Love Wine? Visit These Rural & Urban Wineries ASAP
With our southern neighbor Virginia ranking fifth in the nation for wine production, it’s easy to overlook wineries offered by our northern neighbors in Maryland. Not to mention in the past year, the District has added itself to the wine map after having acquired two new wineries of their own.
We all know and love famous Virginia wine country, but wine not (sorry) try one of the wineries Maryland and now D.C. has to offer? #FrayLife takes a closer look at the northern alternatives where you can also have a grape time (sorry not sorry).
This winery hosts tastings inside of Heyser Farms market in Silver Spring. You can get a tasting flight of eight pours (choose any of their traditional wines, fruit wines, or ciders) at $10 a pop, or a tasting flight with cheese pairings and a souvenir glass for $20. Not interested in a flight? For $10 you can get a full glass of wine with a bucket of popcorn.
This popular winery chain just landed in D.C.’s Ivy City last April in the former Love nightclub space. The mammoth property is not just a winery but a 175-seat restaurant and concert venue. Don’t let the urban setting fool you–this is a fully functioning winery with wines made on the premises, making this an easy choice for the city dweller who doesn’t want to schlep out to a vineyard an hour away.
This winery isn’t your typical vineyard location with rolling hills and sunshine, but it is a solid spot to hang out and sip on good wine (plus tastings of five pours are only $8). You can bring your own food and chill for the day or order one of their popular cheese boards. Olney Winery has tasting rooms in both Olney and Hagerstown.
Why BYO when you can DIY? Tin Lizzie in Clarkesville, MD teaches you how wine goes from grapes to glass. You can make your own wine just like a pro over the course of four hour-long sessions. If you don’t have the time to commit to the full winemaking process, you can stop by any one of their tasting events.
Sugarloaf is just 30 minutes outside the beltway and is a great spot to kick back, sip some wine, and enjoy the beautiful view. Your four-legged companions are welcome on-leash outside of the building.
#FrayLife Tip: Add a quick hike to your visit–Sugarloaf Mountain is right next door, after all.
Rockland’s is a working farm located on a scenic historical property in the agricultural reserve of Montgomery County near Rockville. In addition to wine tastings and tours, you can shop at their market for pasture-raised meats and local goods.
You don’t have to go far outside the District to visit this winery in Silver Spring. The Urban Winery has ample cheeses and a variety of wine flights to choose from including unique fruity options like Blueberry Pinot Noir, Green Apple Riesling, and Cranberry Malbec.
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