In both time and space (to my house, that is). After months of little progress in finishing out their new space in Ashton, construction is once again full steam ahead. The Olney Winery is planning for an opening this Spring. When I talked to Ed Jarboe, one of the owners, last month, he was shooting for March.
I’ve been familiar with the winery since they opened ten years ago. Although they closed their original tasting room in Olney, they continue to make and bottle wines at their facility in Beltsville and sell them in stores and at events and festivals around the area. The full experience will soon be available once again at their new tasting room in Ashton.
There will be trivia nights, live music, private events (with a dedicated space), and fresh-baked pizza produced in a very impressive Italian oven imported from Naples. Also: a weekly yappy hour on the new patio. The “wine-making experience,” continuing from their first days, will allow everyone to mix their own ferments, then bottle the result using their personalized private label.
Their commitment to supporting local businesses is revealed in their sourcing of ingredients for their food offerings; an agreement with Lone Oak Brewery to provide beer; and one unique piece of furniture: a table from an old local mill, donated by Nichols Contracting (they used it as a conference table), a reminder of the first industrial development of Montgomery County.
The latest news about the opening date will be available on their website and facebook page, which also has some photos of the work in progress.
