Well, yesterday my wife and I visited the Westport Rivers Vineyard and Winery. It is located in Westport, Massachusetts, about an hour from our home. This winery and its sparkling wines had been recommended by readers in comments on earlier posts. I have to say I was very impressed.
The Russell family purchased a vegetable and dairy farm in Westport in 1982, after a nationwide search, with the idea of converting it to a vineyard and winery. They own about 500 acres, which is divided equally to land dedicated to the vineyards and land dedicated to its brewery next door (perhaps that will be a another field trip some day). Of the 250 acres devoted to the vineyard, about 8o acres are currently under cultivation. The property is located on the South Coast of Massachusetts so it benefits from the moderating influence of the ocean, as well as the Gulf Stream. The property is also close to the Westport River, hence the name.
It took about four years to convert the farm to grape production, renovate the large barn that is now the winery, etc. It was about 1989 before the first wines were ready for sale. The winery specializes in sparkling wines. One of the reasons this site was selected by the Russells is that the climate is nearly identical to that of the Champagne region of northern France.
I am embarrassed to admit that I learned the meaning of the term “Estate Wines” on this trip. I had thought that it meant some level of “special” wines. In a way it does. Estate wines are simply wines produced from grapes grown on the property as opposed to grapes purchased from elsewhere.
The trip was very informative in other ways. I learned that unlike California vineyards, where the vines are often kept low to the ground, here they are kept higher in order to catch more sun due to a shorter growing season. Also, the production of sparkling wines takes a minimum of three years and can take as many as 12-14 years. The process begins with a first press of the grapes to get only the juice that is just under the skin. This juice is then removed and sent on its way to be made into sparkling wine before the grapes are squeezed to get the remainder of the juice for use as still wine.
I can’t remember all the details, but after the first fermentation process in stainless steel tanks, the wine is placed into bottles where it undergoes a second fermentation. It is also placed in a large basket with numerous other bottles where it is turned occasionally and gradually positioned upside down to get the sediment to fall to the neck of the bottle. During this time the bottles are capped with metal caps as used on soda or beer bottles.
When it is ready, the bottles are placed in a machine that flash freezes the inch or two of sediment in the neck so it can be removed and the bottle filled back up with wine. By this time the bubbles are formed so they supply the pressure that sends the sediment out of the bottle. The winemaker tastes some samples of the wine so that he can use the opportunity to adjust the flavor to be sweeter or drier by filling the bottles with wine that will accomplish his goals.
The wine is then corked, the metal cage placed over the cork, foil placed over the cork and neck of the bottle and the labels placed on the bottle. It is now ready to be sold. We also learned that the tradition of covering the necks of Champagne bottles began when the sediment was removed and the bottles were not refilled. The foil masked the fact that bottles were not completely filled!
It was a gorgeous day in New England. It was bright, sunny, warm and the foliage was well on its way (though not yet at peak) to glorious colors. After the tour, the wine tasting was held outdoors under a pergola covered in grape vines and with an excellent view of the vineyards. We sampled six of the wines produced at Westport. These included 3 sparkling wines and 3 still ones. The wine tasting cost $5 and included the six wines, an embossed fluted wine glass, oyster crackers to cleanse the palate and a spoonful of chocolate to accompany a desert wine.
Westport grows primarily Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier grapes as well as Rkatsiteli. We sampled a Blanc de Blanc made from 100% Chardonnay. Next we had a Brut Cuvee made from 73% Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier and 27% Chardonnay. And a Blanc de Noirs made from 100% Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier. They were all excellent sparkling wines. We then had a Chardonnay, a Rose of Pinot Noir, and Pineau de Pinot. These were all very good as well. The Pineau de Pinot was especially interesting. It was somewhat sweet and resembled a liqueur.
Westport also makes a non-estate Cabernet Sauvignon from grapes grown on Long Island. It also plans future vintages of Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris and Johannisberg Riesling.
All in all, it was a great day. While at the winery we picked up brochures about the “Coastal Wine Trail” that includes five vineyards in Massachusetts and Rhode Island, as well as other brochures about wineries in New England. I did not realize that there are about 23 wineries in the Bay State. Anyway, I would highly recommend a visit to Westport Rivers Vineyard and Winery and I also highly recommend any of their wines, but especially the sparkling wines. It must be true that the climate in Westport resembles Champagne!
