It was a cold and bleak evening in December 2009 when the Baker siblings gathered at the family farm in Westminster for a reckoning. The fall semester had ended, and Drew, Lisa, and Ashli were home for the holidays from their respective colleges. The Great Recession and the accompanying slump in housing starts had eviscerated their father’s carpentry company, and they’d been informed that their 17-acre Carroll County family farm, which they had never farmed but had rented out to local farmers, was going to have to be sold.

“My sisters and I were all home for Christmas break,” recounts Drew, then a senior at Towson University. “This was the place we grew up. It’s the only home we knew.” The siblings were crestfallen. “The whole family was trying to figure out what to do when our mom, Virginia, said, ‘Wouldn’t it be nice to plant grapes?’ She read an article about the rising popularity of wine grown in unlikely places around the country,” says Drew. “That’s where the idea for all of this began.”

And so, what started as a farm rescue fantasy is now Old Westminster Winery, a welcoming sprawl of neatly kept vineyards that surround the original farmhouse, flanked by their spacious Western ranch-style tasting room and events space, built by none other than Jay Baker, carpenter and proud Dad. It is here that visitors may sample Old Westminster’s offerings, from their fanciest reds to their fun, low-alcohol, spritzy canned beverages.

The fantasy became a reality in no time at all. Virginia and Jay fronted all their savings to seed the business as their children began to set the plan in motion. The siblings weren’t even finished with school; only Drew was of legal drinking age at the time and would spend the year applying for permits while studying for final exams. The following year, they planted their first vines, and, on June 8, 2013, they opened for business. They have never looked back.

In the interim, they have become not just local winemakers but Maryland wine evangelists. Today, Old Westminster Winery produces roughly 120,000 bottles a year from grapes grown on the farm or at neighboring vineyards in an effort to showcase all of the potential of the region’s winegrowing. They were also the first Maryland winery to can some of their wines. The tasting room and events space, completed in 2015, hosts weekend events, live music, and wine dinners. They also support a wine club that boasts 2,000 members.

All their efforts haven’t gone unnoticed. At the 2014 Maryland Governor’s Cup Competition, Old Westminster’s Albariño 2013 was awarded best white wine and brought home a gold medal. At the 2015 Maryland Winemaster’s Choice Competition, Old Westminster’s Greenstone 2014 was awarded best white blend wine and a gold medal. In 2017 alone, they won a gold medal at the Governor’s Cup and Best in Class, two double-golds, and four golds at the Comptroller’s Cup. Even without the accolades, a visit to Old Westminster is an experience on par with any of America’s wine country destinations.

Maryland’s winescape has always been an eclectic mix of businesses, ranging from purveyors of sweet fruit wines to focused aficionados striving to put Maryland on the national stage of serious wine regions. Old Westminster was conceived from the beginning as the latter, looking to stalwart producers such as Rob Deford at Boordy and Sarah O’Herron and Ed Boyce of Black Ankle Vineyards for inspiration. Lisa, now 32, a chemist who was sizing up a corporate career before that fateful December, is now Old Westminster’s winemaker.

“We began with a vineyard consultant and a winemaking consultant,” she says. “We had a broad idea of what our soil composition was, what grapes might work, and a sort of orthodox conception of the winemaking.”

For Lisa, that initially meant using techniques to emulate a Californian style. But the sibs were quick to learn that chasing a West Coast ideal was a fool’s errand. Instead, they decided to take advantage of Maryland’s unique terroir (the French concept of defining a place based on its soil composition, weather, and geography), and pursue natural winemaking, though that term is difficult to define and is still the subject of heated debate globally.

Essentially, the family is building a model of Maryland winemaking that leans into our region’s limitations rather than trying to patch them up. “We go with what nature gives us, rather than fight for a predetermined style of wine,” Lisa (now Hinton) points out.

 

The family is building a model of Maryland winemaking that leans into our region’s limitations rather than trying to patch them up.

 

It was in the Loire Valley that Drew, Old Westminster’s wine grower and farmer-in-chief, and his wife, Casey, discovered wines that were fermented not with purchased yeast, but with the local spores that rode into the winery on the grapes. “Our principles and philosophy evolved rapidly,” says Drew, 33, especially after his honeymoon trip to France in 2014.

Along the way, they also fell in love with a style of wine known in France as pétillant naturel. These are wines that undergo fermentation in the bottle itself, capturing the resulting carbonation in a lower-alcohol, super-fresh style of sparkling wine. Upon their return to Maryland, Drew and Casey shared their discoveries and stories with Lisa and Ashli.

“That was a pivotal year for me,” recalls Lisa as she gazes out over the vines. “The 2015 vintage was a learning year. It was empowering and liberating to let go of orthodoxy and begin making the wines our vines wanted to make.”

In many winemaking regions around the world, it is considered safer to use purchased yeasts that have been bred specifically for winemaking purposes. Fermenting with yeasts that naturally hang out in the air and on the grapes is a risky endeavor. Will your yeasts impart desirable flavors? Will they be robust enough to complete fermentation as alcohol rises? This is one of the biggest challenges to anyone who wants to make wine naturally, without intervention.

“No doubt it’s a challenge,” admits Lisa. “But coming to this from a chemist’s perspective, it’s a matter of understanding the science. We are okay if the wines are a little wild.” Drew agrees. “Today, what our wines lack in refinement they make up for in intrigue.”

“We make Maryland wine,” adds Ashli (now Johnson), 30.

Local retailers are more than happy to hawk the wine. “I like that they’re adventurous,” says Lauren Loeffler, wine manager and buyer at The Wine Source. “They’re willing to try out various winemaking techniques, which I think is a smart move for a Maryland producer to stand out. They definitely have a loyal following and customers seek out their wines to try and often come back for repeat purchases—I think they have a positive presence in the market and are adept at reaching their audience.”

Clare Yost, beverage director and general manager at True Chesapeake Oyster Co., agrees. “I find the wines compelling because they are giving Maryland Wines a sense of place. They have a distinctive style that is relatable. They’re bright, balanced, but with a hint of funk…just like the people of Maryland!” Ashli Johnson sums it up this way: “This is what Maryland tastes like if you aren’t trying to influence the wine.” The youngest of the three, Ashli is ostensibly in charge of business and marketing, but her brother and sister assert she is also the unsung hero of Old Westminster. “She holds this all together,” says Lisa. Gesturing to the tasting room, the patio, and the outdoor entertaining space, she adds, “And all this.”

“This” is a concerted effort to create a space as warm and welcoming as the Baker family itself. In 2015, the family ramped up the hospitality aspect of the winery, with a tasting room built by Jay Baker, and plenty of space for outdoor revelry. Visitors can visit the tasting area, hang out on the patio, or help themselves to picnic tables on the grounds.

There is also a push to spotlight the bounty of Maryland farms with a burgeoning food program. “We want to take a holistic approach to food and wine from Maryland farms like us,” explains Ashli. “We want to showcase Maryland on top of a pizza!” Consider this offering, called “The Crew.” It features housemade honey mustard, Kitchen Girl Farm kale, salami made from pigs raised at Burnt Hill Farm, and mozzarella from Caputo Brothers Creamery in Spring Grove.

Artisan farmhouse pizza may be where it starts, but what’s happening at Old Westminster now is just the beginning of a much grander plan that these three visionaries conceive for the farm. “We now know what European wine grapes do best here. Albariño is our white wine rock star,” says Lisa, “and Old Westminster in more suited to white wine.” “But what we grow here now are all European wine grapes, the same ones used around the world,” adds Ashli. Drew agrees, adding, “Burnt Hill is where our future will truly be written.”

 

THE SIBLINGS WERE QUICK TO LEARN THAT CHASING A WEST COAST IDEAL WAS A FOOL’S ERRAND.

 

Located 25 miles south of the main farm, Burnt Hill was acquired in December 2016. It represents the culmination of all these emergent philosophies—dedication to the land, to a sense of place that speaks through its produce, produce that is coaxed from nature without any reliance on outside help or influence. Burnt Hill is a parcel of land that the family has exhaustively researched—soil types, drainage, orientation to the sun, elevation, average temperatures, rainfall, and a dizzying array of other factors.

“It’s an ideal site,” says Drew. “It is our opportunity to take 10 years of learning to a blank canvas.”

It is here that an even grander winemaking experiment is underway—to learn which of our region’s native grapes, grape varieties that were here long before European settlers, are best for making wine as local and ancestral as anyone has ever thought possible. Alongside new experiments with grape varieties from Europe is a block of vines of dozens of native American grape varieties.

“We’ve got some experimental genetic diversity in there,” Drew says with a chuckle. “There’s this guy who has been carefully collecting and nurturing all these native grape vines,” adds Lisa. “It’s nuts. We have acquired over 20 different plantings from him, and they are all planted at Burnt Hill. I am so excited for 2021. After all the craziness of this past year, this is going to be Burnt Hill’s first harvest, and there is going to be a lot of fruit coming in!”

Fruit won’t be the only thing coming in, though, as Ashli is quick to point out. “There is a dual aspect to what we are doing there with agriculture. Yeah, there are the grapes, but Drew is living [at Burnt Hill] now and raising animals, and there’s an apiary . . . the holistic bond between our wine and our food here is going to be vastly different.”

One can’t help but be taken in by Ashli’s energetic enthusiasm for everything that’s happening at Old Westminster. She sees how every facet of the family business flows into the others and is often the one to shepherd them all along. Drew exudes the same passion and positive energy, and he is clearly happiest when he’s connected to the land.

On one recent spring day, he was super excited about a new tractor (“I mean, it’s just like the old one, but this one won’t break!”), and on another day he had to bow out of an interview due to a lost pig at Burnt Hill. (“It sounds kind of funny, but actually I’m really stressed out about it,” he said. “And I need to stay here and find it.”)

It doesn’t take long to understand why Lisa is the scientist of the group. Her relaxed bearing belies an intense focus, a constant striving to improve, and a sense of practicality born out of a mission to make truly good wine in a region bereft of a reputation for doing so. Collectively, they represent a superhero team of hospitality, passion, and inquiry that is the essence of Old Westminster’s success.

“In retrospect, I am amazed that it didn’t go as poorly as it could have,” says Drew. “We really just want to make the best wines possible while sticking to our principles and philosophy about how we nurture our land and nurture our fruit.”

Nearly 11 years into the project, all three siblings are married with families of their own. In the context of establishing a vineyard and a winery, 11 years is nothing—the greatest sites in Europe have been under vine in one form or another for millennia. Given the extraordinary legacy Old Westminster has already established, it is breathtaking to imagine the future as a second generation grows into the business. How amazing will it be? We can’t wait to see—and taste.

Maryland is known for a lot of things. There’s the proverbial “crab cakes and football.” (Thanks, Wedding Crashers!) Or maybe black-eyed Susans and Chesapeake Bay sunsets come to mind. But wine has never been our state’s claim to fame. And, to some, this has always been a little puzzling. 

With its America-in-miniature status and proliferation of microclimates, Maryland’s geography and topography have always seemed suitable for grape-growing. After all, similar East Coast locations have been able to make a go of it. Just to the north, New York’s Finger Lakes region gets a ton of vino visitors, and our neighbor to the south may soon change its slogan to “Virginia is for wine lovers.” 

Somehow though, despite a history of viticulture that dates back to the earliest European settlers, Maryland’s wine industry has, ahem, withered on the vine.

But with an infusion of new vineyards—and technology spurring innovation at older ones—the time finally seems ripe for the state’s wine industry. Could it be true? Is the state’s wine industry finally coming of age.

“There are some wonderful changes happening,” says Kevin Atticks, executive director of the Maryland Wineries Association. “There are the new ones that have come on the scene that have just stormed the gates and they’re great right from the start. And then you’ve got our older wineries, who are completely retooling because of the new guys.”

A recent Daily Meal story ranking 101 of the best wineries in the country put Old Westminster Winery at No. 87, and a Wine Enthusiast article from this past April said “the Maryland wine industry is ready for prime time.” This is evident in not only the improved quality of the wines (Maryland wines are winning golds and double golds in worldwide competitions), but also the quantity of vineyards (now up to 88 and counting from just 14 in 2003).  

“Central Maryland sits along the Catoctin Mountains and a parallel ridge to the east, where the moderate climate and longer growing seasons favor Bordeaux-style red blends,” wrote Wine Enthusiast’s Dave McIntyre. “The other cluster [of growers] is located along the Chesapeake Bay, where the land is flatter and sandier. . . . Here, high-acid red varieties like Barbera do well.”

As Atticks noted, credit for the sudden fruitfulness goes to a new generation of ambitious winemakers who are rethinking what a winery can be. The old way of thinking was that a vineyard was something you inherited, a place you grew up. Maybe, if you were the enterprising sort, you added a tasting room, booked a few cover bands, and threw a wine festival one weekend during harvest season. Now, new spots throughout the region are setting themselves apart by establishing grower co-ops and recruiting winemakers from California and South Africa, a concept that used to be unfathomable.

“The learning curve is gone now,” Atticks says. “You can hire a winemaker that knows exactly what to do and your first vintage can be phenomenal.”

And like a rising tide, these newbies are lifting up some of the older boats. New generations are taking over at established operations and then traveling around the world to do extensive research or literally digging up their old vines and replanting. The focus has become less on events and more on recruiting club members to enjoy high-quality products.

In addition, wineries and vineyards are embracing new technologies and their agricultural applications in pursuit of the perfect pour. For instance, drones can help winemakers map things like airflow and temperature gradation to find that ideal plot of land.

“We’ve gone beyond scratching the surface, and now we’re getting much more into the details,” Atticks says. “New technology can really help map soil specifically and, 10 years ago, not many people were thinking about that.”

All the effort is paying off.

“We’re starting to see a new level of respect from the trade—from restaurants and retailers who up until now weren’t as interested in having local wine,” Atticks says. “And we have certain producers up to the task. They’re not just trying to make the best wine in Maryland. They’re trying to make the best wine in the world.”

But don’t just take his word for it—get out there and swirl and sip for yourself. While it’s impossible to visit all of the wineries in the state in one afternoon (though we gave it our best college try), we’ve narrowed it down to some standouts, both brand new and tried and true, that are helping to put Maryland wine on the map.

Just 40 miles northwest of Baltimore is Old Westminster Winery (1550 Old Westminster Rd., Westminster, 410-881-4656), which has been making major waves in national publications, as well as with local wine connoisseurs. In 2009, the Baker family decided the best way to preserve their farmland off of Route 27 was to start a vineyard. Two years later they planted 7,600 grape vines, including cabernet franc, syrah, chardonnay, and albariño. Now the winery is producing 30,000 bottles of wine a year—with half of those grapes grown at home and the other half from other vineyards around the state. Careful soil studying and sampling has led to some of the best wines in the state. 

Old Westminster’s mission is to revive old European styles of wine and its Petillant Naturel series, including a crisp syrah rosé blend, is a standout. Though much of OWW’s attention is paid to its 1,500-member wine club, there are also events every weekend at its on-site tasting room with live music and food from local favorites such as Ekiben and Well Crafted Pizza. 

Just down the road is Black Ankle Vineyards (14463 Black Ankle Rd., Mount Airy, 301-829-3338), which has taken advantage of its history and geography—sitting at the foot of the Appalachian Mountains with rocky soil and regular breezes—while innovating every step of the way. Every grape is grown on the farm, where composting and solar energy are priorities. Since 2010, the winery has been holding blind tastings against other syrah varietals from around the world, and the practice has kept it on its game. For proof, sip its Bordeaux-style blend, Crumbling Rock, which is soft and rich with dark fruits.

Nearby is one of the granddaddies of the Maryland wine scene, Linganore Winecellars (13601 Glissans Mill Rd., Mount Airy, 301-831-5889), whose grapes were first planted more than 40 years ago. But Linganore is not simply stuck in the past. Second-generation winemaker Anthony Aellen is always innovating and, most recently, his daughter Melissa traveled the world to study winemaking and got her degree in viticulture and enology from Cornell University. Experience the Aellen family expertise with sips of the double gold-winning Reserve Chambourcin, a medium-bodied red with notes of black cherry, spice, and dark chocolate. 

If you’ve drunk a little too much in the area, make a night of it and spend time in historic Mount Airy. Just outside of the center of town, housed in an 1890s brick schoolhouse, is Brick Ridge Restaurant (6212 Ridge Rd., Mount Airy, 301-829-8191) serving Southern-inspired entrees like shrimp and grits with bacon and smoked tomato compote. Catch a few Z’s at the Victorian Bed and Breakfast (103 N. Main St., Mount Airy, 410-259-1272), a turn-of-the-last-century home with Airbnb services, a wraparound porch, and beautiful landscaping. 

A little farther west, past Frederick, is Big Cork Vineyards (4236 Main St., Rohrersville, 301-302-8032), a standout in Maryland wine, which opened its tasting room in early 2015 and boasts quite the view of the winery’s 100 acres of vineyards and farmland. 

Big Cork has become well-respected in the industry thanks in large part to winemaker Dave Collins, who perfected his skills in Virginia. Collins has found that the cabernet franc grape is a great match for the cool, well-drained soil of Washington County. 

A bit closer to Baltimore is the popular Boordy Vineyards (12820 Long Green Pike, Hydes, 410-592-5015), which has been making wine on-site for nearly 40 years. But Boordy’s Deford family isn’t a slave to tradition. Over the past decade, they have overhauled their crop, ripping up nearly every root and branch and then replanting.

The move followed consultation with wine experts who advised the family to update their root stock, plant their vines closer together, and provide better temperature and quality controls during fermentation. The results of the nearly $3 million rebuilding project—which also included a new winemaking house with new fermentation tanks—have been revolutionary for Boordy, earning the label a new level of respect from restaurants and retailers. In fact, Boordy’s 2015 Landmark Series Albariño won Best in Show at the 2016 Maryland Governor’s Cup, and its Cabernet Franc Reserve 2014 won double gold at the 2017 San Francisco Wine Competition.

Visit Boordy on Saturdays in the fall for wine tours and live music, and tack on a dinner date at the nearby McFaul’s IronHorse Tavern (2260 Cromwell Bridge Rd., Parkville, 410-828-1625) or an ice cream nightcap at Prigel Family Creamery (4852 Long Green Rd., Glen Arm, 410-510-7488).

Central Maryland isn’t the only place to find great wine. The northeast region is making a name for itself, too. One example is Chateau Bu-De Winery & Vineyard (237 Bohemia Manor Farm Ln., Chesapeake City, 410-885-2500) in Cecil County. Owner Brenda Dedrick transplanted 14,000 grapevines here from Trappe, added 19,000 more, and just opened a massive tasting room. With help from South African-born winemaker Jacques van der Vyver, Bu-De is becoming known for its dry wines like the estate sauvignon blanc with notes of lychee and tropical fruits.

Just down the street, a newcomer on the scene is Broken Spoke Vineyard & Winery (942 Glebe Rd., Earleville, 302-547-6022), which opened this summer and has already earned a double gold in the Maryland Comptroller’s Cup for its vidal blanc.

If you get hungry (or sleepy), seek shelter and sustenance a half an hour south at Crow Farm (12441 Vansants Corner Rd., Kennedyville, 302-304-0551), a third-generation working farm that now provides wine, grass-fed beef, and a farm-stay bed and breakfast. Having recently brought in winemaker Michael Zollo from California, Crow is getting creative with New World varieties, including a sparkling vidal blanc and its 2016 barbera rosé, which won Best in Class at Maryland Governor’s Cup. But perhaps the best part about a night at Crow is that, along with breakfast in the morning, guests can feed farm animals during their stay.

And while location is key for wine, there are a couple of outliers using innovation and technology to make wine off of the typical trails. Port of Leonardtown Winery (23190 Newtowne Neck Rd., Leonardtown, 301-690-2192) is a grower co-op (purported to be only the second of its kind in the U.S.), which includes 12 vineyards exclusively from Southern Maryland. This is an extreme challenge for winemaker Lauren Zimmerman, who studied in Canada, as she has to work around weather hurdles. But she must be perfecting the science because five of POL’s wines—a port style and four reds—took home awards at this year’s International East Meets West Competition in Santa Rosa, California.

While you’re in Leonardtown, explore the area by visiting Leonardtown Wharf Park (22510 Washington St., Leonardtown 301-475-9791) for kayak rentals. Then fill up at places such as Asian-fusion restaurant Jessie’s Kitchen (22845C Washington St., Leonardtown, 301-997-0888) for ramen and dumplings or The Front Porch (22770 Washington St., Leonardtown, 301-997-1009) for Southern classics like chicken and waffles. Stay the night at the picturesque Olde Breton Inn (21890 Society Hill Rd., Leonardtown, 301-475-2699) with stunning views of St. Clements Bay and the Potomac River.

Right across the bay from Port of Leonardtown is another vintner thinking outside the box—Bordeleau Vineyards & Winery (3155 Noble Farm Rd., Eden, 410-677-3334). Just off of Route 13, its location makes it a good pit stop on the way to the beach, or you can make a weekend of it and drop your bags at The Washington Inn & Tavern (11747 Somerset Ave., Princess Anne, 443-399-3353) in the quaint nearby town of Princess Anne. Stop in at the roadside Beach to Bay Seafood Eatery (12138 Carol Ln., Princess Anne, 410-651-5400) to dine on fried oyster sandwiches, or get a sandwich and fries to-go for a picnic lunch before you head to the winery.

Bordeleau’s Tom Shelton, who has been making wine since 2006, blends reds across different vintages, or years. Some labels have lot numbers, which refer to the total number of wine batches bottled of that variety. That creativity led Bordeleau to become the first Eastern Shore winery to win Maryland Governor’s Cup Best in Show honors back in 2014 with its cabernet sauvignon amarone. One of the few wineries in the U.S. that can be visited by boat, Bordeleau continues to defy all logic and produce award-winning wines from grapes that are grown just eight feet above sea level.

It’s this rule-bending approach that will distinguish Maryland wine in the next several years, Atticks says. While many regions have a “state grape,” this is something that Maryland simply doesn’t plan on doing.

“Let’s not box ourselves in,” he says. “Southern Maryland can grow great things, but it’s not cab sav or chardonnay. I just had a sparkling vignole from Linganore, which would never be a state wine, but it was dreamy. I want to see what we can grow without any limitations.”