The grape blossoms aren't quite ready to burst into full bloom -- it will take another week or two before their intoxicating fragrance permeates the vineyards. Instead, the scents of rosemary and lavender, basil and thyme will waft through the air Sunday afternoon at Boordy's in Long Green Valley.
Add dancing, winery tours, grilled food, crafts, lectures, vineyard wagon rides and kite flying through rolling green pastures and you have the perfect ingredients for a family festival at a Maryland winery.
If you prefer to travel to the gently sloping foothills of Western Maryland, then let Linganore Winecellars at Berrywine Plantations in Mount Airy entice you this weekend to a Strawberry Wine Festival with live country and bluegrass music, smoked ribs with all the fixings, great crafts and, of course, strawberry wine and winery tours.
The festival season is in full swing at Maryland's 10 vineyards, and from now until harvest time in October and beyond, each winery welcomes visitors to witness the timeless art of winemaking, tour the cellars, sample the wines, stroll through the vineyards and enjoy other activities.
Aimee and Stephen Cornbrooks, of Fallston, are looking forward to taking their two young children to Sunday's Herb and Wine Festival at Boordy Vineyards on Long Green Pike in northeastern Baltimore County. A stroll among the grape vines has become a favorite family outing for the Cornbrookses.
"We've attended many events at Boordy's over the past couple of years, it's such a friendly place -- like visiting relatives in the country. The children enjoy petting the dogs running around the farm and watching kite-flying demonstrations. And we enjoy sampling fine wines," says Mrs. Cornbrooks. Although the winery is only a short ride from her home, once she turns into the lane leading to the vineyards and the winery in a 19th century wood and fieldstone barn, she feels transported to a faraway place.
"It's idyllic and charming," she says. "I've been to California wineries and they are very educational and nice, but they lack the relaxed and homey atmosphere of a Maryland winery. There you are a tourist, here you are made to feel like you are part of the family."
Robert Deford, owner of Boordy Vineyards, says constant hospitality with emphasis on family is his goal in running the family-owned wine business.
"I always tell people they don't need to travel to California to tour a winery, we have everything right here -- not only the climate, soil and talent to grow good grapes and make good wine, but also the history."
Boordy Vineyards, the oldest winery in Maryland, was established in 1945 by Philip and Jocelyn Wagner, who pioneered the use of French-American hybrid grapevines in the Eastern United States. The bill for the import of the first 25 plants from France hangs on a wall of the winery, along with other memorabilia telling Boordy's history.
The Defords bought Boordy in 1980 and relocated the winery to the 250-acre family beef cattle farm in Long Green Valley. Over the years, Deford, who received formal training in enology at the University of California, expanded the vineyards and introduced state-of-the-art winemaking techniques. In addition to the 16 acres of grapevines he tends on his vineyard, Deford also grows grapes in the Blue Ridge country in Western Maryland and purchases grapes grown on the Eastern Shore.
He explains that the sandy soil on the Eastern Shore is ideal for merlot grapes and other cold-tender varieties. Seyval Blanc and chardonnay strive on the fertile soil of the central region, while cabernet sauvignon and Cabernet Franc prefer the shaly soil in Western Maryland.
Millions of grapevines are cultivated throughout Maryland today.
"But that's still not enough," says Al Copp, owner of Woodhall Vineyards & Wine Cellars in Parkton and president of the Association of Maryland Wineries. "The demand is high, but we only have enough Maryland grapes for about half the wine we produce. The rest come from out of state."
Maryland wineries produce some 400,000 bottles of wine annually with sales exceeding $3 million. "There's significant potential for growth," says Copp, adding the association is wooing new vintners to make winegrowing a more viable part of the state's agricultural business.
Deford says that he has seen a growing appreciation for fine local wines but that not everyone realizes yet that many of the wine bottles on store shelves have deep roots in Maryland soil.
"The industry is still a little shaky; we readily associate Maryland with beer and crabs, but we need to improve awareness of Maryland's fine wines," he explains.
And what better way than festivals with dancing, summer concerts under the stars and good food and wine to get the message across?
See below for a tour of Maryland wineries -- from Deep Creek Cellars, the state's newest winery high in the Western Maryland mountains where no one before has ventured to grow grape vines for commercial production, to Fiore Winery in northern Harford County, steeped in 300 years of Italian winemaking traditions, and back to the state's first winery in Long Green Valley.
Basignani Winery
Founded: 1986
Owners: Bertero and Lynne Basignani
Location: 15722 Falls Road, Sparks
Hours: Noon to 5 p.m. weekends; or by appointment
Annual production: 3,000 gallons
Proprietor's pick: Lorenzio Reserve, a Bordeaux blend dry red wine
Special features: Picnic areas
Events: Fourth of July Celebration, noon to 5 p.m., July 3-4. Bring a picnic, plenty of sparklers for children; holiday open houses at Thanksgiving and in December
Nearby: Gunpowder Falls State Park, Oregon Ridge
Call: 410-472-0703
Boordy Vineyards
Founded: 1945
Owners: R.B. Deford family
Location: 12820 Long Green Pike, Hydes
Hours: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Saturday, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday; tours and tastings on the hour 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Free.
Annual production: 24,000 gallons
Proprietor's pick: Seyval Blanc, dry white white
Special features: Patio with tables and sun umbrellas and picnic areas.
Events: Wine and Herb Festival, noon-5 p.m. May 23, $10; Father's Day Picnic and Pig Roast, June 20, 1 p.m.-4 p.m., $22.95, $11 children; Midsummer Evening Concerts, 6 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Saturdays, July 10-Aug. 28, $10; Champagne Sorbet, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Sundays, July-August, free; Fresh from the Press, September weekends, 1 p.m.-4 p.m., free; Vintage '99 Harvest Celebration, Oct. 10, noon-5 p.m., free; Celtic Christmas Open House, Dec. 4, Dec. 11, Dec. 18, 1 p.m.-4 p.m., free.
Nearby: Loch Raven Reservoir, Ladew Topiary Gardens.
Call: 410-592-5015
Web site: www.boordy.com
Catoctin Winery
Founded: 1983
Owners: Robert Lyon and Shahin Bagheri
Location: 805 Greenbridge Road, Brookeville
Hours: Noon to 5 p.m. Saturday-Sunday -- tours, tastings, sales; Monday-Friday, sales all day, tours and tasting by appointment.
Annual production: 12,000 gallons
Proprietor's pick: Cabernet sauvignon, dry red wine
Special features: Picnic area
Events: Harvest Open House, October; Thanksgiving Open House, November; Holiday Open House, December.
Nearby: Hawlings River Regional Park, Patuxent River State Park.
Call: 301-774-2310
Cygnus Wine Cellars
Founded: 1996
Owner: Ray Brasfield
Location: 3130 Long Lane, Manchester
Hours: Noon to 5 p.m. Saturday-Sunday, or by appointment
Annual production: 1,600 gallons
Proprietor's pick: Hampton Cuvee Brut Rose, a dry sparkling wine
Special features: Winery in historic building (the former Dutterer's Slaughter House) in downtown Manchester. Picnic area
Events: Manchester Days Annual Town Celebration and Wine Festival, noon to 5 p.m. June 5-6. Harvest Fest, noon to 5 p.m. Oct. 9-10, $5; New Wine in the Cellar, release of nouveau, noon to 5 p.m. Nov. 13-14, free; Release of Cuvee de Chardonnay, noon to 5 p.m. Dec. 4-5, free.
Nearby: Historic Manchester, antiques shops, Carroll County Farm Museum
Call: 410-374-6395.
Deep Creek Cellars
Founded: 1997
Owners: Paul Roberts and Nadine Grabania
Location: 177 Frazee Ridge Road, Friendsville
Hours: 4 p.m. to dark Friday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday, or by appointment
Annual production: 2,500 gallons
Proprietor's pick: Watershed Red Reserve, a dry blend
Special features: Outdoor picnic area overlooking a scenic valley
Events: Kevin Atticks, author of "Discoverying Maryland Wines," signs books May 29-31; summer weekends, owners also operate a small farmers' market featuring home-grown berries and vegetables.
Nearby: Deep Creek Lake, Frank Lloyd Wright's Fallingwater.
Call: 301-746-4349.
Elk Run Vineyards & Winery
Founded: 1983
Owners: Fred and Carol Wilson
Location: 15113 Liberty Road, Mount Airy
Hours: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, or by appointment
Annual production: 12,000 gallons
Proprietor's pick: Vin de Jus Glase, a dessert wine
Special features: Picnic areas on rolling farmland of 1750s estate with historic home
Events: June in Bloom in the Vineyard, noon to 5 p.m. June 5; Father's Day Picnic and Jazz Concert, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. June 20; tickets $10, free for fathers; Bastille Day Celebration, 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. July 10, $35; Champagne "Millennium" Release, 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. Nov. 21; Dickens Open House, Dec. 2-5.
Nearby: New Market, Frederick, Carroll County Farm Museum
Call: 410-775-2513
Web site: www.elkrun.com
Fiore Winery
Founded: 1986
Owners: Michael, Rose and Eric Fiore
Location: 3026 Whiteford Road, Pylesville
Hours: Noon to 6 p.m. Wednesday-Sunday, or by appointment
Annual production: 17,000 gallons
Proprietor's pick: Chambourcin, a spicy red wine
Special features: Picnic area with veranda, gazebo and bocci ball court overlooking the steeply sloping vineyard
Events: Mason-Dixon Wine Trail Weekend, May 29-30, free to Trailblazer members; Father's Day Bocci Ball Tournament, noon to 6 p.m. June 20, $5 for bocci participants, free for spectators; 9th Annual Wine, Jazz and Art Festival, 4 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Aug. 21, noon to 6:30 p.m. Aug. 22; Harford County Hospice Fall Festival, noon to 5 p.m. Oct. 16, free; Black Friday Escape, noon to 5 p.m. Nov. 26, free
Nearby: Havre de Grace, Rocks State Park, Susquehanna State Park.
Call: 410-879-4007.
Website:www.FioreWinery .com
Linganore Winecellars at Berrywine Plantations
Founded: 1976
Owners: Jack and Lucille Aellen
Location: 13601 Glissans Mill Road, Mount Airy
Hours: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, noon to 6 p.m. Sunday
Annual production: 55,000 gallons
Proprietor's pick: Chambourcin, dry red wine
Special features: Picnic area
Events: Strawberry Wine Festival, noon to 6 p.m. May 22-23, $6; Classic Motown Wine Festival, noon to 6 p.m. June 26-27; Reggae Wine Festival, noon to 6 p.m. July 17-18, $6; Bayou Wine Festival, noon to 6 p.m. Aug. 21-22, $6; Vintage Jazz Festival, noon to 6 p.m. Oct. 16-17; "Thank You" Wine and Cheese Tasting, Nov. 26 to Dec. 23; other indoor and outdoor activities
Nearby: Frederick, New Market, Catoctin Mountain Recreation Area
Call: 410-795-6432
Web site: www.Linganore-wine.com
Loew Vineyards
Founded: 1982
Owners: William and Lois Loew
Location: 14001 Liberty Road, Mount Airy
Hours: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, or by appointment
Annual production: 2,500 gallons
Proprietor's pick: Honey & Grape, a sweet wine
Special features: Picnic area
Events: Sunday afternoon picnics June-August, free; New Summer Releases, Aug. 14-15; Harvest Weekends in September -- watch harvest in progress, free
Nearby: Catoctin Mountain Recreational Area, New Market, Frederick
Call: 301-831-5464
Woodhall Vineyards & Wine Cellars
Founded: 1983
Owners: Al Copp, Chris and Pat Lang
Location: 17912 York Road, Parkton.
Hours: Noon to 5 p.m. Tuesday-Sunday, or by appointment
Annual production: 6,000 gallons
Proprietor's pick: Capernica Reserve, a dry red wine
Special features: Picnic area in front of winery and along hillside
Events: Picnic at Woodhall, noon to 5 p.m. May 29-30 -- bring food; grills and charcoal provided, free; New Release Jazz Festival, noon to 5 p.m. June 5-6; Respect Thy Father Weekend, noon to 5 p.m. June 19-20, free; Summer Picnic, noon to 5 p.m. July 3-5, free; Varaison Vineyard Tours and Winetasting, noon to 5 p.m. Aug. 21-22, free. Harvest Festival, October; Nouveau Party, November
Nearby: Gunpowder Falls State Park, Oregon Ridge Park
Call: 410-357-8644
Wine Festivals -- All Wineries
Chesapeake Wine and Beer Fest: New name and location for Baltimore County Wine Festival. 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. June 12 and noon to 6 p.m. June 13 at Ballestone Mansion, 1935 Back River Neck Road, Middle River. Call 410-887-0218.
Maryland Wine Festival: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sept. 18, noon to 6 p.m. Sept. 19 at Carroll County Farm Museum in Westminster. Call 410-876-2667 or 800-654-4645.
-- Karin Remesch