Layton’s Chance Wins Gold Medal with Taylors Island Grapes

Layton’s Chance won a gold medal for their Ridgeton Red wine earlier this month in the Maryland Governor’s Cup wine competition.  The wine is a blend of two red grapes, Chambourcin and Norton, and one white, Vidal Blanc, all grown at Ridgeton Vineyards on Taylors Island owned by Pat Neild.

John “Pat” Neild Jr. has been growing grapes and making homemade wine at Ridgton Vineyard on Taylors Island since 1973.  Neild’s interest in growing grapes and making wine was sparked when Baltimore’s Boordy winery owner Philip Wagner spoke at the Tidewater Farm Club in the early 1970s. With an ag degree from the University of Maryland, Neild became intrigued. Accompanied by long-time friend Ron Wade, the enterprise got underway, starting out with a few cuttings “begged and borrowed” from Western Shore growers, including Boordy, Neild recalled. 

After the initial year Wade moved on but Neild kept Ridgeton Vineyard going. Since then, he’s continued to enjoy the process of planting, growing, crushing, fermenting, and then sharing, maintaining steadfast notes detailing each season’s progress. 

At 92, Neild recently considered winding down the operation, especially after several pick your own regulars stopped drinking wine. But he’s still enjoying the adventure, and nearby Layton’s Chance winery has remained a steady customer. 

“We usually buy Chambourcin and Vidal, and last year got about two tons of those and Norton grapes, one of my favorites,” commented winemaker William Layton. “Usually, his grapes go into our Farm Red, our dry red blend.  That year I decided to ferment the grapes separately into their own wine and see how it turned out.  The three wines together made a very nice, smooth red blend.  It was one of the favorites at our annual Tank Tasting, a chance for our Gold Leaf club customers to taste the wines before bottling.  We bottled it in March of 2022.”

The wine had previously been entered into the Maryland Comptroller’s Cup competition in May and had won a silver medal.  The wine will be on sale at Layton’s Chance starting on October 2^nd at their annual Harvest Festival.

*Excerpts used with permission from Debra Messick’s article “Vintage Roots on Tylors Island” that appeared in The Cambridge Spy, The Talbot Spy, and The Chestertown Spy publications.

Catch Us in Edible Delmarva

We are very honored to be featured in Edible Delmarva in the Fall 2021 issue. Read the full article here.

Honoring Tradition

Maryland Grower Goes Out on Top, With Wine in his Future

William Layton is getting some solid corn yields this season: 185-188 bushels an acre on his dryland, and 220-230 bushels on his irrigated ground.

Not bad, but it’s a little bittersweet. This is the last year William is growing corn and soybeans on his nearly 2,000-acre farm just outside Vienna, Md.

“It’s nice to go out on a high note,” he says.

He’s not quitting farming, but he’ll be renting out most of acres to another farmer starting next year so he can focus on something much smaller but, hopefully, more profitable: winemaking.

Unexpected homecoming

William grew up on his parent’s farm and would’ve been the third generation of his family to farm, but it wasn’t something he embraced.

“I didn’t like it at all. It was not something I wanted to do,” he says.

He went to the University of Maryland and got a degree in business. It’s also where he met his future wife, Jennifer. They moved to Kansas City, then Los Angeles as William worked his way up to warehouse supervisor for Toyota Parts. But after four years being away from the farm, the itch to come home got real.

He told his parents in 2000 that he wanted to come back to farm. It wasn’t a quick move, though. He and Jennifer needed time to think about their move while his father, Joe, needed time to think about how to include William in the family business.

In 2003, the couple moved back to Maryland, and William started farming alongside his father. They were Mid-Atlantic Master Farmers in 2013.

“It was just the biggest surprise to them. They did not expect me to come back,” he says.

Changing for the future

His father hadn’t upgrading anything on the farm, as he was actively planning to retire and get out of the business. William says that changes were needed on the farm, and a different mindset and future.

The couple thought of ways they could add something else to the farm, whether it be animals, agritourism, fruits or vegetables. On a vacation one year, he and Jennifer visited some wineries. Then the idea of a winery came up, but Jennifer quips that it was a joke. Neither one was a wine lover.

“Growing the farm was not something that dad and I were successful at,” he says. “It takes a certain skillset to go out and get more land, and that’s not something we’re good at.”

So in 2005 they decided that a winery was the way to go. In 2007 they planted their first grapes, in 2009 they built the winery, and in 2010 they officially opened Layton’s Chance Vineyard and Winery.

They grow all their own grapes except Concord, which they get from New York state. Chambourcin, vidal, cabernet franc, Norton and traminette are all grown on the farm.

But William and Jennifer had a big learning curve.

“One, we started drinking more wine,” he says.

Family meetings would be served with a glass of red or white, just to get a feel for what it tastes like. They started taking trips, four times a year, to wineries across the region, including to Virginia, Pennsylvania and the Finger Lakes in New York. They attended training classes from wine organizations and Cooperative Extensions, and they took beginning grape grower classes.

But the biggest thing they did was learn from other growers.

“There is so much to it and so much to learn. We spent a lot of time visiting local vineyards and tried to spend some time working in those vineyards,” William says. They also worked with a state viticulturist to figure out where to put their vines.

While most of Delmarva is known for its sandy, well-drained soils, just south of U.S. Route 50, where Layton’s Chance Vineyard is located, is a heavier clay-like soil.

“Traditionally, growers are taught to put grapes in some of the poorest soils on the farm. They tell you if you put corn on there, you don’t want to put grapes in there,” he says. Well, they put the vines in the most fertile ground on the farm.

“What’s more important than nutrients is being well-drained, when it comes to grape growing,” he says.

While corn and soybeans are all about production, vineyard grapes are more about quality than quantity. In this fertile soil, though, he got good quality and lots of grapes.

“It’s probably the biggest mindset view I had to go through with putting in the vineyard. With corn it’s about producing as much a crop you can,” he says. “With grapes it’s about managing crop loads and focusing more on quality.”

This season’s a good example. The abundant rains the farm saw in August and through the beginning of September were great for his corn and soybeans. For his grapes, not so much.

“With the grapes they don’t like so much water. August, we had a lot of rain and we had a lot of rain here through the beginning of September. So that’s been a struggle but not as bad as two years ago,” he says.

Completing the transition 

William expected that his father would be resistant to change, but he’s found him to be a lot more progressive than he thought.

“His thing was, ‘I’m not learning something new. I’m going to keep doing what I’m doing and you’re going to learn something new.’”

Now that Joe’s getting older, though, managing two different businesses has gotten too much for William.  

“The farm has done well but stayed the same. The winery has grown, and my time is required more on the farm as he does less,” he says. “It’s also required me more here as the winery has grown. The last two years I have just worked god-awful hours trying to keep up with both and I can’t keep doing that.

“Over 10 years now the quality of our wines have really increased. We really have figured a lot a lot of things out.”

He and Jennifer grow 14 acres of vines with space to put in another 24 acres if necessary. They produce 15,000 gallons, or 12,000 cases of wine, a year.

They employ less people now than they did in the beginning with only 2 acres, so they’ve learned to become more efficient.

“I think a lot of it is knowing your vines,” William says. “There are different vines that need different amounts of care. You don’t have to spray all of them the same amount. There are some acres you can spray less, some you have to spray more. There are some where you have to pull all the leaves from in front of the fruit and some you don’t have to, or don’t want to.”

In 2011, Jennifer left her full-time job to come back to the farm, where she works as the business manager. They produce 20 different wines, and everything gets bottled and processed at the winery.

William and his father have completed the farm transition, a process that started with William working under Joe, then Joe transferring the farm to William and working under him. Now, William has taken over for what he hopes is a long time, albeit with a different vision.

“I’m very fortunate. There are a lot of people than can never convince their father to transfer the farm over to them. He’s a very thoughtful person,” he says. “I’m fortunate that he had that mindset.”

by Chris Torres
American Agriculturist, Farm Life

Layton’s Chance Celebrates 10th Anniversary with Debut of Two New Wines

Region’s Only Certified Craft Winery Marks the Half-Way Point in Its Year-Long Celebration

VIENNA, MD – June 24, 2020  –  When Jennifer and William Layton, and William’s parents Joe and Laura, decided to launch a winery on their farm in Vienna, MD, they could not have imagined what the next decade would really look like.

“We had a good business plan and great support, but it was the opportunity and risk of a lifetime,” said Jennifer Layton, ‘Jen’eral Manager for the Winery. “Farming was changing, and we had to envision a use for some land in a way that would be (mostly) recession-proof. The answer, we thought, was wine.”

A decade, a recession and COVID-19 have proved it was a winning idea. While at times it has been difficult, the winery has remained stable and steady, adjusting with the ebb and flow of each situation.

“Celebrating a major anniversary during COVID-19 has been challenging but oddly satisfying,” said Jennifer. “We altered our schedule, shipped five times the amount of wine than usual, created curbside delivery, bottled our largest harvest ever – nearly 42000 bottles in three days – and brought two new wines to market. We are so proud of our team; there are no words.”

The new wines launched last month. Turbo Pink is a sweet wine with notes of raspberries, pink lemonade and cotton candy. “This one is unabashedly for ‘the girls’ – the women of agriculture who are the backbone of farming,” said Jennifer. “And one of the most enjoyed areas of the winery our pink tractor, just like the one on the label. It’s become a must-have selfie spot.”

Chief Winemaker William Layton also brought Twilight Delight to market. Its a “Cab Franc” varietal that is dry to off dry with notes of sour cherry and cranberry. “It’s not a traditional Cab Franc – it’s surprising and refreshing and it is getting good reviews in the Tasting Room, which is really the test.”

William, who grew up on the farm, created both these wines as well as the nearly 20 others Layton’s Chance sells. “I love the combination of science and art that it takes to create a good wine,” he said. “We never want to be pretentious. We want our wines to be enjoyed at a party, a BBQ or just watching the sun set.”

The attraction is clear. Jennifer added that immediately after their first Joe’s Cool Red Turbo bottling of the year in April, more than half the 420 cases were sold within days, with markets like Harris Teeter and ACME, as well as wine stores across Maryland and Delaware stocking up. “We don’t want anyone to worry, though,” she said. “We’ll bottle more in August!”

A Decade of Risk and Opportunity

Launching with five wines in 2010, including the now-iconic Joe’s Cool Red, Layton’s became “the” place to come for an afternoon of sipping wine, listening to music and enjoying the relaxing setting. (It’s no accident that the winery’s slogan is “We work like crazy,? so our guests can be lazy!)

At the announcement in February that Layton’s had been named the Mid-Atlantic’s first and only Certified Craft Winery, Sen. Addie Eckardt, R-37 Mid-Shore observed, “During its first decade, Layton’s Chance has shown itself to be a leader – in agriculture, environmental stewardship and of course in winemaking. It comes as no surprise to us that their approach to winemaking has raised the bar and we are thrilled to recognize them as the first and only craft winery in Maryland.”

To be a Certified Craft Winery, they had to demonstrate that their wines are commercially available in limited production; that wine development is led by a winemaker who is a partner and decisionmaker  throughout the process (William); that the fruit used to produce each wine comes from traceable sources, both grown on-site and acquired; and that every wine produced by the winery is in 5,000-or-fewer case lots.

“Craft has long been recognized in other beverage categories, and it is really beyond time that wine be offered the same standard,” said Carole Lawson, the CEO and founder of the Craft Wine Association and is a certified sommelier. “We see this movement heading east across the US, and we’re thrilled to welcome Layton’s Chance as our first member in Maryland and the Mid-Atlantic.”

Dedicated to Community Service & Safety

One of the goals from the start was to give back to the community that has supported them by offering wines created to support local causes.

Five dollars from the sale of the winery’s United wine – a dry, light Chambourcin with notes of dry fig and cranberry – benefits the United Way of the Eastern Shore.

Five dollars from the sale of FREEDOM, one of Layton’s best-selling wines, has allowed for donations totaling more than $10,000 to the Friends of Harriet Tubman Visitor Center since 2018. FREEDOM is a “seminal blend of native Catawba and Chambourcin grapes is both romantic and refreshing with its berry essence and clean finish,” according to William.

In addition to being a gathering space for families, friends and tours, the winery is committed to building community through the Gold Leaf Wine Club. The club, which meets several times a year, offers early access to new wines, free and discounted tickets to winery events, four wine shipments a year and the much-anticipated members-only Tank Tasting event each spring. (This year’s event was cancelled but next year’s is already on the schedule.)

During COVID-19, the Layton’s and their team have worked hard to create an environment where people will feel safe to spend an hour or an afternoon. Some of the steps they have taken include a greatly-expanded outdoor seating area, a creative “cleaning needed” system for tables with red-and-green-sided hockey pucks, hand sanitizer stations and shopping-only in the Tasting Room. They have also expanded food offerings to include cheese plates, fruit plates, veggies & dip platters and snacks.

“During this time when so much is uncertain, we want the winery and vineyard to be a place of peace and relaxation for our guests,” said Jennifer. “While we hope the next decade will be calmer, it’s our goal to be there for our guests no matter the world outside our driveway.”

The winery will celebrate their 10^th anniversary all summer and fall with ticketed-only music and tasting events. Learn more and register for tickets at www.LaytonsChance.com. Follow the winery on Facebook and Instagram or call 410-228-1205 for more information.

‘Epic’ Bottling After Largest Harvest in 10 Year History

Layton’s Chance Vineyard & Winery Completes ‘Epic’ Bottling  After Largest Harvest in 10 Year History

 Nearly 3,500 Cases Include Nine Favorites and the New “Twilight Delight Maryland”

 Vienna, Md – April 30, 2020 – When Jen and William Layton, owners of Layton’s Chance Vineyard & Winery, completed their second of three bottling series this year, they felt as if they had run a very long marathon – with hurdles.

“Last year, a combination of factors came together to create our most abundant harvest ever,” said vintner William Layton. “Lots of rain intermixed with the perfect amounts of drying time in the sun created a tremendous opportunity for our estate grapes. Norton (?) was particularly plentiful, which gave us opportunities to consider developing a new wine.”

The winery – which is the Mid-Atlantic region’s first and only Certified Craft Winery – is introducing Twilight Delight Maryland, a medium-bodied dry-to-off-dry Cabernet Franc with notes of sour cherry and cranberry.

“Twilight Delight Maryland is inspired  by the spectacular sunsets that take place over the vineyard,” said William Layton, who developed it in his lab on the property. “It is crisp and light, making it perfect for dinner of fish, pasta and poultry, or for relaxing on the porch on a summer evening.”

The Laytons’ delivered more than 41,000 bottles of wine in two days.

Jennifer Layton, ‘Jen’eral Manager of the winery, said, “The pandemic really threw a wrench into this bottling because we had to make sure everyone could social distance while getting the job done. We all wore masks and gloves and were exceptionally careful with a process that already has so many health and safety steps included. It was pretty ironic to bottle our largest quantity ever with the smallest crew ever to work the process.”

Jennifer and William were joined in the bottling process by William’s father and winery co-owner Joe Layton, their daughter Alison and son Stephen, and Sales and Marketing director Pam Payne. The crew bottled outside (which is usual) using mobile unit brought in for the event.

Wines bottled include:

• White: Joe’s Cool White, Lazy Day White, Farm White
• Blush: Twilight Delight, Harvest Blush
• Fruit: Alison’s Watermelon Wine
• Red: Farm Red, Rise Up Red, Freedom
• Reserve: 1,000 bottles of one the winery’s most collectible wines, Vidal Reserve

Layton’s Chance Vineyard & Winery is celebrating its 10^th Anniversary in 2020 with the release of a series of new wines (including Twilight Delight Maryland), a special issue of 10^th Anniversary Joe’s Cool Red, monthly specials and a number of open-air events planned for the summer. The winery is the first and only Certified Craft Winery in the Mid-Atlantic (as certified by the Craft Wine Association), recognized for its dedication to small batches, traceable grapes and sustainability.

“Feeding Frenzy” Virtual Walk/Run To Benefit Maryland Charities

Layton’s Chance Vineyard & Winery Hosts “Feeding Frenzy” Virtual Walk/Run
To Benefit Maryland Food Bank and Feed the Front – MES

Vienna, Md – April 20, 2020 – Layton’s Chance Vineyard & Winery has organized “Feeding Frenzy,” a virtual fundraiser 5K and 10K Walk/Run to be held this Saturday, April 25, from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

The event benefits the Maryland Food Bank and Feed the Front – MES, an organization helping to feed front line medical, police, fire and similar professionals serving on the Maryland Eastern Shore. Registration for an individual or a team can be found through Facebook Events (Layton’s Chance Feeding Frenzy) or at the winery’s website.

“While we can’t all walk together, we can walk at the same time for the same cause,” said Jennifer Layton, Jen’eral Manager of the winery. “Our food banks and the people serving on the front lines of our communities need our help and recognition, and we can do that just by putting one foot in front of the other and walking or jogging around our neighborhoods, stepping on a treadmill or hiking in the woods, all while socially distancing.”

Those who donate $25 or more receive a free Feeding Frenzy t-shirt and Layton’s Chance “koozie.” Those over age 21 will also receive a coupon for two free flight tastings at the winery when it reopens. Participants are encouraged to tag photos on Instagram with #Layton’sFeedingFrenzy

Learn more about the recipient organizations at https://feedthefront-mes.org/ and mdfoodbank.org and about Layton’s Chance at www.laytonschance.com. Follow Layton’s Chance on Facebook and Instagram.

DelmarvaLife featuring Jennifer Layton

Watch Jen discuss what it means to be the first Certified Craft Winery in Maryland. 

Layton’s Chance: Maryland’s First & Only Craft Winery

From the day we decided to develop a winery, Jennifer, William, Joe and Laura agreed that certain things would always be important, including that:

• William would be our very active vintner, overseeing everything from field to bottle.
• Our production would remain small so that we could bring the best wine possible to the market.
• We were (and remain) committed to knowing where our grapes came from, whether from our vineyard or another carefully selected farm.

What we didn’t know was that a decade later our approach would be the near-perfect definition of “Craft Wine.”

In late February, at a special celebration, the Craft Wine Association based in Salem, Ore., announced that Layton’s Chance is the first “Certified Craft Winery” in the State of Maryland and Delmarva. The distinction recognizes that commitment to crafting wine with a dedication to the very elements we always found special.

To be certified as “craft” by the CWA, we had to demonstrate that our wines are commercially available in limited production, and that:

• The development of every wine is led by a winemaker (William) who is a partner and decision maker throughout the process.
• The fruit used to produce each wine comes from traceable sources.
• Every wine produced by the winery is in 5,000-or-fewer case lots.

For us, craft does go way back. You may have noticed in our Tasting Room we have always included what we called “Craft Wines on Tap.” These change quarterly and reflect elements and ingredients we have found interesting in winemaking.

At the celebration, Carol Lawson, founder and CEO of Craft Wine Association and a certified sommelier, said, “We are so pleased to certify Layton’s Chance as Delmarva’s first Certified Craft Winery. The rise in popularity of craft wines reflects changing tastes, inspired by creativity and sourcing high-quality, local fruit. Consumers want to know the hands that made the wine and the stories behind the craft.”

We’re pleased to be at the vanguard of the Craft trend – especially as we celebrate our 10^th Anniversary. It will be a year of reveals, including our new 10^th Anniversary logo, some new craft wines, and some special events, including a 10^th Birthday Bash on Saturday, May 23. (Save the date!)

We’re excited to be recognized for our approach to growing and sourcing grapes and producing wine. Our vineyard and winery are a labor of love and being certified ‘craft’ ties our approach all together under one proud banner.

Layton’s Chance Celebrates Harriet Tubman Day with a Donation of $4,175 to the Friends of Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Visitor Center

 “Freedom” Wine Sales Double in Past Six Months as Perpetual Fundraiser Gains Steam

Vienna, Maryland — March 20, 2019 —Friends of Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Visitor Center received the third donation from Layton’s Chance Vineyard & Winery’s ongoing fundraising efforts. The donation of $4,175, made in honor of Harriet Tubman Day (March 10) brought the total amount donated by the winery to more than $11,000 in the last two years.

“Layton’s Chance is one of the first corporate sponsors to join us at the center, and we are grateful for their ongoing commitment of support through the sale of ‘Freedom’ wine,” said Dana Paterra, Park Manager of the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad State Park and Visitor Center. “Their partnership helps us continue to expand our programs and support our mission.”

Layton’s launched Freedom wine in 2017. It is a romantic and refreshing blend of Catawba and Chambourcin grapes, with a berry essence and a sweet finish, and has become a favorite of visitors to the winery. With each bottle purchased, five dollars is donated to the Visitor Center. This month’s donation, which is nearly double the previous one, represents the proceeds from the sale of 835 bottles in just six months, an average of about 140 bottles per month.

“We are thrilled that guests have embraced Freedom and the partnership behind it,” said Jennifer Layton, CEO of Layton’s Chance. “Dorchester County is rich in history and tradition, including winemaking, and Freedom reminds people to come and enjoy all we have to offer.”

The Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Visitor Center is both a welcome center and history museum located on the grounds of the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad State Park in Church Creek, Md. Surrounded by the Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge, the park is jointly managed by the National Park Service and the Maryland Park Service.

Friends of Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Visitor Center is an independent nonprofit partner. The organization’s mission is to raise awareness and appreciation of the park while providing education and interpretive resources to enhance visitor experiences.