Boordy Vineyards

Now that spring is here and temperatures are rising, Boordy Vineyards is kicking off its annual outdoor Reds, Whites and Bluegrass Festival. Sunday, the vineyard will have a live performance by the Satyr Hill Band, catered food and about a dozen of the wines they make on premises for sampling and selling. The vineyard's president, Rob Deford, said the festival fits in with Boordy's mission -- that wine should be enjoyed in a laid back, pretension-free atmosphere. "It's casual, it's rural -- it's all the things that we are," Deford said.

Clementine is hosting a six-course goat dinner on June 24. "Clementine's Degustation of Goat Around the World" will feature goat from Wagon Wheel Farm (Mount Airy) and dairy from other local farms, along with beer, wine and cider pairings from Flying Dog Brewery, Union Craft Brewing, Millstone Cellars, Colonel Ricketts Hard Cider Winery and Boordy Vineyards. The menu includes tacos de birria de chivo, a classic street-food treat; spicy West Indian squash soup; a citrus Mocetta salad with radishes, orange peel and ramp vinaigrette and a charcuterie plate with longaniza sausage.

Philip M. Wagner, a former editor at The Sun who founded Boordy Vineyards, wrote a classic book on winemaking and became an international authority on domestic wines and grapes, died early yesterday of emphysema and heart failure at his home in Riderwood. He was 92."He's a legendary figure. He was the first to plant French hybrids in the United States," said Robert Parker, publisher of The Wine Advocate magazine.He was "one of the most important figures in the 20th century in wine education, and for his contributions to viticulture" -- the cultivation of grapes.

I had my bachelorette weekend recently and it made me think about all of the different options available in and around Baltimore. There really is something suitable for every bride. For example, mine was an entire weekend in one of my favorite places on earth - Ocean City, MD. While the weather was a bit chilly it was perfect for me to be at the beach, enjoy all of my favorite restaurants and bars and relax with the women in my life who mean the most to me. Other weekend getaways in and around the area include Annapolis, D.C., Deep Creek, Philadelphia or even Atlantic City.

I was about to sit down and write a column about cabernet sauvignon and merlot when I got the phone call telling me Philip Wagner was dead.Cabernet and Merlot can wait.Wagner, who died Dec. 29 at the age of 92, was a most remarkable man. It would be difficult to overstate how important a figure this Baltimore newspaperman was in the world of wine.This was a man who reinvented the wine industry in the United States east of the Rockies. He accomplished this in his spare time, while pursuing a distinguished journalistic career that ended in 1964, when he retired as editor of The Sun.Wagner was also the man who taught America how to make wine at home, inspiring generations of amateur vintners.

This time of year, the leafless vines at Boordy Vineyards look as if they've been permanently etched against the gray sky. Now, Anne M. Deford has found a way to ensure that those vines - which produce seyval blanc and chardonnay grapes - remain firmly rooted in the land. Deford, owner of 252-acre Long Green Farm - home to Boordy Vineyards - has joined a movement that is responsible for protecting one-third of the Long Green Valley National Historic District in northeastern Baltimore County.

1992 Governor's Cup wine winners namedWESTMINSTER -- The awards for the second annual Maryland Governor's Cup for Maryland Wines were presented at the Maryland Wine Festival yesterday.G; The Governor's Cup for the Best Maryland Wine: CatoctinVineyards, 1986 Cabernet Sauvignon. Other awards:* Blush: Bronze medal to Catoctin Vineyards, Eye of the Oriole; Boordy Vineyards, 1991 Cabernet Blanc.* Fruit: Bronze medal to Berrywine, non-vintage Wild Blueberry. Silver to Berrywine, non-vintage Raspberry.

Hydes Boordy Vineyards run set for Sunday The XTERRA Boordy Vineyards 5-kilometer Trail Run will take place at 6 p.m. Sunday in Hydes. The course on the 230-acre farm will lead runners through rows of grapevines, around 19th-century farm buildings and into woodlands. An estimated 600 runners are expected. Spectators should arrive at Boordy Vineyards, 12820 Long Green Pike, before 5:30 p.m. because the surrounding roads will be closed for the run. Wine, cheese and music will be available after the race.

Reds, Whites and Bluegrass If you enjoy great wine and the rhythm of bluegrass music, Boordy Vineyards is the place to be Sundays through Sept. 28. Celebrate the grape harvest while tasting Boordy wine and listening to live bluegrass performances. Bread, cheese and other food will be available at the afternoon events. The Stoney Creek Bluegrass Band will be featured at this week's festival, which costs $8 for adults and $4 for children ages 2-12. Boordy Vineyards is at 12820 Long Green Pike, Hydes.

FOR ANIMALS The lowdown -- It's an excuse to exercise your dog and raise money for a good cause. The Maryland SPCA's March for the Animals is a 1.5-mile trek 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Sunday starting at Druid Hill Park. If you go -- The Maryland SPCA's March for the Animals is 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Sunday at Druid Hill Park. Registration is free for the walk, but donations are accepted. Call 410-235-8826 ext. 133 or visit mdspca.org. Wine and song The lowdown -- On Sunday, Boordy Vineyards will kick off its Reds, Whites and Bluegrass series.

The Baltimore Irish Festival happens this year Friday-Sunday, Nov. 11-13, at the Maryland State Fairgrounds, in Timonium. On the bill will be Irish food, dance and such musical acts as the Screaming Orphans, the Rovers and Belfast Connection. There will also be a marketplace offering items such as kilts, handmade stained glass and Celtic jewelry. Hours are Friday, 6-11 p.m.; Saturday, noon-11 p.m.; and Sunday, 10 a.m. (starting with mass)-6 p.m. Daily admission is $15 general, $10 for seniors, $5 for young adults and free for anyone younger than 12. Go to http://www.irishfestival.com.

This year’s Charles Village Festival runs Saturday-Sunday, June 4-5, at 29th and Charles streets, in Baltimore. Expect food, antique cars, games for children, and a variety of local musicians including Junkyard Saints, Lafayette Gilchrist and the Greg Hatza ORGANization. The festival will also host its annual garden walk (Sunday, 11 a.m.), which will trek through the gardens south of 29th Street between Howard Street and Guilford Ave. Hours are Saturday 11 a.m.-9 p.m. and Sunday 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Go to www.charlesvillagefestival.com.

What are you going to do with dear old Mom? Things sure got a whole lot easier for me since my brother married a woman who hosts an annual multiple famly annual Mother's Day party and barbecue. If I didn't have that to fall back on, I'd consider one of these Mother's Day options. On Saturday and Sunday, from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., Boordy Vineyards is inviting families to picnic on their sprawling grounds. The cost is $12 for adults, $10 for teens and $5 for children 2 to 12. There will be music by Ellis Woodward and Company; wine tasting; and tours of the vineyard.

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.

Hydes Boordy Vineyards run set for Sunday The XTERRA Boordy Vineyards 5-kilometer Trail Run will take place at 6 p.m. Sunday in Hydes. The course on the 230-acre farm will lead runners through rows of grapevines, around 19th-century farm buildings and into woodlands. An estimated 600 runners are expected. Spectators should arrive at Boordy Vineyards, 12820 Long Green Pike, before 5:30 p.m. because the surrounding roads will be closed for the run. Wine, cheese and music will be available after the race.

Wine and herbs The lowdown -- Head to Boordy Vineyards this weekend for its Wine and Herb Fest. Check out the new spring wine releases while perusing the many plants and garden crafts for sale. Other offerings include live music from Cedar Creek on Saturday and Captain Quint on Sunday, vineyard wagon rides, gourmet and local foods and vineyard tours. If you go -- The festival is 1 p.m.-5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at Boordy Vineyards, 12820 Long Green Pike in Hydes. Tickets are $10, $5 for children ages 2-12.

Now that spring is here and temperatures are rising, Boordy Vineyards is kicking off its annual outdoor Reds, Whites and Bluegrass Festival. Sunday, the vineyard will have a live performance by the Satyr Hill Band, catered food and about a dozen of the wines they make on premises for sampling and selling. The vineyard's president, Rob Deford, said the festival fits in with Boordy's mission -- that wine should be enjoyed in a laid back, pretension-free atmosphere. "It's casual, it's rural -- it's all the things that we are," Deford said.

Winemaking is still a tiny part of the Maryland agricultural scene, but it's growing as fast as those weeds in your backyard vegetable patch. "We have had unbelievable growth the past two years," said Rose Fiore. "We have gone from 12 wineries to 22." Rose Fiore operates Fiore Winery in the Pylesville section of Harford County with her husband, Mike. She also serves as the industry's representative on the Maryland Agricultural Commission, a 27-member panel composed of a cross-section of farming that advises the Secretary of Agriculture on farm issues.