Grape Varieties

We are currently growing and experimenting with several different grape varieties, including vinifera and hybrid grapes.

The Whites

• Vidal —Vidal is a hybrid white grape that is very popular on the east coast. In fact, due to its tougher skin, it is often made into late harvest dessert wines and, in Canada, as icewine. Vidal is very versatile, being made in styles ranging form very dry to sweet.
  
• Cayuga White — This variety was developed by Cornell University to be both productive and tolerant of the weather and fungal diseases of the east with a reasonable spray program. It makes an early harvest wine with melon and pineapple notes.
• Traminette — This is another Cornell grape that is a cross between the German white grape gewürztraminer and a hybrid called seyval. Gewürztraminer is known as a wine that goes well with spicy foods. Traminette is perhaps almost unique amongst hybrids in the degree that it resembles the aroma and flavors of its parent vinifera. It makes a spicy, unique wine that is very distinctive.

The Reds

• Shiraz — Shiraz (or Syrah as it is known in France) is a vinifera popular in wines from both Australia and the Rhone Valley of France. To be honest, we planted this because we like the wines from the grape, rather than based on any growing experience. We have thus far been pleasantly surprised! The vine has grown well, and with a good spray program, we have kept disease under control. It makes a dark, fruity wine with a touch of "bacon fat" when done right (no kidding!).
• Sangiovese — The primary wine grape of the chianti region of Italy, sangiovese makes a red wine with a less fruity, more structured profile.
• St. Vincent — Our latest experiment, St. Vincent is a chance cross between pinot noir and either vidal or chambourcin (another red hybrid) that was discovered in Missouri. It is planted and vinified in various locations in Missouri, which can be an even tougher place to grow grapes than our location due to the cold winters. We are the only growers in Maryland using it. It makes a lighter style wine similar to pinot noir.
• Cabernet Franc — Cabernet franc, one of the parents of cabernet sauvignon, is somewhat more cold tolerant and ripens earlier than its famous child. It makes a dark, full bodied wine when grow to full maturity.
• Marquette — Marquette is a brand new grape developed by the University of Minnesota. It can withstand winters down to -34F, but what really appeals to us is that it creates an excellent red wine, with deep colors, high sugars and great acid balance unusual in a hybrid. It is also resistant to most of the fungus problems we have, meaning much less spraying. Our goal is to develop a Zinfandel-style red wine that will be unique to our winery. Our first crop is due in 2011.