Big Dreams for a Small Vineyard
Oct 24, 2024 01:59PM ● By MARIE EDINGER
The new owners met while working at Gallo Winery in California’s Central Valley. Nichole grew up on a ten-acre peach farm in the area and then studied biochemistry in San Luis Obispo. Gallo was her introduction to the industry.
Kevin, meanwhile, grew up in the Champlain Valley of Vermont, studied chemical engineering at Notre Dame, then moved to California to work at Gallo. After that, the two of them traveled all across the globe studying winemaking.
Kevin always had a yen to return to Vermont to pursue his passion; luckily for him—and Vermonters—Nichole supported that vision. Kevin and Nichole developed a fast friendship that blossomed into love. Their family grew to include two baby girls and, eventually, their very own vineyard: Lincoln Peak.
Nichole says the couple moved into the space in April (in the middle of pruning season) and have been playing catch-up ever since. The two of them had been involved in wine production their entire careers but had had no experience with tasting rooms and sales.
“We’re learning that as we go,” Nichole says gleefully. “It’s been really, really fun. Working in the vineyard has been a dream. It’s such a beautiful spot.”
Their first glimpse of Lincoln Peak came when they visited the vineyard from their home in New Jersey, and when it became available, the couple started picturing themselves as possible vineyard owners.
Nichole says, “I remember us being like, ‘What if we did it? What if we were able to buy it?’”
Now that they own it, Nichole and Kevin plan to keep most things largely the same. “We just want to continue the legacy,” Nichole says.
For instance, Lincoln Peak has historically been a free concert venue every Friday during the summer. That tradition will live on. They’re also planning on bringing back the wine club with a new twist: The new plan will allow members to opt for three, six, or twelve bottles delivered four times a year.
As for the wine itself, the couple will offer old favorites along with some new varieties. Nichole says Lincoln Peak will keep making their Marquette and Farnsworth, two beloved reds. They’ll make Marquette rosé as well. They’re also bringing back a customer favorite called Ragtime, which is a slightly sweet blend with an acidic tone, made into a white, red, and a rosé.
What’s more, Kevin and Nichole intend to create some sparkling wines, a tribute to their experience working abroad in places like Austria and New Zealand.
One is a pét-nat style (short for pétillant naturel), a type of wine bottled while the initial fermentation is still going on, resulting in a soft fizz, a slight haze, and a somewhat dry profile. They are also planning to make a Méthode Champenoise-style wine, where the wine goes through a second fermentation inside the bottle as it ages.
“We want to let the vineyard tell us what we should change,” Nichole says. “As we go through the growing season, we’re going to taste the different varieties and decide what types of wines we’re going to make.”
Another possible new venture is a single row of a varietal called Adalmiina. That’s an early ripening, highly acidic white grape that Nichole hopes to make into a sparkling wine.
“I don’t think that’s been done in the past,” Nichole says. In time, she hopes all the wines they make will be estate-grown.
Ciders are another new thing the couple would like to take on. They’re currently talking with local Vermont apple growers for that project.Nichole says she is happy about what the vineyard can bring to the community and feels the community gives her plenty in return.
PHOTOS COURTESY OF LINCOLN PEAK VINEYARD
LINCOLN PEAK VINEYARD
142 River Road
New Haven, VT
