What Mother Nature froze out in May she has returned in the weeks that have followed. The vineyard is once again green and lush. The grapes are there. It's a real effort to keep up with the tying up and thinning processes. The developing grapes must be exposed to air and sunlight so mildew and disease do not occur.

At this time it appears that we'll have 100% of our Vidal Blanc, Landot Noir and Chambourcin grapes. Leon Millot will only produce 40%, and the Chelois and Chardonel grapes 3-4%. Better some than none. At this time we plan on continuoing our policy to use only grapes from the Greenbrier Valley.

We are particularly grateful for the crop of Landot Noir. This was the grape from our very first harvest used in the wine that won Watts Roost Vineyard its very first Gold Medal. We have six bottles of that vintage remaining in our cellar to share on special occasions. Much to our delight 2005 Landot Noir has aged beautifully.

Several months ago I discovered a case of our 2005 Calico White. The semi-sweet white has remained clear (no sediment) and is delicious. This has been added to our cellar. Knowing how long the French-hybrid wines will last is an important piece of information for customers. We're happy to be learning.

In June Watts Roost Vineyard opened a tasting room (400 square feet) and production facility (3200 square feet) on our property. The move from our garage has been a joy. Visitors enjoy the patio overlooking the pond, walking on the dock to feed the fish and snapping turtles, and visiting the production area. And, of course, tasting wine and deciding which bottles to take home to enjoy.

June brought Watts Roost Vineyard more accolades in the form of medals awarded in the West Virginia Wine Competition: Vidal Blanc - Gold; Blackberry - Silver; Chambourcin reserve - Bronze.

Happiness for the remainder of your summer.
LIFE IS GOOD!

Watts Roost Vineyard is owned by Frank & Barbara Tuckwiller. What had started out as a retirement dream has turned into reality. There were a few bumps along the way, but now they tend to 9,000 plants on 9 acres and welcome visitors who stop by.

Established in 1998, the vines flourish at the foot of Muddy Creek Mountain near Lewisburg, WV. The French hybrid vines are nurtured by the early morning sun and warm rains on an eastern slope. Award-winning wine is created on-site.

They were featured in 2008 April/May issue of West Virginia South magazine, pages 10-12. Check out the PDF or TEXT of the feature "Watts Roost Vineyard: A visit worth savoring".