Winter at the Winery

Jan-Feb 2022
The winery is closed now until March 2nd but you can call for an appointment, we’d be happy to see you. We’ve been tidying up around here, bottling new wines, like the wonderful Storybook 2020, a dry wine with abundant cherry in both the aroma and flavor, and 2020 Crescent Moon, always a favorite, and looking forward to bring out a new label, “Cherry Blossom.”

In 2021 we expanded our winemaking capacity to a little over 4,500 gallons. I have a lot more time now to devote to the winery, the vineyard, the business, as I have officially retired after 39 years in medicine. Yes, I’ll miss that and all the great people I came to know. But, well, Nearwood is a full time job and I’ve been itching to spend more time in daily operations. Still in all, winter is a quiet time at the winery. I’m anxious to travel, see more of our family, go trout fishing, improve my guitar skills, gardening (non-grape) and the like. And devote more time to writing and our workshop group.

The Marion County Writers Workshop has been meeting every Thursday night for the last 18 years and meeting at the winery since it opened in 2018. I’ve been writing novels for the last 25 years or so but in the last year, I’ve been quite happy that Joann has started to write as well. She’s working on a novel about family estrangement and I’ve told her she’s naturally a better writer than I am, to encourage her (and because she is, actually).
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In these more relaxed times, we’ve taken to writing at The Coffee Connection, as a change of pace (setting). Visiting our neighboring businesses is good for us as well as supporting the community.

Upcoming, we’re looking forward to a spring of pruning, trellis repair (big winds last fall), music events on our Vineyard Stage, expanding our Bistro menu and our gift shop, a parade of Harvest Host RVer’s, a Storyteller or two, and Open Mic Night, every Friday night in June and July. If you have talent or any sort, come and join the fun!