‘Like a bad breakup’

The circumstances surrounding the association’s exit left a bad taste in the mouth of some local winery owners.

Julian Wilson, owner of Elk Run Vineyards in Mount Airy, said MWA’s involvement in Wine in the Woods was an important source of revenue for the association, which would then pass along those earnings through marketing, legal support and other assistance for member wineries.

“I just think it was a bad move on their part,” Wilson said of the county’s decision to renegotiate terms of the festival contract. “We’ve had some difficulties with them in the past, but we’ve always been able to come to an agreement.”

Wilson said his business would be taking a hit by sitting out this year’s Wine in the Woods. The festival, attended by 15,000 to 20,000 people on average over two days, offers exposure for local wine businesses, as well as an opportunity to sell bottles and merchandise.

Wilson said he was exploring the possibility of joining with other Maryland winery owners to organize a festival of their own. Boordy Vineyards has already announced plans to send 10% of ticket sales from its 3rd Annual Spring Jazz Festival, scheduled on the same Saturday as Wine in the Woods, to the MWA.

“It puts all wineries in a tough spot, because it’s one-fourth of our total yearly revenue from just one festival,” Wilson said of Wine in the Woods. “So we’re going to have to try to figure out how to [replace] that.”

Aellen said the festival accounted for “another weekend’s worth of sales” for Linganore Winecellars, founded by her grandparents in 1976. Linganore was a regular participant at the festival, pouring wine samples each year except for 2020 and 2021, when Wine in the Woods was canceled due to the COVID19 pandemic.

“It’s just kind of heartbreaking, like a bad breakup,” she said. which broadened its scope to include beer in 2022.

The Maryland Wineries Association has not asked members to boycott the festival, said Janna Howley, MWA’s executive director.

“We’re happy to see it continuing,” Howley said. “We encourage every winery to make their own individual business decision.”

Mooneyhan still hopes to make amends with the MWA and local wineries that have announced their exit from the festival.

“We’re disappointed, but understand why those wineries chose not to participate this year,” he said. “We feel that it’s an opportunity for some other smaller wineries to participate, and we look forward to future conversations with the MWA.”

Howley said the association would keep an open mind about future collaborations.

“We’ve always valued our relationship with Howard County,” she said. “We’re always open to conversations.”