Old Westminster Winery — Attraction in Maryland

I wanted to update this review and change it because the establishment has changed quite a bit. The atmosphere has completely changed. It used to be a spot with a large number of smaller tables and you did not need a reservation to get a seat. Wine club members were encouraged to have a glass wine and relax while picking up their allotment, and families regularly brought their dogs and some folding chairs to sit on blankets and enjoy the grounds. Now they almost exclusively cater to large parties (10-12) with fees for reservations and you will absolutely need a reservation to get a table. The smallest tables they have support 4 people and again require reservations and have time limits. I took my wife and another couple there this past weekend and it took a solid 30-33 minutes before wine even touched our lips. We ordered 3 flights, which by the way are not custom and you cannot make changes, and a bottle of my favorite red. Not only did it take half an hour for the order to come out, it was delivered by someone other than our server who did not even know which flights were which or who got them. The wine is delicious and the grounds look great. We ordered two pizzas which were really good but ran into another problem. We needed more wine, so when the server came over to check on us we ordered two individual glasses of wine for the ladies and my friend and I got another bottle of red. 25 minutes later I had to call the server over to ask where the order was and tried to at least get a water refill as we had food to eat and it was getting cold. She informed me that she was incredibly busy and she forgot to even put the order in for our wine. We received the wine and water within about 5-7 additional minutes but she took that opportunity to inform us we had 15 mins left at the table, after knowingly delaying us almost an hour thus far. Perhaps its just me and my wife due to our experience in the service industry, but I cannot stand being told you are busy as an excuse for failing to do your job. She was not even running the food, her job was to simply function as a middle man to communicate our order to the bar. There was also another young lady who was clearing our table, though to be honest her attire was a little inappropriate for the atmosphere with the bottom of her buttocks showing out the bottom of her shorts while she was standing, let alone reaching over the tables. Previously the family members of the owners were always working and were extremely professional and polite. Of course we looked at our bill and there it was, an automatic 20% service added to the bill totaling just over $60.00 for a four top. Perhaps I am old fashioned, but when did service charges automatically come at 20% and not 15-18%? I seriously contemplated being a "Karen" and asking the young lady if she thought her performance was on par with the fee but thought better of it.

(Four Years Ago )My wife and I are huge fans of winery days. When we first moved to Maryland we made it our goal to visit as many wineries on the wine trail. I want to say weve hit more than 50 wineries in the state. Westminster is by far our hands down favorite. The location is perfect, very open with indoor and outdoor seating. They can accommodate couples or large gatherings. Their staff is always friendly and attentive. We belong to their wine club and honestly, I dont think weve ever had a wine we didnt love. My wife is somewhat more selective than me in terms of taste and they have the largest selection of her favorite wines. The fact that you can bring your own snacks also makes them an ideal spot for picnics. Dont worry, they also have some snacks they offer as well if you forget the cooler. They wine list is regularly changing so if you find your favorite stock up. They also offer a military discount which personally goes a long way. If you do want to maximize discounts just join their wine club...

I am a long time member of Old Westminster Winery, and Friday evening, 4/28/23 I invited a couple to join my husband and me for a wine tasting, food and share a bottle of wine or so. What a major disappointment. After reserving a table weeks in advance, we waited for them to prepare our table..got bounced to several tables...it was very empty, yet oodles of staff...so they were not prepared. We ordered a small cheese tray--DON'T!...for $35 a major disappointment... small and nothing special... we ordered an American Pie pizza...DON'T! The outside crust was burnt and the middle was soggy...one dime size slice of meat per slice. ...another overpriced disappointment.

The Hilltop wine was OK..for $43 ......I would drink it again...but there are alot of other above average wines I would enjoy before spending money on this one. ...another positive is the restrooms were clean...staff pleasant, and the place is attractive.

After all this, I was charged a 10% gratuity, and noone came to our table to take our order. We had to leave our table, go to another room and up to the register for orders and service. Normally, I leave a fine tip...but this entire experience, excluding the great company of my guests, was terrible. I used to go to OWW regularly, it was fun, you could bring your own food, listen to live music and enjoy their wine. There was no live music like Fridays in the past...and you're forced to eat their food.

The next day, or so, I got a "send feedback" email from OWW about their service and to post if you liked your experience or to send them an email if disappointed. So, I sent OWW an email and shared this information with them. Sarah returned my email to say she was sorry and hopes that I return. I'm spending over $100 again for more of this? I think not. If I could rate my Friday evening experience as a "0", I would. Invest your entertainment $$$ elsewhere. I'm canceling...

We recently moved to the area after living directly next to Boordy Vineyard for the last 3-4 years. We were very excited to try old westminster winery and reserved a heated tent for a party of four. Our server was very nice although the system of tipping is very odd. Our server struggled to explain it, but I think they charge 10% then another 10% but give you can option to raise it above 10% (really its 20%). I have no complaints about the server as he was very friendly. He apologized about the very confusing tipping structure and we happily tipped him very well.

The venue and location is also very good. It's a great spot and the tents are very nice although somewhat pricey.

The main reason for the 3/5 review was the food and wine.

2/3 of our pizzas tasted pretty burnt. I realize they're wood fired but perhaps they were wood fired a couple minutes too long.

Our cheese plate was great but pretty small for $35.

We got some take home desserts and they were pretty dry, especially the $9 cookie bar. It was very disappointing and I really wanted to love it but I couldn't.

I did not drink as I was DDing, but all 3 other guests were not super impressed with most of the wine in the flights.

With the reservation fee, wine, and food, we easily cleared $300 and only 3 people in the party were drinking. I don't mind spending money for quality food, but honestly I was kind of disappointed with everything other than the one pizza that was not burnt. If all 3 pizzas were cooked the same, it would have been great.

Overall, it's a good place to visit and we will probably go back and give it a second chance. I will be sure to update my review if the second visit is better.

Atmosphere and views 5/5 Food Taste and Value 3/5 Wine 3/5 Service...