A Maryland winery has found a partner for its Seyval-based dry white called Spritz.
It’s the same variety and the same style, a light frizzante. Only this one comes in pink and is aptly called Pink Spritz.
In the short time Boordy Vineyards has put the wine in its tasting room, there’s another similarity: Sales of the pink version are as fast as they were for the original Spritz, which was available for the first time in November 2019. .
“If I could change one thing, we should have done more Pink Spritz,” said Phineas Deford, special projects manager for one of the state’s top producers. “He is already exceeding our expectations. And yes, we have enough Seyval in the ground to handle some of the growth of these products.
That would represent about 6 acres of Seyval, a white hybrid variety, which Boordy has grown in vineyards near his winery and tasting room in Baltimore County since 1965. Deford explained for a PennLive story last year that Seyval was the base for one of his white blends until the percentages were changed, releasing some of the grapes. These extras were sold for several years before a brainstorming session resulted in the development of Spritz, which was highly successful at checkout. It sells for $17 a bottle, just like the Pink Spritz.
Deford said the decision to add the partner was made towards the end of last summer and involved blending Chambourcin and Seyval grapes. “Both grapes are picked early to preserve natural acidity and aromatic freshness, finished with 1% residual sugar to balance acidity, and bottled with a light effervescence,” Deford said. “Besides being absolutely delicious wines, we love that Spritz and Pink Spritz are now a pair, giving them more of a presence in the ultra-competitive retail environment.”
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Meanwhile, Maryland’s oldest winery with a fascinating history (it was founded by Philip Wagner, a former editor who also introduced Franco-American hybrid varietals to America) and his wife Jocelyn) continues to develop its wallet. Over the past 10 years, she’s built a new winery, modernized the grounds, planted vineyards west of Baltimore, Washington County, where she sources the grapes for her top wines, and created several new ranges of wines: its first Landmark series to accompany its Chesapeake Icons. He also created a second label called Sweetland Cellars for those who prefer sweet wines.
On the drawing board are plans for major upgrades to the property’s historic buildings, many of which were built nearly 200 years ago. The 240-acre farm dates back to 1725. “There is a lot of tradition and the farm is in permanent conservation, so whether it is us or someone else, it will always be open, which I am particularly proud of”, owner and president Rob Deford told PennLive in September 2020. “I love the idea that no one can harm this land because of this conservation easement.”
The estate is open Monday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and from noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday.
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