Kent County’s first winery, Crow Farm Vineyard and Winery, hosted a grand opening, champagne toast and wine tasting Saturday under picture perfect conditions. And the Crow’s newest addition, a yellow lab puppy named Myrtle, almost stole the show during the ribbon cutting. (She was more interested in tasting the ribbon than the wine.) Delegate Jay Jacobs read an official proclamation from the Maryland General Assembly certifying the winery, and county commissioner Ron Fithian, with whom Roy Crow served as commissioner, offered his best wishes. [slideshow id=144]
After the champagne toast, (sparkling vidal), visitors crowded into the tasting room to try the other two offerings, a rose and a vidal blanc, (reds will be available later in the year), and nibble on hors d’oeuvres courtesy of Sisters by Chance. Brandon Hoy, vineyard manager and his wife Brook, budding wine maker, poured and discussed the wines characteristics with the customers. Roy Crow and John Levenberg, their wine consultant, gave a tour of the wine facility, a renovated, conditioned farm building complete with four inches of insulation. The stainless steel tanks, ranging from 300 to 1,000 gallons, made in South Africa and specifically designed for their grapes, had literally arrived two days ago by water. (The currently available wines were produced at Westminster Winery.) Levenberg explained that the tanks allow the winemaker to totally regulate the temperature of the fermentation, which is the most important factor in producing good wine, adding that, “…winemakers can screw up good fruit really easily.”
Their red wine, made from the Barbera grapes harvested last October, is still in barrels. Roy Crow said white wines generally take six to eight months before they are drinkable, red wines quite a bit longer. Levenberg added that sparking wines go through a second fermentation process in the bottle. The Crows plan to add more barrels at a later stage; not only will they produce Crow wines, but they have already signed with two other vineyards to to produce their wines as well.
The tasting room is open 12 to 6 pm each day; to visit Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday call in advance. And ps – it’s in the farm’s old milkhouse.
410.648.5687
Crow Farm and Vineyard
12441 Vansants Corner Road
Kennedyville, MD 21645
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