Boordy Chambourcin grapes, own-rooted, planted 1965. Photo: rus vanwestervelt
Boordy Vineyards, located in Long Green, is one of the best-kept secrets in the central Maryland region for year-round family and adult experiences. Our family has been to Boordy twice in as many weeks — first for my wife’s 5K “Charm City Run Trail Run at Boordy Vineyards” and then just yesterday for an impromptu tour of Boordy and a necessary purchase of their Seyval Chardonnay Vidal (perfect for our homemade garbanzo bean spread for bruschetta).
Truth is, we couldn’t resist picking up another bottle of their Petit Cabernet, too (straight from the website: “A medium bodied cabernet sauvignon with aromas of cedar, tobacco, briar fruits and plum. Soft tannins, ready for drinking when young.”). This delicious wine has become a staple in our early-evening, wind-down ritual.
These last two visits, though, just touch the surface on how committed Boordy is to our community. From June through December, they offer weekly events for both families and adults. This Thursday, 9/8, is the final Farmers’ Market (4-8 p.m., free to all), featuring live music from the Stringtown Folk Band and various organic meats and produce from over 20 local producers.
Boordy won’t miss a beat, though, when the last farmers’ market wraps up. On Sunday, 9/25, Boordy hosts the 3rd annual greater Long Green community picnic (1-5 p.m., Adults $12; Teens 12-20 $5; Children under 12 Free), featuring local artists, Boordy wines, flowers, farmer’s market, grilled foods for purchase, children’s games, antique tractors, and an apple pie contest. Clementine will sell beef burgers, locally grown salads, grilled foods, and oysters. Jericho Bridge will be performing live bluegrass music as well.
On Sundays in October, Boordy will be holding Autumn Wine Fests (1-5 p.m., $12 Adults; $10 Teens, 13-20; $5 Children, 2-12). Each Sunday, there will be live music, winetastings, vineyard wagon rides, grilled foods, organic breads, grapepressing demos, winery tours, crafts, and more.
In November, Boordy will feature “Soups in the Cellar” every Sunday, and December weekends through the 18th, Boordy will host “Christmas in Wine Country.”
Boordy’s Wine Library. Photo: rus vanwestervelt
As wonderful as these events might be to spend an afternoon at Boordy, the vineyards offer so much more. For $5, you can take an extensive tour of the vineyards (tours run at 2 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. daily), and their wine shop is open seven days a week as well. They rent their facilities for private parties, and will even print custom labels for gifts or unique celebrations. Heck, Boordy will even mail wine to you locally or in one of the other 15 states that allow alcohol shipments. These are just a few of the ways in which the Deford family has offered their farm as a Maryland foundation for meeting, spirit, and community.
As stated in their welcome letter on their website, the Deford family is committed to contributing to Maryland’s rich tradition: “In keeping with an ethos of good stewardship we placed the farm in permanent preservation with the Maryland Environmental Trust. Growing and making wine is our life and our pleasure, and has led to an abiding optimism that extends beyond the culture of wine, to our community and the world at large.”
We are grateful for Boordy’s commitment to the region. Treat yourself and your family this fall to the many events and offerings that Boordy Vineyards is providing us through December. I am confident that you will find peace, solitude, and fine times at one of Baltimore’s best-kept secrets.
Boordy Vineyards is located at 12820 Long Green Pike, Hydes, Maryland 21082. They are open Mon–Sat 10 a.m.–5 p.m. & Sun 1–5 p.m. Tours are held daily at 2 p.m. and 3.30 p.m. Phone: 410-592-5015. You can also follow Boordy on Facebook and Twitter for updates.
The Maryland Writer 