Vineyards are a growing trend in Maryland

We get into Maryland wine stores once or twice a year when visiting wife's kin now in Columbia (formerly Ellicott City). The Maryland wines we have seen are mostly Merlot and Chardonnay priced in the mid twenties. Since we are not big fans of either grape, and know on many worthy ones at half the price, we haven't tried any.

We will be going back down there in a couple of months, so if anybody has some recommendations................!

We used to have a WLDGer from MD that I became friends with, David Laws, but we haven't heard from him in a long time. However, he liked a lot of the local MD wines. Here are links to some of the TNs he posted a while ago:
http://www.wineloverspage.com/user_submitted/wine_notes/tn_251948.html
http://www.wineloverspage.com/user_submitted/wine_notes/tn_380764.html
http://www.wineloverspage.com/user_submitted/wine_notes/tn_505363.html
http://www.wineloverspage.com/user_submitted/wine_notes/tn_522466.html
http://www.wineloverspage.com/user_submitted/wine_notes/tn_420209.html
http://www.wineloverspage.com/user_submitted/wine_notes/tn_280379.html
http://www.wineloverspage.com/user_submitted/wine_notes/tn_428414.html

Howie, you're right. I really miss David's insights, and he could always be counted on to tell us about the Loew reds, which had hybrids in them. Too bad David hasn't stuck around the new forum - he was always keenly interested in Eastern wines.

[James Roscoe]

David posts over at Therapy. I don't know why he hasn't rejoined us here. I miss his insights on eastern N. American wine as well.

As for Maryland wine, I remain a skeptic. I have never tasted one I care for or would buy again. Virginia is miles ahead of Maryland in the wine world. I would rank Pennsylvania ahead of Maryland too. I'm usually a supporter of all things Maryland (even of the Man from Moncton), but Maryland is playing catch-up in the wine world.

Keith and Howie, thanks; we're taking notes.

Howie thanks for posting old WLDG, brings back happy memories.
As far as the state of Maryland not having a history in American wines, I think one should never forget the hard work and dedication of Philip and Jocelyn Wagner. IMHO they played a big role in the “re-establishment” of a wine industry in the Eastern US. Back in he 1930’s they operated a grapevine nursery and in 1945, a small commercial winery, Boordy Vineyards. They planted “the seed” for others to follow. (Not only in Maryland but other states).

Salute

Victor,
I have two of Phillip Wagner's books - "Grapes Into Wine" and "Wine Growers Guide", both of which I've read cover to cover and use as a reference. Excellent works from a very knowledgeable and passionate man.

Victorwine wrote:

As far as the state of Maryland not having a history in American wines, I think one should never forget the hard work and dedication of Philip and Jocelyn Wagner.

I agree and like Howie have read Philip Wagner's books. But his books and his work at Boordy do not relate to Southern Maryland and the Eastern Shore for which my comment of little history was directed. The climate and soils make these areas completely different than than Piedmont region. I know less about the Eastern Shore but Southern Maryland was until very recently tobacco land. The number of vines in Southern Maryland just five years ago was insignificant. The Maryland Grape Growers Association 2001 survey of the number of vines planted by county shows zero recorded vines in Charles County where I live. From that survery there was less than 5500 vines planted in the entire Southern Maryland region.

Looking at what was recorded as being grown at that time, over half of the entire state's grape vines were concentrated in Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, and Chardonnay. The next three varieties where Seyval, Chamborcin and Vidal in that order. After that, there were less than 5000 known vines of any other single variety in the state. Considering the five major regions and all of the subregions in the state this is not much of a true sample size off which to build a knowledge base. Factor in the different root stock and clones and it becomes almost insignificant.

Have found all recommend wines in Carlo De Vito's "East Coast Wineries." He got mostly excited about Fiore's Chambourcin, which we will look for as we are Norton fans.

Have found all recommend wines in Carlo De Vito's "East Coast Wineries." He got mostly excited about Fiore's Chambourcin, which we will look for as we are Norton fans.

The second link in the list posted above is for the 1999 Fiore's Chambourcin and the fifth is '02 Fiore's Vidal.

Checked them all out. That's why I looked them up and made pencil notes in Ve Vito's.

I like the way Eric Miller, of Chaddsford Winery of southeastern PA breaks down the wine growing regions of the Eastern US. (1) Coastal and Inland Bench-lands; (2) Atlantic Uplands; and (3) Mountains. With this said regions within the same general geographic area will have its own “uniqueness”.
I guess southeastern Maryland will fall into the area of the Coastal Bench-land.
Because in the east, (just like most of Europe) climate and locale plays a profound role in determining the “best suited” grape variety for a given site. In other words just because a grape variety is “popular” doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s the “best suited” Yes the work done by Wagner was geared for those growing grapes mainly in the Atlantic Uplands and Mountain regions (or “cooler” regions). So the up and coming wineries of southeast Maryland have their work cut out for them.

Salute

[James Roscoe]

Victor, those are excellent points. I just don't see what vinifera will suit the sany soil of southern Maryland and the Eastern Shore given the hot humid climate. I look forward to hearing more about Brain's experiment. I wish him all the success. I hope that it works.