Next up on our tour is Newport Vineyards, a winery located in Middleton. We were invited to a private tour and tasting with the weather cooperating every moment of the way. Blue skies and puffy, billowing clouds, full sunshine and a cool breeze were all a perfect backdrop to a few hours spent learning about winemaking.
We began by strolling the vineyards and getting the basics. It's early in the season for grapes as one can see here but by Fall they'll be ready for harvest and the winemaking process begins. There are about 60 acres of vines here and a few more for the culinary garden where produce and herbs are grown for use in the restaurant.
I won't spoil the details of the process for you but after the grapes are processed the storage begins and eventually all of the bottling is done on-site, as well. It's fascinating to see all of the modern equipment and machinery used and to be taken through the story of just how wine is made. And, yes, they do even have a grape-stomping competition every year!
After the tour we enjoyed the Local Cheese Bite Board ($20) and a flight of four wines to taste. That Great Hill Blue cheese with just a tiny piece of that local honeycomb on the Focaccia Crostini was sheer heaven paired with the Riesling we sipped.
Of course, we went home with several bottles to add to our collection, especially Great White, our favorite, a light, fruity, refreshing blend just absolutely perfect for sipping on those balmy evenings at home by the pool.
This is also the site for a very popular brewery for those also interested in a well-crafted, local brew: Taproot Brewing Company.
One of the most interesting facts we discovered were these recycled compact disks we kept seeing on the posts out in the vineyard. How curious. Since our job is to ask questions, we did. As it turns out, they are modern-day scarecrows. The reflections they cause keep the birds from swooping in and nibbling away!
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Cheers,
William
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