Our viticultural practices are calibrated to produce wines of world class quality from our climate & soils.
We get to know our vines personally, visiting each one 8-10 times through the growing season. Multiplied by the 70,000 vines in our two vineyards, the math tells us that we have more than a half-million interactions per year, on foot, and by hand.
While this may seem extreme to a reasonable person, it is critically important because great fruit is the foundation of great wine. We carefully prune through the winter to balance the crop; we repeatedly arrange the canopy during the growing season to maximize sunlight exposure; and we selectively hand harvest all our crops. We do not irrigate our vineyards, thus encouraging deeper penetration of roots into the soil horizons, imparting greater complexity & character to our wines.
Boordy farms 50 acres of grapes in two favorable Maryland microclimates.
Long Green Vineyard is located on our home farm in the Piedmont Plateau north of the Chesapeake Bay.
South Mountain Vineyard is in the western Blue Ridge.
Viticulturist Ron Wates has managed Boordy’s estate vineyards since 2006
Vineyard Manager Ron Wates has guided the complete replanting and expansion of our Estate vineyards to new clones and rootstocks, spacing the vines more closely to favor full maturation of the fruit. Ron’s meticulous attention to detail and extraordinary work ethic is shared by his crew; their office is the vineyard, which they occupy at all hours, in all weather, and through all seasons. Ron’s extensive experience makes him a sought-after speaker at regional conferences, and a valued mentor to new grape growers. His dedication to quality is evident in every bottle of wine that Boordy produces.
