Diamond Hill Vineyard

Yesterday, I was whisked away for one of those "this is something we've never done" yet is only 20 minutes from where we live adventures.  I was taken to Diamond Hill Vineyard in Cumberland, RI.

I have to admit that I did not hold super high hopes for this vineyard.  They specialize in creating custom label wines to give out as favors for weddings and other festive occasions.  I remember having some 20years ago that did not impress me at all.  Was this due to my lack of wine experience at the time or have they gotten better over time, crafting wines that suit today's wine lover?  I can not say.  I've had no experience with their wines in all that time.

As we drove there, we took the turn where we saw the sign.  This took us down a windy dirt road into the woods.  It was surprisingly quaint.  When we arrived, parking lot was small, the house looked old, but the grounds were well kept.  On closer inspection, the house had that wonderfully charming appearance of being around so long, it is part of the landscape.  Overhanging trees, stone steps that look like they were since the beginning of time, worn paths, lush plants all around the porch.    Turns out that the house is 200 yrs old and they have over 30 acres of land while the vineyard was established in 1976.  An incredible little jewel of a place that needs to be discovered by more wine lovers!

Inside was a small room for sales and tasting.  There were a few wine lover trinkets, a few cheeses/crackers/food items, and racks for the wines.  Our host was very pleasant and knowledgeable.  The tasting is free and we were able to sample all the wines available. 

We started with the Pinot Noir which is a favorite varietal of mine.  This one is aged for one year in oak and then cellared for an additional two years.  This gave the pinot noir an added layer of complexity but less fruitiness than others I have sampled.  Very dry but I liked it.

The Scarlet Run, he said was a Merlot.  It was unlike any merlot I have ever had.  I wonder if it is a blend.  It does not state the grapes used on the bottle.  In any case, it was much more full bodied with less tannins and less dry than most merlot's I've sampled.  It was unique enough to warrant a purchase and I think would be a great intro into reds for those who want to venture into stronger/less sweet wines.

The River Valley White was a Chardonnay blend.  It is unoaked, with steel barrel processing.  It was light, crisp, and clean but unremarkable.  But I realize that others might like it better.  I prefer my chardonnays to be oaked because I find them to be flat without it.

The Cranberry-Apple was another big hit.  Some fruit wines taste like the fruit, some don't.  This one does taste like cranberries and apples.  A nice blend.  Just enough tart and just enough sweet.  Great for summer or even better with turkey dinner, I suspect.  Yes, we bought this one too!

The Blueberry wine was another wine that tasted as the name suggested: blueberries.  I've had several from dry to semi-dry to sweet.  This one is on the sweet side.  I think that it is one of those great party wines that almost everyone can enjoy because it is like having a spiked juice.  I believe it would be great for spritzers as well.

The Blackberry wine was another full bodied, great fruity, and dessert like sweet wine with just a hint of that blackberry bitter to keep it from feeling like your teeth would fall out if you drank too much.  Wonderful!  Another great party wine, sangria mixer, or spritzer mixer.  Our third bottle bought!

The Peach wine tasted more like apricots which I happen to like.  It was light and not as full bodied as the blackberry or blueberry but tasty none the less.  My partner in crime did not enjoy it but I would definitely take it to a picnic, bbq, or other summer event where something lighter would be enjoyed.

Finally, the Spiced Apple.  Almost like apple pie in a glass.  They recommend serving it warm with a little brown sugar in the winter.  Yum.  I think I will try it when the fall rolls around.

The wines were reasonably priced ranging from $12.50-$25.  People can sit out on the porch with a picnic lunch with wines being sold by the glass or bottle.  They let people host garden parties under a tent in season.  I will be going back.  We have plans to invite some friends to have lunch there one sunny summer afternoon.  Even better is having fresh locally produced wines within close driving range that we can share with family and friends.  And to think that this treasure was so close by all along.  I want to spread the word but not so much as to spoil the quite and relaxing atmosphere that was also a part of my positive experience at Diamond Hill Vineyard.  Currently they are open for tastings Thurs-Sat 12-5p or Sundays 11a-3p.