Linganore AVA

Linganore
Wine region
TypeAmerican Viticultural Area
Year established1983
Years of wine industry50
CountryUnited States
Part ofMaryland
Other regions in MarylandCatoctin AVA, Cumberland Valley AVA
Growing season170–180 days
Climate regionRegion III
Heat units3,001–3,700 GDD
Precipitation (annual average)40–42 in (1,000–1,100 mm)
Soil conditionsShale bedrock with gravelly loam containing silt and mica specs
Total area57,600 acres (90 sq mi)
Size of planted vineyards52 acres (21 ha)
No. of vineyards5
Grapes producedCabernet Sauvignon, Chambourcin, Chardonel, Traminette
No. of wineries6

Linganore (/lɪŋɡəˈnɔːr/ ling-guh-NAWR) is an American Viticultural Area (AVA) located in north central Maryland and includes parts of Frederick and Carroll counties. The area was established as the state's initial and the nation's 38th AVA on August 18, 1983, by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF), Treasury after reviewing the petition submitted by Mr. John (Jack) T. Aellen Jr., proprietor of the bonded winery Berrywine Plantations Inc., on behalf of himself and local vintners, proposing a viticultural area to be known as "Linganore."

The viticultural area lies east of the town of Frederick in north central Maryland. At the outset, it encompassed approximately 90 square miles (57,600 acres) where about 52 acres (21 ha) of cultivation for commercial purposes. The acreage devoted to grape-growing is widely dispersed. In 1980, approximately 19.5% of the total commercial grape acreage of Maryland was planted in the Linganore viticultural area. This area is a part of the Piedmont Plateau northwest of Baltimore, a transition area between the mountains to the west and the coastal plain to the east. Linganore has a warm and wet climate, with gravel and loam soils and a high water table. The hardiness zones are 7a and 7b.