Maryland Cabernet Franc Is Having a Moment
Is Maryland Cabernet Franc good?
According to WYPR’s Cellar Notes, the answer is yes. Maryland is now producing world class Cabernet Franc, and Old Westminster Winery is proud to be part of that story.
In a recent feature titled Maryland Cabernet Franc, WYPR’s Al Spoler and Hugh Sisson explored the current state of Cabernet Franc in Maryland through a blind tasting of wines from several leading producers, including Boordy, Loew, Sugarloaf Mountain Vineyards, and Old Westminster Winery.
Their conclusion was clear: Maryland Cabernet Franc has arrived.
Cabernet Franc May Be Maryland’s Most Important Red Grape
Cabernet Franc is one of the red grapes that makes the most sense in Maryland.
It can bring bright fruit, floral aromatics, herbal detail, freshness, medium body, and elegant structure. In the right hands, it makes wines that feel expressive, balanced, and deeply food friendly.
On WYPR, Al Spoler described Cabernet Franc as Maryland’s most successful red grape and asked whether the state had developed a distinct style and identity around it. After tasting seven Maryland Cabernet Franc wines, the answer was yes.
That matters.
A great wine region needs more than good bottles. It needs identity. It needs grapes that speak clearly from the place they’re grown. Cabernet Franc is becoming one of those grapes for Maryland.
Old Westminster Home Vineyard Cabernet Franc
As part of the tasting, WYPR included Old Westminster’s 2020 Home Vineyard Cabernet Franc alongside wines from Boordy, Loew, and Sugarloaf Mountain Vineyards.
The wines were tasted blind, and the overall lineup showed the kind of quality that makes Maryland wine exciting right now. WYPR noted that the wines shared sweet fruit, medium body, well behaved tannins, balance, and strong winemaking across the board.
At the end of the segment, Old Westminster 2020 was selected as Wine of the Week, with WYPR calling it an impressive, elegant bottle that would grace any dinner table anywhere in the world. Read the full WYPR Cellar Notes feature here.
What Does Maryland Cabernet Franc Taste Like?
Maryland Cabernet Franc can be fresh, aromatic, balanced, and graceful.
The WYPR tasting found a clear pattern across the wines: medium body, well managed tannins, balanced structure, and a burst of fruit. One of the most interesting details was the floral quality found in many of the wines, which gave the tasting a distinctive Maryland character.
That’s exactly what makes Cabernet Franc compelling here. It can be serious without being heavy. It can carry fruit, herbs, flowers, spice, and structure without losing freshness.
At Old Westminster, Cabernet Franc is a natural fit for the table. It belongs with roast chicken, pork, lamb, mushrooms, charcuterie, hard cheeses, wood fired pizza, grilled vegetables, and long dinners with friends.
Central Maryland and the Golden Circle
WYPR also pointed to Central Maryland as a strong growing region for Cabernet Franc, calling it a kind of golden circle for the grape.
That phrase lands deeply for us.
Old Westminster is rooted in Carroll County, part of that Central Maryland landscape where rolling hills, farmland, weather, and agricultural history all shape the wines. This is not a place trying to imitate somewhere else. The best Maryland Cabernet Franc should taste like it comes from Maryland.
It should carry the season.
It should carry the farm.
It should carry freshness, balance, and a sense of place.
That’s the work.
Maryland Wine Is Entering a Golden Age
One of the most powerful parts of the WYPR piece is its larger claim: Maryland wine is on the verge of a Golden Age.
That’s a bold statement, and it reflects what many of us working in Maryland wine have felt for years. The quality is rising. The farming is getting sharper. The winemaking is more confident. The wines have clearer identity. The old assumptions about Maryland wine are starting to fall away.
For years, people underestimated this region. They thought Maryland wine was casual, sweet, local only, or not serious enough to compete.
That story is outdated.
Today, Maryland is producing serious Cabernet Franc, nationally recognized rosé, skin contact whites, orange wines, sparkling wines, red blends, and expressive bottles that belong on restaurant lists and dinner tables far beyond the state.
Why This Press Matters
This WYPR feature matters because it is not just about Old Westminster. It is about Maryland Cabernet Franc as a category.
That is important for the whole region.
When respected local wine voices taste across several producers and find a clear, high quality identity emerging, it helps build confidence in Maryland wine. It tells guests, restaurants, collectors, and curious drinkers that there is something real happening here.
Old Westminster is grateful to be included in that conversation, and especially proud that our 2020 Home Vineyard Cabernet Franc was selected as Wine of the Week.
You can listen to and read the original WYPR feature on Maryland Cabernet Franc here.
Maryland Cabernet Franc Belongs at the Table
Cabernet Franc is one of the most food friendly red wines in the world, and Maryland’s style makes that even clearer.
The wines are often medium bodied, fresh, aromatic, balanced, and structured enough to pair with real meals. That makes them ideal for guests who want red wine that feels elegant instead of heavy.
Serve Maryland Cabernet Franc with wood fired food, grilled meats, roasted vegetables, mushrooms, poultry, pork, lamb, burgers, cheese, charcuterie, and herb driven dishes.
It is a red wine for the table, not just the cellar.
Old Westminster and the Future of Maryland Wine
At Old Westminster, we believe Maryland wine belongs in the national conversation.
That belief shows up in our vineyards, our cellar, our tasting room, our food program, and our hospitality. It also shows up in wines like Home Vineyard Cabernet Franc, which help tell the story of what this region can do.
We are not trying to copy Napa, Bordeaux, Burgundy, or Virginia.
We are trying to make wines that speak clearly from this place.
Cabernet Franc is one of the clearest voices Maryland has.
Plan Your Visit
Old Westminster Winery is located in Westminster, Maryland, on our family farm in Carroll County. Join us for Maryland grown wine, wood fired food, private cabanas, vineyard views, and a wine experience rooted in farming, hospitality, and serious winemaking.
Come taste why WYPR says Maryland Cabernet Franc is entering a new era.