Bucket List in a Wine Glass

by ADAM CENTAMORE.

I tried making wine once, and only once.

It was a catastrophic failure. Frankly, I’m surprised it didn’t kill anyone I care about. Fortunately, my feeble attempt at turning grape juice into the sublime beverage we know as wine was so bad, it naturally prevented anyone from consuming enough to be in any real danger. I have my strengths, and making wine isn’t one of them. Never again.

It’s a little sad, really. As someone who writes and teaches about food and wine, I have the incredibly good fortune of spending time with the people that make all this wonderful stuff, the dairy farmers and winemakers who transform nature into gloriously tasty treats. There’s a part of me that marvels at how most of them are just regular people. They’re so… normal. No capes, no magic wands. I’m nearly lulled into a false confidence that I could do what they do, then I remember the pained faces of friends sipping my wine, the screams. Never again.

My Bucket List…

When it comes to visiting wine-producing regions, I love exploring the one found right in our own backyard. Despite “wine” and “New England” not being intuitively connected, the coastline from southern Massachusetts to Connecticut is home to an array of wineries that collectively make up the Southeastern New England AVA, short for “American Viticultural Area.” This formal recognition acknowledges that the soil, climate, and overall environment found here is unique enough to deserve its own defined identity.

Yes, our little corner of the world is quite adept at growing grapes and making wine. Just how good? I asked Corey Nuffer, Vineyard Ambassador for Westport Rivers Vineyards and Winery in Westport. “It’s a fantastic place,” she asserts without hesitation. “You can’t grow Vitis vinifera everywhere, and we can grow it here.” (Vitis vinifera is the family of grapes used in winemaking, which are different from those found at the supermarket. They have specific properties that are needed to make wine.)

Nuffer continues gushing over how excellent southern Massachusetts is for growing wine grapes. Her passion and enthusiasm are contagious. “The climate here is quite similar to parts of more famous growing regions like northern France, Germany, and Austria. Cold weather grapes grow fabulously here.” When asked what kind of wines are best made in the region, she immediately responds, “Riesling, Grüner Veltliner, that sort of stuff. If you like enough acid in your wine to make you drool, we’re your place!”

Billy Wilson, winemaker for Greenvale Vineyards in Portsmouth, Rhode Island, agrees. “People have to understand every region is good at making a certain style. They can’t do it all.” What about southern New England? “We’re the opposite of California,” he says. “We have so much rainfall, which is the fun challenge of it. You have to control the vigor of the vine to get the best out of it.” He’s currently taking a geology class at a local college, as much for fun as for professional development. This guy knows his stuff.

Like Corey, Billy highlights our region’s similarities to other famous locales. “We’re like Burgundy or Chinon (two world-class wine regions in France), a cool climate producing delicate wines through really hard work. We aim for light-to-medium-body reds that are incredibly aromatic and age-worthy. Our whites are excellent as well. We absolutely crush it with our chardonnay, and our Albariño is so refreshing, with great acidity and minerality. It’s delicious.”

The allure of visiting so many wineries located within driving distance of my South Shore home is strong enough that visiting them all is on my bucket list. Fortunately, the Coastal Wineries of Southeast New England, Inc., has organized everything into the Coastal Wine Trail. Their website, www.CoastalWineTrail.org, is full of useful information to help people experience the people, places, and wines of the AVA.

From winery location and contact information for each member to maps and event listings, the site really is a one-stop source for planning your next local wine adventure. They even feature a passport program full of incentives to explore. Simply pick up an actual passport book at any of the wineries, and start sipping to earn stamps. Collect enough winery stamps to have chances to win wine country getaways at participating vineyards. It’s pretty darn cool.

It’s hard for me to know where to start my adventures. Westport Rivers in Westport produces their killer RJR Brut cuvée, a sparkling wine made in the same way as Champagne that has been served at the White House, and was a favorite wine of Julia Child. Nasketucket Bay Vineyards in Fairhaven produces a crisp, dry pinot grigio they call “One For My Baby” that I’m dying to give a shot. Running Brook Vineyards in Dartmouth grows Cabernet Franc, Vidal blanc, and other varieties that I love. There are just so many choices. I’d better make this a summer-long project.

As for the future of winemaking in southeastern Massachusetts, and southern New England at large, Corey has so much optimism. “People forget that vineyards are farms, and we need more of them,” she shares, solemnly. “Get more of that culture. More vineyards support the local economy and bring more attention to the climate and land.” With her next breath, the ebullience is back. “That is so good. Our wine is so good!” So, full steam ahead with my Coastal Wine Trail bucket-list-in-a-glass pursuits. I’m very excited for the future of serious winemaking in Massachusetts. You should be too, because I probably won’t be making any of it. You’re safe.

P.S:– In case you were wondering, yes, I also tried making cheese once, also a disaster. I learned my lesson from the winemaking incident, however, and tossed it before anyone could get anywhere near it, making the score Nature 2, Adam 0, it seems.