It’s been 70 years since Susan Watson White’s parents purchased land in Brandywine to start a family farm. “Our family has been farming since 1955, when Mom and Dad got married, bought the farm and started our business,” Susan says. “Over the years, we’ve diversified in different areas of agriculture, beginning with tobacco farming, then adding a hog operation with 400 to 500 hogs on the property, as well as agritourism.”
Her parents, Russell and Shirley Watson, eventually added a nursery business, growing 100 acres of shade and ornamental trees, and 20 acres of shrubbery. It was a successful endeavor for years, but as life and circumstances changed, so did the farm. Susan’s father passed away unexpectedly in 2005, and five years later the nursery was phased out. Her mother divided up the family farm between the siblings.
For her 70-acre parcel, Susan was looking for new business opportunities that would keep the farm in agriculture. She identified a promising path — starting an estate vineyard and winery in addition to a barn wedding venue. After extensive research and guidance from agricultural agencies, she partnered with niece Shelby Watson-Hampton and her husband, Wade Hampton, to establish Robin Hill Farm and Vineyards. She met her husband Bob White at a grape growers meeting and he joined the team as partner and winemaker. They planted the first vines in 2014; the 5 acre vineyard contains 3,100 vines, featuring grape varieties specifically chosen to thrive in Southern Maryland’s humid climate — such as Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Chambourcin, Vidal Blanc, Chardonel and Chenin Blanc.
“We had to establish the vineyard, grow the grapes, wait a few years for a crop to harvest, and then make the wine before there was any financial return,” Susan says. “We harvest by hand. Each fall we go out into the vineyard with our harvesting shears, clip the clusters by hand and place them in a bin. The grapes are taken straight to the winery crush pad, where they get processed and ready for fermentation. It’s a lot of work, but we enjoy the fruits of our labor and toast to the harvest when the day is done.”
Three years later, the winery’s tasting room, originally a tobacco barn, was officially open, serving a selection of the farm’s six wines. “In our first year, one of our wines won best in class in the Maryland Comptrollers Cup, and since then, we have gained many accolades and awards. We just recently won the 2024 Maryland Governor’s Cup Wine Competition,” Susan says.
What began as a traditional tobacco farm has evolved into a dynamic, family-run winery that honors the land. With every harvest, Robin Hill Farm and Vineyards reflects the family’s deep agricultural roots — one glass at a time.
Hungry for more? Read about a Maryland nursery. Learn more about a local winery. Find a winery near you.
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