From Frederick County, under an hour's drive from Washington, D.C., and Baltimore, Maryland's wine country reaches Southern Maryland, near the Potomac and Patuxent rivers, and the Eastern Shore, east of the Chesapeake Bay. Cruv shows which wineries are open today and what is on the calendar.
55+ places in Cruv · 180+ upcoming events · 3 wine regions
A self-guided wine trail and parts of the Catoctin and Linganore AVAs, in a county under an hour's drive from Washington, D.C., and Baltimore.
15+ places in Cruv · 25+ upcoming events
More wine regions in Maryland
10+ places in Cruv
The Eastern Shore lies east of the Chesapeake Bay, which moderates the climate; soils are sandy and well drained. The Chesapeake Wine Trail, sponsored by the Maryland Wineries Association and Maryland Department of Agriculture, links Eastern Shore wineries.
6 places in Cruv
Southern Maryland, where Maryland's first colonial capital stood, sits on the Chesapeake Bay's Western Shore between the Patuxent and Potomac rivers. The Patuxent Wine Trail covers Calvert and St. Mary's counties.
Chambourcin, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Chardonnay and Vidal Blanc are among the grapes Maryland growers harvest most, according to the Maryland Wineries Association. Growers in the cooler west and north lean on grapes that ripen sooner or tolerate cold, including hybrids, while producers in the warmer south and east favor later-ripening varieties.
Red
Chambourcin is a late-ripening red hybrid that the Maryland Wineries Association lists among the state's common reds. University of Maryland Extension recommends it for the east, south and west zones.
Red
Cabernet Franc is a red vinifera grape that ripens mid to late season. The Maryland Wineries Association calls it a common red in the state, and University of Maryland Extension recommends it for the east, south and west zones.
Red
Merlot is a mid-season red vinifera grape. University of Maryland Extension recommends it for the east, south and west zones, but only at the best sites, and the Maryland Wineries Association lists it among the state's common reds.
White
Chardonnay is one of the white grapes the Maryland Wineries Association calls popular in the state. It ripens early to mid season, and University of Maryland Extension recommends it for the east, south and west zones.
White
Vidal Blanc is a white hybrid that ripens mid to late season, and University of Maryland Extension recommends it for the east, south and west zones. The Maryland Wineries Association counts it among the state's popular whites.
