1. We opened in October 2014 after 11 years of planting, building & learning about wine. It took longer than expected! Our full-time jobs & four-hour commute to Fly Creek gave real meaning the phrase, “Work a month of Sundays”, but we love it & hope you will too!
2. We grow Concord, Sheridan & Van Buren, “Vitis Labrusca” varietals meaning they are native to North America & not originally from Europe. They are cold hardy, able to survive the harsh winters of the north east & perfect for making jam.
3. Working hand-in-hand with Mother Nature, we built a small pond to catch the water running off our hill. We then arranged rocks to help direct a naturally occurring stream so that the small pond now feeds the larger one. Our ducks and geese approve!
4. Home to wild & domestic ducks, migrating geese, sunbathing turtles & over-sized toads our pond also serves to catch the water, steadily running down our vineyard hill when the winter snows melt.
5. One of the best views at Pail Shop Vineyards is from our 100 year old apple tree. She still produces fruit & while in full bloom, provided the perfect location for the owner & his wife to get married!
6. Mother Nature knows best & when it comes to controlling bugs that are harmful to grapes, wildflowers help! They attract other bugs that eat the problem insects. Nature’s pesticide!
7. Our snow fall is measured in feet! This means a lot of water running down our hill during the spring thaw. We’ve used this natural water source to feed our waterfall & pond, providing a home to our ducks & other visiting critters.