Our 2008 Black Currant Wine was received well by our customers. We produced 400 bottles of the gold medal winning wine and sold out in December. We have another tank from the 2009 season. This wine will be available again in Spring 2010.

My new favorite red wine is Leon Millot. Last spring in this space I reported that we had planted 200 vines in 2006 and reaped 1900 pounds of fruit in 2008. I mentioned that the wine has a distinct flavor and that the usual descriptors don't do it justice. Well, we released the 2008 vintage during the recent Wreath Fineries event in December and have already sold a third of our stock. The wine is unlike any other we produce and is certainly not "mainstream." The wine has a fruity nose and is mellow with soft edges exhibiting flavors of jam and dried fig. Your first glass begs another.

To us here at Glorie Farm Winery, sustainability boils down to three pieces: environment, social responsibility and profit. We are serious about the green movement and embrace the concept and implementation of green practices. Being green includes energy conservation, water conservation, and recycling. To conserve energy, in 2008 we installed an 8,300 kilowatt hour solar photo voltaic power system that produces all of the electricity used by the winery. As of this writing, we have produced 11,500 kwh. The solar power allows us to be less dependent on electricity from the power plant and helps to reduce our carbon footprint. To conserve water, we installed a trickle irrigation system 15 years ago. This type of system delivers just the right amount of water, one drop at a time, directly to the plant's roots with minimum evaporation and no soil erosion. To conserve natural resources, we recycle all of our glass and metal and some of our plastic. During 2010, we will increase our plastic recycling and implement a plan for cardboard recycling as well.

Sustainability also includes a social element. Yes, you have a role to play. Your actions can contribute to the social or society piece of sustainability. One action you could take is to buy local! Local food is commonly defined as food grown within 100 miles from where it is consumed. Articles and cookbooks have been written recently about the 100-mile diet. Why not consider local wine as part of your diet? Purchasing local food is considered sustainable because it has a smaller carbon footrint. Why purchase wine produced in California or Argentina which are thousands of miles from here? Think of the fuel burned to ship that distance!

The economic part of the winery is simple: Glorie Farm Winery is a family business run by Doug and MaryEllen Glorie with Doug's sister, Jeanne, tending the vines while the next generation of Glories helps out at every possible opportunity. You can talk to us (unless we are busy working in the fields!), and there is a level of transparency that you can experience by visiting the farm. The cost of wine from far away has to incorporate all the transportation required to get it to you. The cost of local wine is typically less because there is no transportation cost. It doesn't cost you any more to buy local and helps reduce your carbon footprint. Also, by purchasing local you are enabling the farm to stay in business, thereby preserving farmland and open space. So, by your support of a local farm winery, you are supporting your local environment, society and economy. Thanks!

Vineyard Notes - Winter 2009-2010
2009 was a challenging year in the vineyard. It rained nearly every day in June, and July wasn't much better. The growing season remained cool resulting in a shortage of "degree days." Degree days are a measure of cumulative heat we receive from the sun. The grapes would have preferred to be a little warmer. It took all of our skills to manage through this season. I am happy to report our efforts paid off. We had to delay harvest a bit and the brix were a little lower than we wanted, but the wine should turn out fine.

We have been growing bosc pears on the farm for 26 years. The price we received for our fruit was rewarding during the 1990's. In recent years the price has declined to the point where it is the same as it was 20 years ago. We have been removing pear trees in recent years and this winter will take out another acre. This is actually good news because it frees up more land for grapes, so we will be planting 1-1/3 acres in the spring. The planting will be mainly Noiret and Marquette. Noiret was developed by Cornell University and produces a deep red wine with notes of black pepper. Marquette was released by the University of Minnesota and can withstand temperatures well below zero. The wine has been touted to have some similarities to Syrah.