(Clear Spring, MD) — According to Dick and Mary Beth Seibert, the owners of Washington County’s only winery, Knob Hall Winery is very excited to be offering the public the winery’s very first wines!

Knob Hall Winery will officially be offered at “Wine in the Woods” in Columbia, Maryland on May 15th and 16th. “We will have four separate wines available for tasting. These will include our Vidal Blanc, which is a fruity and aromatic dry white wine. We will also have our dry and ’semi-dry’ Rose wines, and our wonderful red wine which is called Chambourcin.”

The Wine in the Woods event is in its 18th year, and features of sampling of Maryland’s wineries. With music (and a lot more) the event usually attracts over 25,000 people. The event takes place at the Symphony Woods, which is part of Howard County’s Park and Recreation Department.

There will be over 65 artisans and crafters, and also performances from “Unity Reggae Band,” “Junkyard Saints,” “Damon Forman and Blue Funk,” “Sara Jones,” “Spiral,” “The Swingin’ Swamis,” “The Players Band,” and “Deb Callahan Band.” Music includes, jazz, blues, swing, rock, reggae, and funk. For more information about the huge annual event, see: www.wineinthewoods.com.

According to winemaker Mary Beth Seibert, “To be able to introduce the world to our very first wine vintage, in a beautiful setting like Wine in the Woods, is a wonderful opportunity for our winery. I’m sure that there will be thousands of new lovers of Knob Hall wines.” More than thirty wineries will be represented at the weekend event.

The Knob Hall Winery is located on St. Paul’s Road in Clear Spring, Maryland. The winery recently began producing its first vintage, and expects to open and start selling its wine on May 20th. The winery, when fully developed, will have 60 acres of grapes planted. Currently, Knob Hall Winery has 29 acres under production. The acreage includes the following grape varieties: Albarino, Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Traminette, Vidal Blanc, Viognier, Chambourcin, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Merlot, and Petite Verdot.

Knob Hall Winery is a member of the Hagerstown-Washington County Convention and Visitors Bureau. For more information, see: www.marylandmemories.com.

For more information about the winery, contact:
Knob Hall Winery 
14108 St. Paul Road
Clear Spring, MD 21722
301-842-2777

The Seibert family has a long association with the farm known as Knob Hall in Washington County, Maryland. Now the latest generation is bringing estate-grown wines to the region, creating a vision for a new form of sustainable agriculture. We hope you enjoy what the earth, sun and our caring hands have created for you.

For more information about finding or distributing Knob Hall Vidal Blanc you may call us at 301-842-2777.

Grown in Washington County — Cumberland Valley AVA, Knob Hall’s 2009 Rosé is a crisp dry wine with a refreshing finish

• Rosé (Dry) – Made from Chambourcin, this is a dry style of Rosé…perfect for a picnic, sandwiches and pizza.
• Rosé (Semi-dry) — For anyone who prefers sweeter wines.

The Seibert family has a long association with the farm known as Knob Hall in Washington County, Maryland. Now the latest generation is bringing estate-grown wines to the region, creating a vision for a new form of sustainable agriculture. We hope you enjoy what the earth, sun and our caring hands have created for you.

For more information about finding or distributing Knob Hall Rosé you may call us at 301-842-2777.

Chambourcin Goes well with pork, lamb, pizza and pastas.

For more information about finding or distributing Knob Hall Chambourcin you may call us at 301-842-2777.

By ANDREW SCHOTZ
andrews@herald-mail.com

WASHINGTON COUNTY — After years of cultivation, Knob Hall wine has hit the market.

Dick and Mary Beth Seibert began planting grapes at their Clear Spring-area farm in 2007.

Last month, Knob Hall Winery unveiled its first four wines at a festival in Columbia, Md.

“It was like 30,000 of your closest friends,” Dick Seibert said.

He said the winery sold about 20 cases that day and poured around 50 cases more.

Shortly after, Knob Hall wine went on sale in shops around Washington County.

Dick Seibert said he and his wife have been pleasantly surprised; acceptance has been higher than anticipated.

In 2007, when the Seiberts set out to bring winemaking back to Washington County — a previous winery in the county had closed — they were cheered on by state Sen. Donald F. Munson, R-Washington.

Munson had long pushed for winemaking in the county, saying it’s a profitable use of the land, which helps preserve open space.

At the time, Joe Fiola, a specialist in grape growing and small fruit for the University of Maryland’s Cooperative Extension, said Washington County has some of the best areas in the state for making wine commercially.

Currently, Knob Hall Winery has 29 acres under production, according to a news release issued last month through the Hagerstown-Washington County Convention & Visitors Bureau. At full production, the winery will use 60 acres for its grapes.

Seibert said Knob Hall has a Chambourcin, a French hybrid red that’s usually sweet, but Knob Hall’s version is dry.

“It’s a fuller body than merlot,” Seibert said. “It has a fruit taste.”

Knob Hall also has Vidal Blanc (white), dry rosé and semi-dry rosé.

Seibert said a Bordeaux blend, a merlot and a semi-dry blend are in tanks, and should be ready by the end of July.

Knob Hall Winery is working on the financing for a tasting room and an events room to cater wedding receptions, corporate dinners and other events.

The winery has two events planned for the coming months.

On July 11, it will host a concert featuring the local band Thique. Two others are likely in August.

Seibert said Knob Hall will hold “Winestock,” a larger concert, on Sept. 11. It will be a fundraiser for Breast Cancer Awareness — Cumberland Valley.

(Clear Spring, MD) – Knob Hall Winery has named a new Director of Events.  Stephanie Frederick will be responsible for the planning of the winery’s events on and off property.

Stephanie is a Hagerstown, Maryland native. She currently lives in Greencastle, Pennsylvania with her husband and three children.  She loves the outdoors and is an avid runner.  She worked in the financial industry for over seventeen years.

Knob Hall Winery owner Dick Seibert said, “Stephanie’s knack for details and planning has brought her to this new endeavor. We are moving forward with a significant number of events, and welcome Stephanie to our team.”

As the winery continues to ramp up to full operations, Stephanie Frederick has been experiencing a varied number of winery operations. She has been helping with bottling, distribution to local liquor stores, and also helping at wine festivals. The winery has been featured at several tastings and festivals.

The winery is the only Washington County winery, and has 29 acres of land under grape production.  The acreage includes the following grape varieties: Albarino, Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Traminette, Vidal Blanc, Viognier, Chambourcin, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Merlot, and Petite Verdot. The winery is expanding and will have 60 acres of land planted with grape vines.

Last month, the winery unveiled its first four wines.  Knob Hall currently offers a dry French hybrid red wine called Chambourcin. The wine has a full body and a fruity taste. Knob Hall also is selling its Vidal Blanc white wine, a dry rosé and a semi-dry rosé. Other wines will be ready next month, including a Bordeaux-style blend, a merlot and a semi-dry blend.

Knob Hall Winery is moving forward with pans for an official tasting room, and is working on refurbishing the farm’s old stone bank barn into an events facility to cater wedding receptions, corporate dinners and other events.

Stephanie Frederick is helping organize and plan a July 11^th concert which will feature the local band “Thique.” Another concert with “Hello Strangers” is set for August 22.

Also, the winery is hosting “Winestock,” a large fund-raising concert set for September 11th. All the proceeds will be helping Breast Cancer Awareness of the Cumberland Valley.

One of the newest wineries in Maryland, Knob Hall Winery is one of 42 wineries in the state. For more information about Maryland Wine, see: www.marylandwine.com.

Knob Hall Winery is a member of the Hagerstown-Washington County Convention and Visitors Bureau. For more information, see: www.marylandmemories.com.   

For more information about the winery, contact:
Knob Hall Winery
14108 St. Paul Road
Clear Spring, MD 21722
301-842-2777 See the winery’s website: www.knobhallwinery.com

The Hagerstown-Washington County Convention and Visitors Bureau is a 501(c)(6) nonprofit organization whose mission is to help attract visitors to Hagerstown and Washington County. The CVB helps to create vibrant growth for the local economy by promoting, developing, and expanding the local visitor industry. Washington County is part of the Heart of the Civil War Heritage Area (www.heartofthecivilwar.org), and the Journey Through Hallowed Ground National Heritage Area (http://hallowedground.org). Washington County is also part of the Quad-State Tourism Coalition, a four-state tourism group along I-81. For more information, see: www.quadstate81.com. The Hagerstown-Washington County CVB was recently awarded the Maryland Cultural Heritage Tourism Award by Governor Martin O’Malley.