While the average connoisseur might consider a premium dry wine from Maryland unthinkable, Crow Vineyard makes doubtful heads nod with pleasant surprise. Kent County’s first and only winery, located on a family-owned-and-operated Eastern Shore farm, brought home several prestigious awards from the 23rd Annual Maryland Governor’s Cup. Both the 2012 Vidal Blanc and Barbera Rosé, estate wines fermented with grapes grown and processed on the 365-acre farm, earned gold medals. The 2011 Barbera took a bronze. The dawn-colored Barbera Rosé also pleased enough judges’ palates to achieve Best in Class for the Rosé category.
The new boutique winery was one of only ten in the state to receive an accolade of this caliber at a reception on Tuesday, September 3rd, where the Governor’s wife, Katie O’Malley, handed best in class trophies to winery owners on a sunny terrace behind Baltimore’s Evergreen Museum. Dr. Joe Fiola, who conducts a viticulture and enology research program through the University of Maryland, paid homage to Crow Vineyard’s winemaking promising trajectory. “They’ve done what is elusive in our industry,” said Fiola at the reception, “They’ve hit a unique note that’s both exotically new, yet familiar.” Hitting such a note is remarkable, in the eyes of both wine lovers and the Crow family alike. The grapes crushed for these “New World” style wines were produced by vines only three years old—an age when most winemaking vines in similar conditions are still approaching maturity.
“We are doing our part to create quality Eastern Shore wines and encourage the growth of a Chesapeake Wine Trail,” comments Judy Crow, an owner of the business. “Every weekend, we see more and more visitors in our tasting room enjoying the rural culture and a new breed of sophisticated, handcrafted wines.” The winning wines, as well as Chardonnay, Merlot, Sparkling Vidal Blanc, and another Rosé, can all be purchased at Crow Farm, 12 to 5 PM, seven days a week, and Saturday mornings at the Chestertown Farmer’s Market. Local wine enthusiasts may also find Crow Vineyard wine at Mills Fine Wine & Spirits in Annapolis, Berlin’s Maryland Wine Bar, or Chestertown area establishments such as; Brooks Tavern, The Kitty Knight House, The Imperial Hotel and Play It Again Sams.
For more information on Crow Vineyard wines: Judy Crow | 302.304.0551 | [email protected] | Maryland Wine Governor’s Cup 2011
by Doug Carter for Crow Farm & Vineyard
Photo by Loblolly Multi-Media Productions
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