Winemaking 101: Crushing & Destemming

Harvest is over…what’s next? We’ve harvested all our estate-grown grapes and the California grape order has come in. It’s time for the first steps of the winemaking process…but what are they exactly?  The first step to winemaking is crushing & destemming. Both red and white grapes undergo this process. Here at Zorvino, we use an… Read More »

Recipe of the Month: Cherriez Harvest Spritz

Celebrate harvest season in style! Enjoy a glass of our Cherriez Harvest Spritz: a delicious blend of our Cherriez wine, apple cider, orange juice, ginger ale, & cinnamon. It’s sweet from cider, a little tart from the Cherriez wine, and finishes on a warm note from the cinnamon. Perfect for sipping on while enjoying the… Read More »

Learn about Our Grape Varieties

Now that harvest season is officially here, let’s learn a little bit more about the grape varieties we grow onsite! Some quick numbers: The first grapes planted at the vineyard were Valiant back in 2002. Since then, we’ve expanded to 9 varieties total including Frontenac, Marquette, Petite Pearl, St. Croix, Frontenac Gris, La Crescent, Itasca,… Read More »

Harvest Season Here at Zorvino Vineyards

We’re currently about mid-way through harvest season! We’ve already picked six out of our nine varieties and only St. Croix and the particularly cold-hardy varieties – Niagara and Petite Pearl – remain. Here in New England harvest season tends to begin as early as late August and can extend into early October. In our previous… Read More »

Recipe of the Month: Mapplez Sangria

Just because fall is rapidly approaching doesn’t mean you have to stop drinking sangria! Our Mapplez Sangria is the perfect way to celebrate seasonal flavors and crisp nights while still enjoying the warm days ahead. It’s a delightful blend of our Mapplez wine & Moscato, topped with soda water, and garnished with a sprinkle of… Read More »

Measuring Brix: What & Why?

Harvest season is fast approaching (we’re talking a week or two out!) and that means we need to clean our equipment and empty our tanks to prepare for the incoming fruit! Our harvest season typically begins in late August or early September and extends though the beginning of October with the grapes ripening at different… Read More »

Veraison: The Onset of Ripening

It’s the time of year when our grapes start to change color! This process, known as veraison (a French term for the onset of ripening), is one of the more exciting times in the vineyard. Veraison is also known as berry softening and indicates that harvest is only 30 to 60 days away! Here in… Read More »

Recipe of the Month: Lemonade Stand Mule

Our summertime staple, Lemonade Stand, is back for the season! A blend of our lemon and blueberry wines, with just a hint of ginger on the finish – it’s earthy from the blueberries, sweet and mildly acidic from the lemon, and has just the slightest kick from the ginger. It’s going on its 5th year… Read More »

Wine Pairing: Viognier & Squash Soup

Last week we went over some wine and food pairing basics. Now let’s apply it to one of our summer menu items! Pair our Vintner’s Select White Reserve: Viognier with our chilled Squash & Saffron soup. This deliciously silky smooth summer soup is lightly sweetened and topped with crispy quinoa, dill oil, & Aleppo pepper.… Read More »