Friday September 30th marks the first day of the 16th annual Wine Fest at the Beach. The two-day event takes place at the inlet in Ocean City, MD and features wineries, craft beer, food vendors, and entertainment. Tickets are $25 and include a commemorative tasting glass and sample coupons. The local region is represented by Fenwick Wine Cellars, of Fenwick Island, DE. St. Michaels Winery joins them, as the only coastal vineyards representing from the Eastern Shore. This event is just one of the many in a series of opportunities that has proven to be very successful for Fenwick Wine Cellars.
It hasn’t even been two years since Fenwick Wine Cellars opened their doors—that’s an anniversary to be celebrated in January—but the business has surpassed even their own expectations for growth. Practically since opening day, the winery has been called upon to participate in various events—traveling on-site has really become a major component of their business. In the past month, the winery has been a vendor at the Taste of Newark–an event they were asked to participate in after the town’s mayor visited the winery personally and sampled the wine; the Farmer and Foodie event in Georgetown, DE, and now Wine Fest at the Beach this weekend. The winery spent the summer joining forces at the Freeman Stage at Bayside, supplying wine for many of their major concerts.
Looking forward into October, there’s no shortage of events on Fenwick Wine Cellar’s calendar, beginning with a wine pairing dinner on October 15th at the winery, the Delaware Wine Festival in Felton, DE on the 23rd, and Hallo “Wine” on the 29th. The latter is an evening full of festive fun—hayrides, food, the Bad Band Mojo, a bonfire, haunted vineyard, and wine from the Four on the Shore. The event is being held at Costa Ventosa Vineyard in Whaleyville, Md. A portion of the proceeds goes to the PJ Aldridge Foundation.
Fenwick Wine Cellars has a smart approach to marketing their product—they believe in joining forces with other businesses in their industry, bringing awareness and opportunities for all. The Hallo”Wine” is just one example of their partnership with the Four on the Shore, comprised of four Eastern Shore vineyards–Costa Ventosa, Layton’s Chance, Bordeleau, and Fenwick Wine Cellars. They are also a participating business in the Delaware Wine and Ale Trail.
Events have become such a focus for the winery—who also hosts many original evenings at their storefront—that they are perhaps one day in the future considering a move to a larger facility to accommodate larger groups and even weddings. The need is there, the perfect location is yet to be found. In the meantime, the winery is looking forward to being able to bottle their wine on premise—something they were previously prohibited from doing, due to zoning.
Fenwick Wine Cellars owner, Adrian Mobilia is a fourth generation farmer who grew up on his family’s 200-acre farm on the shores of Lake Erie, Pennsylvania. The farm progressed into the next facet of the family business in 1999, when they produced their first bottle of wine under their Arrowhead label. Mobilia, after marrying wife Shannon who lived in Ocean City, decided to bring the family business further south, a decision that’s proven to be very successful.
Visit Fenwick Wine Cellars at Wine Fest on the Beach this weekend, or at their storefront on rt. 54.
