THE LOUNGE WILL BE CLOSING EARLY FRIDAY, MARCH 6TH AT 7PM FOR A PRIVATE EVENT

A MOMENT WITH MELISSA – March 2026

We’ve finally hit that exciting part of the year where we know that a season of growth is right around the corner. These fluctuating temperatures with their peaks of summer heat and snaps into winter chills give us a little glimpse of the weather to come. So far, our vines are still mostly dormant, so these cold nights will not hurt too much right now, but that will only last for a few weeks until we hit bud break. But before we talk about what’s ahead, let’s chat about what happened this winter.  

We had an unusually chilly winter with multiple snow/ice events that lingered for weeks. Our fear during ultra-low temperatures is bud-kill, or the actual death of the dormant bud and even the vine. The two most sensitive parts on the vine are the buds that will form this year’s growth, and the graft union, which sits about 4-6 inches above the ground. Each grape variety varies in the “lethal temperature” that will damage about 50% of the buds – which is an aspect we consider when making planting decisions. This winter, we know that our Malbec (first vintage to be released this summer!) is one of the most sensitive to these cold temperatures, so we used mother nature’s own insulation to help keep them warm.  

Lying the vines down onto the soil and holding them in place with a brick before the first snow fall allowed the 8 inches of “snow-crete” we received to build up on top of the buds. Since water freezes at 32 degrees, we used the warmth of the snow to insulate the vines from the negative temperatures that followed. As we evaluate buds this spring, so far it looks like our Malbec survived what otherwise could have been a killing freeze! In a few short weeks, bud break will start as the first signs of green life pop open on the vines. The next task is to keep the tender green shoots safe through unexpected and incredibly hard to control frost events until about mid-May.  

In the cellar, we blended and bottled the 2023 Action, Reaction and Merlot after aging for over 2 years in barrel. Delightful wines and although they need a bit of resting time before release, we cannot wait to share them with you! If you haven’t had a chance to stop by the lounge recently, this spring is a perfect time to come say hi. We just released the 2022 Reaction – our right-bank inspired blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Petit Verdot. An equal but opposite sister to our 2022 Action, this wine duo shows exactly how blending percentages and decisions can craft two incredibly different wines.  

This season in the lounge, we’ll highlight a few new releases (something sparkling and pink plus a Georgian varietal!) along with expanded food offerings. With warmer weather, we will be open again on Mondays starting in April and can’t wait to see you in the Lounge for live music, our continuing Locavore nights, trivia, or just to relax with a glass of wine. 

Cheers!  

This is an occasional series by vintner Melissa Aellen, who founded Simple Theory with her cousin, Parker. Together, they represent the third generation of Aellen family leadership in viticulture and winemaking in Frederick, MD.

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