Fall Foliage Excursions in Maryland’s Wine Country

Maryland’s Wine Country Fall Foliage Excursions

Delighted Maryland’s hot and humid summer is behind us; cooler days are gradually becoming our norm.  As the air turns cool and crisp, this region’s fall displays unforgettable foliage. Maryland’s Wine Country is the perfect back drop to view the leaves changing. October and November are peak season months.  Vino 301’s wine tours are idea for fall foliage viewing from the comfort of the car.  We spotlight a few tours and wines to sample. Westminster Region Wine Tour & Wine, Beer and Spirits:  Beverage Adventure Westminster Region Wine Tour expands beyond Westminster, MD.  Westminster is the most eastern point of the region and reaches west as far as Big Cork Vineyard  (Rohrersville, MD).  Big Cork Vineyard looks upon the mountains in Washington County.  The tasting room has breath taking views.  Enjoy sipping on Viognier during your visit. Viognier has become Maryland’s “IT” grape this season.  You will find it in several tasting rooms across the state.  Big Cork does it extremely well.  Viognier is clear and burgeoning on golden yellow. It is a dry wine with medium acid.  Immediately, aromas of apricot, peaches, and floral notes are detected.  Pear and honeysuckle are on the palate.  The finish is long and you cannot wait to take another sip. It is a very good wine. Wine, Beer and Spirits: Beverage Adventure is Vino 301’s newest tour in the Westminster Region.  This is a journey takes you Mt. Airy to Thurmont, MD.  You travel through the rolling hills and you are at the foot of the Catoctin Mountains.    Travel in comfort as you literally drink in local wine, beer, spirits, history and culture of Maryland’s beverage industry.  You can select any combination of wine, beer, and spirits at the two vineyards we are visiting. Your tour begins when Vino 301 pick’s you up at one of our designated pick up locations. Your tasting adventure starts at  Linganore Winecellars and Red Shedman Farm Brewery & Hop Yard.   Linganore Wincellars is one of Maryland’s largest vineyards and home to Maryland’s newest brewery. Vino 301 completes the tour at Springfield Manor Winery & Distillery.  Springfield Manor offers fine wines, gin, rum and vodka.Chambourcin, a French-American hybrid grape, has become Maryland’s native grape.  Springfield Manor’s Chambourcin 2013 is a favorite to have during autumn. It is a clean, ruby red dry wine.  By its color alone, you would expect high tannin.  Your expectations would be wrong.  It has medium tannins and acid, and traditional black fruit characteristics like black berries and currants.  Vanilla and clove spices on the nose.  When Springfield first opened and released its first Chambourcin vintage was fair and had room for improvement.  Its current vintage is very good is shows complexity and winemaking maturity. Patapsco Region Wine Tour & Chocolate and Wine Tour Patapsco Region takes you to the heart of horse country in Baltimore County. The drive through this region is an array of spectacular tree-scape roads of yellow, orange and red. It is the perfect back drop to wine tasting.  Along this trail is Boordy Vineyard.  Boordy Vineyard’s Landmark Albariño 2015 was the 2016 Governor’s Cup Winner.  There is an emergence Albariño in Maryland you see in western Maryland as well as Baltimore. Boordy’s wine is a medium bodied, with notes fresh green apples, and grapefruit.  Clean, pale yellow appearance is crisp on the palate. Albariño typically high in acid, the Boordy Vineyard wine has medium acid. It is a very good wine. The Chocolate Wine Tour is located in the Patapsco Region.   Vino 301 visits Parfections (Cockeysville, MD).  Parfections chocolate truffles and bark are paired with Maryland wine.  The wines served are selected from regions across the state.  As we like to say, “Your chocolate pairing is a trip through Maryland’s wine country without leaving your seat.” Parfections truffles are seasonal.  They have flavors like pumpkin spice, cranberry and walnut, and many more truffles.  Not to worry, they have the favorites like chocolate mousse, honeycomb, and dipped bacon in chocolate.