Vintner Finds Fertile Ground For Grapes

Calvert's Newest Winery Debuts With Medal Winners

Michael Scarborough bought the 300 acres of rolling hills and forestland in Prince Frederick for hunting, but he soon realized that the sand and gravel-filled area was good for growing grapes.

He planted his first vines in 2002, and they grew well. Last year, he produced more than 800 gallons of wine and decided to start Running Hare Vineyard, Calvert County's fourth winery.

The winery and tasting room opened last month, and some of the products have reaped awards. Five of the six Running Hare wines submitted last month in the Governor's Cup Competition, sponsored by the Maryland Wineries Association, were recognized.

"We won more awards than any start-up in the last 15 years," Scarborough said at his winery, where he tasted some Chambourcin grapes, which are used for the vineyard's dessert wine.

Kevin Atticks, executive director of the Maryland Wineries Association, said the organization can recommend grape varieties for five distinct growing regions in Maryland. That gives wineries a better chance of producing a high-end product more quickly.

"Part of this whole evolution process is, people are doing it right the first time," Atticks said. "People are making a product, and it is of high quality when it comes out of the tank. Our goal over the last five years has been to lose the learning curve. And I think [Running Hare is] a great example of coming out of the starting gate with five medal-winning wines.

"The Italians and the French have had centuries to figure this out, and we're doing this all in the last five years," he said.

Perigeaux Vineyards and Winery, a St. Leonard-area vineyard that plans to open in October, also picked up several Governor's Cup awards.

Calvert's other relatively young wineries, Friday's Creek Winery in Owings and Cove Point Winery in Lusby, the oldest winery in Southern Maryland, also won several awards. Solomons Island Winery did not enter the competition.

Scarborough might have an edge. His father was stationed in the military in France, so as a young boy, he worked at a vineyard picking snails off vines.

"In return, I got to keep half the snails and got two bottles of wine for my parents," Scarborough said. His parents would give him a sip of the wine to enjoy with the escargots, cultivating a lifelong love of wine.

When he isn't working at his capital management company in Anne Arundel County, he is trying to produce new variations and buying French oak barrels. In addition to the 4,000 vines at the vineyard, Scarborough and winemaker Billy Peacock have brought in malbec juice from Chile, cabernet sauvignon juice from Italy and chardonnay juice from California.

"We are going to take the best grapes from the best areas to make the best wine we can," said Peacock, who estimated that Running Hare will be producing 12,000 gallons in the next few years.

In addition to having the right soil and climate for growing grapes, Southern Maryland can accommodate vineyards on the relatively small plots where tobacco once grew, said Danita Boonchaisri with the Calvert Department of Economic Development.

Like other area wineries, Running Hare plans to create a spot for jazz performances. Operators also hope to install a Tuscan-style patio for weddings and other events.

Boonchaisri said wineries can be a place for "people to take some time out and experience farming life from an entertainment perspective."

There are 35 wineries in Maryland and more than 300 acres of vines. In fiscal 2007, which ended June 30, 2007, nearly 1.5 million bottles of Maryland wine were sold, compared with 570,000 bottles in fiscal 2003. Wine production in the state has increased by about 18 percent each year in the past five years, according to the Maryland Wineries Association.