Vines to Wines

Kent County, Maryland has historically prized its agricultural heritage, and was named the “2007 Best Place to Live in Rural America” by Progressive Farmer Magazine.  

In order to continue that legacy, Kent County has encouraged and supported the use of diverse agricultural products and processes. Our latest effort in support of a strong agricultural economy was to aggressively promote a significant expansion in the wine-quality grape growing industry in our county and our region.

The State of Maryland is experiencing an exciting growth in the number of licensed winery operations throughout the State. This growth in wineries has created a major demandfor Maryland-grown grapes….a demand which far exceeds supply.  For that reason, Kent County joined with our two sister counties, Queen Anne’s to the south and Cecil to the north, in creating the beginning of a regional wine trail.  The trail will begin in Cecil County at the Maryland/Pennsylvania border then continue south through Kent and Queen Anne’s Counties, and on into the lower Eastern Shore. 

As part of our tri-county effort to provide viable agricultural alternatives to landowners, and to increase wine-quality grape production, Kent County became the Program Coordinator for an Upper Shore Regional Council Vineyard Management Company Feasibility Project.  The Upper Shore Regional Council (USRC) is the umbrella organization which coordinates regional efforts between Queen Anne’s, Kent, and Cecil Counties. Financial projections along with a wealth of additional information and links to Maryland's vineyard operations and winery production experts can be found and downloaded at the Upper Shore Regional Council's ShoreVines website at:  www.shoreVines.com or by contacting the Upper Shore Regional Council.

Susan E. O’Neill
Executive Director
Upper Shore Regional Council
122 North Street
Chestertown, MD 21620
410.810.2124 (Office)
443.282.5607 (Cell)
soneill@kentgov.org

While you are on the shoreVines website, be sure to click on "MEDA Awards" to see an exciting video of the expansion of vineyards and wine making in Kent County and throughout the Eastern Shore of Maryland.