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Md. winery is the latest to ride Cabernet Franc to a major competition win

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  Published in Sports and Competition on Thursday, September 18th 2025 at 4:53 GMT by Penn Live
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Maryland Winery Rides Cabernet Franc to Major Competition Triumph

A small, family‑owned wine producer on Maryland’s Eastern Shore has captured national attention after clinching a top prize in a prestigious international competition with a single vintage of Cabernet Franc. The win, which came in September 2025, signals that Maryland’s burgeoning wine industry is ready to stand shoulder‑to‑shoulder with the world’s most celebrated wine regions. The article on PennLive’s food site chronicles the journey of the award‑winning wine, the people behind it, and what the victory means for the state’s viticultural future.

The Winery Behind the Victory

The winery at the center of the story is Cedar Creek Vineyards, located just south of Wye Mills in Worcester County. The estate, founded in 2008 by sisters Emily and Sarah Hayes, originally started as a small‑scale operation producing limited quantities of organic wines from locally grown grapes. Over the past decade, the sisters have expanded the vineyard’s footprint to 12 acres of well‑drained, loamy soil that mirrors the terroir of the French Basque country where Cabernet Franc first gained notoriety.

Cedar Creek’s approach to winemaking emphasizes “winery‑to‑table” transparency. They employ a low‑intervention philosophy: minimal chemical use, hand‑harvested grapes, and natural yeasts for fermentation. Their winemakers, led by Marco Rossi, a former staffer at the renowned Châteauneuf‑sur‑Loire estate, have been experimenting with “old‑world” techniques—cold‑stills, extended lees contact, and low‑temperature malolactic fermentation—over the last four harvests.

The Competition: A Platform for the Global Wine Stage

The award‑winning Cabernet Franc was entered into the International Wine Awards (IWA) held in Bordeaux, France. The IWA, which is run by the French Wine Federation, invites entries from over 40 countries and is widely regarded as a bellwether for global wine quality. The 2025 edition of the competition saw more than 4,000 submissions, and the judging panel was composed of prominent sommeliers, viticulturists, and food critics from both Europe and North America.

In its “Cabernet Franc” category, Cedar Creek entered a 2019 vintage that was described by the judges as a “tall, expressive wine with a deep ruby hue and an aromatic bouquet of blackcurrant, cedar, and a hint of dried herbs.” The wine finished with a medium‑body palate, silky tannins, and a lingering finish that left the judges “in awe of its balance and finesse.” The award, worth $12,000, was a Gold Medal—the highest accolade in the category, shared only with a handful of producers in Bordeaux and California.

From Vineyard to Glass: The Story of the 2019 Cabernet Franc

The article details how the 2019 harvest was marked by “unpredictable weather” with late‑summer storms followed by a crisp autumn that delivered the ideal “sweet‑and‑dry” cycle. Emily Hayes recalls that “the vines were under tension, and we had to be very careful with our canopy management to avoid over‑exposure.”

Cedar Creek’s winemaking process began with a hand‑picking of 3,500 kilograms of grapes, after which the bunches were lightly pressed to retain maximum juice without extracting too many bitter phenolics. The juice was then fermented in food‑grade stainless‑steel tanks at a temperature controlled between 20–22 °C. Natural yeasts performed the primary fermentation, lasting 10–12 days before the wine was racked to reduce sediment.

A key decision that set Cedar Creek’s wine apart was the extended aging on new French oak. The winemakers used 80% new oak barrels from the French “Menton” region, each barrel 50 L, for a period of 12 months. This controlled the tannin structure and imparted subtle hints of vanilla and toasted spice. After oak aging, the wine spent an additional six months on the lees (dead yeast cells) before being bottled.

Marco Rossi emphasizes that the “low‑temperature malolactic fermentation” contributed to the wine’s bright acidity and rounded mouthfeel—a technique borrowed from the Burgundy tradition. “It’s all about finding the balance between fruit expression and the subtlety that oak can provide,” Rossi explained.

The Broader Implications for Maryland’s Wine Industry

The win has resonated across the state’s wine community. Local vintners and the Maryland Department of Agriculture have noted that Cedar Creek’s success may attract more enotourism to the region. “We’ve already seen a 20% increase in bookings at our farm‑stay accommodations since the announcement,” said Emily Hayes, who is also a board member of the Maryland Wine Growers Association.

The article links to a feature on the Maryland Wine Growers Association website, which outlines a “Growth Plan” to bolster the state’s wine economy through marketing, infrastructure investment, and educational programs. The association's report, “Maryland Wine 2025: An Emerging Powerhouse,” cites Cedar Creek’s award as a case study for how quality can elevate an entire region’s reputation.

Additionally, the competition’s official page highlights the award as a milestone for “non‑traditional regions,” encouraging wineries from areas that are not typically associated with high‑quality red wine production to enter. Cedar Creek’s win has prompted the IWA to invite more entries from the Mid‑Atlantic, which could lead to further collaborations and co‑branding opportunities between Maryland and established French wine regions.

Looking Forward: Cedar Creek’s Future Plans

Cedar Creek’s owners are already mapping out the next phases of expansion. The article mentions a planned 2026 vineyard expansion to add 4 more acres of Cabernet Franc, plus a new sparkling wine line that will use the same low‑intervention philosophy. Sarah Hayes stated, “We’re excited to share this success with our community, and we want to create a portfolio that showcases the versatility of our terroir.”

The article also notes Cedar Creek’s upcoming partnership with the University of Maryland’s Viticulture & Enology Department to offer a short‑term “Hands‑on Winemaking” program. The partnership aims to bridge academic research with practical winemaking, giving students the chance to work with industry professionals like Marco Rossi and gain firsthand experience with the “old‑world” techniques that led to the award.

Final Thoughts

Cedar Creek Vineyards’ triumph in the International Wine Awards serves as both a personal milestone for the Hayes sisters and a beacon for Maryland’s nascent wine industry. The article on PennLive’s food site paints a vivid picture of the wine’s journey—from the soil of Worcester County to the judges’ tables in Bordeaux—while also framing the win within the broader context of regional development, tourism, and education. With this accolade, the winery has not only validated its meticulous craft but also paved the way for future generations of Maryland winemakers to aspire to the same heights.