Antietam Creek Vineyards
Antietam Creek Vineyards is located in Sharpsburg, Maryland, right next to the historic Antietam National Battlefield. Known as the bloodiest day in American history, you will see the battlefield as you drive onto the property towards the winery. It is an interesting addition to the visit and one any history buff will certainly appreciate. The 55-acre abandoned dairy farm didn't see any fighting back in 1862 and started its transformation into the winery in 2010 with 4.5 acres of vines planted in 2011. Wines started to be sold out of a tent in 2016 and the tasting room opened in 2018. Owners, George Warmenhoven and Joan Larrea are both well-traveled with history of their own in the Netherlands, New Guinea/Indonesia, Australia and Asia. George's background is in IT and healthcare while Joan spent her career in finance. All that said, they are and have been making some pretty great wine. Attributed to their karst and limestone foundations and the iconic historical significance of various things including the Burnside Bridge, we thoroughly enjoyed our tasting and visit in the fall of 2024. We were guided through by very knowledgeable staff in their rustic barn that had heat lamps and blankets to keep everyone cozy. A band was setting up to play a few sets and we got started with their gruner veltliner. More and more Maryland wineries are growing this grape and its tasting great. Antietam did import this grape but they grow most of their other varietals. The gruner had notes of lime, lemon and peach. Their chardonnay was next. 20% of it went through malolactic fermentation and it had some complex notes of lemon rind, apple, pear, butter, vanilla and biscuit. The merlot is the first single varietal they have ever had due to how much the vines produced. It was spicy with leather, tobacco and tennis ball on the nose and plum and cocoa on the palate. The cabernet franc had great notes of cherry, strawberry, pepper, cranberry, vanilla, smoke and cinnamon. Lastly, the petit verdot brought all the great black fruits, vanilla, clove, and bell pepper on the finish. Antietam typically closes for the season in November so get your hands on these wines before they do!
