Joining The Drink Local Wine Board

I have recently reviewed wines from several Massachusetts wineries, including Westport Rivers. Last year, several of my posts discussed wines from diverse regions such as Mexico, Nova Scotia, and Vermont. Thus, my latest endeavor fits well within my interests, to explore and promote wines from all over North America.

I am pleased and proud to announce that I have been appointed to the board of directors of Drink Local Wine LLC, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to raise attention of regional wines from all across North America.

 "Richard is a welcome addition to the Drink Local Wine board," said Michael Wangbickler, President of the Drink Local Wine Board of Directors. "He is committed and passionate about regional wine, brings us the perspective of a New Englander, and has extensive experience working with organizations such as ours."

I will be joining the current board members which include: Dave McIntyre of the Washington Post; Michael Wangbickler of Balzac Communications; Richard Leahy, an east coast wine writer and consultant; Gil Kulers of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution; Rhonni Moffitt, publisher of Arizona Wines & Vines magazine; Dezel Quillen, Virginia wine blogger who writes My Vine Spot; and Lenn Thompson, founder and executive editor of the New York Cork Report.

Drink Local Wine is the brainchild of Dave McIntyre and Jeff Siegel, who writes the Wine Curmudgeon blog. The organization holds two major events each year: a Conference spotlighting regional wine and Regional Wine Week, when bloggers and writers from across the continent write special pieces about their favorite regional wines. The 2013 DLW Conference, the fifth annual, will be held in Baltimore, Maryland on April 13 and will focus on the wines of Maryland. I will be attending the conference and as I have not tasted Maryland wines before, this will definitely be an interesting conference.

All fifty states now have wineries yet most states receive very little publicity about their wines. California, Washington and Oregon dominate the wine press and short shrift is given to the rest of the country. However, you can find well crafted and delicious wines all across the country and those examples need to be promoted and praised. I have done my part to write about some of these wines but more can always be done. Being a part of Drink Local Wine will give me the opportunity to do more.

That will include not only promoting U.S. wines, but also the wines of Canada and Mexico. In May, I will be attending TasteCamp, which will explore the wines of Quebec.

I encourage all wine lovers to expand their horizons and explore wines from all across North America. Don't confine your drinking to just a few states, but be willing to take a chance on wines from all over. You will likely find some new favorites, if only you are open to taste something new.