Maryland wine
Encyclopedia
Maryland wine is wine
made in the U.S. state
of Maryland
. The industry has grown rapidly since the first winery
in Maryland, Boordy Vineyards, opened in 1945. It is estimated that the industry contributes $50 million annually to the Maryland economy
.
in Maryland. Fourteen years later, the first Europe
an grapes planted in Maryland
were deposited in 200 acres (80.9 ha) on the east bank of St. Mary’s River. It was not until the 1930s that Philip Wagner, a columnist with the Baltimore Sun, published American Wines and How to Make Them. The book was later revised as Grapes Into Wine and became the definitive book on winemaking in America
.
The 1980s proved to be a definitive decade for the industry. In 1981, the Maryland Grape Growers Association was formed, followed by the Maryland Wineries Association in 1984. That same year, the Maryland Wine Festival was held for the first time and the Maryland Winery and Grape Growers Advisory Board was formed.
In 2000, the Maryland State Legislature passed Maryland House Bill 414, allowing state wineries to sell wine by the glass at the winery and to bring product onto retail licensed premises for promotional activities. A Record crowd of more than 25,000 attended the Maryland Wine Festival and Maryland wineries sold a record 86954 gallons (329,157 l) of wine.
Throughout the years that followed, the industry saw many changes as well as growing success. The instigator of such success was the Maryland Wineries Association’s first-ever major cooperative marketing campaign, "Ask For Maryland Wine."
, on the west by West Virginia
, on the east by Delaware
and the Atlantic Ocean
, and on the south by West Virginia
and Virginia
. The mid-portion of this border is interrupted on the Maryland side by Washington D.C.. The Chesapeake Bay
nearly bisects the state, and the counties east of the bay are known collectively as the Eastern Shore.
Maryland has a wide array of climates for a state of its size. The climate depends on a number of variables from proximity to water
, elevation
, and protection from northern weather due to downslope winds. The eastern half of Maryland lies on the Atlantic Coastal Plain
, with very flat topography and very sandy or muddy soil. This region has a humid subtropical climate, with hot, humid summers and mild to cool winters.
Beyond this region is the Piedmont
. The region is a transition zone between the humid subtropical climate zone and the humid continental climate zone. This region experiences hot, humid summers and moderately cold winters where significant snowfall and subfreezing temperatures are an annual occurrence.
Extreme Western Maryland
lies completely in the humid continental climate. Western Maryland has milder summers and cold snowy winters. Some parts of western Maryland possess the cool summer humid continental climate with summer average temperatures below 71 °F (22 °C). Precipitation in the state is very generous. Annual rainfall ranges from 40 inches (102 cm) to 45 inches (114 cm) in virtually every part of the state.
Maryland possess a great variety of topography
, ranging from sandy dunes dotted with sea grass in the east, to low marshlands near the bay, to rolling hills of oak forest in the Piedmont region and mountain pine groves in the west.
to the head of the Chesapeake Bay
. The state's oldest wineries are located in the Piedmont Plateau as well as the Frederick Wine Trail and Mason-Dixon Wine Trail. There are clusters of wineries around Westminster
and north of Baltimore
. Cabernet Sauvignon
, Merlot
, Cabernet Franc
, Chardonnay
and Pinot Gris
are planted, which consists of Harford
, Baltimore
, Carroll
, Howard
, Montgomery
and Frederick
Counties.
is known for its warm days and cool nights. The soil is sandy and well-drained, and the climate is moderated by the Chesapeake Bay
. A wide variety of grapes are growing throughout the Upper Shore (Cecil
, Kent
and Queen Anne's Counties), Mid Shore (Talbot
, Dorchester
and Caroline Counties
) and Lower Shore (Somerset
, Worcester
and Wicomico
Counties).
gets hot, and stays hot night and day for most of the summer. This may not be good for some varieties, but many Southern Italian
and other Mediterranean varieties are found growing in the region. Barbera
, Sangiovese
, Montepulciano
, Chardonnay
, Vidal
, Blaufrankisch
, Symphony
and other varieties are planted in the region, which consists of Anne Arundel
, Prince George's
, Calvert
, Charles
and St. Mary's Counties.
plays host to a number of vineyards and two wineries. Grapes in this region
must be more cold-hardy and able to withstand long winters and a short growing season. Varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon
, Cabernet Franc
, Petit Verdot
, Chardonnay
, Norton/Cynthiana, Chambourcin
, Vidal
and Seyval are found in the region. The region
consists of Washington
, Allegany
and Garrett Counties
.
Wagner is the author of Grapes into Wine and several other books having to do specifically with North American wine making. Including several revisions of his original book "American Wines and How to Make Them" originally published in 1933. He was also the founder of Maryland’s own Boordy Vineyards where he experimented with various wine making techniques most notably hybridization of grapes.
Wagner’s literary career includes serving as the editor of the Baltimore Sun newspaper and writing a biography of fellow Sun editor, H.L. Mencken. He died December 29, 1996.
festival that showcases Maryland wine on the third weekend of September annually. The festival was established in 1984 in Union Mills, Maryland
and has been held at the Carroll County Farm Museum in Westminster, Maryland
since 1985. It is one of the oldest and largest wine festivals on the East Coast
, hosting over 25,000 people and featuring more than 200 wines for sampling each year.
Wine
Wine is an alcoholic beverage, made of fermented fruit juice, usually from grapes. The natural chemical balance of grapes lets them ferment without the addition of sugars, acids, enzymes, or other nutrients. Grape wine is produced by fermenting crushed grapes using various types of yeast. Yeast...
made in the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
. The industry has grown rapidly since the first winery
Winery
A winery is a building or property that produces wine, or a business involved in the production of wine, such as a wine company. Some wine companies own many wineries. Besides wine making equipment, larger wineries may also feature warehouses, bottling lines, laboratories, and large expanses of...
in Maryland, Boordy Vineyards, opened in 1945. It is estimated that the industry contributes $50 million annually to the Maryland economy
Economy
An economy consists of the economic system of a country or other area; the labor, capital and land resources; and the manufacturing, trade, distribution, and consumption of goods and services of that area...
.
History
The state’s history of viticulture begins in 1648 with the earliest recorded instance of winemakingWinemaking
Winemaking, or vinification, is the production of wine, starting with selection of the grapes or other produce and ending with bottling the finished wine. Although most wine is made from grapes, it may also be made from other fruit or non-toxic plant material...
in Maryland. Fourteen years later, the first Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an grapes planted in Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
were deposited in 200 acres (80.9 ha) on the east bank of St. Mary’s River. It was not until the 1930s that Philip Wagner, a columnist with the Baltimore Sun, published American Wines and How to Make Them. The book was later revised as Grapes Into Wine and became the definitive book on winemaking in America
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
The 1980s proved to be a definitive decade for the industry. In 1981, the Maryland Grape Growers Association was formed, followed by the Maryland Wineries Association in 1984. That same year, the Maryland Wine Festival was held for the first time and the Maryland Winery and Grape Growers Advisory Board was formed.
In 2000, the Maryland State Legislature passed Maryland House Bill 414, allowing state wineries to sell wine by the glass at the winery and to bring product onto retail licensed premises for promotional activities. A Record crowd of more than 25,000 attended the Maryland Wine Festival and Maryland wineries sold a record 86954 gallons (329,157 l) of wine.
Throughout the years that followed, the industry saw many changes as well as growing success. The instigator of such success was the Maryland Wineries Association’s first-ever major cooperative marketing campaign, "Ask For Maryland Wine."
Climate and geography
Maryland is bounded on the north by PennsylvaniaPennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, on the west by West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
, on the east by Delaware
Delaware
Delaware is a U.S. state located on the Atlantic Coast in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It is bordered to the south and west by Maryland, and to the north by Pennsylvania...
and the Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
, and on the south by West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
and Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
. The mid-portion of this border is interrupted on the Maryland side by Washington D.C.. The Chesapeake Bay
Chesapeake Bay
The Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary in the United States. It lies off the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by Maryland and Virginia. The Chesapeake Bay's drainage basin covers in the District of Columbia and parts of six states: New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and West...
nearly bisects the state, and the counties east of the bay are known collectively as the Eastern Shore.
Maryland has a wide array of climates for a state of its size. The climate depends on a number of variables from proximity to water
Water
Water is a chemical substance with the chemical formula H2O. A water molecule contains one oxygen and two hydrogen atoms connected by covalent bonds. Water is a liquid at ambient conditions, but it often co-exists on Earth with its solid state, ice, and gaseous state . Water also exists in a...
, elevation
Elevation
The elevation of a geographic location is its height above a fixed reference point, most commonly a reference geoid, a mathematical model of the Earth's sea level as an equipotential gravitational surface ....
, and protection from northern weather due to downslope winds. The eastern half of Maryland lies on the Atlantic Coastal Plain
Atlantic Coastal Plain
The Atlantic coastal plain has both low elevation and low relief, but it is also a relatively flat landform extending from the New York Bight southward to a Georgia/Florida section of the Eastern Continental Divide, which demarcates the plain from the ACF River Basin in the Gulf Coastal Plain to...
, with very flat topography and very sandy or muddy soil. This region has a humid subtropical climate, with hot, humid summers and mild to cool winters.
Beyond this region is the Piedmont
Piedmont (United States)
The Piedmont is a plateau region located in the eastern United States between the Atlantic Coastal Plain and the main Appalachian Mountains, stretching from New Jersey in the north to central Alabama in the south. The Piedmont province is a physiographic province of the larger Appalachian division...
. The region is a transition zone between the humid subtropical climate zone and the humid continental climate zone. This region experiences hot, humid summers and moderately cold winters where significant snowfall and subfreezing temperatures are an annual occurrence.
Extreme Western Maryland
Western Maryland
Western Maryland is the portion of the U.S. state of Maryland that consists of Frederick, Washington, Allegany, and Garrett counties. The region is bounded by the Mason-Dixon line to the north, Preston County, West Virginia to the west, and the Potomac River to the south. There is dispute over the...
lies completely in the humid continental climate. Western Maryland has milder summers and cold snowy winters. Some parts of western Maryland possess the cool summer humid continental climate with summer average temperatures below 71 °F (22 °C). Precipitation in the state is very generous. Annual rainfall ranges from 40 inches (102 cm) to 45 inches (114 cm) in virtually every part of the state.
Maryland possess a great variety of topography
Topography
Topography is the study of Earth's surface shape and features or those ofplanets, moons, and asteroids...
, ranging from sandy dunes dotted with sea grass in the east, to low marshlands near the bay, to rolling hills of oak forest in the Piedmont region and mountain pine groves in the west.
Wine regions
Maryland has four distinct growing regions, allowing for a wide diversity of grape varieties that will thrive throughout the State.Piedmont Plateau
A majority of the state's vineyards are planted in Central Maryland, from the foothills west of Frederick, MarylandFrederick, Maryland
Frederick is a city in north-central Maryland. It is the county seat of Frederick County, the largest county by area in the state of Maryland. Frederick is an outlying community of the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is part of a greater...
to the head of the Chesapeake Bay
Chesapeake Bay
The Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary in the United States. It lies off the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by Maryland and Virginia. The Chesapeake Bay's drainage basin covers in the District of Columbia and parts of six states: New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and West...
. The state's oldest wineries are located in the Piedmont Plateau as well as the Frederick Wine Trail and Mason-Dixon Wine Trail. There are clusters of wineries around Westminster
Westminster, Maryland
Westminster is a city in northern Maryland, United States. It is the seat of Carroll County. The city's population was 18,590 at the 2010 census. Westminster is an outlying community within the Baltimore-Towson, MD MSA, which is part of a greater Washington-Baltimore-Northern Virginia, DC-MD-VA-WV...
and north of Baltimore
Baltimore
Baltimore is the largest independent city in the United States and the largest city and cultural center of the US state of Maryland. The city is located in central Maryland along the tidal portion of the Patapsco River, an arm of the Chesapeake Bay. Baltimore is sometimes referred to as Baltimore...
. Cabernet Sauvignon
Cabernet Sauvignon
Cabernet Sauvignon is one of the world's most widely recognized red wine grape varieties. It is grown in nearly every major wine producing country among a diverse spectrum of climates from Canada's Okanagan Valley to Lebanon's Beqaa Valley...
, Merlot
Merlot
Merlot is a darkly blue-coloured wine grape, that is used as both a blending grape and for varietal wines. The name Merlot is thought to derive from the Old French word for young blackbird, merlot, a diminutive of merle, the blackbird , probably from the color of the grape. Merlot-based wines...
, Cabernet Franc
Cabernet Franc
Cabernet Franc is one of the major black grape varieties worldwide. It is principally grown for blending with Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot in the Bordeaux style, but can also be vinified alone - as in the Loire's Chinon...
, Chardonnay
Chardonnay
Chardonnay is a green-skinned grape variety used to make white wine. It is originated from the Burgundy wine region of eastern France but is now grown wherever wine is produced, from England to New Zealand...
and Pinot Gris
Pinot Gris
Pinot gris is a white wine grape variety of the species Vitis vinifera. Thought to be a mutant clone of the Pinot noir grape, it normally has a grayish-blue fruit, accounting for its name but the grape can have a brownish pink to black and even white appearance...
are planted, which consists of Harford
Harford County, Maryland
Harford County is a county in the U.S. state of Maryland. In 2010, its population was 244,826. Its county seat is Bel Air. Harford County forms part of the Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area.-History:...
, Baltimore
Baltimore County, Maryland
Baltimore County is a county located in the northern part of the US state of Maryland. In 2010, its population was 805,029. It is part of the Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area. Its county seat is Towson. The name of the county was derived from the barony of the Proprietor of the Maryland...
, Carroll
Carroll County, Maryland
Carroll County is a county located in the U.S. state of Maryland. In 2010, its population was 167,134. It was named for Charles Carroll of Carrollton , signer of the American Declaration of Independence. Its county seat is Westminster....
, Howard
Howard County, Maryland
-2010:Whereas according to the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau:*62.2% White*17.5% Black*0.3% Native American*14.4% Asian*0.0% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander*3.6% Two or more races*2.0% Other races*5.8% Hispanic or Latino -2000:...
, Montgomery
Montgomery County, Maryland
Montgomery County is a county in the U.S. state of Maryland, situated just to the north of Washington, D.C., and southwest of the city of Baltimore. It is one of the most affluent counties in the United States, and has the highest percentage of residents over 25 years of age who hold post-graduate...
and Frederick
Frederick County, Maryland
Frederick County is a county located in the western part of the U.S. state of Maryland, bordering the southern border of Pennsylvania and the northeastern border of Virginia. As of the 2010 Census, the population was 233,385....
Counties.
Eastern Shore
The Eastern ShoreEastern Shore of Maryland
The Eastern Shore of Maryland is a territorial part of the U.S. state of Maryland that lies predominately on the east side of the Chesapeake Bay and consists of nine counties. The origin of term Eastern Shore was derived to distinguish a territorial part of the State of Maryland from the Western...
is known for its warm days and cool nights. The soil is sandy and well-drained, and the climate is moderated by the Chesapeake Bay
Chesapeake Bay
The Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary in the United States. It lies off the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by Maryland and Virginia. The Chesapeake Bay's drainage basin covers in the District of Columbia and parts of six states: New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and West...
. A wide variety of grapes are growing throughout the Upper Shore (Cecil
Cecil County, Maryland
Cecil County is a county located in the U.S. state of Maryland. It is part of the Delaware Valley. It was named for Cæcilius Calvert, 2nd Baron Baltimore , who was the first Proprietary Governor of the colony of Maryland from 1632 until his death in 1675. The county seat is Elkton. The newspaper...
, Kent
Kent County, Maryland
Kent County is a county located in the U.S. state of Maryland, on its Eastern Shore. It was named for the county of Kent in England. Its county seat is Chestertown. In 2010, the county population was 20,197...
and Queen Anne's Counties), Mid Shore (Talbot
Talbot County, Maryland
-2010:Whereas according to the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau:*81.4% White*12.8% Black*0.2% Native American*1.2% Asian*0.1% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander*1.6% Two or more races*2.7% Other races*5.5% Hispanic or Latino -2000:...
, Dorchester
Dorchester County, Maryland
Dorchester County is a county located in the U.S. state of Maryland on its Eastern Shore. It is bordered by the Choptank River to the north, Talbot County to the northwest, Caroline County to the northeast, Wicomico County to the southeast, Sussex County, Delaware, to the east, and the Chesapeake...
and Caroline Counties
Caroline County, Maryland
Caroline County is a wholly rural county located in the U.S. state of Maryland on its Eastern Shore. It is bordered by Queen Anne's County to the north, Talbot County to the west, Dorchester County to the south, Kent County, Delaware, to the east, and Sussex County, Delaware, to the southeast. As...
) and Lower Shore (Somerset
Somerset County, Maryland
-2010:Whereas according to the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau:*53.5% White*42.3% Black*0.3% Native American*0.7% Asian*0.0% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander*1.7% Two or more races*1.5% Other races*3.3% Hispanic or Latino -2000:...
, Worcester
Worcester County, Maryland
-2010:Whereas according to the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau:*82.0% White*13.6% Black*0.3% Native American*1.1% Asian*0.0% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander*1.7% Two or more races*1.3% Other races*3.2% Hispanic or Latino -2000:...
and Wicomico
Wicomico County, Maryland
As of the census of 2010, there were 98,733 people, 37,220 households, and 24,172 families residing in the county. The population density was 261.7 people per square mile . There were 41,192 housing units at an average density of 109.2 per square mile...
Counties).
Southern plain
Southern MarylandSouthern Maryland
Southern Maryland in popular usage is composed of the state's southernmost counties on the "Western Shore" of the Chesapeake Bay. This region includes all of Calvert, Charles and St. Mary's counties and sometimes the southern portions of Anne Arundel and Prince George's counties.- History...
gets hot, and stays hot night and day for most of the summer. This may not be good for some varieties, but many Southern Italian
Southern Italian
Southern Italian , or Napoletano-Calabrese, is a group of Italo-Dalmatian Romance dialects spoken in Southern Lazio, Southern Marche, Abruzzo, Molise, Campania, Basilicata, Apulia, and Northern Calabria....
and other Mediterranean varieties are found growing in the region. Barbera
Barbera
Barbera is a red Italian wine grape variety that, as of 2000, was the third most-planted red grape variety in Italy . It produces good yields and is known for deep color, low tannins and high levels of acid...
, Sangiovese
Sangiovese
Sangiovese is a red Italian wine grape variety whose name derives from the Latin sanguis Jovis, "the blood of Jove"...
, Montepulciano
Montepulciano
Montepulciano is a medieval and Renaissance hill town and comune in the province of Siena in southern Tuscany, in Italy. Montepulciano, with an elevation of 605 m, sits on a high limestone ridge. By car it is 13 km E of Pienza; 70 km SE of Siena, 124 km SE of Florence, and...
, Chardonnay
Chardonnay
Chardonnay is a green-skinned grape variety used to make white wine. It is originated from the Burgundy wine region of eastern France but is now grown wherever wine is produced, from England to New Zealand...
, Vidal
Vidal
Vidal is the surname of:* Alejo Vidal-Quadras Roca, a Spanish member of the European Parliament, and a radiation physicist* Alexander Thomas Emeric Vidal, British admiral and surveyor* Alexander Vidal, Canadian politician...
, Blaufrankisch
Blaufränkisch
Blaufränkisch is a dark-skinned variety of grape used for red wine. Blaufränkisch, which is a late-ripening variety gives red wines which are typically rich in tannin and may exhibit a pronounced spicy character...
, Symphony
Symphony
A symphony is an extended musical composition in Western classical music, scored almost always for orchestra. A symphony usually contains at least one movement or episode composed according to the sonata principle...
and other varieties are planted in the region, which consists of Anne Arundel
Anne Arundel County, Maryland
Anne Arundel County is a county located in the U.S. state of Maryland. It is named for Anne Arundell , a member of the ancient family of Arundells in Cornwall, England and the wife of Cæcilius Calvert, 2nd Baron Baltimore. Its county seat is Annapolis, which is also the capital of the state...
, Prince George's
Prince George's County, Maryland
Prince George's County is a county located in the U.S. state of Maryland, immediately north, east, and south of Washington, DC. As of 2010, it has a population of 863,420 and is the wealthiest African-American majority county in the nation....
, Calvert
Calvert County, Maryland
Calvert County is a county located in the U.S. state of Maryland. It occupies the Calvert Peninsula which is bordered on the east by the Chesapeake Bay and on the west by the Patuxent River. Calvert County is part of the Southern Maryland region. Calvert County's residents are among the highest...
, Charles
Charles County, Maryland
Charles County is a county in the south central portion of the U.S. state of Maryland.As of 2010, the population was 146,551. Its county seat is La Plata. This county was named for Charles Calvert , third Baron Baltimore....
and St. Mary's Counties.
Western mountain
Western MarylandWestern Maryland
Western Maryland is the portion of the U.S. state of Maryland that consists of Frederick, Washington, Allegany, and Garrett counties. The region is bounded by the Mason-Dixon line to the north, Preston County, West Virginia to the west, and the Potomac River to the south. There is dispute over the...
plays host to a number of vineyards and two wineries. Grapes in this region
Western Maryland
Western Maryland is the portion of the U.S. state of Maryland that consists of Frederick, Washington, Allegany, and Garrett counties. The region is bounded by the Mason-Dixon line to the north, Preston County, West Virginia to the west, and the Potomac River to the south. There is dispute over the...
must be more cold-hardy and able to withstand long winters and a short growing season. Varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon
Cabernet Sauvignon
Cabernet Sauvignon is one of the world's most widely recognized red wine grape varieties. It is grown in nearly every major wine producing country among a diverse spectrum of climates from Canada's Okanagan Valley to Lebanon's Beqaa Valley...
, Cabernet Franc
Cabernet Franc
Cabernet Franc is one of the major black grape varieties worldwide. It is principally grown for blending with Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot in the Bordeaux style, but can also be vinified alone - as in the Loire's Chinon...
, Petit Verdot
Petit verdot
Petit Verdot is a variety of red wine grape, principally used in classic Bordeaux blends. It ripens much later than the other varieties in Bordeaux, often too late, so it fell out of favour in its home region. When it does ripen, it is added in small amounts to add tannin, colour and flavour to the...
, Chardonnay
Chardonnay
Chardonnay is a green-skinned grape variety used to make white wine. It is originated from the Burgundy wine region of eastern France but is now grown wherever wine is produced, from England to New Zealand...
, Norton/Cynthiana, Chambourcin
Chambourcin
Chambourcin is a French-American interspecific hybrid grape variety used for making wine. Its parentage is uncertain. The hybrid was produced by Joannes Seyve who often used Seibel hybrids produced in the 1860s. The grape has only been available since 1963. Chambourcin has a good resistance to...
, Vidal
Vidal Blanc
Vidal Blanc is an inter-specific hybrid variety of white wine grape, a cross of Ugni Blanc and Rayon d'Or . It manages to produce high sugar levels in cold climates while maintaining good acid levels....
and Seyval are found in the region. The region
Western Maryland
Western Maryland is the portion of the U.S. state of Maryland that consists of Frederick, Washington, Allegany, and Garrett counties. The region is bounded by the Mason-Dixon line to the north, Preston County, West Virginia to the west, and the Potomac River to the south. There is dispute over the...
consists of Washington
Washington County, Maryland
Washington County is a county located in the western part of the U.S. state of Maryland, bordering southern Pennsylvania to the north, northern Virginia to the south, and the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia to the south and west. As of the 2010 Census, its population is 147,430...
, Allegany
Allegany County, Maryland
Allegany County is a county located in the northwestern part of the US state of Maryland. It is part of the Cumberland, MD-WV Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of 2010, the population was 75,087. Its county seat is Cumberland...
and Garrett Counties
Garrett County, Maryland
Garrett County is the westernmost county of the U.S. state of Maryland. Created from Allegany County, Maryland in 1872 it was the last Maryland county to be formed. It was named for John Work Garrett , railroad executive, industrialist, and financier. Garrett served as president of the Baltimore...
.
Prominent figures
Phillip M. Wagner is still considered a very prominent figure for those in the amateur and commercial sides of wine making.Wagner is the author of Grapes into Wine and several other books having to do specifically with North American wine making. Including several revisions of his original book "American Wines and How to Make Them" originally published in 1933. He was also the founder of Maryland’s own Boordy Vineyards where he experimented with various wine making techniques most notably hybridization of grapes.
Wagner’s literary career includes serving as the editor of the Baltimore Sun newspaper and writing a biography of fellow Sun editor, H.L. Mencken. He died December 29, 1996.
Maryland Wine Festival
The Maryland Wine Festival is a wineWine
Wine is an alcoholic beverage, made of fermented fruit juice, usually from grapes. The natural chemical balance of grapes lets them ferment without the addition of sugars, acids, enzymes, or other nutrients. Grape wine is produced by fermenting crushed grapes using various types of yeast. Yeast...
festival that showcases Maryland wine on the third weekend of September annually. The festival was established in 1984 in Union Mills, Maryland
Union Mills, Maryland
Union Mills is an unincorporated community in Carroll County, Maryland, United States. The community is home to the Union Mills Homestead Historic District, added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1971. The Solomon Arter House was listed in 1987 and the Philip and Uriah Arter Farm in...
and has been held at the Carroll County Farm Museum in Westminster, Maryland
Westminster, Maryland
Westminster is a city in northern Maryland, United States. It is the seat of Carroll County. The city's population was 18,590 at the 2010 census. Westminster is an outlying community within the Baltimore-Towson, MD MSA, which is part of a greater Washington-Baltimore-Northern Virginia, DC-MD-VA-WV...
since 1985. It is one of the oldest and largest wine festivals on the East Coast
East Coast of the United States
The East Coast of the United States, also known as the Eastern Seaboard, refers to the easternmost coastal states in the United States, which touch the Atlantic Ocean and stretch up to Canada. The term includes the U.S...
, hosting over 25,000 people and featuring more than 200 wines for sampling each year.