Our Story

Great Shoals Winery began as a simple idea one cold December morning in 2009, inspired by a cup of early morning coffee while gazing across the open water of the Wicomico River. One year later, the winery was licensed to produce in a small facility not far from Great Shoals Light in the bayside community of Mount Vernon, MD.

Our first product release was in March of 2011, whereby our Spencerville Red Hard Apple  earned Gold and Best in Class Hard Cider at that year’s Maryland Governor’s Cup wine competition. We’ve since produced and released more than twenty unique hard ciders and wines, which continue to win awards at state and regional competitions. In June of 2013, Great Shoals established its tasting room at Heyser’s Market on New Hampshire Avenue in Silver Spring, MD. Our humble beginning continues to unfold with the help of family, friends, and dedicated staff, as well as with the generous support of our customers.

We use fruit from local and regional farms to make our hard cider, wines, and sparklings. We offer a wide range of products, some dry and some sweet, that showcase these familiar flavors. With over twenty wines in production, our tasting room is a great place to connect with our local farms and their produce.

Locally Grown

Great Shoals Winery partners with farms in our region to source a wide variety of locally produced fruit to make our wines and ciders. 

Heyser Farms, Silver Spring, MD

Heyser Farms is a 3rd generation family farm and market established in 1946 on New Hampshire Avenue in the Colesville area of Montgomery County, MD. In June of 2013, The Great Shoals Winery Tasting Room started its operations at the Heyser Market. 

T.S. Smith & Sons, Bridgeville, DE

The Smith farm was established in 1907 by Thomas Sterling Smith and is one of only two orchards remaining in the state of Delaware. 

Bordeleau Vineyard, Eden, MD

The Bordeleau estate is nestled along the sandy banks of the Wicomico Creek a few miles upriver from Great Shoals Winery. 

Colora Orchards, Colora, MD

Colora Orchards is a family owned and operated farm that began in 1843 by the Balderston family. The farm is now run by 5th generation Balderston family members. 

Baugher’s Orchard, Westminster, MD

Established in 1904, Baugher's Orchard is located in Carroll County. The Baugher family and their farm are part of thriving ag community in the rolling hills of Westminster, MD. 

Walnut Springs Farm, Elkton, MD

The Johnson family has operated Walnut Springs Farm in Cecil County for over 30 years and continues to produce an array of fruits in the gentle slopes of Elkton, MD.