The largest winery is Berrywine Plantations/Linganore Cellars, which yields 300,000 bottles yearly and has visitors from all over the world. Combine this with a trip to New Market for lunch and antiques shopping for a day trip. Take I-70 to Route 75 and follow signs to New Market and Berrywine and continue north to Route 26 East to reach Elk Run and Loew.
At the farthest western point of Maryland you'll find the state's smallest winery. Deep Creek Cellars is literally a basement operation yielding 12,000 bottles a year, mostly dry red wines that are drinkable right away.
Visit the wineries while the grapes are growing in the summer or in September, when wine making begins. The tours are most interesting when you see those vats brimming with fermenting grape juice. On weekends, several wineries host festivals with live music, food, and their own wines. All are in picturesque country, filled with rolling hills and fresh air; and all have tastings and will help you choose a bottle or case to take home.
Berrywine Plantations/Linganore Cellars (13601 Glissans Mill Rd., tel. 410/795-6432), Elk Run (15113 Liberty Rd., tel. 410/775-2513), and Loew (14001 Liberty Rd., tel. 301/831-5464) are close enough to visit in a day. All are located off I-70, in Mount Airy, east of Frederick. Elk Run and Loew are nearby on Liberty Road, much smaller than Berrywine, but friendly and fun. All three have tours Saturdays 10am to 5pm and Sunday noon to 5pm. Berrywine has tours all week, too, 10am to 5pm. Berrywine hosts festivals with lots of music about twice a month.
Basignani Winery (15722 Falls Rd., Sparks, tel. 410/472-0703) produces lots of varietals, including Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, and Riesling. It's open weekends noon to 5pm. Take I-83 North to Exit 20B. Turn right on Route 25. It's on the left.
Woodhall Wine Cellars (17912 York Rd., Parkton, tel. 410/357-8644) is farther north on I-83 off Exit 27, next to the Gunpowder River. One of the oldest wineries in the state, Woodhall makes a wide variety of wines, including Gunpowder Falls Estate Chardonnay and Parkton Prestige, a red wine. Woodhall has festivals about once a month for special days or release of new wines. Tours are offered Tuesday to Sunday noon to 5pm. It's an easy drive from Basignani Winery to Woodhall.
Boordy Vineyards (12820 Long Green Pike, Hydes, tel. 410/592-5015), is also in northern Baltimore County. Boordy is one of Maryland's most highly regarded wineries. It hosts regular festivals and tastings. Tours are offered daily on the hour 1 to 4pm, though the winery is open Monday to Friday 5pm, Sunday 1 to 5pm. From the Baltimore Beltway (I-695) heading west, turn left at exit 29 (Cromwell Bridge Road), and go 2.9 mi. Bear sharp left over bridge onto Glen Arm Rd. Continue 3.2 mi. to stop. Turn left onto Long Green Pike and follow 2 mi. to Boordy's entrance on left.
Fiore Winery (3026 Whiteford Rd., Pylesville, tel. 410/879-4007) is run by a wine maker whose family made wine in Italy for 400 years. The wines range from Chambourcin to Merlot and Chardonnay. It is about a half-hour drive from Woodhall or Boordy through the countryside or up I-95, off Exit 74. Turn left on Route 152, right on Route 165, left on Route 24, and right on Whiteford Road. It's about a 40-minute drive from the Beltway junction.
Penn Oaks (11 Midhurst Rd., Silver Spring, tel. 301/562-8592) is a good place to stop if you're in the Washington, D.C. area. It's also one of the state's newest wineries, opened in 1997. German-style wines, from Riesling to Liebfraumilch, are featured here. Though usually open by appointment only, they offer tastings once a month. You have to call for the schedule.
Catoctin Winery (805 Greenbridge Rd., Brookeville, tel. 301/744-2310) is fairly close to Penn Oaks. These are the only ones south of I-70. Catoctin is known for its Cabernet Sauvignon, Riesling, and especially Eye of the Oriole. Tastings are weekends noon to 5pm or by appointment. It's open for sales during the week. From the Capital Beltway, I-495, take Exit 28N Route 650, and continue 15 miles (24km) to Greenbridge Road.
Deep Creek Cellars (477 Frazee Ridge Rd., Friendsville, tel. 301/746-4349) is interesting, if only because of its scale. A family-run operation, this one's just getting started as a full-time business. It's a nice diversion during a visit to the Deep Creek area. Tours are offered Saturday 11am to 7pm. Take I-68W to Exit 6. Go north on Route 42 and turn right on Frazee Ridge Road; the winery is on the left. If you want to make this part of a multi-winery trip, the owners will gladly offer directions to a couple of nearby wineries just over the Pennsylvania line.
In addition to winery tours, there are two festivals celebrating the grape.
The largest (drawing more than 20,000 people) is the Maryland Wine Festival held annually mid-September 10am to 6pm on Saturday and noon to 6pm on Sunday. It's at the Carroll County Farm Museum in Westminster and is a must for the state's wineries to attend. There are competitions among the pros, as well as amateur wine makers. There's also lots of great food, as well as the 10 tastings you get with the price of admission.
Wine in the Woods is a newer festival and follows the Maryland Wine Festival's formula. Its setting, under the trees of Symphony Woods in Columbia, makes it nice, too, especially since mid-May can be so humid. The festival is usually held on Preakness Weekend, noon to 6pm both Saturday and Sunday. Admission includes 10 tastings. For exact dates of both, call tel. 800/237-WINE or visit www.marylandwine.com.