15 Best Wineries in Frederick MD: Where to Sip, Relax & Explore

Last updated on August 16th, 2026

If sipping a glass of wine while overlooking rolling vineyards and the mountains of Frederick County sounds like your idea of a good afternoon, you’ve come to the right place.

Frederick County is home to an impressive collection of wineries, from large vineyards with live music and food trucks to tiny boutique wineries offering a more intimate tasting experience.

And that’s exactly why choosing one can be tricky.

Do you want great wine and gorgeous views? A girls’ afternoon? Live music? A romantic date? A quiet tasting without the crowds?

I’ve narrowed down the wineries in Frederick MD by the experience each one offers, so you can find the one that fits the kind of day you’re actually trying to plan.

Over the years, I’ve also asked our Housewives of Frederick County readers to share their favorite local wineries, so I’ve included some of their longtime favorites along with newer Frederick County wine destinations worth knowing.

Quick tip: Winery hours, reservation requirements, food options and event schedules change frequently. Always check the winery’s website before heading out.

Best Wineries in Frederick MD at a Glance

Winery	Best For	Location
Black Ankle Vineyards	Serious wine lovers + an elevated winery experience	Mt. Airy
Catoctin Breeze Vineyard	Mountain views + adults-only winery day	Thurmont
Elk Run Vineyards	Wine + live music	Mt. Airy
Hidden Hills Farm & Vineyard	Girls’ day + gorgeous setting	Frederick
Libertas Estates Winery	Small, lesser-known winery experience	Mt. Airy
Linganore Winecellars	Events, festivals + lots of wine choices	Mt. Airy
Links Bridge Vineyards	Quiet afternoon + Monocacy River setting	Thurmont
Loew Vineyards	History + guided tastings	Mt. Airy
Mazzaroth Vineyard	Boutique wine experience	Middletown
New Market Plains Vineyard	Relaxed, low-key afternoon	Monrovia
Orchid Cellar Meadery & Winery	Mead + something different	Middletown
Simple Theory Wine Co.	Downtown Frederick wine tasting	Frederick
Six Wicket Vineyards	Small, appointment-based vineyard experience	Myersville
Springfield Manor	Wine + beer + cocktails + live music	Thurmont
Willow Oaks Craft Cider & Wine	Farmhouse cider + farm setting	Middletown

Found one that sounds like your kind of place? Here’s what to know about each Frederick County winery before you go.

15 Wineries in Frederick MD Worth Visiting

Black Ankle Vineyards

Best for: Serious wine lovers and a special winery day

Black Ankle is one of those Frederick County wineries that tends to come up again and again when locals start debating who makes the area’s best wine.

Located in Mt. Airy, Black Ankle produces its wines from grapes grown on its own farms with a focus on sustainable farming and wines that reflect the land they’re grown on.

But the setting is a big part of the experience too.

You can enjoy guided tastings, flights, glasses or bottles with vineyard views, and there’s also a food menu available. Reservations aren’t always required, but they’re a smart idea if you want a specific table or are visiting during a busy time.

If the wine itself matters every bit as much to you as the scenery, put Black Ankle high on your list.

📍 Mt. Airy, Maryland

Catoctin Breeze Vineyard

Best for: Mountain views, dry wines and an adults-only afternoon

Catoctin Breeze sits in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains in Thurmont, and the setting is a huge part of its appeal.

This is one I’d especially consider for a date day, girls’ afternoon or special occasion when you want beautiful scenery without turning your winery outing into a giant festival.

The winery is for guests 21 and older only, and groups are kept small. Walk-ins are welcome when space allows, while reservations can guarantee seating in the tasting room, lounge or patio.

For something more in-depth, their reservation-only Catoctin Experience includes a vineyard and winery tour followed by a guided tasting.

📍 Thurmont, Maryland

Elk Run Vineyards & Winery

Best for: Wine tasting with live music

Elk Run has been part of Frederick County’s wine scene for decades and has earned hundreds of national and international wine awards along the way.

But you definitely don’t have to be a wine expert to enjoy it.

During the warmer months, Elk Run regularly hosts live music, including its popular Wine Down Fridays, along with weekend performances.

The tasting room and outdoor areas have a casual, relaxed feel, making this an easy choice if your ideal vineyard day involves a glass of wine, music and nowhere you need to be for the next couple of hours.

📍 Mt. Airy, Maryland

Hidden Hills Farm & Vineyard

Best for: Girls’ day, horses and beautiful countryside

Hidden Hills has one of the most distinctive settings on this list.

The vineyard is located on a 100-acre horse farm, so yes, you really can sip wine while taking in vineyard views and horses.

It’s easy to see why our readers have repeatedly mentioned Hidden Hills as a favorite for both its scenery and its wines.

This feels like one of the strongest choices for an unhurried girls’ afternoon when you’re looking for pretty surroundings, a glass of wine and a reason to stay awhile.

📍 Frederick, Maryland

Libertas Estates Winery

Best for: Discovering a newer, under-the-radar Frederick winery

Frederick County’s winery scene continues to evolve, and Libertas Estates is one to watch.

Located on a 127-acre family farm in Mt. Airy, Libertas grows grapes including Pinot Gris, Viognier and Cabernet Franc and offers wine tastings on the farm.

Because it’s still a much smaller and lesser-known experience than many established Frederick wineries, I’d consider this one for adventurous local wine lovers who enjoy discovering a place before everybody else does.

📍 Mt. Airy, Maryland

Linganore Winecellars

Best for: Events, live music and plenty of wine choices

If you’re looking for activity, Linganore Winecellars is probably the opposite of a sleepy little tasting room.

The family-operated Mt. Airy winery offers a large selection of wines and regularly hosts music, food trucks, special events and seasonal experiences.

It’s also one of the easier Frederick wineries to work into your plans because the tasting room is open throughout the week.

Weekend winery tours are offered as well.

I’d choose Linganore when your group wants the winery to be part of the entertainment, not simply somewhere to sit quietly with a tasting flight.

📍 Mt. Airy, Maryland

Links Bridge Vineyards

Best for: A peaceful winery afternoon and river views

Links Bridge is a smaller Frederick County vineyard near Utica with an especially pretty location overlooking farmland and the Monocacy River area.

The winery is generally open on weekends, with other visits available by appointment.

One of its most unusual features is the nature path leading toward the Monocacy River, giving you the chance to take your wine and spend some time enjoying the property rather than remaining inside a tasting room.

If giant crowds and festivals aren’t really your thing, Links Bridge offers a much more peaceful alternative.

📍 Thurmont, Maryland

Loew Vineyards

Best for: Wine history and guided tastings

Loew Vineyards brings something to this list that very few wineries can: generations of winemaking history.

The Loew family’s winemaking tradition stretches back to the 1800s and now spans five generations.

Today’s winery in Mt. Airy offers guided tastings, wines and meads, along with occasional live music and special events.

It’s a good pick for the person in your group who actually wants to learn something about the wine rather than simply choosing the prettiest patio.

📍 Mt. Airy, Maryland

Mazzaroth Vineyard

Best for: Boutique wine lovers

Mazzaroth is not the winery you casually pull into because you happen to be driving past.

And that’s part of its appeal.

The family-run Middletown vineyard is a small boutique operation focused on producing premium Maryland wines. Winery visits are scheduled in advance, so you’re getting a much more personal experience than you would at one of Frederick County’s larger destinations.

For wine lovers interested in discovering something local and decidedly off the beaten path, Mazzaroth is a fun one to put on your radar.

📍 Middletown, Maryland

New Market Plains Vineyards

Best for: A relaxed neighborhood winery afternoon

New Market Plains is located on a historic family property that has remained in the family since the 1700s.

Today you can settle in with wine by the glass or bottle, bring your own food and enjoy the laid-back setting.

During the warmer seasons, the winery also hosts live music on Saturdays.

This isn’t the giant winery-with-a-festival-every-weekend experience. That’s precisely why some people will love it.

📍 Monrovia, Maryland

Orchid Cellar Meadery & Winery

Best for: Mead lovers and anyone ready to try something different

Wine isn’t the whole story at Orchid Cellar.

This Middletown destination specializes in mead, the ancient fermented drink made with honey, while also producing traditional wines.

That alone makes Orchid Cellar one of the most distinctive stops on the Frederick County wine scene.

There are regular events, live music and food trucks throughout the season, making it an especially fun choice when half your group has already been to all the usual wineries and wants something new.

📍 Middletown, Maryland

Simple Theory Wine Co.

Best for: Wine tasting without leaving Downtown Frederick

This is the wildcard on the list, and I LOVE that Frederick finally has this option.

Simple Theory Wine Co. isn’t a sprawling country vineyard tasting room. Instead, you’ll find its contemporary wine-tasting lounge right on North Market Street in Downtown Frederick.

Simple Theory produces small-lot Maryland wines with a focus on estate-grown grapes and sustainable production.

The downtown location makes this incredibly easy to pair with dinner, shopping or a girls’ afternoon in Frederick.

So if nobody in your group feels like driving into the countryside, here’s your answer.

📍 Downtown Frederick, Maryland

Six Wicket Vineyards

Best for: An intimate vineyard tour and tasting

Six Wicket is one of the newer additions to Frederick County’s winery scene.

Located in Myersville, this family-owned vineyard has thousands of vines planted across the property and produces estate wines including Albariño, Rosé, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Teroldego.

Visits are more personal than the typical walk-in winery experience, with tastings and vineyard visits arranged in advance.

And yes, the name comes from the owner’s love of croquet.

Consider this one when you’re craving an actual vineyard experience, rather than a busy tasting-room scene.

📍 Myersville, Maryland

Springfield Manor Winery, Distillery & Brewery

Best for: Groups where not everyone wants wine

We all have that friend who would rather drink beer than wine.

Springfield Manor solves that problem.

The historic Thurmont property is a winery, distillery and brewery, so your group can choose from wine, craft beer, cocktails, spirits, sangria and seasonal drinks.

There’s usually something happening here too, including live music, trivia, food trucks and seasonal events. The estate is also home to the popular Maryland Lavender Festival.

Guests must be 21 or older.

If the experience and entertainment are just as important to your group as the wine, Springfield Manor is one of Frederick County’s most versatile options.

📍 Thurmont, Maryland

Willow Oaks Craft Cider & Wine

Best for: Craft cider lovers and a true farm setting

I’m keeping Willow Oaks in this guide with a little asterisk because cider is really the star here.

Located on a 35-acre organic farm in Middletown, Willow Oaks specializes in small-batch farmhouse-style ciders made with heirloom apples, along with specialty wines.

The barn also includes artwork and local farm products, giving the experience a totally different feel from a traditional vineyard tasting room.

If you’d happily choose a dry craft cider over a Cabernet, Willow Oaks belongs on your list.

📍 Middletown, Maryland 

Planning Your Frederick County Winery Visit

Want to visit more than one winery? It’s easy to pair a few that are in the same area. Black Ankle, Elk Run, Loew and Linganore are clustered around Mt. Airy; Catoctin Breeze, Links Bridge and Springfield Manor are in the Thurmont area; and Orchid Cellar, Mazzaroth, Willow Oaks and Six Wicket are in western Frederick County.

I’d stick with 2 or 3 wineries in one day so you actually have time to enjoy each stop. And if you’d rather stay downtown, Simple Theory Wine Co. makes an easy starting point before dinner, shopping or a night out in Downtown Frederick.

Frederick MD Winery FAQs

What’s your favorite Frederick County winery, and what makes it your go-to? DM me on Facebook because local recommendations are always the best part of these guides!