apps from the Google and Apple app stores.
Local Wineries: Residents have visited and enjoyed nearby regional wineries, including Black Ankle Vineyards and Linganore Winecellars near Mt. Airy MD; Old Westminster Winery in Westminster MD; Big Cork Vineyards in Rohresville MD; and Barboursville Vineyards in Barboursville VA.
