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Maryland Wines
Maryland's 15 wineries offer a captivating adventure for visitors. Wineries in the Old Line State range from small, family-owned and operated farms focusing on traditional winemaking methods, to state-of-the-art facilities brimming with the latest technologies that help create the finest wines. Amidst the scenic beauty of the Maryland countryside, visitors will explore picturesque wineries and savor their creations - more than 170 varieties of wine. GROWING REGIONS: MARYLAND SUN & SOIL Maryland has four distinct growing regions, allowing for a wide diversity of grape varieties that will thrive throughout the State. A majority of vineyards are planted in Central Maryland, from the foothills west of Frederick to the head of the Bay. Here you'll find 10 of Maryland's wineries as well - with clusters of them around Westminster and just north of Baltimore. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Chardonnay and Pinot Gris are the stars of this region. The Eastern Shore is seeing more and more vineyards planted - with Merlot, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Vidal and many other varieties in smaller lots. There is one winery on the Eastern Shore, with more planned in the coming years. Southern Maryland is a newer region, and one with great prospects. Southern Maryland gets hot, and stays hot night and day for most of the summer. This may not be a good thing for some varieties, but may help Southern Italian and other Mediterranean varieties excel. There are currently three wineries in Southern Maryland, with more on their way. Western Maryland plays host to a number of vineyards and one winery. Grapes in this region must be more cold-hardy and able to withstand long winters and a short growing season. Varieties such as Norton/Cynthiana, Vidal, Seyval, DeChaunac and Foch grow well here, as well as Cabernet Franc.
A GREAT WAY TO MEET MARYLAND WINES Each year, the Maryland wineries host five major wine festivals throughout the state. These festivals range from the serene, October waterfront setting at Sotterley Historic Mansion in St. Mary's County, to the 20,000-attendee Maryland Wine Festival each September at the Carroll County Farm Museum in Westminster. There are some common things to remember when attending wine festivals. First, the festivals are designed to be day-long events for attendees. Plan to bring a blanket, get their early to claim a spot, grab some food and wine, and settle in for the afternoon. Admission to the festivals typically buys you a glass and a certain number of tasting tickets, each good for a sample of wine. While tasting wine may be your first priority, you can't help but get lost in the arts and craft tents. Pottery, jewelry, painting and photography fill individual artisans' tents. The food vendors include well-known local outlets, but also local cooks selling fresh bread, gourmet cheeses, and occasionally, even honey. Providing ample rhythm each day of the festivals are locally, regionally and nationally-known musicians. Jazz, R&B, country and contemporary artists will keep you entertained while you sample you new favorite wines. Each of the wineries is in its own, well-marked tent. There are tasting stations set up on at least three sides of the tent, and some wineries reserve one side or corner for sales. Just step right up, check out each winery's list of wines and start sampling. The wineries come to these events brimming with wine. Most showcase every wine they have to offer, while others highlight certain wines with discounts. You can try a majority of the wines using the tasting tickets included in admission, while samples of premium wines are available for nominal charges. Guests may also enjoy the wines by-the-glass. While you may meet the owners or winemakers, you're most likely to meet the winery's volunteers. These folks are just like the rest of the attendees - very interested in Maryland wine. They have been trained by the winemakers to know a lot about each of the wines, so don't be afraid to ask questions! Even if you don't know what type of wine you like, they can help guide you to newfound favorites. For the best winetasting experience, remember to taste dry wines before sweet wines, as sugar coats your taste buds, inhibiting your ability to fully enjoy dry wines. Also, try to sample white wines before reds. Red wines, often bigger and bolder than whites, can also overpower your taste buds. Educational seminars play host to local wine experts who will lead you through guided tastings of Maryland wines and local food. They're are a great way to relax and learn some interesting facts about the wines presented. No matter how you spend your day, it's important that you pace yourself at these festivals. So many wines, so little time... but if you savor each wine and don't over-do-it, you'll leave having learned much more than you did when you entered the festival. One of the best-kept secrets of these festivals is how much time and energy it saves you. Just think of having to drive from your house to Deep Creek and back again to the Eastern Shore to visit every winery.
The festivals bring Maryland's finest wines to your backyard, saving you a couple tanks of rather expensive gas. And since many of the wineries offer special festival pricing, you can use that saved cash to take home a few bottles of your new favorite wines.
No matter which festivals you attend, remember to take your time, relax and enjoy all the aspects of the event. Bring family, meet friends and enjoy the best of what Maryland's wineries have to offer. THE ANNUAL GOVERNOR'S CUP COMPETITION Ten experts entered Corks Restaurant in Federal Hill at 8:30 a.m. on August 28, 2004. They were on a mission - to taste through dozens of Maryland wines. Not all at once, and not in excess: this was a proper wine judging to find the best wine in Maryland. The judging began early, and lasted until 3 pm, when the judges finally chose the winner of the 15th Annual Governor's Cup Award from among the gold medalists. Over 100 wines were entered, representing 13 Maryland wineries. Of those entered, the judges agreed that 75 warranted medals, while a few wines were awarded best of class. Solomons Island Winery Sauvignon Blanc was awarded Best Dry White, while Loew Vineyards 2002 Twilight won Best Semi-Dry. Linganore Winecellars' 2001 Traminette championed the Best Dessert Wine, and Boordy Vineyard's new Jazzberry won Best Fruit wine. The best wine - the Governor's Cup Winner - was Catoctin Vineyards 1999 Cabernet Sauvignon, a stunning wine with rich tannins amidst a deep fruit backdrop. There were 14 gold medals awarded to Maryland's finest wines, listed in alphabetical order: Basignani Winery 2002 Cabernet Sauvignon Boordy Vineyards 2002 Merlot Catoctin Vineyards 1997 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve Catoctin Vineyards 2002 Merlot Catoctin Vineyards 2002 Pinot Noir Elk Run Vineyards 2002 Merlot Elk Run Vineyards 2002 Cabernet Sauvignon Elk Run Vineyards 2002 Liberty Tavern Cabernet Sauvignon Fiore Winery 2001 Caronte Fiore Winery 2001 Private Reserve Chambourcin Linganore Winecellars 2002 Merlot Linganore Winecellars 2001 Traminette Loew Vineyards 2002 Twilight Woodhall Wine Cellars 2001 Cabernet Sauvignon RECENT NEWS The Maryland Department of Agriculture has released "Maryland Wine: the Next Vintage," a 52-page report that provides recommendations to industry groups and State agencies for growing the Maryland wine and grape industry over the next five years. "The report will have a dramatic impact on the Maryland wine industry. It will focus the public's attention on the fact that Maryland vineyards grow quality wine grapes and Maryland wineries produce quality wines," commented Dick Penna, a Washington County grape grower and chairman of the Advisory Committee. The report is the product of the Maryland Wine and Grape Advisory Committee, formed by MDA Secretary Lewis R. Riley in November 2004 to study the industry and compose a plan for improving the regulatory, legislative and governmental support for the industry. Representatives from major State agencies and the wine/grape industries met weekly for seven weeks to formulate 54 recommendations after hearing about neighboring states' strategies and successes. "The report identifies the enormous opportunities that exist in the state to grow quality wine grapes and make superb wines," Penna said. A number of the report's recommendations will be addressed in the 2005 legislative session, while others are ongoing marketing and educational goals. - Kevin Atticks Executive Director of the Association of Maryland Wineries ARCHIVES MAIN PAGE |
