Layton’s Chance

Don’t be surprised if you feel like part of the Layton family. 

The Laytons – Joe, Laura, William and Jennifer – are very welcoming. You’ll find them pouring wine in the tasting room and chatting with visitors on the beautiful wraparound porch.  

And when they invite you to hang out in their backyard, they mean it.  The Layton family still lives on the farm; they grow corn, soybeans, and wheat in addition to the grapes used for winemaking.

Layton’s Chance produces a well-rounded selection of wines, sweet and dry, red and white, and a special watermelon fruit wine.  Winemaker William’s personal favorite is the Lazy Day White, a semi-sweet wine that is perfect for summer months on the Eastern Shore. Visitors can taste two wines for free, or try them all for a nominal fee.  Layton’s Chance also mixes up unique frozen wine drinks when the weather gets warm. 

No matter what you’re looking for, Layton’s Chance is sure to offer it – they have a jam-packed event schedule that offers educational classes and hands-on vineyard experience (think planting vines and crushing grapes), events for the kids, Karaoke Happy Hour, book club, Ladies’ Night, women in business meetings, and lots of live music.  

And if you just want to enjoy a lazy day, you’re always welcome to stop by and walk the nature trail, have a picnic, or sit on the porch and sip wine.

For more information, including a complete schedule of events, visit www.laytonschance.com.

Amanda Malik is an intern with the Maryland Wineries Association (MWA). For more about MWA, visit www.marylandwine.com. This blog is part of a series spotlighting Maryland’s wineries.

Editor’s Note: I highly recommend Joe’s Cool Red and not just because Joe himself introduced it to me. Read more about my visit to Layton’s Chance here: Exploring the Chesapeake Wine Trail. -- Shannon