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From hobby to winery
Running Hare Vineyard has been growing like a vine
Friday, May 22, 2009
 Click here to enlarge this photo Staff photos by DARWIN WEIGEL
A break in the rain recently resulted in a rainbow over Mike and Barbara Scarborough at their Running Hare Vineyard in Prince Frederick. The couple, who have been making wine as a hobby for a long time, opened the commercial vineyard last fall.
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Atop a small hill, Michael and Barbara Scarborough scanned their eight-acre vineyard as the sun went down, examining a new stairway that leads to their next big project.
"Do we paint this a burgundy? Do you like the black?" Barbara asked her husband, of the lighted stairway that leads from the vineyard to the small hilltop, as they sipped on newly-made Malbec wine.
"It's our first serious red wine," Michael Scarborough said, as he playfully discussed with his wife how to best make the stairwell blend with the property's rustic, Tuscan theme.
The couple had spent hours on the road traveling to and from their day jobs in Washington, D.C., and Annapolis, and often come to the tranquil spot on their 291-acre property to relax in nature among the vines from which they cultivate fine wines for commercial consumption.
They never thought their venture, which began as a "hobby that got way out of control," would grow so fast, Michael said. What is now Running Hare Vineyard off of Adelina Road in Prince Frederick began with just 100 vines about seven years ago after Michael bought the land for weekend hunting getaways.
The grassy, open spot on which they perch features a lone table and two chairs. By the end of the summer, it will be home to a newly constructed, 7,000-square-foot events building and 3,000 square-foot patio that seats 400 people for weddings and large gatherings.
The couple officially opened the business in August and expects to see their seven-figure investment in three full-time staff, a cocktail tasting pavilion, ceremony pergola and events building pay off.
"Most entrepreneurs look at the back end. They never figure out what the customer wants … we'll let the back end take care of itself," said Scarborough, an Annapolis money manager.
The couple, who lived in Annapolis, now lives next to the vineyard full-time. Guests staying in a nearby cottage have a birds-eye view of oak barrels and tanks holding hundreds of gallons of juices and wines. The company now pumps out about 15,000 bottles at a time per variety and distributes them to stores and restaurants across the state.
"You either buy the equipment and go for it, or you don't," Barbara Scarborough said of the decision to go commercial.
The two both have wine-lover in their blood; Barbara's mother is from Bordeaux, France — one of the world's major wine industry centers. Michael lived in France as a kid (and consequently, drank wine since he was 8). Most of the company's wines are stored in French oak barrels. Michael Scarborough has been collecting wines for 25 years.
With the help of their winemaker, Billy Peacock, the winery has already won three gold medal awards at the Riverside International Wine Competition in Monterey County, Calif., this year for a chambourcin, a chardonnay and pinot grigio.
"What we can't grow here, we'll import the best juices and make the finest wines we can," Michael Scarborough said. "We've spared absolutely no expense to make the best wine possible. I've developed a pretty good pallet … I want to make a wine that I want to drink."
The experience has been a learning process for the couple – in making wine, learning retail business and marketing in an increasingly mainstream agribusiness.
"The reason why all the wineries make so much sense is it's so great for agri-tourism," Michael said. "We're really trying to make it look as nice as it can be. It will continue to grow and evolve."
The Calvert County Department of Economic Development recently created the Patuxent Wine Trail, a suggested itinerary for touring the county's five wineries. The Scarboroughs hope the initiative will attract new attention from visitors from across the state.
"Running Hare Vineyard and the four other wineries in Calvert County are a great draw for visitors who want to sample fine local wine and experience the natural beauty of this area," said Mark Volland, public information specialist for the DED, in an e-mail. " … They are helping to preserve land while offering unique choices for visitors."
Michael Scarborough and Peacock have learned that making award-winning wines isn't always easy.
They often hone new creations by buying the nation's best and top-selling varieties of wine and comparing it with their own.
"You get to a point when you know the wine is right. Winemaking is an art," Michael said. "Each winemaker has a different vision."
The chambourcin, a dessert wine, has been the most difficult to perfect, but the Malbec was "a blast," Scarborough said.
His newfound profession has even made him more popular at parties, Scarborough said jokingly — "the winemaker is a rock star." But the couple, though passionate about their business, don't see themselves quitting their day jobs anytime soon.
"I tell Mike sleep's overrated," Barbara said. She keeps busy on weekends hosting tastings and tours for visitors who bring picnic lunches to the vineyard. Everyone involved works seven days a week. "It's a labor of love … we have this wonderful property. You have to share it."
To learn more
For tasting hours or tours, go to www.runningharevineyard.com.
For more information about the Patuxent Wine Trail, go to www.patuxentwinetrail.com.
