User:Jeffersonvineyards/Jefferson vineyards

Jefferson Vineyards
Jefferson Vineyards is a farm winery and vineyard located in the Piedmont region of the Commonwealth of Virginia. The vineyards are located within the Monticello and Virginia AVA's (American Viticultural Areas).

History of the Land
The present day site of Jefferson Vineyards was originally the site of vineyards representing a joint project, part business endeavor, part experiment, between Thomas Jefferson and Philip Mazzei. A few years prior to the Revolutionary War, Thomas Jefferson and several other colonists gathered ₤2000 sterling to bring Italian winemaker Philip Mazzei to America in order that he might raise grape vines and make wine. Mazzei arrived in Virginia in late 1774 and began his search for good land.

Thomas Adams, a Virginia merchant, managed to acquire 1,000 acres from the Virginia Assembly to assist him in his viticultural project. Mazzei found the land grant to be unacceptable and thusly refused it. Adams, in turn, offered to sell Mazzei land adjoining his Augusta County estate that was being constructed. Mazzei agreed to examine the property and the two set out from Williamsburg. Monticello being on their way, they stopped to visit Jefferson arriving late at night. Early the next morning Jefferson and Mazzei went for a walk and Mazzei found the land that he had been seeking, a 400-acre tract adjoining Monticello to the east. Jefferson described the land that Mazzei selected as "having a southeast sand, resembling extremely the Cote of Burgundy from Chambertin to Montrachet where the famous wines of Burgundy are made."

Jefferson succeeded in persuading Mazzei to settle on the tract of land. Mazzei immediately sent for his men and started clearing the land and making plans for dwellings. Mazzei and his family resided at Monticello while their home was constructed and once complete bestowed the estate with the name Colle (possibly naming it after a small town in Italy).

Mazzei found the Virginia soil and climate to be superior to that of Italy. He believed this to be true in spite of a violent frost that struck in early May, 1774, freezing all the vines and saplings and halting production for an entire year. Mazzei finally succeeded in making wine of excellent quality, some of it resembling the sparkling wine of Champagne.

Despite Mazzei's commitment to seeing the vineyards succeed, Jefferson explains that other forces conspired to make this dream impossible:


 * "...we made up a subscription for him of 2000 pounds sterling, and he began his experiment on a piece of land adjoining to mine...In this state of things he was himself employed by the state of Virginia to go to Europe as their agent to do some particular business. He rented his place to General Riedesel, whose horses in one week destroyed the whole labor of three or four years; and thus ended an experiment which, from every appearance, would in a year or two more have established the practicability of that branch of culture in America."

Thus ended Thomas Jefferson's attempt to ignite the flames of a commercial wine industry in the New World.

Today
Located just down the road [VA State Route 53] from Monticello, present day Jefferson Vineyards is situated on 650 historic acres, the original site of Thomas Jefferson's first plantings of European vinifera vines. One of 156 producers in Virginia (often referred to as "The Birthplace or American Wine"), Jefferson Vineyards offers bottles featuring it's namesakes distinctive silhouette and signature. In "truly fulfilling Jefferson's vision", the vineyard produces a wide array of red and white wines including Chardonnays and Bordeaux varietals.

Jefferson Vineyards is also known for their vibrant Viognier. Noting it to be a stunning rendition of the northern Rhone varietal, Stacy Slinkard of About.com exclaims it's "...one of the best American Viognier's I've tasted..."