Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/267019
3 0 V I N E YA R D & W I N E RY M A N A G E M E N T | M a r - A p r 2 014 w w w. v w m m e d i a . c o m yard and starting over. One of Mor- ton's most newsworthy clients is Maryland's Boordy Vineyards in Hydes, one of the oldest estates in the East. Established in 1945, Boordy is now undergoing a com- plete transformation that includes r e p l a n t i n g i t s v i n e y a r d s a n d revamping its winemaking opera- tion, everything at a cost of more than $3.3 million. The new setup will expand the winery's annual capacity by one- third, to about 160,000 gallons. However, according to Boordy's owner, Rob Deford, the makeover is principally a shift from quantity to quality. He refers to his "road to Damascus" moment, which came in 2005 when he began tasting wines made by some of Morton's clients. Convinced by her replant with better vines, and to space them closer together, Deford is now a convert to the Lucie Method. When she was asked during the opening of the new Boordy about the importance of the investment, Morton answered: "The fact that Rob Deford believed top-quality wines were only possible if he grew his own Maryland fruit is an affirmation understood by connois- seurs that there is a quantum dif- ference between wines of place versus commodity wines." Like many gifted people, Morton appears capable of shrugging off criticism with equanimity, though not necessarily indifference. "I welcome people challeng- ing me," she said. "It keeps me sharp. It makes me say why I think something is true. Especially when you've achieved some credibility, you have to be very careful. The rumor mill can get pretty intense, and the truth is that people don't want to hear bad news. But shoot- ing the messenger doesn't solve the problem. Calling me a 'charla- tan', as has happened, isn't useful to the conversation." What's the best way to convince critics to pay attention to Morton? Kevin Atticks, the executive direc- tor of the Maryland Wineries Asso- ciation, suggested that skeptics should taste the wine. "The depth of Lucie's knowledge is found in the bottles of wine made from her handiwork," he wrote in an e-mail. "Her advice is advanced far ahead of that provided to the industry through seminars and other consul- tants. I don't know of anyone who doesn't think she's great." Viticulturist, author, speaker, problem solver – what else might this exceptional woman lay claim to? I have it on good authority that she is a talented sushi-roll artist. And that she also makes a mean lentil loaf. Marguerite Thomas is a Bal- t i m o r e - b a s e d j o u r n a l i s t a n d p h o t o g r a p h e r w h o c o n t r i b u t e s wine-related articles to several national and international publi- cations. She is the author of the books "Wineries of the Eastern States" and "Visiting East Coast Wineries." Comments? Please e-mail us at feedback@vwmmedia.com. On Morton's recommendation, Boordy Vineyards in Maryland is replanting its vine- yards to better vines, with closer spacing. EAST COAST WATCH MARGUERITE THOMAS