Jewell Towne Vineyards
Encyclopedia
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, and is seen as a leader in establishing northern New England cold hardy cultivar
s.
, a former emergency room physician, planted six grapevine
s in his backyard to complement his small garden and orchard. 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.
In 1994 Jewell Towne Vineyards became a licensed commercial enterprise, and the first 40 cases were released. Having made the wine in the Oldak home basement until 1996, 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.
Since 1994 Jewell Towne Vineyards wines have won an array of awards from national competitions and state fairs.
Oldak has also formed the New Hampshire Winery Association, aiming to support local vintners, and works with the University of New Hampshire
teaching viticulture
and winemaking
.
varieties, such as Chardonnay
, Gewürztraminer
and Riesling
. Among the cultivated hybrids are Aurore, Seyval, Vidal Blanc
, Vignoles
and Baco noir
. Oldak has declared a mission to bring Landot noir back to respectability. In addition to red and white varietal
wines, the winery produces blush and ice wine
s, and a "port"
that is a 50-50 blend of Baco noir and Rougeon.
Jewell Towne produces 35,000 bottles a year, requiring more fruit than can possibly be cultivated on the 5 acres (2 ha) vineyard, and therefore imports roughly 70% of the grapes from New York
and California
. 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.
Winery
A winery is a building or property that produces wine, or a business involved in the production of wine, such as a wine company. Some wine companies own many wineries. Besides wine making equipment, larger wineries may also feature warehouses, bottling lines, laboratories, and large expanses of...
in the state of New Hampshire
New Hampshire
New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...
. The property is located on the hills overlooking the Powwow River
Powwow River
The Powwow River is a river located in New Hampshire and Massachusetts in the United States. It is a tributary of the Merrimack River, part of the Gulf of Maine watershed.-River course:...
a few miles from the Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
. The property is the oldest currently producing winery in New Hampshire, and is seen as a leader in establishing northern New England cold hardy cultivar
Cultivar
A cultivar'Cultivar has two meanings as explained under Formal definition. When used in reference to a taxon, the word does not apply to an individual plant but to all those plants sharing the unique characteristics that define the cultivar. is a plant or group of plants selected for desirable...
s.
History
In 1982 Peter Oldak of South Hampton, New HampshireSouth Hampton, New Hampshire
South Hampton is a town in Rockingham County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 814 at the 2010 census. South Hampton is home to Cowden State Forest and Powwow River State Forest.- History :...
, a former emergency room physician, planted six grapevine
Vitis
Vitis is a genus of about 60 species of vining plants in the flowering plant family Vitaceae. The genus is made up of species predominantly from the Northern hemisphere. It is economically important as the source of grapes, both for direct consumption of the fruit and for fermentation to produce...
s in his backyard to complement his small garden and orchard. With time he concluded the microclimate of his 13 acres (5.3 ha) property was very similar to that of the Finger Lakes
Finger Lakes
The Finger Lakes are a pattern of lakes in the west-central section of Upstate New York in the United States. They are a popular tourist destination. The lakes are long and thin , each oriented roughly on a north-south axis. The two longest, Cayuga Lake and Seneca Lake, are among the deepest in...
region of New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
and was well suited to growing grapes, despite common misconceptions.
In 1994 Jewell Towne Vineyards became a licensed commercial enterprise, and the first 40 cases were released. Having made the wine in the Oldak home basement until 1996, 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.
Since 1994 Jewell Towne Vineyards wines have won an array of awards from national competitions and state fairs.
Oldak has also formed the New Hampshire Winery Association, aiming to support local vintners, and works with the University of New Hampshire
University of New Hampshire
The University of New Hampshire is a public university in the University System of New Hampshire , United States. The main campus is in Durham, New Hampshire. An additional campus is located in Manchester. With over 15,000 students, UNH is the largest university in New Hampshire. The university is...
teaching viticulture
Viticulture
Viticulture is the science, production and study of grapes which deals with the series of events that occur in the vineyard. When the grapes are used for winemaking, it is also known as viniculture...
and winemaking
Winemaking
Winemaking, or vinification, is the production of wine, starting with selection of the grapes or other produce and ending with bottling the finished wine. Although most wine is made from grapes, it may also be made from other fruit or non-toxic plant material...
.
Production
Initially experimenting with more than sixty grape varieties, the number was eventually reduced to approximately twenty of the most varieties deemed most promising by 1990. While a varied selection of grape varieties, there is an emphasis on cold hardy varieties, but also vitis viniferaVitis vinifera
Vitis vinifera is a species of Vitis, native to the Mediterranean region, central Europe, and southwestern Asia, from Morocco and Portugal north to southern Germany and east to northern Iran....
varieties, such as Chardonnay
Chardonnay
Chardonnay is a green-skinned grape variety used to make white wine. It is originated from the Burgundy wine region of eastern France but is now grown wherever wine is produced, from England to New Zealand...
, Gewürztraminer
Gewürztraminer
Gewürztraminer is an aromatic wine grape variety that performs best in cooler climates. It is sometimes referred to colloquially as Gewürz, and in French it is written '...
and Riesling
Riesling
Riesling is a white grape variety which originated in the Rhine region of Germany. Riesling is an aromatic grape variety displaying flowery, almost perfumed, aromas as well as high acidity. It is used to make dry, semi-sweet, sweet and sparkling white wines. Riesling wines are usually varietally...
. Among the cultivated hybrids are Aurore, Seyval, Vidal Blanc
Vidal Blanc
Vidal Blanc is an inter-specific hybrid variety of white wine grape, a cross of Ugni Blanc and Rayon d'Or . It manages to produce high sugar levels in cold climates while maintaining good acid levels....
, Vignoles
Vignoles (grape)
Vignoles is a complex hybrid wine grape variety produced from a cross made by J.F. Ravat of two grapes, Seibel 8665 and Pinot de corton....
and Baco noir
Baco noir
Baco noir is a hybrid red wine grape variety produced from a cross of Vitis vinifera var. Folle Blanche, a French wine grape, and an unknown variety of Vitis riparia indigenous to North America. Baco noir produces a medium body, deeply tinted, acidic red wine which is fruit forward and often...
. Oldak has declared a mission to bring Landot noir back to respectability. In addition to red and white varietal
Varietal
"Varietal" describes wines made primarily from a single named grape variety, and which typically displays the name of that variety on the wine label. Examples of grape varieties commonly used in varietal wines are Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay and Merlot...
wines, the winery produces blush and ice wine
Ice wine
Ice wine is a type of dessert wine produced from grapes that have been frozen while still on the vine. The sugars and other dissolved solids do not freeze, but the water does, allowing a more concentrated grape must to be pressed from the frozen grapes, resulting in a smaller amount of more...
s, and a "port"
Port wine
Port wine is a Portuguese fortified wine produced exclusively in the Douro Valley in the northern provinces of Portugal. It is typically a sweet, red wine, often served as a dessert wine, and comes in dry, semi-dry, and white varieties...
that is a 50-50 blend of Baco noir and Rougeon.
Jewell Towne produces 35,000 bottles a year, requiring more fruit than can possibly be cultivated on the 5 acres (2 ha) vineyard, and therefore imports roughly 70% of the grapes from New York
New York wine
New York wine refers to wine made from grapes grown in the U.S. state of New York. New York ranks third in grape production by volume after California and Washington. Eighty-three percent of New York's grape area is Vitis labrusca varieties...
and California
California wine
California wine has a long and continuing history, and in the late twentieth century became recognized as producing some of the world's finest wine. While wine is made in all fifty U.S. states, up to 90% of American wine is produced in the state...
. 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.