Running Hare Vineyard

I visited the winery because I had bought a Groupon for wine tasting. The vineyard is gorgeous. The wines are great. They have wood fire pizza made by a third party vendor on site. The pizza was the perfect treat with the wine. You can also bring your own food. This was the perfect way to spend the afternoon. Just note that the winery closes at 6pm so go early!

The worst experience/​costumer service ever in any winery in the DC area we have been to.
After getting to this winery in around 4/4:15 pm on a beautiful Saturday (yesterday) we purchased our beer and wine tastings, a big beer growler, two hand made pizzas and two bottle of wine which totaled to more than a $ 100 for two people (plus a generous tip to the staff); an hour and a half later, a staff member comes by to inform us that we need to leave in 15 minutes due to an event where they had this band coming (P.S: nobody told us about this when we were swiping our cards on their premises) and that if we needed to stay and finish what we just purchased, we needed to get tix for $ 18 each, she then asked if I wanted to speak to her manager, who also came in a hurry and mimicked the same, the owner himself was passing by and she grabbed him telling him that we «REFUSED» to leave which was very condescending when all we wanted is to get is a rational explanation and finish our bottle and leave. Then, not only the owner (like a recorded message) just repeated what they said) but started messing up with the umbrella on our table shining the sunlight on our faces, basically saying to F off!!!
Working in the industry for over 10 years, I have never witnessed such poor costumer service nor way to run a business… So disappointed.
As for the event and people that purchased the tix to see the mediocre band that they had last night, I am not exaggerating, every single person or group were bringing in their own wines, beers and food; when we were spending our money and just trying to have a good time…
Running Hare, people I tell you, run away and don’t look back. There are plenty beautiful wineries in the area that deserve you being there instead of this poorly run establishment they are calling a winery
Disappointed costumer.

I don’t know where to start about this place. If there was 10 stars I would give it 11.
First off, let’s start with the obvious… the wine. It’s delicious. That have a great selection of reds and whites. The Riesling and Chardonnay are by far my favorites. Jack Rabbit White is delicious too. I’m not a red wine drinker, but I do enjoy theirs.
The staff…5 gold stars! Everyone is so welcoming they make you feel at home. They are very knowledgeable about their wine.
Venue = gorgeous!!! Be prepared to feel like you’re in Tuscany! They have a beautiful outside gazebo with an outdoor bar, tables with umbrellas, and firepit tables. Every Saturday they have live music playing too!
This is a favorite for us to spend our Saturdays in summer. It is pet friendly so we can bring our dog as well. Feel free to pack a picnic basket, bring your pooch, listen to live music while drinking some wine! What could be better? Running Hare is a must visit when in Southern Maryland.

I bought a Groupon because I wanted to do something different with my husband for Father’s Day. This was a good one! It’s not too far from Prince George’s County but feel like you’re on a little get away. I love that they provide tables, chairs and umbrellas not to mention, it was family friendly. It was also pretty cool that there’s a corn hole tournament.
Oh yeah, the wine was good! I like the light, sweet wines. The Reisling and Jack Rabbit White are my favorites.

Running Hare is a great, dog-​friendly place to spend an afternoon.
We visited Running Hare the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend. They were packed! However, they were as well-​organized as you could expect a vineyard to be for that level of business.
We had a Groupon good for 2 tastings, 2 wine glasses to take home, and 1 full bottle of wine. We did have to wait about 10 – 15 minutes for a tasting, but like I said, they were packed! We got to try everything on the menu except for the Jack Rabbit Red because they had run out. Since it was a nice summer day, we settled on a bottle of pinto grigio. It was nice and tart. We had to wait a few minutes, but had no trouble getting a table. We offered to share our table with another group, but they were able to find their own.
Tips:
— Bring cash! They do accept credit cards, but cash transactions seemed to be easier for everyone.
— Bring a cooler and keep it in the car. Parking is close, so it’s no burden to run to the car for fresh, non-​alcoholic beverages.
— Pack lots of extra water in a cooler in the car. Maybe they had pitchers of water at the wine bar (I didn’t check since we had packed our own), but since there isn’t running water, it’s best to pack plenty for yourself.
— Sunscreen! There were plenty of shade options, but you’re still outside!
— If your route to get there takes you from the 495 to 4 south, stop at Gallo’s for Italian subs. You won’t be sorry.
Pros:
— Plenty of shaded seating
— Dog friendly
— Live music on the weekends
— Bottles of wine are reasonably priced
— Reasonable system for handling large groups for tastings
— Calvert Brewing Co is also located on the grounds, so you can do a beer tasting in the same trip
— Parking is very close to the tasting area, so you don’t have to walk very far
— There are vendors on site that sell wood-​fired/​grilled pizza
— You’re allowed to bring in your own picnic
Cons:
— Porta potties! however, they did have running water and soap for hand washing, so I really didn’t mind
If you’re looking for something else to do before or after your wine tasting, I recommend Flag Ponds Nature Park (
) in Calvert County. It’s $ 6 per car for non-​county residents and it’s dog friendly.

I was a virgin to the vineyard experience. My husband and I visited here to celebrate our 4^th wedding anniversary, which is the fruit and flower gift anniversary. It was a great value. I purchased a Groupon and I got the beer and wine tastings and two wine glasses. We even purchased pizza from the on-​site vendor.
The staff was friendly and knowledgeable. I would suggest allowing more than one sample. :)

Excellent experience. The estate is beautiful and the wines were reasonably priced. We showed up to do a quick wine tasting, but are planning our next visit to spend more time there. The staff was very welcoming and was knowledgable.

So the wine is pretty good (we are not in Napa — we are in Southern Maryland). But I found the prices for the wine and snacks to be more than reasonable. Plus the staff was extremely welcoming. The venue is spectacular. Better than many wineries I have visited in California and Virginia.
We have two younger kids, and judging from comments on their website I thought it wouldn’t be kid friendly. But we chatted with the owner who was so warm and inviting — and let us know where some of the farm animals were located.
We will be back — this time with a big picnic lunch in– tow!!!

I have had a couple of experiences here. One with a friends wedding and two with wine tastings. I will start with the wedding. Although this tries to be a vineyard, a great attempt I must say– This can not hold a candle to VA vineyards. The cost just to rent the building is outrageous for SoMd!!! And there is no bridal or groom suites to get ready. Now if you rent the venue, don’t even worry about their «exclusive caterer», MD Country Caterers.– Out of this world with the basic menu. I hope you like $ 80 chicken and potatoes. The ambiance is cool, great views. Not at all worth the cost yet– so many more affordable venues in SoMd. Keep looking! Wines are expensive and subpar. I am just confused on what you pay for really, needs a bit more character and services for weddings for the cost.

Good wine, nice staff, I’d like to return and relax there. There was food and other items for sale; along with wonderful entertainment.

Went on a Friday night for karaōke and wine drinking. I was irritated to be told that we had to purchase a tasting ($ 5 each) in order to get a glass to drink wine we purchased. It was nice to have a tasting, and I might have done it regardless, but it was annoying to not have a choice.
The wines: a little overpriced. The only wine that is 100% made from grapes grown on site is the Chambourcin, a dessert wine. It was good, but not my style. We ended up liking the Sangiovese and Shiraz quite a bit. We purchased a bottle of the Sangiovese. It was a very nice Friday night, sitting outside and drinking wine. I wasn’t blown away by either of the whites we tasted.
Service: both of the women who provided wine tastings for us were friendly and knowledgeable. They took time to chat with us and inform us about the wine. Later in the night, one them turned out to have a killer voice and blew up the karaōke stage!
Atmosphere: very nice! Several people brought their dogs. There was plenty of seating and there were tons of people out. It got surprisingly rowdy (in a good way!) as the night went on. The DJ played line dancing songs and lots of people got involved. Karaōke was very entertaining, as expected. Minor gripe: the bathrooms are porta potties, which is fine, but they didn’t have lights available. This made for an interesting bathroom experience.

«I’d rather go wine tasting at the Olive Garden, they probably have better wine.» That was the best comment i’ve heard to encapsulate this experience. The locale is beautiful! It’s a gorgeous place and the only reason this place gets more than one star.
We went for a wine tasting. They have a quaint little bar where they do their wine tasting. Here is issue 1 and 2. The employee that did our wine tasting was awful. She didn’t rinse out our glass between each set of wine, got the order wrong and the worst part is, she rushed us. It was like the compendium version of a normal wine tasting.
Issue number 2 and perhaps the most important one is, the wine is AWFUL. It’s the worst wine! I couldn’t even swallow the tablespoon of dessert wine (yes, that’s the tasting amount you get) we were served. They import grapes for all but ONE wine. Their awful Jack Rabbit.
Go for the scenery, but bring your own wine and if you MUST taste their wine, bring snacks to wash down the taste.

After our visit to the Calvert County Fair, we weren’t quite ready to head back to the city and wanted to prolong our time in the great outdoors. With a quick search on Unilocal,we found out that the Running Hare Vineyard was just a hop, skip, and a jump away from the fairgrounds — and, had tastings until 6 pm today (Sunday). We were quickly on our way!
To be honest, the approach to Running Hare made us a little suspicious. The narrow, poorly paved road seemed to wind on forever, with a few humorous signs posted along the way to encourage us to persevere (with sayings like, «Keep Going!», «Almost There!», «Getting Closer!»). I even expressed my doubt that a vineyard could be anywhere close. Well, we were blown away when we drove up. The wooded roads eventually gave way to orgeous, gorgeous grounds with acres of grape vines, an outdoor pavillion, and an Italian-​looking estate at the top of a hill.
In the warmer weather, wine tastings take place outside. There is a covered area where the tastings take place, and then dozens of wrought iron tables with generous umbrellas and chairs (that allow for some rocking motion!) on the grass. And — there is live music on weekends (and Monday holidays)! We had a lovely time just relaxing and taking in the tunes.
The wine tasting ($ 5) gave us a taste of seven of Running Hare’s wines. In order of tasting, we had:
–Chardonnay (very oaky)
–Pinot Grigio (nice and easy, my husband’s favorite)
–Sangiovese
–Malbec (I believe we were told these grapes are from Chile)
–Shiraz
–Riesling (I was disappointed in this as rieslings are usually my favorite — this one tasted rather weak and watery)
–Jack Rabbit White (an excellent, fruity white — good table wine. Loved it)
–Chambourcin (delicious red dessert wine. High alcohol content!)
The wine was 3 star quality in our minds, but the setting and service were really 5 stars. So, we’ll average to 4! Also worth noting is that they encourage people to bring picnics and really just hang out on the grounds and enjoy themselves. There were lots of families with little kids and a few couples with dogs, too. I loved the welcoming vibe.
We will definitely be back, hopefully with a bigger group and definitely with a picnic to enjoy with a bottle of Jack Rabbit White!

My friend got married here October 2012 and it was beautiful. The wine was amazing I had the pinot and my friends had the sangria (which they were crazy for). The staff was friendly and seemed on top of everything. The food was not what I expected but running hare didn’t cook it, they have caters come.
My boyfriend and I later came for a wine tasting, it was still cold out so we didn’t get to experience the outdoor area (which seems like a good time). The woman who was serving us was great! Funny and made us feel very comfortable. We felt a bit awkward walking inside since no one else was there, not the case with the outdoor.
I went there to pick up a few bottles of wine since we had family coming in from out of town and there were about three different groups of people sitting around having a good time in the outdoor area. If your in the area I would defiantly recommend checking it out.

I LOVE Running Hare Vineyards. I do, I really do and after my most recent hour long trip to the vineyard this past weekend with the boyfriend and pup, I love it so much I need to write a more thorough review about it.
I have followed Running Hare at multiple wine festivals and am a big lover of their reds. Boyfriend thought it would be a nice treat to take me to the vineyard that makes the wine I oh so love. It is no secret that Virginia has a plethora of vineyards but for Maryland and even considering the vineyards I have visited in Virginia, Running Hare Vineyards has a special place in my heart for many reasons:
Enter the grounds and drive quite a ways past chicken coop, duck ponds, house with barrels, it seems like quite a distance but the empathetic signs «keep going» «almost there» are entertaining and your patience (as a displaced New Yorker I have none) is handsomely rewarded.
Plenty of Parking and port-​o-​potties in case nature calls
Grapes are meticulously grown and/​or imported on grounds and you are allowed to Walk through the vineyards
BEAUTIFUL Villa sits atop a hill looking over said vineyards. You can rent out the Villa for weddings, dinners, etc. They also hold tastings here in the winter
Wine tastings run $ 5 and you get to a beautiful RH tasting glass to keep.
Staff is wonderful!
Michelle headed our tasting and was so nice, engaging, and knowledgable as she led our tasting of 9 Running Hare’s award winning wines. We sampled: Chardonnay (crisp citrus and pear/​slight oak), Pinot Grigio (smooth citrus great for summertime sipping), Sangiovese (made with the chianti grape with notes of cranberry, black cherry, cocoa and vanilla), Malbec, Shiraz (pepper, spice, plum), Jack Rabbit White (cayuga and niagara grapes make this sweet white great for sangria), Jack Rabbit Red (concord grapes give it a sweet and smooth tastes like jam), Riesling (their newest creation, loved this riesling made in the German style and not overly sweet), Chambourcin (tawny port made with sugar instead of brandy for higher alcohol %). I think the quality of their wines is outstanding and RH is sure to have something for everyone. Personally, I enjoyed a lot of their wines and especially love their reds! (if you like bold, oaky, smokey red wines like I do, this is your place) Took home bottles of Malbec, Sangiovese, Shiraz. You can order online so no fear if you drink them all! *cough cough* hi online ordering!
The outside tasting room is adorable, there is plenty of tables and chairs and umbrellas for everyone to lounge, sip some fine wine, and enjoy everything the vineyard has to offer. There are Live bands on weekends, date nights, game nights, karaōke, bring your own picnic! Fun for everyone! (kids, dogs– just make sure they behave… everyone kept coming up to say hi to Charlie and commented on how well behaved he was)
Note: They are growing hops and hope to start brewing beer. I will be there again and as soon as this happens! RH is a wonderful touch of Tuscany/​Napa Valley hidden in Maryland. Definitely recommend planning a trip to Running Hare Vineyards!

As a lot of the other lower rating reviewers have specified this place really is a beautiful vineyard setting and much better suited for having an event here or even a wedding.
As a functioning vineyard though it leaves a lot lacking. So much so that other patrons were also in agreement. I think what totally confirmed this is the fact that a couple sitting at a neighboring table had brought plastic glasses and their OWN BOTTLE OF WINE. At first we didn’t know any better and were making fun of them, little did we know they had the right idea.
We did the tasting with a snobby bartender who thought it was ridiculous that we asked if the tasting was done at the bar vs seated at the tables. His response was essentially «Duh, the wine is up here». This made it abundantly clear that they’ve probably never visited any other competing vineyards.
Their wines were all extremely difficult to enjoy. I’ve never met a Pinot Grigio that wasn’t good, but wow this opened my eyes. Overall all their whites are lacking. The reds are a safer bet here. From their tasting and explanation it seems the only wines they produce with their own grapes are the Jack Rabbit dessert wines. The rest are imported grapes. Overall I definitely didn’t think this was a good value at all with the pricing.
Come out here to hang out with your friends in a great environment with live music and beautiful décor. Just don’t come here with too much expectation of this being a producer of amazing wine.
Take this all with a grain of salt, as I consider myself far from any type of wine connoisseur. Essentially I drink wine and know what I like and dislike and that’s about it.
If you’re looking at this place purely for the venue then this can easily be a 4 or 5 star place.

Stunning vineyard with amazing views. We attended a wedding here on a windy Thursday afternoon in late May. The setting was flawless (as was the bride). The tasting area, outdoor wedding setup and main house are pristine. It was as if everything was brand new. If you are looking for a vineyard setting for your wedding, go here! They even open up the doors during the reception so you can get a clear view of the grounds. I would happily spend a sunny day here drinking some wine, sampling some cheese and just relaxing. It is dog friendly, but not high heel friendly. Ladies-​bring flip flops for the walk up to the main house and back (thank me later).
An amazing night with an even more amazing couple.

What better way to spend a beautiful than to sip wine in RHV? This place is absolutely darling! The wine tasting is only $ 5, but you can bring your own food and enjoy a picnic with friends. The wine is reasonablely priced, and you can enjoy it with a gorgeous background.
My favorite is the Jack Rabbit white wine. It is light and crisp, and it is perfect for a late summer’s day. Trust me, this place is simply beautiful and the wine is nice. Pack a picnic basket, get some friends (or a significant other), and drive to the countryside.

Wow where to start with RHV. This is an oasis that you would not expect to be located in Prince Frederick, MD. The drive in through the town does nothing but make you second guess your trip to RHV but the moment you step onto the private drive you all but forget what you just drove by.
The drive on the property is about 10 minutes of wonderful wooded property, a small barn with a few goats & chickens, a large pond with duck crossing sign, and up a steep hill that breaks into the view of the vineyard.
The property has been carefully designed to include a stunning Tuscan style building, tasting room, and wedding ceremony site. Oh and the parking is specifically hidden from view.
The tasting room presents a wonderful casual atmosphere perfect for an afternoon picnic while listening to music and tasting chocolates or viewing the vendor of that day. The wines are all drinkable and there is something for everyone to enjoy from a Malbec to a Pinot Grigio to the semi-​sweet Jack Rabbits.
The do have a tremendous amount of vines on the property which the grapes are used in a couple of their wines. However, the owners understand that you cannot grow all types of grapes in the limited Maryland growing season and specific soil. They have spent a great deal of time sourcing the best grapes to produce their wines that they make & cork on property (you drive pass the production building on the drive in). I give them high remarks for this as they produce stellar products rather than mediocre products by trying to grow grapes that are by far not meant for Maryland.
The tasting room staff is really friendly and lead by Kim who is spot on with her knowledge and is always cheerful to see. The owners routinely stop in to see the customers and are so proud of their hobby gone wild. So proud that they will spend hours talking about what they have done and what is planned.
If you can’t tell I absolutely love this place and enjoy the escape away from day to day stresses so much so that we have no hesitation driving 1.5 hours to visit.

3.5 stars.
The fact that this winery is listed as Running Hare «Vinyard» really chafes my OCD. I’ve already let HQ know, but until it changes I will continue to fret over this egregious grammatical offense.
I’ll continue to fret over the wine, too. At our RH tasting, I was impressed. I won’t get into the whole Maryland wine bias (as a Virginian, folks knocking our viticulture industry really fries me off, so I refrain from doing the same to other unconventional wine producers), but Running Hare surpassed all my MD wine expectations and then some. Our tasting guide Kim was outstanding and well-​versed in RH wines. The wines were good. In fact, of all the wineries we visited on our MD jaunt, RH was the best.
What I will mention, however, is that once we got home a few days later and opened a bottle of NV Malbec we’d purchased after enjoying it at our tasting, we found the cork dry and crumbly, and the wine fermented (in a skunked vs. aged kinda way) and off. Is it because RH imports its Malbec grapes (like so many other of its grapes) from South America and the old juice vapors killed the cork? Who knows. And yes, the occasional dry cork slips into even the best bottles of wine, but…
…the experience did nothing to augment my fledgling faith in MD wines.