Not so long ago, if you wanted to visit a vineyard near Baltimore for an afternoon of tastings and tours, your first and typically only stop was Boordy Vineyards, the oldest vineyard in the state, established in Hydes in 1945.
Even in winter, it was a lovely way to spend an afternoon, with plenty of wines to sample and buy, and experts to lead you through the grounds and winemaking operations. Now, though, it's easy to extend the experience, visiting another Maryland vineyard or two nearby.
Boordy is one of eight vineyards on the Piedmont Wine Trail, which links vineyards in Baltimore and Harford counties through events and promotional materials. A website, piedmontwinetrail.com, provides a one-stop place to check hours, events and deals.
"It's kind of a tool for the wine trail traveler," said Regina McCarthy, marketing coordinator for the Maryland Wineries Association, the nonprofit that established the trail in September 2009. Visitors can easily stop by several wineries in a day, learning about other nearby wineries, state parks, restaurants and other attractions from brochures available at each stop.
"It makes it easier for people to visit multiple wineries instead of everyone saying, 'I know Boordy, so I'm going there,'" said Susan Rayner, marketing director for Boordy and co-chair for the Piedmont Wine Trail. "It makes it more of an exciting excursion when you can say, 'Look, there's a wine trail.'"
Visitors interested in the art and craft of winemaking can compare techniques at the different vineyards, she noted. Rayner recommends visitors limit their travels to between two and four wineries in a day, so they have time to savor each one.
Vineyards like being part of the wine trail because it boosts business, she said. "I think it increases traffic, it increases awareness. There is a wine market here in Maryland. And it's fun. It's a way of exploring."
For newer winemaking establishments, like Dejon Vineyard, the trail is a particular boon. Over the holiday season, wineries gave out passbooks, and visitors who stopped by all eight were eligible for discounts at their favorite one.
John Wilkerson, who opened Dejon in June with his wife, Denise McCloskey, said the wine trail helps get out the word that there's a new winery in the state. "Our big thing this year and last year was recognition," he said. The vineyard hosts tours and $5 wine tastings, which includes samples of seven wines, plus an engraved glass.
Maryland's six wine trails were created based on logical distinctions in the wine-growing regions, and by linking wineries in close proximity, said McCarthy. In addition to the Piedmont trail, the association promotes the Carroll Wine Trail in Carroll County, Chesapeake Wine Trail on the Eastern Shore, Frederick Wine Trail, which spans Frederick and Montgomery counties, and Patuxent Wine Trail in Calvert and St. Mary's counties.
Grapes growing along the Piedmont trail are part of a landscape of rolling open hills, neither as sandy as the south nor as wet as the Eastern Shore, she said.
The eight vineyards that make up the trail are Boordy, which has become a hub of concerts and other events; Basignani Winery, established in Sparks in 1986; Dejon Winery, which opened in Hydes in 2009; Fiore Winery & Distillery, which was established in 1986 and offers limoncello and grappa as well as wine at its Pylesville location; Harford Vineyard and Distillery, established in Forest Hill in 2003; Legends Vineyard, established in Churchville in 2008; Mt. Felix Estate Vineyard & Winery, located in Havre de Grace; and Woodhall Wine Cellars, in Parkton since 1983, which has the advantage of having a restaurant on the property.
Maryland's winemaking history dates back to the 1600s, and in the 1970s the state had about a dozen vineyards. Today, there are 49, said McCarthy. Though spring and summer are prime seasons for touring and picnicking, and autumn is when the grapes are harvested, winter has its quieter charms.
Boordy offers tours and tastings, and visitors can see the wine as it ferments in the tanks. Events such as Chili Winter Days on January weekends and Fond of You … Fondue on February weekends are cozy combinations of food, wine, live music and lit fireplaces. Marshmallows can be roasted in the outdoor fire pit.
"Winter is wonderful," Rayner said.
If you go
The Piedmont Wine Trail encompasses eight vineyards in Baltimore and Harford counties. They are all within an easy drive of Baltimore, and most are within a short drive of each other.
Lodging
The wine trail is working with area lodging venues to provide discounts to those who have been on the Piedmont Wine Trail. Currently, the Residence Inn in Hunt Valley (45 Schilling Road, 410-527-2333) and the Fairfield Inn & Suites in White Marsh (8477 Cordon Way, 410-933-9797) offer discounts.
Information
For more information about the Piedmont Wine Trail or other wine trails in Maryland, go to piedmontwinetrail.com or marylandwine.com, or call the Maryland Wineries Association at 410-252-9463 or 800-237-9463.
