Winery and Vineyards at Gemeny: A New Winery in Maryland

A New Winery in Maryland

I love Thanksgiving holidays.  Of course, it is not the first time I shared this sentiment.  I love being with friends and family.  It is a time to put our busy lives on hold and connect with our love ones.  This holiday was no different.  I spent Saturday afternoon with good friends visiting a winery in Maryland. We a took a trip to Winery and Vineyards at Gemeny. We were excited to visit the recently opened venue.  Gemeny opened in late Summer 2016. It is the second tasting room in Prince George’s County. Winery and Vineyards at Gemeny is in Brandywine, MD.  We were warmly greeted by Bill, the winemaker and owner.  The tasting room is located on his 200 acres working farms.Gemeny offers a full tasting menu of dry white and red wines.  The reds wines are made from the grapes grown at the vineyard.  The white grapes are from New York.  Gemeny will eventually produce its own grapes for all its white wines, making them 100% estate vineyard.You can select white wines, red wines, or both for your tasting.  I went for the white and red tasting. Tastings begin at $4.00.  The full tasting is $10.00.  All wines are aged in steel.  Oak chips are used during the aging process for some of the wines.  My tasting began with 2014 Vidal Blanc.  The Vidal Blanc was pale yellow, with a floral nose, crisp green apples and honeydew on the palate, medium acid and finish.  We continued with 2014 vintages of Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, and Traminette. My favorite was the Pinot Gris.  The Pinot Gris was made in a traditional Italian style with notes of citrus, lemon and hints of mineral, with medium acid and finish.  The tasting continued with 2014 vintages of unoaked Cabernet Sauvignon, Rougeon and Norton.  It is refreshing to see Rougeon and Norton on the tasting menu.   They are a challenge to grow but these two grapes thrive in Southern Maryland’s humid and hot climate.The tasting was topped off with a mulled wine.  Mulled wine is a warm slightly sweet, spiced wine.  It was a perfect ending on a brisk fall afternoon. Make sure you ask for it.Gemeny is opened on weekends from 10 am – 6pm. Starting Black Friday open Every Friday from November 25th - December 16th from 1pm - 8pm. Gemeny Winery will be closing for the winter season starting on Dec. 19 and will re-open on March 3rd.Welcome Gemeny to Maryland wine.