The Buzzed Word
According to Mickie Meinhardt, owner of The Buzzed Word in Ocean City, a combination book and wine shop is just what the city needed. Mickie, an Ocean City native, left New York to return to Maryland in 2020, identifying “a lack of books and natural wine, and a definite desire for both as well as for an interesting unique space.”
Like a hidden book in a large library, you might have to look a bit harder to find her shop in the Coastal Highway shopping center. But once found, get ready for some fun.
The Buzzed Word has a black-and-white granite 14-seat bar and two comfy sofa corners to pick out a book, give it a read, and pair it with a glass of wine. For a quiet time to peruse books, try the early afternoon hours before the locals and tourists in the know show up. Since opening in 2021, The Buzzed Word has steadily gathered a sizeable number of fans that come for the wine, books, and fun.
Speaking of fun, Mickie says, “We love throwing parties!” Customers flock to the book, wine, and catered food events that happen often and are listed on their website and social media. A recent event covered Snack Wine for those times when snacks and wine are more appealing than cooking dinner. Then on October 1, 2022, they held their first Wine Fest, offering dozens of natural wines to sample.
A tinned fish and wine pairing was another event showcasing Mickie’s creative nature. Several tinned fish items are available, including sardines, mussels, tuna, mackerel, scallops, and squid. Other snacks like almonds, olives, and artisanal chocolate bars are also available to buy for pairing with wine by the glass or bottle. On most days, customers can choose from around eight wines by the glass. Of those choices are two reds, two whites, a rosé, a skin-contact white (or orange wine), plus a sparkling red and white.
All the wines served and sold at The Buzzed Word are free from pesticides, preservatives, and other additives. “The wines are all made with native yeast fermentations, with little to no added sulfur, and are hand-harvested,” Mickie says. “Nothing on the grapes, nothing in the bottle.
Natural wines are gaining ground in the market. According to BevAlc Insights, “Organic and biodynamic wine sales for the 52 weeks ending March 20, 2021, totaled $154 million compared to just $27.2 million for the 52 weeks ending March 25, 2017.” Natural wines are here to stay, and The Buzzed Word is happy to help bolster the market.
One of Mickie’s favorite wine countries is Spain, where she lived during 2010, and you can find several Spanish wines in stock. Mickie feels Spanish wines are often overlooked (edged out by their neighbors France and Italy) and is happy to help customers see why they should be on their wine shelf.
Austrian, French, and German wines are also well stocked. Not just a shop of imports, Mickie stocks wine from Old Westminster Winery to give credit to Lisa Hinton, a very talented Maryland winemaker. You’ll also find wines from California and Oregon. The Division Pinot Noir from Oregon’s Willamette Valley is a popular red that pairs well with beef, chicken, duck, or salmon.
The bookstore half of the shop features many titles from a diverse selection of authors, including writers of color, LGBTQIA+ authors, and translated books. Customers can also find books, such as The World of Natural Wine, that will help educate readers on how natural wines are made, where they are made, and how to find the best.
“We primarily feature new books across fiction, nonfiction, poetry, food and wine,” says Mickie. “It’s a point of pride that The Buzzed Word has become a safe space in town for many - the entire staff is queer, and the emphasis on diversity makes everyone feel welcome.”
For wine lovers and book lovers and lovers of both, it’s time to visit Ocean City to see what the natural buzz is about.
The Buzzed Word
11805 Coastal Highway Unit C, Ocean City, Maryland
(410) 520-4542; Instagram Facebook
Open daily 11am-8pm, Friday and Saturday until 9
