I saw a sign for a winery while en route to another and decided to make a stop. I hadn't heard of…read morethis place and had no idea what to expect. Let me get the "bad" out of the way first, and note this is still a five-star review. You drive up a gravel country road to a small building that houses the tasting room. It's the smallest tasting room I've ever been in, and very simply decorated: a few beautifully framed pieces from the farm's history, some antique tools, and that's about it. This isn't going to be your upscale winery experience. If you're looking for Napa or Bordeaux vibes, you're in the wrong place. The single guy behind the counter turned out to be the owner. He mentioned that his wife usually runs the tastings, but she was on vacation. He was fantastic, fun to talk with, knowledgeable from both a production angle and a "yes, I actually drink these wines" perspective, which is surprisingly rare. He even spoke warmly about nearby wineries, treating them as colleagues rather than competitors. It's always refreshing to meet a winemaker who genuinely enjoys other people's wine. As for the wines: we tried all twelve. A couple were still young and could use a few years in the bottle, but they showed a lot of promise. I didn't care for the Muscat, but most of the others were excellent, and I had a hard time choosing which bottles to take home. Be sure to try the "Trop Elyts"; it's fantastic, and kind of port like. I'm not usually a rosé fan, but their take on it was so unique I bought a bottle of that, too. The farm itself dates back to the 1700s. George Washington probably slept there (he slept everywhere). It's full of character and history, and well worth the stop

Overall: small, casual winery, decent wines and prices, with okay service and a single restroom…read morethat you have to go outside to enter They have indoor seating, a covered patio, and outdoor seating. There is not strong AC anywhere there. The indoor seating is very small and feels like you're in someone's grandma's living room. Tastings are done in a flight with plastic cups, not one at a time in a glass. We did enjoy the wines and eventually enjoyed talking to the one employee who was there, but it was a rough start. When we entered the tasting room we were the only people there except for one other man. We had to initiate conversation with him to determine if we were in the right place and if we could get a tasting. It was confusing and we didn't feel clear about what to do or welcomed. I did enjoy the Rich Forest Chard, the Rose blend, and the Hogshead Red. It was interesting to learn about the residual sugars and how their rose is different. There is a cemetery on the premises which was an interesting choice.

This winery is gorgeous! I went here on a Sunday afternoon one hour before they closed and had the…read morebest customer service from Thomas and Wendy! My friends and I ordered some bottles of wine and we got some of their wine slushies. So good! I can't wait to come back here so I can try more options as we didn't have a lot of time. They also have horses that surround the property. That's a vibe in itself. Will come back! Especially since parking was a breeze too!

Popped into this winery while in Frederick. It was very cute with lots of options for outdoor…read moreseating. No reservation needed which was really nice given it was a spontaneous visit. We were able to get wine flights and try multiple options. The service was extremely kind. I will say the wine is very dry so if you enjoy that you'll like the options here. They were too dry for me but that's just my personal preference. I'd come back to sit near a fire pit!

Let me set the scene: tucked away in what feels like the middle of nowhere is this beautiful winery…read morewith an equally beautiful landscape. The vibes are peaceful, scenic, and honestly the perfect backdrop for a festival day out. They host several festivals throughout the year, and I had the pleasure of attending the Caribbean festival yesterday. Even with the rain and cooler weather, it was STILL a great time. The energy never dropped. Everything was very well organized from parking, to the wine samples, vendors, dance floor, and stage setup. You could tell a lot of planning went into making the experience smooth and enjoyable for guests. The music, food, and overall atmosphere made it easy to forget about the weather completely. This was my second time here, and it definitely will not be my last. I'll 100% be returning.

If you like a sweeter easy to drink wine, Linganore wines had you covered!…read more I first experienced Linganore Winecellars through a mocktail class for dry January. The host Sydney from The Plot Twist did a great job hosting and the ladies from Linganore were excellent in helping through out the class! There is a small parking lot that for everyday purposes is a perfect size. The bathrooms are well maintained and individual bathrooms. I returned another day to try their wines and was not disappointed! I enjoyed them so much that I took home 3 different bottles which me and my girlfriends all enjoyed. I'll be back for their Caribbean festival and can not wait!

This is a great food and drink experience. The space is an open warehouse decorated in lounge chic,…read morea nice mix of sophisticated and industrial. The have a small but enjoyable wine list and a larger vermu cocktail list. We had a delightful rose, a jamón serrano sandwich with both savory and sweet elements, and stuffed eggplant appetizer, which was kind of like an eggplant bruschetta. This is a very fun place for a drink, a bite, and some mingling at the bar.

It was my first time going to The Wine Collective. We went when it was cold outside (like 18…read moredegrees), so it was a bit chilly inside...BUT they have heaters above, you just need to sit near one of them. We had a cocktail (Burnt Flamingo) and it was delicious!! I generally like sweet drinks, and my fiancé also likes sweet drinks but not as sweet. This was perfection! Sweet but not too sweet and just right in flavor. I hadn't had Vermouth before, so it was great to try that. However, what stole the show was the Jamon Serrano sandwich! WOWWW!!! As my fiancé said, "this is the best sandwich I've had in Baltimore!"" And pretty much every day since then, she's been thinking about that sandwich and when we get to eat that deliciousness again. Highly recommend!

Representing the DMV runner-up to out of town pick for letter B for 2025, B is for Black Ankle…read moreVineyards. My girlfriend & I visited Black Ankle on a Saturday in September 2025. We were out somewhat in this direction, and there was a Meetup group going here, so we thought to check it out as it's rare we ever go to a winery as it's normally out of the way, more likely of an occurrence when on a vacation. We took some crazy back roads from where we were in western Howard County, through Carroll, & into eastern Frederick County, where Black Ankle is. We went to the bar inside to get wines. I got a white wine; I think Chardonnay, and I think my girlfriend got a sweeter Rose or something like that. Both were delicious, but we preferred our own more. We sat outside in a nice patio area. We were in the hot Sun on that sunny day, but that was cool with me. We learned of a tour going on, which we got in on. The tour guide who wore an Italian flag bowtie was entertaining and informative. We walked around the vineyard, going inside the cooled storage areas, centrifuge area where the wine is mixed, etc. We even saw some of the old wines they had made from years earlier. We saw sheep dogs, which protect the vineyard from pests, which were cute. Overall, this is a high quality winery with plenty of nice outside & inside seating.

My husband and I had a wonderful time visiting this vineyard! We went with friends and participated…read morein a wine tasting. Bill was friendly and welcoming, he educated us well on the different types of wine and made us laugh through stories. This is a great spot to bring kids and let them run around and soak up the sun. The interior is cozy and well organized, restrooms are clean. This was my first time at the vineyard and I think I fell in love with their white wines, which is rare for me (I am a red wine girl)! I look forward to visiting the vineyard soon again, highly recommend it for date night, hanging with friends, or catching up with family.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. - Rock-solid winery. Missus and I went here…read moreon a Saturday midafternoon - 3ish. On-street parking readily available. It's in a sort of industrial zone not readily visible. Upon entering, a few two- and four-seat tables, plenty of available seating. We got a ($35) wine flight of seven wines - 3 grape wines, 4 honey wines. Nice way to sample what they have and plenty generous pours for two, making it a decent investment. None of the wines were bad, 2-3 we'd consider getting bottles of. It's a quieter, chiller vibe than a craft brewery, which is a nice option. So reasonable prices, good product, good ambience - we'll be back.

The wines were excellent. The charcuterie board was delicious. We each had a flight of their local…read morewines. The service was interesting. I think the young lady we had on Valentine's Day was not a normal server. She was not knowledgeable about the products and she seemed a little perturbed that we had never been there and needed information. The interior layout was comfortable and the seating was nice.

We have driven by a few times and decided to stop in. Small…read moreand unassuming space, very unique varietals. The owner was very personable and had great stories on each of the wines , names and label art. All stainless fermentaion, very fruit forward. The tastings are either 5 or 10 small pours, that you pick from their wine list. They use small plastic thimble like cups for tasting, which was enough to get the flavor. Tasting room had an assortment of gifts. Dog friendly My rating rationale for beer, wine, or spirits: +1 Service +1 Atmosphere/Vibe +.5 Taste/Quality (Flavor, aroma, and overall quality of the beverage) +.5 Presentation (Glassware, garnishes, and visual appeal of the drinks) +1 Selection/Variety (Range of beer, wine, or spirit options and uniqueness of offerings)

This place scores a 10 for personality. The owners are hard working and provide a very personable…read moretasting. We loved the horses. They're just as friendly as the owners. Bring apples for the horses. We had a fun Fall afternoon.

I cohosted an event on Saturday and very disappointed with the overall customer experience of the…read morewinery . Let me first say this is a beautiful Winery in laurel and very spacious. This winery deserves all the awards and promotion that I've seen all socials .... However, when you know a major dmv social group (dmvdoes ) is hosting an event of 40+ people why is only 1 staff member working the whole night.? Our event experience (paid ) came with a glass of wine for all our guests. The wine was just put on a table without any explanation of the wine , grapes, or legacy. I brought several things for a raffle including the mayor bottle of wine , 2 tastings, and a wine flight for myself. There was no education or discussion about wine. Next, I ordered food and drinks before our event started and I didn't get my food until an hour after I arrived. Next , the suya was so tough I almost choked on a piece of it. The rice was decent but not a winner for me. Lastly, parking is limited to street parking or an outdoor parking lot up the street. It's a cute place to have a social event or a laid back wine meetup but definitely need more staff, wine education for visitors, and better food options.

I came here in September for my birthday and been very hesitant to write a review…read more I forgot how I heard about this place but I was excited because it's the first black owned winery in laurel. I think it's the only winery in Laurel so I definitely wanted to come and support. I first went to check it out and see what information I could get to reserve for a large party. It's kind of located in the cut of main st but there's plenty of street parking. Walk in and you'll see there are two settings. It's very welcoming and warm with beautiful decor and many seating on both sides. I explained to the gentleman what I wanted and he said it shouldn't be no problem just reach out to the events manager. It was a bit last minute, I sent an email on 9/22 to come on 9/28 at 5:30pm (had to confirm the number of people). Just to clarify, we spoke on the phone and email for communication of all information. I noticed they had an event that same day but it started earlier in the day and the events manager told me it should end before my guests arrive. I told her I was having 20 people total and I was ordering two charcuterie boards. Everything was confirmed and good to go as I thought. My guests were letting me know they were arriving but were seated in the smaller area. I was hoping by the time I got there it would be handled but no they already started ordering in the smaller area and the staff there said they were told only 10 people were suppose to come but I showed them the emails. The event they had ran longer than it should have which I wish I would have known just to let my guests know. The staff then tried to fix it but literally a whole hour and half later. Once we got in the event room, we had our charcuterie boards and others order their suya and jollof rice. They did not finish their food, it actually looked dry. Before the day, I was told my guests were not able to do flights but the day of they were able to order. I wanted to order some for the party but it's okay, we all figured out which wine we liked best and a couple bought bottles. To end it, the staff brought out a cute cupcake for my friends to wish me happy birthday. They have a speaker for you to connect if you want to play your own music. Other than that, we had fun. Regardless, I'm going to have fun. I recommend to go and have your own experience. I will definitely come back for a last minute date or just to pick up one of the wine bottles I liked.

I saw this local meadery on Google Maps when I was in the area and decided to check it out. It was…read morea quiet Thursday afternoon so the place was pretty much empty. The bartender at the bar was very friendly and knowledgeable about all the meads they had on tap. I ended up trying a few but settled for a glass of the tart for the heart . It was so good! I like that they have a spacious place and Sofia events and board games to play. I'll definitely be coming back when it's more lively on the weekends :-)

I've been to Clear Skies many times, but somehow, I've neglected to leave a review. How? I'm not…read moresure. I loved them in the Kentlands, and in their (newish) location, they're even better. Twice I've been with large groups, and no one's disappointed. We held an office white elephant and a fun game night there, and the staff is so accommodating. There's a mead for everyone, and even non alcoholic smoothies, if that's your jam. Highly recommend this local business for your mead needs.

Such a cute experience. FOOD 10/10. Ambiance 10/10. Service 10/10. We got a reservation for sunset…read moretime and I highly recommend coming for this hour, the views were amazing. Definitely will come back! I advise not to wear heels or just get dropped off at the front because the parking lot and road leading to the entrance is gravel.

we arrived for our reservation and were greeted with a complimentary glass of wine and they took a…read morepolaroid photo of us, which was a thoughtful touch. it is a beautiful farm- a very scandinavian feel- modern architecture and vibes and the scenery of the farm is super peaceful and serene. it was unfortunate that the weather was rainy on this spring day that we came- we were looking forward to taking nice photos on the farm outside. the interior of the winery is beautiful and has a luxurious feel, good thing we dressed up a little the wine was delicious and we got to meet the owner of the winery as well, who stopped by our table to chat for a bit. we ordered a bottle of the solitude red wine, which was really delicious. actually, im usually not a wine person at all, but this wine was pretty good- it wasn't super acidic and had a deeper flavor. i definitely tasted the cocoa notes at the end. we also got the tomato focaccia and the carrots and the charcuterie board, and the portions were a bit on the smaller side, but for a group of 4 girls- these three dishes plus the wine was just enough to fully satiate us. the food was delicious and very fresh. the focaccia pizza was really yummy- super fluffy and yummy and the pesto was a nice bright pop. the three berry sorbet stood out a lot- it had an olive oil profile to it as well, which made it so refreshing and addictive, a perfect way to end the meal. i do wish we got to come when the weather was nicer, but the experience was still great. the service was slow but i think that is meant to be part of the experience? for someone who is used to quicker service and being a bit more in and out- it was something new but i can understand why it fits this place. overall, a great dinner experience for us.