Md. winery owners enjoy sharing the craft, story and passion of their business [Video]

There were a few years there when Karen Smith and Hal Roche were regulars at Serpent Ridge Vineyard in Maryland’s Carroll County, both as consumers and volunteers.

Meanwhile, they had their days jobs as “Corporate America” IT managers, adding up to more than 65 years of combined experience (in technology, marketing, human resources and a previous Navy Career).

But at some point, they started looking more seriously at the wine industry as a vocation rather than just a destination, and when the 4-year-old Serpent Ridge Vineyard became available for purchase in 2013, they pounced.

In the years that followed they wore two hats, maintaining their day jobs while taking over a winery with an almost 10-year-old vineyard and a customer base familiar with the wines and the bucolic location tucked back into the woods at 2962 Nicodemus Road.

While Roche continued his education in vineyard management, Smith secured her winemaking certificate from Penn State Berks.

As Smith said in an email this …