A Night in Abisso Hall: Inside Linganore’s Winemaker’s Dinner

6 p.m. on a Saturday evening, the tasting room at Linganore Winecellars was beginning to wind down. Guests who had spent the day enjoying wine flights in the sun slowly made their way back to their cars, smiling, and relaxed. The light was soft, the energy easy. After finishing our glasses, Bri and I walked up to the checkout counter and asked when the event would start. The woman behind the counter looked up, smiled warmly, and said, “You are good to go, have a great time!”

We had arrived a few hours earlier to sit down with Anthony Aellen and talk about the history of the winery and the role the Aellen family has played in shaping Maryland’s wine industry. Like so many moments at Linganore, the conversation was easy and interesting. Anthony is a wealth of knowledge, but more importantly, he shares that knowledge in a way that feels personal. Less like a lecture and more like a story passed down. The company was good, the conversation was good, and, of course, the wine was good. That sense of familiarity carried seamlessly into the evening’s main event.

As we entered Abisso Hall, we were greeted by Melissa Aellen and Morgan Kilduff, offering a glass of Lumine Brut. The welcome was immediate and genuine, like stepping into a family gathering where you’re treated as kin and a drink is waiting before you’ve settled in. Before the dinner began we were able to chat with head wine maker Ray Mitcham and his wife Lindsay, who are both well known in the world of Maryland wine.

The hall itself is an extraordinary 4,000-square-foot space inside a restored 19th-century peg barn. It balanced rustic charm with refined elegance. Soaring 23-foot ceilings, exposed chestnut beams, and warm wood tones created a setting that felt both grand and intimate. A long wooden table stretched through the room under soft, dropped lighting, set with care and intention. Each setting had personalized name plates. It was beautiful, yes, but more than that, it was inviting. From the very beginning, the evening felt less like a formal event and more like a family dinner, albeit a remarkably elegant one. After a few brief toasts and anecdotes, the courses began to arrive, each paired thoughtfully with wines.

Eric Aellen speaking on Linganore’s 50 years Anniversary

The first course, a Mexican street corn crisp with cotija cheese, cilantro aioli, and ancho chili dust, was paired with the Albariño Reserve. Bright and expressive, the wine lifted the dish’s flavors while setting a spirited tone for the meal. It was the kind of opening pairing that wakes up the palate while foreshadowing what is coming next.

The second course followed with orecchiette in a prosciutto broth, layered with fennel purée, bonito, crispy quinoa, and wild mushrooms. It was paired with the 2025 “Seventh,” a fruit-forward rosé with delicate strawberry notes. The rosé’s crisp acidity cut cleanly through the richness of the orecchiette, while its notes of red fruit and citrus echo the dish’s lighter, brighter elements. There were familiar flavors presented with just enough creativity to keep you leaning in.

Chef walking the guests through course two

By the third course, the evening had found its rhythm. A pan-seared scallop arrived, accompanied by sweet corn milk, bacon bonito jus, crispy cannellini beans, and a luxurious 60-minute egg yolk. Alongside it was the 2024 Vignoles, a wine that highlighted Linganore’s leadership in hybrid grape production. The pairing was both refined and expressive. The scallop was great and a solid choice for a Vignoles, but the addition of the 60- minute yolk was really outside the box thinking. It was basically a perfect bite.

The fourth course marked a shift in tone. It was time for some red! Braised short rib, served with chamomile truffle veal reduction, purple potato purée, and rainbow carrots, brought depth and richness to the table. It was paired with the 2021 “Exposure,” Linganore’s first and only red Bordeaux-style blend of the night. Structured and elegant, this blend of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot anchored the meal while pushing raspberry, cranberry, currant, pepper and smoke.

As always, dessert is usually my favorite. A brown butter cake arrived, paired with white chocolate avocado mousse and black pepper berry port jam. Alongside the 2021 Abisso, a 100% Chambourcin Port-style wine. Deep layered notes of figs and caramel, with a lingering finish. It invited guests to slow down, to savor, and to stay, which we did.

Between each course, the evening was punctuated by stories from Eric, Melissa, Parker and Anthony Aellen. These weren’t rehearsed speeches or polished presentations, they were genuine reflections, shared with the ease and warmth of family conversation. Stories of the vineyard, the cellar, cows fleeing the farm and the generations who built Linganore from the ground up. By the end of the night, it was hard to tell where the event ended and the family gathering began. Another great result from our time in Abisso Hall is how much history we learned about the winery, some common knowledge and some closer to the family.

Anthony Aellen speaking on a little family history.

Linganore Winecellars has always been a family operation. Founded in 1971 by Jack and Lucille Aellen, the winery began with just six acres of vines and a small amount of hand-me-down equipment. From those humble beginnings, processing just six tons of grapes in its first year, it has grown into one of Maryland’s most influential and respected wineries. Over the decades, the Aellen family has not only expanded their own operation but helped shape the identity of Maryland wine itself. From hosting the state’s first wine festival in 1977 to introducing innovative styles like semi-sweet grape wines, fruit wines, and honey wines, Linganore has consistently stayed ahead of the curve.

Perhaps most notably, Linganore has been a leader in the use of hybrid grapes, experimenting early with varieties developed through programs like Cornell University’s. What began as innovation has now become foresight. As traditional wine regions like California face rising temperatures and changing climates, many are beginning to explore hybrids as a viable path forward. Increasingly, they are looking to places like Maryland and to wineries like Linganore for guidance. Even as the winery has grown and expanded production by modernizing facilities, and increasing capacity, it has never lost sight of its roots. Today, the third generation of Aellens is already involved, preparing to carry the family legacy into the future. And that legacy is built on more than wine. It’s built on a philosophy that wine is meant to bring people together.

That philosophy was on full display throughout the Winemaker’s Dinner. Yes, the food was exceptional. Yes, the wines were thoughtfully paired and beautifully expressed. Yes, the setting was elegant and refined. But what lingered most was the feeling, the sense that you were part of something genuine. Like any great family dinner, the evening wasn’t just about what was on the table. It was about the conversations, the laughter and the shared experience. It was about breaking bread, raising glasses, and listening to stories that connect past to present. As the final sips of Abisso faded and guests slowly rose from the table, there was no rush to leave. People lingered, talked, and soaked in those last moments.

Jack Aellen once said, “I may not be able to see, but I do have a vision.”

Fifty years later that vision is alive and well at Linganore Winecellars. If this evening was any indication, it’s a vision that continues to bring people together one table, one story, and one glass at a time.

Thank you to: Anthony, Eric, Melissa, Parker, Ray, Dena, Morgan and the entire Linganore Winecellars family.