Having visited the largest vineyard in the state, it was time to pay a visit to the oldest: Jewell Towne Vineyards in South Hampton. With a history of award-winning winemaking going back 16 years, this family-run operation is at the vanguard of New England's burgeoning wine scene.
Jewell Towne is open for visitors 11-4 on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays and 11-5 on Saturdays and Sundays, year round. They offer free tastings for guests, with a five-wine limit to discourage drunk driving. A large designated driver or a hearty lunch is still recommended, as their pours were rather generous.
Will in the tasting room provided cheerful assistance throughout, and with some sharing a total of seven different wines were tasted (out of Jewell Towne's 24-bottle repertoire):
Pinot grigio: Very tart but with an undercurrent of crisp sweetness to balance.
Cayuga White: Significantly drier than Flag Hill's version, and not quite as succulent. Still a good summer sip though, with juicy currents of tropical fruit.
Alden: One of Jewell Towne's two rosé wines, this one was Will's personal recommendation, and it was a good one. There's a glorious aroma filled with flowery strawberries, and the mouthfeel is soft and clean. Not overly dry or puckeringly acidic. One of those wines with a seductive hint of something you know but can't quite put your finger on, and it will stick around at the edge of your palate until you figure it out.
Zinfandel (Organically grown): This is a real sink-your-teeth-into wine. Muscular cherry and spice sumo-wrestle on your tongue. Another quality pick.
Rhapsody in Blue: A decadent dessert wine, similar to ice wine at half the price. Smells surprisingly like buttery pancakes loaded with maple syrup.
2009 NH Port: A fine example of ruby port. Smoky as the dens (AKA man-caves) in which port was traditionally consumed, this New World variant caresses your mouth with luscious raspberry.
Once you've tasted some wines, you can wander the grounds and check out the neat rows of grapevines (conveniently giving you some time to de-buzz). Some of the vines are labeled by varietal, and the variation in the grapes are clearly visible. Some are small and densely clustered, some are large and in looser bunches. The color scheme is all over the place - green, gold, red, purple, indigo; some grapes were both green and purple. With the approaching harvest, the vines are heavy with fruit: it's the best time of year to visit Jewell Towne Vineyards.
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