WINE DOWNS at My Favorite Winery
Wine. When people ask me what's one of my hobbies, I quickly include wine in my answer. Watch wine be made. Learn how wine is made. Swirl wine in my faux expensive wine glass like I'm Olivia Pope (Hey Scandal Fans). Oh. And DRINK WINE. It's so much a hobby that I will dedicate my 40s to creating my own winery. Because wine not?
One of my favorite places to go is wineries and wine festivals. Maryland has some great wineries that I frequent. My favorite is Basignani Winery.
This family owned winery is located in Sparks, Maryland established in 1986 by Bert and Lynne Basignani. I make a trip to Basignani Winery every summer (even COVID summer) because:
1. Wine
The wine is comfortable for my taste pallet. The wine is delicious! They have their own rendition of each type of wine (Cabernet, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Riesling, etc.). My wine pallet (for now) is more on the sweeter side. I really enjoy the Monkton Moon Delight (which is a sweet blend of Seyval and Charmbourcin), Vidal and Riesling. I have tried some sweet reds and even shared a bottle with a friend. My favorite is Sinatra (the port style wine).
2. Pizza
The Pizza. The pizza deserves its own sentence. I warn everyone that I take to Basignani that the pizza is worth more than the $12. The pizza matched with the wine sends my tastebuds to heaven immediately. The personal pan pizza is made in an authentic oven brick stove with all natural sauce, cheese, herbs and any extra toppings. The crust is thin with the perfect amount of crunch. Ladies, get your own pizza. There's no sharing this pizza.
Sidenote: The pizza is not offered everyday. Check the website here to find out when pizza will be offered.
3. The Atmosphere
I prefer Basignani because of the atmosphere. It is secluded yet family-style winery. As a guest, you are able to bring lawn chairs or blankets and sit on the grass and enjoy your bottle of wine. They also have table and chairs in a pavilion area but I always enjoy sitting on the grass looking out on the rest of the field. There's a level of serenity I enjoy on the grass. I've also shared some of my deepest secrets and deepest feelings on this grass. I've shed tears of joy and tears of sorrow at this winery. It is truly my safe space. I wanted to keep this place to myself but I decided to share this place with a few friends and make new memories at this winery. I've finally shared this place with many of my guy friends as a great date place. And now I am sharing with the world, my favorite gem: Basignani Winery.
Sidenote: The winery does special events such as Summer Saturday Night Music and Friday Night Cafe. Check the website for event details.
Please go visit, drink lots of wine, eat your personal pizza to yourself, sit on the grass and talk about your greatest gains and losses with the ones you love. Or just sit and let the wine talk for you.