Representing the DMV runner-up to out of town pick for letter B for 2025, B is for Black Ankle Vineyards. 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. read more

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A lot of folks will go to black ankle for their red wine, but I think their white wine is very underrated! I love the ambiance in their tasting room and they have so much outdoor space! They allow dogs outdoors which is great for our pup. The staff there is so friendly and always happy to answer questions and let you try something before you commit. I just rejoined the wine club and can't wait to come to some of the members events! Love this spot! read more

Black Ankle Vineyards - Wineries Near Me - Mount Airy, Maryland

My husband and I had a wonderful time visiting this vineyard! We went with friends and participated in 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. read more

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I have to admit that this is, hands down, the most stunning tasting room in the entire area. No competition. Being in there took me right back to the bed and breakfast my husband and I stayed at in Napa. The wines were good. Truly good. But that's just it. They're good, maybe great, but only good considering the price tags that come with them. I enjoyed my tasting but skipped buying bottles. read more

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beautiful setting. Small menu inside and outside. Focus is on wines. Wines were excellent. And not overpowering. Also expensive costing 40-80 dollars a bottle. Tasting is 27 dollars per person And you get to taste four or five wines. Winery is about 8 miles from Mt Airy and not far from Elk Run. Place was packed and a bit rushed. There was a members tasting that day which was sold out. I'd suggest going at off times and relaxing with a good bottle of wine. read more

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Loved this place!! Came here for the first time a few weeks ago with my best friends and we really enjoyed it. We both signed up for wine club memberships too, and have been back twice to take advantage of it. The employees are more than accommodating and great with communication and it seems like there is always something fun happening here. The wine is expensive but worth the price. They also have snacks. Everything here is good, especially the Rosé. There's a TON of seating in lots of different areas and it's a great view anywhere you sit. I look forward to coming back here and bringing new friends for tastings! read more

Black Ankle Vineyards - The best Rose!! - Wineries Near Me - Mount Airy, Maryland

Amazing views as you drive towards the vineyard. The fall colors give you a better experience. The sweet wines were delicious. $65 dollars per bottle. Also plenty of Tesla charging stations. I was impressed by the number of chargers. Looking forward to coming back. read more

Black Ankle Vineyards - Outside - Wineries Near Me - Mount Airy, Maryland

So many different seating areas & great vibes. Outdoor, indoor, tented area... Has a food truck with nice options. We are vegetarian and got the focaccia & potatoes which were excellent. Dog friendly, lots of space. Definitely recommend read more

Black Ankle Vineyards - Wineries Near Me - Mount Airy, Maryland

We visited the vineyard on Mother's Day and it was packed!! There was plenty of staff and every employee we encountered was extremely helpful and went above and beyond. They were prepared for the crowd and handled it all so well. The wine was great and we loved the dessert pairing they had special for Mother's Day. The whole property is beautiful. You can tell that every last detail was designed with intention. I especially enjoyed the environmentally consciousness of the property. read more

Black Ankle Vineyards - Baby goats - Wineries Near Me - Mount Airy, Maryland

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The grounds here are beautiful. It was nice having a host to take us to our table to prevent us from wondering through the crowds. Although we decided not to stay long enough to take a tour, I had to ask where the name came from. I was told that the name comes from an old farm trail that previously went to DC. Throughout the interior you will see old historian pictures and depictions of muddy boots (check out the wine glasses). I'll admit that I thought the comments about the prices were a bit exaggerated but it is indeed a little pricey here compared to other local vineyards. We tried their mixed flight and it was ok. I didn't find a new favorite. There was a coffee truck and food truck. I tried the smoked wings and didn't finish them - they were ok. We wanted the charcuterie but we weren't hungry enough to justify paying for Parking is fairly easy and there are quite a few EV chargers. There is live music every Friday, Saturday and Sunday at 4pm. Overall it was an ok visit. read more

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4 friends visited Black Ankle 1/31/26. Helpful staff made sure the members in our group were recognized. We did a group tasting, had warmed baguette and charcuterie tray. All were very good. The facility is rustic and welcoming. read more

Welcome to"The excited southerner at a Maryland's vineyard" Black Ankle Vineyards on a gorgeous sunny Saturday.... You just can't beat it We did the tastings and todays lineup included 2022 ALBARIÑO A wonderful acidic white with lots of character 2021 ALBARIÑO NORTÉ This white was less acidic but light and refreshing 2022 PASSEGGIATA This is a blend of the reds and whites on property, varying from season.. very smooth SLATE 9 61% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Merlot 12% Petit Verdot, 3% Cabernet Franc Really a phenomenal red blend... But my fave was 2019 Black Ankle Estate A wonderful red blend of Cabernet Sav, Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Petit Verdot It is a gorgeous vineyard with helpful Knowledgeable staff. read more

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I came to this winery about 1.5 years ago when my family first moved to DC. I totally forgot about this place since it was that long ago until my au pair was looking for recommendations of things to do in Maryland. There are so many wonderful things about this winery from the beautiful inside space with different seating options. We all sat at the round table that was built into the wall. It was so cozy and the kids just had so much fun sitting inside. My partner and I did a wine flight to try as many wines as possible. Not gonna be shy about it, we are very picky with our wine and often are disappointed by the local DMV wines. But this was very good and we liked just about all the wines we tried. There isn't an extensive food menu but we did get the charcuterie board, and it was very good as well. The kids love cheese, meats, crackers and nuts so that was a hit! We visited during easter time and they had a fun little set up outside in the fields where kids could pick lollipops out of the ground. The kids just loved that and running through the fields to see the animals on the farm across the way. We'll need to plan another trip back! read more

It was my first time checking out this vineyard and I came with a couple of friends and I thought it was awesome! The rose is my favorite! There was a holiday bazaar and I had the perfect Sunday! I highly recommend checking it out! read more

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Decided to visit a winery over Labor Day weekend with friends and they chose Black Ankle Vineyards. The winery is nestled down in these rolling hills and is very picturesque. It also has plenty of seating options (both indoor and outdoor / covered and uncovered) which is nice for both an intimate date and a larger group. The wine offerings were quite nice and even though it's not listed, they do allow you to order a mixed flight. Ordering is a bit confusing though as you would think you can order from your table once seated, however, you have to head inside to order which is slightly inconvenient. Food offerings from the menu are extremely limited and are what I would call nibbles (they had a food truck - outside vendor - because I assume they received enough feedback about food options being limited) , although it is nice that virtually all of them are made by local businesses in the DMV area. We went with a variety of items and charcuterie and pickle dip we're our favorites. We truly didn't bother taking pics of the other items because we didn't expect them to be pre-packed (like they were ready to be sold in a supermarket) and they weren't anything to write home about. OH, and the "biscuits" aren't the buttermilk baked fluffy biscuits one might expect, but rather shortbread biscuits which was a bit of a bummer. Now for the wine ... overall pleased with all that I selected in my flight, however, as you see from the pics, the flight has no labeling so I didn't know what I was drinking .... and the server was super busy so I didn't bother to ask her as it initially took a while for the flight to be delivered. Overall it was nice day, however, I probably won't be back unless someone has an event here that I attend. read more

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Very knowledgeable front desk lady! I may need her to give me a class on reds. Various types of red wines she mentioned sounded more like a foreign language to me. I feel as someone who drinks red wine exclusively. I need to get better perhaps I'll schedule myself a class in the future great location and a wonderful winery to enjoy with friends or for date night if I'm in the area again, I will definitely be back read more

Black Ankle Vineyards - Red wine flight - Wineries Near Me - Mount Airy, Maryland

Great amount of seating, customer service was friendly and efficient. The wines were delicious and came out fast with plenty of varieties. The vibe was amazing! It's super family friendly and accommodating to children yet perfect for a date or event w groups. The seating areas worked well for all. There was live music that started around 5 on a Saturday evening. Also I loved that there were plenty of food options - bring your own picnic, order bread and/or charcuterie boards, and also an onsite food truck (Peruvian street food this particular day). I cannot wait to return! read more

Black Ankle Vineyards - Flights and/or tastings! Live music started at 5 - Wineries Near Me - Mount Airy, Maryland

Great ambiance, but make sure that you're prepared to get a second mortgage; WTF! The prices seemed very high, compared to comparable wineries in Northern VA read more

We were prepared for a limited food menu. To celebrate my birthday I wanted to experience something different; locally in Maryland. Did some research of the history of Black Ankle Vineyard, it appears to be a beautiful story of how a couple from Europe loves wine and decided to put roots down in Eldersburg. Being we've visited Europe I thought this might be a nice way to reconnect.. unfortunately the experience I was looking for did not happen. beautiful scenery, check-in was easy, but once they sat us in the restaurant where others were enjoying conversation and glasses of wine, I got excited waiting for our turn to have this experience, at our table we were providef a wine and food menu. With anticipation of My new experience we were ignored from 12:33 to 1:00 which at that point I decided to leave. I purposely watched what appeared to be a mother and daughter get seated, 23 mins after us, in 5 mins they were addressed and taken care of. At that point I realized an older couple of color just didn't fit in and the message was very clear, we were not welcome at the Black Ankle Vineyard.. I'm really disappointed that my hopeful experience didn't happen. My husband did a great job setting up my birthday experience, in the end I asked him to take me to a restaurant that has always welcomed us, just unfortunately it's not Black Ankle Vineyard. read more

I've been to quite a few wineries in the DMV area and am usually disappointed by the quality of the wines. Black ankle is different. Their wines are expensive, but good. If you want to hang out at a winery with a good vibe and quality wine (and willing to spend the money), Black Ankle is the spot. I did a mixed flight and husband did the red flight. We also ordered a glass of Black Ankle Estate. The Black Ankle Estate was our absolute favorite-- bummer it wasn't included as part of the flight. While we enjoyed tasting different wine, personally would rather order a glass of BA Estate ($28) over ordering the flight ($33). We loved that you could bring your own food. Service was fast, helpful. There were a lot of children and dogs which we loved (dogs allowed on the patio only). I will definitely be back with my dog next time! read more

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Black Ankle is my favorite vineyard in Maryland! The wine is absolutely delicious! I love all the different food trucks and events that take place there. You can tell that the staff really care about the experience of their customers. There is thought and care in every detail! The ambiance is inviting and relaxing. I love all the little spaces you can gather with friends or even go alone. read more

Black Ankle Vineyards - The details! - Wineries Near Me - Mount Airy, Maryland

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I enjoyed this winery! I've had it on my list for a while. I recently celebrated my birthday here with my family. If you're looking for wines on the sweeter side, then this place isn't for you. Since it was my first time, I did the tastings. My fave ended up being the Passiagetta. Greg and Bryan in the tasting room were amazing. There was live music and a BBQ food truck! I would visit again! read more

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Please note I'm not a wine expert by any means, I'm a mere rookie trying to explore wines and see what I like. My partner and I came here for Valentine's Day since many suggested this place for it being one of the best wineries in the state. Long story short, do not come here if you enjoy sweet wines. We ordered the Mixed Wine Flight to try all dry spectrum wines with only one dessert wine. The dessert wine, Terra Dulce IX was the best- it certainly had toffee undertones and I enjoyed that. Everything else I found quite bitter- I tried pairing them with food to see if it improved anything, but it wasn't for us overall. Black Ankle had a friendly and attentive staff, attractive interior, warm ambiance, and great bathrooms. I liked how the entertainment wasn't so loud- we could actually hear ourselves talk. Overall, nice scenery and experience, but we were still disappointed by the flight offerings and lack of sweeter options- some rosé in the flights would've been nice. But, for us this was good to confirm that we prefer sweeter or dessert wines. I'm still glad I checked out this place, would recommend to those accustomed to the taste of dry wines. read more

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Excellent winery in Mt. Airy, Maryland. Over 150 acres and 80,000 vines, this winery has some great white and red selections. We did a wine tasting with Kay (great job, Kay!) who was knowledgeable and a lot of fun. One of my favorites was the Passeggiata, a medium-bodied earthy red with the taste of tart berries, caramel, spice and vanilla. Amazing! They have a beautiful outside setting with plenty of tables. You can purchase artisan cheeses and other fare to go along with your wine selections or bring your own munchies to spread out on the many tables outside. During our visit, they had live music by Dave Weber. Great day at the winery! read more

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I joined a meet-up group of 20 people (the vineyards maximum- there were others on the waiting list) on a Sunday midday. They set up a long table in the shady courtyard. And, although they serve food, they allowed us to bring in some food and we put that on 3 tables near us. Madison was our service and the service was outstanding. We had a choice of a flight of red, white/rose, or mixed. I got the mixed flight. Nothing in my flight jumped out at me but before the tasting started I had a rated, and then a glass of the Albariño. I ultimately bought a bottle. I also had a tasting of a different red, passagiata, and liked that a lot. They also offered a tour but I didn't take it. The place was so relaxing. I absolutely loved the field of wildflowers. So pretty! Would come back here! read more

Black Ankle Vineyards - Wineries Near Me - Mount Airy, Maryland

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Not only is this one of the most beautiful places in Maryland, but the wines are outstanding! The 2022 Crumbling Rock is a must try. To top it all off, their service is world-class. The staff are well-informed and passionate about the farm and its sustainable practices. You can tell it is a great place to work by how happy the employees are. Emma made our experience unforgettable and went above and beyond to ensure we had a great visit! I highly recommend joining the wine club. We joined it during our visit and have since gotten access to unreleased wines, special events, and wine release celebrations every month!! I would give this place 100 stars if I could. read more

Love that it's kid friendly! Beautiful grounds, food truck and you can bring whatever to eat at your table. The wines were good, loved the sweet Sauvignon Blanc and the Chardonnay. Will def be back here. read more

Beautiful outside set up with or without shade. Music, food and family friendly. Great service inside and out. read more

Black Ankle Vineyards - Flight of white wines...with my daughter and her friend who are new to vineyards. They loved it! - Wineries Near Me - Mount Airy, Maryland

First time visitors, and loved it here! Can't wait to return! Spouse and I spent a lovely Saturday during Memorial Day weekend picking strawberries and then touring wineries in the Mt. Airy area. Black Ankle was by far our favorite. I knew absolutely nothing about this winery before arriving. We were greeted warmly by the receptionist, which felt great. Boy oh boy that makes a difference! We were seated outside on the lovely patio area covered with fabric for shade. It was a perfect day weather-wise! As we were seated I asked what's the story/style of the wines here. Answer: Bordeaux blends. That got me immediately, that's my favorite and my most frequent wine that I buy and cellar. So boy-oh-boy I was jazzed to try! The menu/choices were a bit confusing: tasting versus flights, food choices. It took some explanation to get us going. We wound up just getting a flight of red wines. On the advice of the receptionist, we asked to substitute one particular red wine as part of the flight, and the staff checked and happily agreed. All four wines were excellent. No critique. The best one was the one substituted in (Crumbling Rock) which the staff said is the best known of their offerings. We also purchased a small container of feta and olives, which of course is perfect to accompany red wine. It was as if we were in some Mediterranean locale, or maybe even in Bordeaux itself! So fun! The winery has a terrific membership deal: no fee, you purchase 4 bottles of wine each quarter (16 per year) and you can bring friends for tastings anytime you want for free! We saw small groups standing at the wine bar tasting and chatting. If we lived near Mt. Airy we would definitely join and this would be my go-to evening/weekend hangout. Shout out to Judy of the staff who spent oodles of time with us talking about wines and lots of other stuff, thoroughly enjoyable. Beautiful setting, tasteful and elegant facility, super friendly warm staff, terrific wines. What's not to like? Can't wait to return! read more

One word: hospitality. This winery feels like a family, and in my opinion, having visited several wineries, it's the only one in Maryland worth joining. I grew up in Oregon wine country, so it certainly was a journey finding a place that could match the flavors, scenery, and comfort I experienced growing up back west. This is it. The staff is so friendly and generous. The membership perks are fantastic. The wine, of course, is delicious, and they regularly rotate it with new and seasonal selections. Even the charcuterie boards are impressive, and they regularly have great food trucks, as well. The winery is bustling, but there's so much space that it never feels crowded, and the community is very active. I'm frequently getting emails and Facebook posts about new selections, membership perks/events, and activities that have me looking forward to spending my weekends here. Between the gorgeous views and the kind personnel, this place really feels like an escape. In fact, my fiancé and I drive over an hour through rush hour traffic nearly every other week just to get here after work. It's totally worth it. Speaking of which, they even gave us personal congratulations cards upon hearing of our engagement. It's things like that which make this place stand out. I've been a member for just a few months, and already I've made some incredibly fond memories here. It's nice to know that in the hustle and bustle of life in the DMV area, there's a place we can retreat to that really feels like a second home. read more

The ambience is fantastic. We sat on the patio under sail shades (nice) and admired the view of the vineyards. There was a good truck (Saturday) and fresh cheeses, warm baguette, and other snacks. We got two wine flights. The red was amazing- favorites were 2022 crumbling rock, 2023 Passeggiata, then 2022 rolling hills. We also enjoyed the mixed flight. My favs were 2024 sauv Blanc, 2024 bedlam rose, then the 2022 Tela. The terrace looks nice too - faces the parking lot. And the other seating is in the back and inside. read more

Came here for the first time with some friends on a Sunday. My husband and I ordered a white wine and red wine flight, including their oat crackers with blueberry jam. Total came out to approximately $85. What's hot - Layout. Pretty nice. There's indoor and outdoor seating options. Outdoor seating includes some places that are covered, but be prepared to be uncomfortable on hot and humid days. Additionally, indoor is difficult when families bring little kids, who shriek. The noise carries, so be prepared. - Bring your own food. That you can bring your own food is definitely helpful. - Quality of wines. Not bad, but nothing stood out to us. What's not - No food truck. Ordinarily, they have food trucks come on Sunday. On this particular Sunday, their brunch food truck didn't make it, because of truck issues/technical difficulties. To be fair, this is not within the vineyard's control. However, they didn't post anything about it on their website or make a sign that day for when customers arrived. It put us out, because we were planning on eating from their food truck and didn't bring our own snacks, because of it. As a result, it left us spending additional time searching for options, because of the last minute inconvenience. - Menu. They do have a short menu of food, like charcuterie boards, sweets, and some savories. Nothing substantial, so be prepared to bring your own food on a normal basis. Additionally, our oat crackers were prepackaged crackers, so nothing special. - Price. Not bad, but given that my husband and I didn't find anything special, it doesn't appear to be good value for money. - Service. It's pretty much self-service, unless you order off their menu. Not bad, but just be prepared to flag someone down when you need help, which may not be easy. Final Answer Not bad, but nothing to write home about. This winery wouldn't be on my list top places to return to. read more

Black Ankle is one of the best wineries in the area, it has great wines and a great cheese selection, and the outdoor space is beautiful. The staff is incredibly friendly and knowledgeable. They also have food trucks on weekends, one of my favorites was a Peruvian spot with really great sandwiches. Their wines are also great, I'd recommend a tasting at the bar so you can try all of them. My favorites are the Slate 8, Passeggiata, Albarino and the Rolling Hills. There is also ample parking and EV charging (woohoo!). read more

Loved the place. Nice wine collection, and beautiful outdoor seating area. Food choices kind of slim though, and no dehydrated fruits which was kind of a bummer. Bread is good. Cheese selection is like a block of Parmesan, which isn't bad, but it's nice to be able to sample variety. read more

High priced wine in a beautiful Maryland setting. Worth the trip for the setting but be ready for a shock to your wallet! The Peruchos food truck that was there today undoubtedly consumed all of the salt in Frederick County :P read more

Life is a cabernet, or in our case a delicious Viognier Happy Labor, mi gente @blackanklevineyards* Yelpie Review -- We we're in the mood for a nice drive into the countryside, with a grape reward (wine) at the end. Mount Airy, Maryland was selected as there's a few wineries in that area. * Arriving at a popular winery, we normally frequent for #laborday2020, we decided there were too many people and many without mask. It was onto the next winery...which happened to be Black Ankle. * Success-- They encouraged reservations, social distancing, and mask when you weren't at your table. Orders were placed three ways-- 1) via text, 2) wait staff or 3) at the outdoor bar counter. There were a good amount of bathrooms inside for their guest. Ambience -- Very chilled, relaxing & extremely clean, safe and I'd say high-end wine boutique feel to the place. They offer charging for e-cars, had solar panels on one roof & a green roof on some other parts. Cost: A glass of wine cost about $14 a glass, wine flights were about $24. The snacks ran about $10 or more, they offer hummus, bread, oil and a few other things on their menu. Of course, there were various wine selection listed. If you love wine & desire a safe & fun outing, Black Ankle Winery, maybe the place for you, in the time of CoVid. read more

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What a nice place to hang out with friends, family, the kids, or a special someone. We visited right after the holidays, when there was supposed to be a food truck, but the weather torpedoed those plans. The winery staff pivoted to make sure there was coffee, bagels, and donut holes, and we applaud their flexibility. We tried a fire outside, but the wood was wet and mostly just smoked, so eventually we had a tasting inside and scored a couple tables in the back for crackers and spreads and wine by the glass. I can see why Black Ankle is so popular in warmer weather and hope to come back. read more

Black Ankle Vineyards - Butternut squash soup and brioche - Wineries Near Me - Mount Airy, Maryland

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It's a BEAUTIFUL property. The ambiance is great for couples, families, and more. However, everything is overpriced. $58 for a charcuterie board is laughable. Their wine is good, but also overpriced. read more

We have gone to Black Ankle since it opened. We truly love how it has grown & the wine deliciousness has grown as well! It is a must do for any wine lovers! This past Saturday night we went & Dawn P. was our server for our wine tasting & she was excellent! Also, thank you for being open later than 5:00 pm! There are so many wineries that close by 6:00 on Saturday night - not cool! Black Ankle has become a winery that is comparable to California wineries! Thank you for your hard work! We will be back! read more

My favorite winery out of three we visited. Good wine, glassware and snacks available. Huge patio to hang out on with your own snacks or their offerings. Also had live music and the oyster truck there! read more

Black Ankle Vineyards - Oysters - Wineries Near Me - Mount Airy, Maryland

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