Part Two: Boston Wine Expo Exhibitors with a twist, and the reason why winemakers seem to make me so happy
I hope that everyone enjoyed their Presidents Day (those of you who had it off), and that all of you are ready for the second round of highlighted exhibitors from the 17th Annual Boston Wine Expo. I took full advantage of the long weekend, and I’m rested and ready to write my third and final post about this year’s event. (Click here and here to read the posts leading up to this one.) In Friday’s post, I explained that the organizations in this entry would have a slightly different spin to them, so I hope you enjoy their stories.
The first featured winery that I’m going to discuss is Newport Vineyards in Middletown, RI. What sets this operation apart from many of the other exhibitors at the Expo is its location in Southeastern New England. As part of the Coastal Wine Trail, Newport Vineyards was one of several local wineries showcasing the winemaking capabilities of the rural Northeast at the BWE. Originally planted in 1977, Newport Vineyards has grown from an initial 10-acre plot to 60 acres of planted vines. In 1988, a winery was built on the premises and in 1995, the current owners, brothers John and Paul Nunes, purchased the vineyards and the winery and established the Newport brand.
Matt and I were lucky enough to speak with Steve Krohn at the BWE; Steve is in charge of Newport Vineyards’ sales and marketing. While talking about the winery and its vineyard operations, Steve was quick to mention how many people are surprised to hear that grapes can even be grown in Rhode Island. The estate overlooks Rhode Island Sound, and the combination of the Gulf Stream’s warm waters and the moderating effects of Narragansett Bay make for a cool, lengthy growing season with minimal frosts. With 20 different types of grapes grown on Newport’s property and 32 varieties of wine yielded from these vintages, the winery has a lot to offer local wine enthusiasts. Because of the cooler climate, Newport Vineyards specializes in dry and semi-dry white wines that serve as crisp palate cleansers and lighter reds that do the same.
Steve seemed lighthearted and knowledgeable, and he stressed the notion of vineyards being grape farms. By visiting the vineyards and the winery, Steve believes that patrons help to preserve the farm and readily become advocates of the cause. He describes the wine created at Newport Vineyards as a “living, breathing thing that goes into a bottle.” The difficulty with marketing Newport Vineyards to consumers has a lot to do with the scarcity of wineries in the area, and Steve believes that most people either stumble upon the facility by accident or find it using the internet. Here’s to hoping that this post can generate a little web-based publicity for Newport Vineyards, because after speaking with Steve, I definitely felt inspired to take a weekend trip out to Rhode Island to visit the winery. (Steve also runs New England Wine School with his wife, Debra; they offer interactive, educational wine and food programs for every type of audience.)
Joseph Carr, a fine wine producer operating out of Napa Valley, will be the second focus of this post. Carr is an award-winning sommelier who, four years ago, left what he describes as “a corporate job with a comfortable expense account” to make his own wines. The distinguishing thing about Carr, placed squarely in the middle of the Grand Tasting floor, is his positioning as a small boutique negociant. Instead of investing all of his money into building a winery and an elaborate facility that would one day create fantastic wines, Carr focused all of his energy into creating great wines from day one. He works with small growers, coopers, and a team of winemakers; all of whom he refers to as his friends.
When Matt and I met with Joe, he first began talking about the label on the bottle of wine he was holding. He explained that when he and his co-workers were originally thinking about what to name the wine, and when he finally sat down to taste the finished product, he was proud it. What better reason is there to put your own name on a bottle of wine? The signature on the Joseph Carr bottles was actually lifted from an old letter that Carr’s mother found a few years back: it was how a family member had signed their name in the 1700s. Carr’s wines, which include a Sauvignon Blanc that I tasted, are offered in a number of fine restaurants across the country. He also produces a Chardonnay, a Pinot Noir, a Merlot, and a Cabernet Sauvignon (the brand’s flagship wine). Joseph Carr wines will be featured at the Washington Wine Expo on February 29-March 2 and the NYC Wine Expo on March 7-9 as well.
And finally, I am going to wrap up this series of posts on the Boston Wine Expo with an overview of Merriam Vineyards in Healdsburg, CA. At first impression, Merriam Vineyards appears to be like any other winemaking operation debuting on the populated Sonoma County scene. What differentiates the winery from others in the area is its intended audience, with Merriam wines being shipped back to the Northeast for consumption. Matt and I encountered half of the Merriam team, Peter Merriam, at the Expo on Saturday. Peter grew up in Maine, while his wife Diana was born in Massachusetts, so both have strong ties to the New England community.
Peter classifies his business as the reverse of what most local operations do, by growing, bottling, and producing wines in California and shipping the finished product back to New England. As a New England resident, this is where Peter first wants to make his mark. Merriam Vineyards currently produces around 2,000 cases of Bordeaux-style wines a year, which include a Merlot (tasted by yours truly), a Cabernet Sauvignon (tasted by Matt), and a Cabernet Franc. The winery is also set to come out with a Claret varietal in September of this year. What stuck with me after speaking with Peter is his strategy to create a “smaller footprint” within the area by placing ten cases of Merriam wines in a restaurant rather than one case in ten separate establishments. That’s how you get a cult following.
I’m sad to say it (or I suppose type it), but that about sums up our experience at the 2008 Expo. I can’t echo enough what a tremendous event it was, if only for the sheer size of the BWE and the number of people who congregated in one place to share in their love of wine. Even though this piece is about last year’s Wine Expo, it’s definitely worth a read, as it addresses the natural (and sometimes not-so-natural) melding of people and classes that occurs at an event like Boston’s.
As I mentioned in the first entry of this two-part post, the good-natured demeanor of the exhibitors we spoke with must have something to do with their involvement in a career they love. This sentiment was doubly true with this group of men, who couldn’t help but glow when they talked about their passion for the industry, the subtleties of the business, and their love of the juice itself. Luckily for them, that kind of devotion is infectious.
Tags: Joseph Carr Wines, Merriam Vineyards, Newport Vineyards