Jewell Towne Vineyards

Last updated
Jewell Towne Vineyards Jewell Towne Vineyards, Amesbury MA.jpg
Jewell Towne Vineyards

Jewell Towne Vineyards is a winery in the state of New Hampshire. The property is located on the hills overlooking the Powwow River a few miles from the Atlantic Ocean. The property is the oldest currently producing winery in New Hampshire, [1] [2] [3] [4] and is seen as a leader in establishing northern New England cold hardy cultivars. [5]

Contents

The sun setting over Jewell Towne Vineyards on a winter evening. The varietals in the vineyard are unaffected by winter snows. Vineyardwintersunset.jpg
The sun setting over Jewell Towne Vineyards on a winter evening. The varietals in the vineyard are unaffected by winter snows.

History

In 1982 Peter Oldak of South Hampton, New Hampshire, a former emergency room physician, planted six grapevines [1] [6] in his backyard to complement his small garden and orchard. [7] With time he concluded the microclimate of his 13 acres (5.3 ha) property was very similar to that of the Finger Lakes region of New York and was well suited to growing grapes, despite common misconceptions. [2] [7]

In 1994 Jewell Towne Vineyards became a licensed commercial enterprise, [2] [8] and the first 40 cases were released. [2] Having made the wine in the Oldak home basement until 1996, [6] the construction of a winery was completed in 1999, containing a wine cellar, bottling room, a large tasting room and a balcony used as an art gallery to exhibit work from local artists. [2]

Since 1994 Jewell Towne Vineyards wines have won an array of awards from national competitions and state fairs. [2] [7] [9] [10] [11]

Oldak has also formed the New Hampshire Winery Association, aiming to support local vintners, [12] and works with the University of New Hampshire teaching viticulture and winemaking. [1] [2]

In 2018, it was reported that Peter Oldak and his wife Brenda were going to stop producing wines and sell off their remaining stock so that they could go into retirement. [13]

Production

Initially experimenting with more than sixty grape varieties, [1] the number was eventually reduced to approximately twenty of varieties deemed most promising by 1990. [6] While a varied selection of grape varieties, there is an emphasis on cold hardy varieties, [5] but also Vitis vinifera varieties, such as Chardonnay, Gewürztraminer and Riesling. [7] Among the cultivated hybrids are Aurore, Seyval, Vidal blanc, Vignoles and Marechal Foch. [1] Oldak has declared a mission to bring Landot noir back to respectability. [14] The winery produces between 18 and 20 types of wine. [13] In addition to red and white varietal wines, the winery produces blush and ice wines, [1] [8] and a "port" that is made from the Chancellor grape.

By the early 2000s, Jewell Towne produced 35,000 bottles a year, [2] requiring more fruit than can possibly be cultivated on the 5-acre (2.0 ha) vineyard, and therefore imported roughly 70% of the grapes from New York and California. [12] However, in 2010 they decreased the amount of wine produced so that they could use only fruit grown on the 5-acre property. [15] As the state line dividing New Hampshire and Massachusetts runs through the property, some of the wines bear "New Hampshire 50% & Massachusetts 50%" on the label. [1]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aurore (grape)</span> Variety of grape

Aurore is a white complex hybrid grape variety produced by French viticulturist Albert Seibel and used for wine production mostly in the United States and Canada. Over a long lifetime, Seibel produced many complex hybrid crosses of Vitis vinifera to American grapes. The Aurore grape is a cross of Seibel 788 and Seibel 29.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Argentine wine</span> Fifth largest producer of wine in the world

Argentina is the fifth largest producer of wine in the world. Argentine wine, as with some aspects of Argentine cuisine, has its roots in colonial Spain, as well in the subsequent large Spanish and Italian immigration which installed its mass consumption. During the Spanish colonization of the Americas, vine cuttings were brought to Santiago del Estero in 1557, and the cultivation of the grape and wine production stretched first to neighboring regions, and then to other parts of the country.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Illinois wine</span> Wine made from grapes grown in Illinois, United States

Illinois wine refers to any wine that is made from grapes grown in the U.S. state of Illinois. In 2006, Shawnee Hills, in southern Illinois, was named the state's first American Viticultural Area. As of 2008, there were 79 wineries in Illinois, utilizing approximately 1,100 acres (4.5 km2) of vines.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Washington wine</span> Wine produced from grape varieties grown in the U.S. state of Washington

Washington wine is a wine produced from grape varieties grown in the U.S. state of Washington. Washington ranks second in the United States in the production of wine. By 2017, the state had over 55,000 acres (220 km2) of vineyards, a harvest of 229,000 short tons (208,000 t) of grapes, and exports going to over 40 countries around the world from the 940+ wineries located in the state. While there are some viticultural activities in the cooler, wetter western half of the state, the majority (99.9%) of wine grape production takes place in the shrub-steppe eastern half. The rain shadow of the Cascade Range leaves the Columbia River Basin with around 8 inches (200 mm) of annual rain fall, making irrigation and water rights of paramount interest to the Washington wine industry. Viticulture in the state is also influenced by long sunlight hours and consistent temperatures.

The state of Oregon in the United States has established an international reputation for its production of wine, ranking fourth in the country behind California, Washington, and New York. Oregon has several different growing regions within the state's borders that are well-suited to the cultivation of grapes; additional regions straddle the border between Oregon and the states of Washington and Idaho. Wine making dates back to pioneer times in the 1840s, with commercial production beginning in the 1960s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sonoma County wine</span> Wine made in Sonoma County, California

Sonoma County wine is wine made in Sonoma County, California, in the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paso Robles AVA</span> Appelation that designates wine in San Luis Obispo County, California

Paso Robles is the third American Viticultural Area (AVA) located in San Luis Obispo (SLO) County, California. It was established by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF), Treasury on November 3, 1983 based on a petition submitted by Martin Brothers Winery. The area encompasses 609,673 acres (953 sq mi) with approximately 18,500 acres (7,487 ha) cultivated with wine grapes known for their heritage varietal Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Rhône-style wines.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New Hampshire wine</span>

New Hampshire wine refers to wine made from grapes grown in the U.S. state of New Hampshire.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">California wine</span> Wine made from grapes grown in California, United States

California wine production has a rich viticulture history since 1680 when Spanish Jesuit missionaries planted Vitis vinifera vines native to the Mediterranean region in their established missions to produce wine for religious services. In the 1770s, Spanish missionaries continued the practice under the direction of the Father Junípero Serra who planted California's first vineyard at Mission San Juan Capistrano.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">El Dorado AVA</span> Appelation that designates wine in El Dorado County, California

El Dorado is an American Viticultural Area (AVA) located in El Dorado County, California, east of the state’s capital, Sacramento and centered around the county seat of Placerville. It was established on November 14, 1983 by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Treasury after approving the submitted petition from the El Dorado Wine Grape Growers Association of Camino, California applying to establish a viticultural area named "El Dorado.” The area includes parts of El Dorado County on the north border by the Middle Fork American River and on the south by the South Fork of the Cosumnes River. El Dorado viticultural area lies within the vast 4,062 square miles Sierra Foothills viticultural area, one of the largest appellations in California, which extends about 170 miles (274 km) through portions of Yuba, Nevada, Placer, El Dorado, Amador, Calaveras, Tuolumne and Mariposa Counties. The El Dorado viticultural area encompasses 1,093,120 acres (1,708 sq mi) which entirely includes Fair Play and a small portion of northeastern California Shenandoah Valley AVAs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">British Columbia wine</span> Canadian wine produced in the province of British Columbia

British Columbia wine is Canadian wine produced in the province of British Columbia. Wines made from 100% British Columbia grapes can qualify for classification under one of British Columbia's two classification systems, depending on the variety, the winemaking techniques employed, and various other restrictions.

Nassau Valley Vineyards was the first winery in the state of Delaware in the United States, and is currently the largest in the state. When jazz singer Peggy Raley decided to open a winery in Delaware, she first had to get the local state legislature to pass a law allowing wineries in the state. By 1991 she drafted the necessary legislation, and she obtained a license and opened the vineyard in 1993. Until October 2007, when Pizzadili Winery opened, it was the first and only winery in the state. There are eight acres of property at the site, and it caters to the beach-bound tourist traffic in the area.

Flag Hill Distillery & Winery is located in Lee, New Hampshire, United States. It is the largest vineyard in the state. Flag Hill was the first legal distillery in New Hampshire after Prohibition.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Prince Edward County wine</span> Protected class of Canadian alcoholic beverage

Prince Edward County Wine is produced in Prince Edward County (PEC) located in south eastern part of southern Ontario, the most southerly part of Canada. Prince Edward County was designated as the fourth and newest Designated Viticultural Area (DVA) in Ontario in 2007. A DVA is a wine-producing region for which rules and regulations are set down by the Vintners Quality Alliance (VQA) of Ontario. VQA Ontario is an organization officially delegated by the government of Ontario to administer and enforce the Vintners Quality Alliance Act, 1999 There are currently some 42 commercial wineries and over 50 wine grape growers in Prince Edward County, cultivating more than 700 acres of vineyard, producing 757 tons of grapes and 6130 hectolitres of wine annually.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Boushey Vineyard</span> Vineyard in Washington

Boushey Vineyard is a grape-growing estate located in the Yakima Valley AVA, north of Grandview, Washington. Grapes grown in the vineyard have been used to produce some of the most critically acclaimed Washington wines with the name Boushey regularly being featured on vineyard designated wines. Paul Gregutt, wine writer for the Seattle Times and Wine Enthusiast, list Boushey as one of the "top ten" vineyards in the entire state. The vineyard is owned and managed by viticulturist Dick Boushey who was honored in 2002 by the Washington State Wine Commission as Washington's "Grower of the Year" and in 2007 by Wine & Spirits as their "Grower of the Year". After Red Willow Vineyard, which was planted with David Lake and Mike Sauer, Boushey was one of the first Washington wine growers to plant Syrah. Today, Boushey Vineyard is considered by wine experts such as Jon Bonné to be "One of the state's top Syrah spots" with many Washington Syrahs made from Boushey's grape receiving critical acclaim.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cecil O. De Loach Jr.</span> American grape-grower and winemaker

Cecil O. De Loach Jr. is a California grape-grower and winemaker in the Russian River Valley AVA who has contributed to the reputation and notoriety of Sonoma County viticulture.

Landot noir is a red hybrid grape variety that is a crossing of Landal and Villard blanc. Created after a series of trials between 1929-1949, the grape was introduced to Canada and the United States in the 1950s and today can be found in Quebec as well as New Hampshire where a varietal is produced by Jewell Towne Vineyards.

Lewis-Clark Valley is Idaho's third American Viticultural Areas (AVA) officially established by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB), Treasury on May 20, 2016. It borders the northern part of the established Columbia Valley AVA. The region encompasses 479 square miles with nearly 100 acres (40 ha) under vine throughout the Lewis-Clark Valley between the Clearwater and mid-Snake Rivers and their tributaries. About 72%, 219,838 acres (343.497 sq mi), is located in Idaho with the rest in Washington. The topography consists primarily of deep, V-notched canyons, low plateaus, and bench lands formed by the two rivers. There were 3 wineries within the appellation, as well as 16 commercially-producing vineyards with elevations approximately below 2,000 feet (610 m). Lewis-Clark Valley boundaries forced the realignment of the existing Columbia Valley viticultural area by expanding into its area based on topography, climate and soil conditions. The realignment more accurately separated the terroir differences between the two appellations. Roughly about 72% of Lewis-Clark Valley is located in Idaho and the rest in Washington.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Santa Barbara County wine</span> Wine region in California, US

Santa Barbara County wine is an appellation that designates wine made from grapes grown mostly in Santa Barbara County, California which is located approximately 50 miles (80 km) north of Los Angeles County. County names in the United States automatically qualify as legal appellations of origin for wine produced from grapes grown in that county and do not require registration with the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) of the Treasury Department. TTB was created in January 2003, when the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, or ATF, was extensively reorganized under the provisions of the Homeland Security Act of 2002.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Cattell, Hudson. Wine East. appellationamerica.com ( Jan-Feb 2004 ). The Wineries of New Hampshire
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Bisceglia, Mike, Jr.Seacoastonline.com (July 17, 2007). Recapturing area's wine-making past
  3. Cattell, Hudson, Wines & Vines (December 8, 2008). "New Hampshire Producers Stand Together".{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  4. Zraly, Kevin (2006). Kevin Zraly's American Wine Guide. New York: Sterling. p. 116. ISBN   1-4027-2585-X.
  5. 1 2 Seacoastonline.com (February 26, 2008). Jewell Towne Vineyards produces new wine
  6. 1 2 3 DeVito, Carlo (2004). East Coast Wineries: A Complete Guide from Maine to Virginia. Rutgers University Press. pp. 46–47. ISBN   978-0-8135-3312-4.
  7. 1 2 3 4 Dial, Adam, appellationamerica.com (March 11, 2004). Dr. Peter Oldak – Laying a Solid Foundation for New Hampshire Viticulture
  8. 1 2 "The time is ripe." New Hampshire Union Leader (Manchester, NH) September 27, 2004, State, Business: C1.
  9. Forrest, harriet, The Hampton Union (April 20, 2004). Sip & Sample Archived 2005-09-04 at the Wayback Machine
  10. Craig, Steve, The Hampton Union (September 30, 2003). Wine-making hobby harvests delicious rewards Archived 2006-03-21 at the Wayback Machine
  11. "South Hampton vintner wins 7 medals." New Hampshire Union Leader (Manchester, NH) August 30, 2004, State, Business: C2.
  12. 1 2 Wacker, Tim, Boston Globe (November 5, 2006). Splendor in a glass: The romance of wine-making appeals to growing crop of N.E. vintners
  13. 1 2 Shea, Jack. "Owners of Jewell Towne Vineyard easing into retirement". The Daily News of Newburyport. Retrieved 2023-04-07.
  14. Chien, Mark, jancisrobinson.com (November 17, 2006). In praise of grape varietal diversity Archived 2008-12-08 at the Wayback Machine
  15. Sullivan, Max. "Last call for Jewell Towne Vineyards". Portsmouth Herald. Retrieved 2023-04-07.

42°52′17.5″N70°57′34.6″W / 42.871528°N 70.959611°W / 42.871528; -70.959611