MD Winemaker Profiles
Throughout the year we will be profiling the characters behind the wines you buy - the winemakers of Maryland. Their stories provide great insight into Maryland wine's deep history and bright future.
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Ray Brasfield
Cygnus Wine Cellars
3130 Long Lane
113
Manchester, MD 21102
3130 Long Lane
113
Manchester, MD 21102
It takes more than passion and desire to go from an aerospace engineer to a winemaker. A niche for winemaking is just the start. The growing of a superb wine is the true infatuation that one man possesses and bestows on others.
Ray Brasfield left his familiar surroundings as an aerospace engineer in 1992 to pursue his true passion, wine. He soon had a modest home winery that quickly expanded. Brasfield opened Cygnus Wine Cellars in 1995 to accommodate his ever-growing interest. The winery’s name links back to his astronomy roots. Cygnus’ name comes from a constellation known as The Swan or the Northern Cross.Brasfield’s engineering background is not the only thing that helps in the preciseness of winemaking. He explains that people must bring a certain amount of discipline to winemaking regardless of their former careers.
"You don’t have to be a chemist or physicist, but understanding basic chemistry has been an advantage," says Brasfield. "It's a blend of art and science – there’s an artistic and a technical side," Brasfield says. "There are a lot of technically correct wines that are stylistically boring. You must take the science and merge it with a sense of style and artistry."
Brasfield is chooses grapes for blends based on the growing season, not just on what has worked in the past. He says winemaking is a "grand experiment" each vintage. Each year brings an entirely different growing season. The same grapes from the same vineyard are a little different every year."
He is an expert in the manipulation of the grape to make a great wine," says Al Copp, owner of Woodhall Wine Cellars. Brasfield made several wines for Woodhall Wine Cellars before starting Cygnus. He truly left his mark as a respectable and knowledgeable winemaker. "Ray is responsible for bringing Woodhall to a new plateau of quality," said Copp.
As Brasfield learned more and more about wine, he decided to share his knowledge. He is not only a dedicated winemaker but also a vineyard consultant. He educates and advises other grape growers about the character and quality of grapes."Better grapes from more growers benefit everyone," Brasfield says.
Ray Brasfield left his familiar surroundings as an aerospace engineer in 1992 to pursue his true passion, wine. He soon had a modest home winery that quickly expanded. Brasfield opened Cygnus Wine Cellars in 1995 to accommodate his ever-growing interest. The winery’s name links back to his astronomy roots. Cygnus’ name comes from a constellation known as The Swan or the Northern Cross.Brasfield’s engineering background is not the only thing that helps in the preciseness of winemaking. He explains that people must bring a certain amount of discipline to winemaking regardless of their former careers.
"You don’t have to be a chemist or physicist, but understanding basic chemistry has been an advantage," says Brasfield. "It's a blend of art and science – there’s an artistic and a technical side," Brasfield says. "There are a lot of technically correct wines that are stylistically boring. You must take the science and merge it with a sense of style and artistry."
Brasfield is chooses grapes for blends based on the growing season, not just on what has worked in the past. He says winemaking is a "grand experiment" each vintage. Each year brings an entirely different growing season. The same grapes from the same vineyard are a little different every year."
He is an expert in the manipulation of the grape to make a great wine," says Al Copp, owner of Woodhall Wine Cellars. Brasfield made several wines for Woodhall Wine Cellars before starting Cygnus. He truly left his mark as a respectable and knowledgeable winemaker. "Ray is responsible for bringing Woodhall to a new plateau of quality," said Copp.
As Brasfield learned more and more about wine, he decided to share his knowledge. He is not only a dedicated winemaker but also a vineyard consultant. He educates and advises other grape growers about the character and quality of grapes."Better grapes from more growers benefit everyone," Brasfield says.
