Lisa Hinton, Drew Baker, and Ashli Johnson the siblings who run Old Westminster have been pushing the envelope of the wine world since they burst on the scene. They began production in 2013 and opened their doors to the public in 2015. They have been visionaries from the very beginning. They were among the first (and the best) at producing Petillant Naturel, and a bunch of other interesting forays liked canned wine, etc. No matter what they tried, their goal was to make aromatic wines, with great body and great character. And they largely succeeded
(Clockwise from top left: Ashli Johnson; Drew Baker and daughter;
me and Lisa Hinton; and me and Drew Baker)
Burnt Hill is a 177-acre farm, vineyard, and winery in Clarksburg, Maryland. The farm is dedicated to regenerative agriculture, cultivating wine grapes, woodland hogs, honey bees, and heritage grains, with a focus on producing natural wines. The farm officially opened to the public on September 6, 2025, and reservations are required for visits.
In 2017, I joined many other wine writers and bloggers at the Drink Local/Taste Camp 2017 in Maryland. One of the featured wineries was the new Old Westminster Winery which featured some spectacular wines. As a special treat we were invited to sample some of their wines on their special new project - Burnt Hill Vineyard - which was selected to be a special new site and a completely separate entity from Old Westminster. We stood in fields of weeds and grasses as Drew Baker explained their vision for their farm. It seemed a little ambitious, but it was a long term project, and exciting.
Just a few weeks ago I was lucky enough to be invited to part take in their inaugural weekend welcoming guests to the new Burnt Hill Vineyard. I was greeted by Ashli and Drew (Lisa was not present - imagine having the temerity to make wine during harvest season).
The Baker siblings have endured marriages, birth, sickness - and the building of a brand new winery with grace and faith. But they have pulled this off beautifully.
The evening started out with the Old Westminster Burnt Hill Blanc de Blanc. A lovely, fruity, floral bubbly, with incredible fruit that lingered and lingered. Dry and with zippy acidity, the fruit just lasted and lasted. A wonderful, fine sparkler. It was a great accompaniment to celebrating old friends and making new ones.
The new event and tasting rooms at Burnt Hill are something out of a James Bond film. Modern, lush, deluxe, where nature meets modern. The main tasting room looks like a modern barn from the outside, augmented by stone, plants, and glass. The building seems perfectly at home in its surroundings. On the inside the large glass panes easily recall a Windows on the World effect, with nature and distant mountains the featured view. It is both inspiring and impactful.
Burnt Hill Farm is as much about food and experience as much as it is about wine. The fresh, hot loaf of Burnt Hill Turkey Red Sourdough bread. Turkey Hard Red Winter Wheat is an heirloom grain that dates back to 1874 first planted by Mennonites in Kansas. The grain was a dominant wheat for almost 70 years. The bread is made from grain grown on the farm. It was accompanied by sesame brown butter tinged with Burnt Hill honey and/or an herb butter tinged with lemon. Everything was delicious.
There are three wines that are only available at Burnt Hill. They are made entirely of fruit grown on the farm.
The first wine I tasted was Burnt Hill Earthsong 2021, a Pinot Noir (93%) tinged with 7% Cabernet Franc. The wine was exceptional. A lovely, aromatic, earthy Pinot Noir with notes of blueberry, lavender, and cherry. There were spices and notes of vanilla and a nice small touch of tannin. An exceptional wine.
Maybe my favorite wine of the night was the Burnt Hill 2021 GM-358 Barrel 8, a single barrel of estate Gamay. This was a lovely,, soft red, approachable and sumptuous. The wine was bright, with red and black cherry and raspberry, and big notes of strawberry. There were also beautiful floral notes, and even some earthy ones as well. An outstanding medium bodied red, with bright acidity, and low tannins. This was an incredibly fresh, juicy, and easy-drinking wine. Absolutely fell in love with it.
Burnt Hill Terrafirma 2021 is a big red blend of 54% Merlot, 27% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Cabernet Franc, and 5% Tannat. This was a terrific wine, with great power and depth, but also layered, with great complexity and balance. Dark notes of raspberry, cherry, and cassis. There were notes of vanilla and dark cherry on the finish, after notes of spice and impressive tannins. The Tannat is a great addition to this blend, adding notes of deep fruit like prune and lekvar. Overall, a big, impressive wine that begs for steak, roasts, or big Italian pasta dishes. A terrific wine.
There are four Old Westminster Burnt Hill offerings. Flora, Nectar, Suncatcher, and Solstice are also offered. All very, very tasty.
Burnt Hill is a new milestone for east coast wine. The farm is regenerative and self contained. It melds the surrounding beauty of the area, along with its actual flavors - whether its wine, grain, honey, and many other items (livestock etc.). It is an experience that has to be tried at least once. It raises the stakes for east coast wine. In fact, it raises the stakes for winemaking nationwide. It sets a new standard for a culinary afternoon or evening. The beauty, the wine, the food, the setting. It sets a new bar, a new level of gastronomic exploration.
Burnt Hill is not just a winery. It is a culinary world unto itself in the best possible way.