An underrated East Coast scene: Bordeaux-style reds and inventive whites from the Piedmont to the Chesapeake. Updated for 2026.
Maryland is one of the East Coast's most underrated wine states, a compact but fast-improving scene of roughly a hundred wineries spread from the Appalachian ridges in the west to the Chesapeake Bay and Eastern Shore. Its history runs deep: Boordy Vineyards, founded in 1945 by Baltimore Sun editor Philip Wagner, is the state's oldest winery, and Maryland went on to designate three AVAs, Linganore (its first, in 1983), Catoctin, and the Cumberland Valley (shared with Pennsylvania). The rolling Piedmont Plateau in central Maryland, around Mount Airy, Westminster, and Frederick, holds the largest concentration of wineries and the state's quality leaders. Today a new generation, led by estates like Black Ankle and sibling-run Old Westminster, has pushed Maryland wine to genuine national attention with serious Bordeaux-style reds and inventive, minimal-intervention bottlings.
Below are the Maryland wineries we recommend most overall, from the historic Boordy to the state's modern quality leaders and scenic destinations across its regions. Current as of October 2026.
Maryland's most decorated estate
Founded in 2008 on the rolling Piedmont near Mt. Airy, Black Ankle has become one of Maryland's most acclaimed wineries, winning Best in Show at the Maryland Governor's Cup multiple times. Its estate-grown, serious Bordeaux-style reds and whites set the state's quality benchmark.
Good to know: Tastings; estate. Mt. Airy / Piedmont.
Our tip: Taste the estate Bordeaux-style reds; the quality benchmark for Maryland wine.
Minimal-intervention and pet-nat
A sibling-run winery in Westminster working only with Maryland-grown fruit, Old Westminster has built a national following for its minimal-intervention approach, including pet-nats, piquettes, and distinctive still wines. One of the most forward-looking producers on the East Coast.
Good to know: Tastings; winery. Westminster / Piedmont.
Our tip: Taste the pet-nats and single-vineyard bottlings; minimal-intervention and vibrant.
A scenic, award-winning estate
A polished estate in Rohrersville with mountain views and a handsome tasting room, Big Cork is among Maryland's most decorated and visited wineries, pouring a broad, well-made range in one of the state's most hospitable settings.
Good to know: Tastings; estate. Rohrersville / Western Maryland.
Our tip: Taste the estate range with the valley views; scenic, polished, and popular.
Maryland's oldest winery (1945)
Maryland's first bonded winery, founded in 1945 by Baltimore Sun editor and winemaking author Philip Wagner, Boordy has been run by the Deford family since 1980 at its farm in Hydes. A historic, essential stop for understanding Maryland wine.
Good to know: Tastings; historic farm estate. Hydes.
Our tip: Taste where Maryland wine began; the state's oldest and most historic winery.
Heart of Maryland's first AVA
Opened in 1976 by the Aellen family near Mount Airy, Linganore Winecellars anchors the Linganore AVA, Maryland's first (designated 1983). A large, lively, crowd-friendly destination with a broad range spanning dry wines to popular fruit and sweet styles.
Good to know: Tastings and events; estate. Mount Airy / Linganore AVA.
Our tip: A big, festive stop at the heart of Maryland's first wine region; something for everyone.
Bordeaux reds near D.C.
A scenic 22-acre estate in Dickerson, about 37 miles northwest of Washington, Sugarloaf Mountain grows French vinifera (selected by viticulturist Lucie Morton) for Bordeaux-style reds and crisp whites, with weekend live music, food, and a relaxed patio.
Good to know: Tastings; estate. Dickerson / Piedmont.
Our tip: Taste the Bordeaux-style reds; an easy, scenic escape from the capital.
Chesapeake wine near Annapolis
A welcoming vineyard just outside Annapolis, roughly halfway between Washington and Baltimore, Great Frogs makes a well-liked estate range and hosts regular weekend live music, a convenient, hospitable Chesapeake-country stop.
Good to know: Tastings and live music; estate. Annapolis.
Our tip: Pair a tasting with weekend music near Annapolis; easy from D.C. or Baltimore.
Estate-grown in Davidsonville
A family estate in Davidsonville about 16 miles from Annapolis, Dodon grows, ferments, and bottles everything on site, with Bordeaux varieties on its south-facing hills and Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay on the north, farmed with a focus on soil health and biodiversity.
Good to know: Tastings; estate. Davidsonville.
Our tip: Taste the estate-grown Bordeaux varieties and Sauvignon Blanc; quietly serious.
Maryland's wine country splits into a few areas. The Piedmont Plateau in the center, around Mount Airy, Westminster, Frederick, and Poolesville, has the densest cluster and the state's quality leaders (Black Ankle, Old Westminster, Linganore, Sugarloaf Mountain), easy to loop in a day from Baltimore or D.C. Western Maryland, around Rohrersville and Hagerstown, offers scenic mountain estates like Big Cork. The Baltimore area has the historic Boordy, and the Chesapeake and Southern Maryland (Annapolis, Davidsonville) add bay-country stops like Great Frogs and Dodon. Pick one area, plan three or four stops, and visit spring through fall; the Piedmont is especially lovely at harvest.
Do not expect a California-style climate or wall-to-wall Cabernet Sauvignon; Maryland is humid and four-season, and its strengths lie in Bordeaux-style blends, Cabernet Franc, and increasingly inventive whites. Do not try to combine Western Maryland and the Eastern Shore in one day, they are far apart, so pick a region. And do not overlook the smaller, serious estates in favor of the big event wineries, Maryland's best wine is often found at its quieter addresses.
Which are the best wineries in Maryland?
A well-rounded list includes the state's most decorated estate, Black Ankle (near Mt. Airy); the inventive, minimal-intervention Old Westminster; the scenic Big Cork in Rohrersville; the historic Boordy (Maryland's oldest, since 1945); the crowd-friendly Linganore Winecellars at the heart of the Linganore AVA; the Bordeaux-focused Sugarloaf Mountain near D.C.; and the Chesapeake-country Great Frogs and Dodon near Annapolis.
What wine is Maryland known for?
Maryland's strengths are Bordeaux-style red blends and Cabernet Franc, suited to its humid, four-season climate, along with a growing reputation for inventive, minimal-intervention wines (including pet-nats) from producers like Old Westminster. The rolling Piedmont around Mount Airy is the quality center, and estates like Black Ankle have earned national attention for serious estate-grown reds.
Where is Maryland wine country?
Spread across the state, but concentrated in the central Piedmont Plateau around Mount Airy, Westminster, Frederick, and Poolesville, which holds the most wineries and the quality leaders. Other clusters include Western Maryland around Rohrersville and Hagerstown, the Baltimore area (home to historic Boordy), and the Chesapeake and Southern Maryland around Annapolis and Davidsonville.
How many AVAs does Maryland have?
Three. Linganore, near Mount Airy, was Maryland's first AVA, designated in 1983; Catoctin, in the central mountains, and the Cumberland Valley (shared with Pennsylvania) followed in the 1980s. In practice, Linganore is the most recognized today, and many Maryland wineries simply use the statewide Maryland appellation.
Is Maryland wine any good?
Yes, and increasingly so. While still a smaller industry, Maryland has earned genuine national attention over the past two decades, led by Black Ankle (one of the state's most decorated estates) and the inventive Old Westminster. The state makes serious Bordeaux-style reds, good Cabernet Franc, and a growing range of distinctive, minimal-intervention wines, particularly from the Piedmont around Mount Airy.
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Go deeper: Best Maryland Piedmont wineries - the Mount Airy and Linganore AVA heartland.