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Armando Bisceglia of Bacco Vino & Contorni
chefs & restaurantsThe Showwine & drinks

Eat Drink RI The Show with guest Armando Bisceglia of Bacco Vino & Contorni

by David Dadekian May 18, 2020
written by David Dadekian

Season 1, Episode 8 of Eat Drink RI The Show, an interview series with guests from our local food & beverage community. In this episode, Eat Drink RI’s David Dadekian interviews Armando Bisceglia, owner and manager of Bacco Vino & Contorni Italian restaurant on Federal Hill in Providence, Rhode Island.

Please check out the entire series page or view the playlist on YouTube.

Also available as an audio-only podcast below.

https://media.blubrry.com/eatdrinkritheshow/eatdrinkri.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/edri_the_show_s01e08.mp3

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May 18, 2020 0 comment
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Newport Vineyards in Fall, photo by Marianne Lee Photography
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News Bites: RI Food Policy Council New Member Applications / Newport Vineyards Brings Home Gold / October Farm to School Month / 2017 Outstanding Dairy Farm Escobar Farm

by David Dadekian October 23, 2017
written by David Dadekian

Current news releases—Eat Drink RI is not the source for these items—please follow any links for more information.

The Rhode Island Food Policy Council (RIFPC) seeks applications for new Council members

Rhode Island Food Policy CouncilWhere we have been:
We have accomplished a lot in the past five years. Those early years were about helping build a network around food as a system, and in the last year we have been thrilled to be involved with the development of the first ever Rhode Island Food Strategy.

Where we are headed:
With the launch of the RI Food Strategy, the overarching task in the next year is to help drive execution and implementation of the Strategy, while also taking the opportunity for an internal evaluation.

The evolution of RIFPC:
The coming year will mark transition for the Council, and we seek innovative and energetic individuals to join and help chart the course. We will look to shift staffing, structures, and communications, as well as internal processes and organizational culture. We want to ensure that we are creating opportunities for all to come to the table and shape the next phase, with increased transparency both during and after the nominations process.

We acknowledge that the makeup of the Council has not matched the diversity of all Rhode Islanders, and we seek to improve on this thoughtfully and intentionally. We recognize the value of diversity in backgrounds and experience, and the importance of raising up voices that have historically been marginalized, as we all work together to a stronger and more resilient Rhode Island food system.

Deadline for applications: November 1, 2017, apply online here.


Newport Vineyards Brings Home Gold from the 13th Atlantic Seaboard Wine Competition

Newport Vineyards in Fall, photo by Marianne Lee Photography

Newport Vineyards in Fall, photo by Marianne Lee Photography

Newport Vineyards, an award winning winery located in beautiful Middletown, RI, won Gold and Silver from the 13th Atlantic Seaboard Wine Competition. Newport Vineyards 2016 Dry Rosé brought home Gold as the Best of Category for Vinifera Rose Wines and Silver was awarded for the 2016 Gewürztraminer in the Best of Category for Gewürztraminer. The Atlantic Seaboard Wine Association is one of the oldest wine organizations located on the East Coast. Both wines have been top sellers during 2017 and have sold out before the end of the season. Despite Winemaker George Chelf doubling the production of the Dry Rosé from last year, the wine was sold out before summer’s end.

Founded by brothers John & Paul Nunes in 1995, Newport Vineyards is the largest grower of grapes in New England. The winery produces nearly 30,000 cases of estate-grown wine each year through sustainable farming methods on 75 acres of historically preserved farmland. Following a multi-million dollar renovation completed in 2015, the winery has become a culinary and wine destination offering multiple experiences including daily tours and tastings, 100% from scratch culinary programs at Brix Restaurant and The Vineyard Café, The Marketplace, seasonal live music, private events and year-round public activities.

Whether you’re looking for a relaxing afternoon sipping wine and local beer with friends amid the vines, a leisurely lunch, enjoying a gourmet dinner, or hosting a private event, Newport Vineyards truly has it all. Located just 45 minutes from downtown Providence, experience the harvest at its finest on Aquidneck Island.


Governor Raimondo Declares October as Farm to School Month in RI

Farm Fresh RI Farm to School Gardening with Boys & Girls Clubs of Providence

Farm Fresh RI Farm to School Gardening with Boys & Girls Clubs of Providence

Governor Gina Raimondo has signed an official proclamation declaring October as Farm to School Month in Rhode Island. This is in alignment with National Farm to School Month, designated by Congress in 2010, as an annual celebration of food education, school gardens, and lunch trays filled with nutritious,local ingredients. “I am so pleased to celebrate Rhode Island Farm to School Month. Connecting kids to healthful, local food while also supporting our local agriculture and food economy is a win-win for the State,” said the State Director of Food Policy, Sue Anderbois. “This work is just part of the fabric of who Rhode Island is. A big thank you to Farm Fresh Rhode Island, our schools, and so many other partners who work so hard to make these initiatives successful.”

To celebrate Farm to School Month, schools across the state are hosting events to bring awareness to Farm to School work in Rhode Island and highlight the connection between local farmers, eaters, and food literacy. Providence Public School District is gearing up for the Great Apple Crunch Day, a day-long celebration of Rhode Island grown apples. Anderbois will be in Providence on Thursday, October 12, at an Apple Crunch event at Lima Elementary School to read the governor’s proclamation and congratulate the district for its continued commitment to supporting local farmers.

Schools and districts can participate in Apple Crunch Day by purchasing and serving Rhode Island grown apples in their meal programs and by “crunching” into apples together as a way to bring awareness to fresh, local produce. Pell Elementary School in Newport is also hosting school-wide Apple Crunch festivities on October 27. For the past several years, the Newport Public School District has celebrated its commitment to Farm to School by hosting an Apple Crunch to bring awareness to the importance of fresh, healthy, and local food in school meals.

“Our Farm to School program provides great opportunities for local farmers to have access to institutional markets and expand their operations to help meet the needs of the community,” said Thea Upham, Community Access Program Director at Farm Fresh Rhode Island. “When school kids are the recipients of fresh, local foods, they are more likely to eat meals at school and actually enjoy them.”

Members of the National Farm to School Network, the RI Farm to School program is part of a much larger landscape of nutrition education, food access, and market-building programs operated by Farm Fresh RI. RI Farm to School enriches the connection communities have to fresh, local food and empowers youth to think critically about the food they eat, to learn about nearby farms and how food is produced, and to taste for themselves that nutritious, fresh foods can be super delicious.


Escobar Farm in Portsmouth Named 2017 Outstanding Dairy Farm

Rhode Island Department of Environmental ManagementThe Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM) today announced Escobar Farm in Portsmouth has been named Rhode Island’s 2017 Outstanding Dairy Farm by the Rhode Island Green Pastures Committee of which DEM is a member.

“As one of Rhode Island’s finest dairy farms, Escobar Farm is most deserving of this recognition,” said Ken Ayars, DEM Chief of Agriculture. “Our state has a rich agricultural heritage, and increasingly, local food and agriculture are hotbeds for innovation and growth – spurred on by a growing demand by consumers to know their farmers and benefit from quality, local products. Dairy farming, however, has experienced a decline in recent years in Rhode Island – as elsewhere nationally. This awards program shines an important light on the value of dairy farming to our state. Kudos to Escobar Farm and the Green Pastures Committee for their commitment to the viability of this important local industry.”

DEM continues to work across many fronts to strengthen Rhode Island’s green economy and to promote local agriculture. The state’s green industries account for more than 15,000 jobs and contribute $2.5 billion to the economy each year. And local agriculture continues to be an area ripe for growth – with the number of farms in Rhode Island on the rise and a growing young farmer network. Escobar Farm, owned by Louie and Jane Escobar, was selected for this year’s award given the owners’ involvement in dairy farming advocacy and growth, community ties, and commitment to farming best practices. Escobar Farm was started by Louie Escobar’s father in 1937. Louie helped with farm chores as a youngster and continued working the farm until he took over in 1972.

Escobar Farm is a member of the Rhode Island Dairy Farms Cooperative and the Agri-Mark Cooperative. Milk from its 95 cows is used in Rhody Fresh Milk and Cabot dairy products. Along with the dairy farm, the Escobars also operate an artificial insemination company that serves dairy farms in the East Bay area of Rhode Island as well as Southeastern Massachusetts. The Escobars were featured, along with several other dairy farms from New England, in the documentary film The Forgotten Farms. The film explores the roll and challenges of the commercial dairy farm in the day of farmers’ markets and artisan cheese.
The Escobars are known as farmers who often open their farm to visits from local schools and people from the local communities that surround their farm. In addition to the dairy farm, the Escobars operate a corn maze that helps supplement the dairy income and introduces about 15,000 visitors a year to the farm.

The Outstanding Dairy Farm of the Year award is sponsored by the New England Green Pastures Committee, made up of government and industry members. Membership in Rhode Island’s Green Pastures Committee is coordinated by the Rhode Island Agricultural Council and the DEM Division of Agriculture. Winning dairy farmers from each New England state will be honored on September 15 at the Eastern States Exposition in West Springfield, Massachusetts.

October 23, 2017 0 comment
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News Bites: RI Honors Food Day, Farm to School Month / Pawtucket Wintertime Farmers Market / Jamestown FiSH / Coastal Wine Trail

by David Dadekian October 20, 2016
written by David Dadekian

Current news releases—Eat Drink RI is not the source for these items—please follow any links for more information.

Rhode Island Honors Food Day, Farm to School Month

Farm Fresh RI Farm to School Gardening with Boys & Girls Clubs of Providence

Farm Fresh RI Farm to School Gardening with Boys & Girls Clubs of Providence

The RI Farm to School Project is busy throughout the month of October, supporting special events and distributing resources to engage the state’s schools and institutions in fresh, delicious and nutritious local eating. Governor Gina Raimondo recently proclaimed October to be “RI Farm to School Month.” And the most recent USDA Farm to School Census revealed that Rhode Island schools rank number-one in the nation for district participation in Farm to School programs!

At the same time that obesity and diabetes are occurring in our nation at record rates among children, Farm to School activities empower youth to think critically about the food they eat, to learn about nearby farms and how food is produced, and to taste for themselves that healthy, fresh foods are delicious. Farm Fresh Rhode Island’s Farm to School Project is a critical part of the non-profit’s strategy for fostering a culture of healthy eating in the next generation of consumers. As larger local farms seek secure wholesale markets, school meals represent a viable outlet for Rhode Island farmers. Farm Fresh RI hopes that local food celebrations generate enthusiasm among diners and demand by meal providers so that RI Grown items continue to appear regularly on cafeteria menus.

“Consistent purchases by institutional customers such as Rhode Island’s school food service providers are what our agricultural producers need to assure their investments in expansion,” notes Farm Fresh RI Co-Executive Director Sheri Griffin. “These sustainable purchasing relationships are a win-win for everyone. Our students benefit by enjoying the freshest and most delicious food as our agricultural economy thrives. This kind of activity fosters the development of a secure and sustainable local food system.”

Instagram art contest sponsored by the RI Fruit Growers Association
In celebration of both National and Rhode Island Farm to School Month, as well as Farm Fresh RI’s “Harvest of the Month” initiative featuring apples for October, the RI Farm to School Project hosted an Instagram art contest sponsored by the RI Fruit Growers Association. Rhode Island middle school students (5th – 8th grade) were invited to submit artwork or photography depicting their enthusiasm for Farm to School, Rhode Island agriculture and Rhode Island grown foods. Two fifth-grade students from Reservoir Avenue School in Providence won the contest for their class with colorful drawings of RI Grown fruits and vegetables. Teacher Maureen Rooney’s class will enjoy the first-place prize: apple picking while on a farm fieldtrip Tuesday, October 25, hosted by Steere Orchard in Greenville, RI. The class will also celebrate the second prize, a local foods classroom cooking extravaganza. Students will use RI Grown foods to prepare brunch this Friday, October 21. Menu items include veggie frittatas featuring various vegetables from RI Mushroom Company and multiple RI farms, Baffoni Farms eggs, Schartner Farms sweet potato hash, Steere Orchard apple crisp, and apple pie smoothies using Narragansett Creamery yogurt.

Sodexo Providence, the food service provider at Reservoir Avenue School, will hang the winning artwork in the cafeteria—where all students can view it while enjoying a Great RI Apple Crunch on Food Day, October 24.

The Great RI Apple Crunch, October 24
The second annual Great RI Apple Crunch will be held at Pell Elementary School in Newport, RI, on October 24th—Food Day. To celebrate, the entire school population (including over 850 students, plus faculty and staff!) will gather at 2:00 pm on the school lawn to simultaneously bite into a delicious apple grown locally at Steere Orchard.

The event is coordinated by the school’s food service director, Cindy King of Chartwells, and Farm Fresh RI’s Farm to School team. Chartwells and Farm Fresh RI have worked together in Newport and all East Bay school districts for over 10 years to promote RI Grown foods in school meals and to facilitate food education activities like classroom nutrition lessons, gardening programs and after-school cooking clubs.

This October, Chartwells is participating in Farm Fresh RI’s “Harvest of the Month.” In exchange for printed marketing materials and support with local food celebrations, the district has committed to purchasing RI Grown apples three times during the month!


Farm Fresh RI Wintertime Farmers Market Celebrates 10th Year!

Farm Fresh RI Pawtucket Wintertime Farmers Market 2016 poster

Farm Fresh RI Pawtucket Wintertime Farmers Market 2016 poster

The Pawtucket Wintertime Farmers Market is opening for its 10th season on November 5, 2016. The largest indoor farmers market in New England, it will be open every Saturday through April 29, 2017 from 9am to 1pm — this year including both December 24 (Christmas Eve) and December 31 (New Years Eve). That means extra holiday shopping opportunities for consumers and more chances to support local businesses.

To celebrate the 10th anniversary of the wintertime market, Farm Fresh Rhode Island will be hosting special events, cooking demos, give-aways, and sales throughout the season. Ever growing, the 2016–2017 Pawtucket Wintertime Farmers Market will be home to a bustling community of shoppers, families, musicians, artists, growers, and artisans gathering over a shared interest in delicious locally grown foods. The market will feature over 80 new and returning vendors selling a huge array of local products, from fresh produce, seafood, poultry, meats, and cheeses to baked goods, prepared foods, herbal remedies, seasonal flowers and wreaths… and so much more! The Pawtucket Wintertime Farmers Market is located in two spacious hallways at 1005 and 999 Main St., Pawtucket, RI 02860. The R-Line bus literally stops at the market’s front door. Multiple parking lots are provided for convenience, and street parking is available in the surrounding neighborhood. Ramp accessibility is located at the 999 Main St entrance and in the building’s center courtyard. For more information: farmfreshri.org.

From Humble Beginnings — 10 Years of Supporting Local Growers
“Let’s just do it. Let’s find a place!” That was how it all started, seemingly simple words that transformed years of dreaming into a realistic way to support RI food producers all year long. Farm Fresh RI Co-Executive Director Sheri Griffin was there, then just starting at the fledgling nonprofit. Griffin along with Farm Fresh RI founders Louella Hill and Noah Fulmer knew that local growers need a consistent marketplace to thrive, even after the New England temperatures start to dip. But asking for a commitment from vendors and pulling together all the logistics were far from a sure thing.

“At first, we weren’t even certain it would fly,” explains Griffin. “As a grower, it’s one thing to need a marketplace. It’s another to be able to dedicate valuable time and resources to test new waters.” In fact, the market may not have gotten off the ground in 2007 without integral support from AS220, a Providence gallery and forum for the arts that donated space and tables for that first wintertime market. But the market was a hit almost immediately — thanks to Hill Orchards, Simmons Farm, Matunuck Oyster Farm, Earth Essence Herbals, Wishing Stone Farm, Jack’s Snacks and Whispering Elms Farm blazing the trail, and Farm Fresh RI rounding out the market with buy-in from other small vendors. So, after that first season, Griffin and team were again in search of a space to house the growing demand.

By the following November, 2008, the market had moved to its current home in the Hope Artiste Village in Pawtucket, after recommendations by Farm Fresh RI friends and market partners New Harvest Coffee Roasters and Seven Stars Bakery, which had already set up shop in the building. Jumping dramatically from 7 to 51 vendors in just its second year, the market’s success was a boon, and it has continued to thrive in the years since. In Fall 2012, with the market bursting at the seams, Farm Fresh RI expanded the market into two hallways — as it will continue to be this, the 10th year!

“The Wintertime Market has made a real difference to a lot of local growers,” explains Griffin. “Having a stream of income from the other eight months of the year can help make or break small food & agra businesses. And our community is hungry for what they catch, grow and create. Making these connections is what Farm Fresh RI is all about.”

Cash, Credit/Debit, EBT Accepted
The market accepts cash, check, credit/debit, and EBT. For shoppers using SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) benefits, Farm Fresh RI provides a 40% bonus! Customers simply swipe their EBT card at any of the market Welcome Tables and receive tokens to spend on groceries at the market. For every $5 swiped on EBT, shoppers get $2 FREE Bonus Bucks to buy fresh fruits and vegetables — and the tokens never expire!


Sunday Brunch Begins at Jamestown FiSH

At Jamestown FiSH, Sunday Brunch is a special event. We have made every effort to elevate its status to an art form. With imaginative twists on traditional dishes and inventive new creations inspired by European cuisine, we strive to give our guests an unprecedented dining experience.

A sampling from the menu includes: Omelette, served with a side of Scotch Whiskey Smoked Salmon or Prosciutto & Atwell’s Gold Cheese; Ceufs en Meurette, a classic Burgundian egg dish comprised of two poached eggs topped with a sauce made with copious amounts of red wine, bacon, shallots and mushrooms, then harmonized with a touch of butter and served on top of toasted country bread; Brioche Paine Perdu, with apple-cranberry compote; Jamestown Fish Soup, a spicy soup made with the daily catch, tomato, saffron, fennel hot pepper and a gruyère frico and; Cod “Acqua Pazza,” local Cod poached in a “crazy water” of white wine, hot pepper, garlic, parsley and a touch of tomato and served with potatoes and spinach.
(view the entire menu)

Join us in our sunny dining room from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. each Sunday through May. A dinner menu is offered from 2 p.m. – 7 p.m.


Demand for CT, RI, & MA Coastal Wines Peaks with Record Attendance

Tasting Deal for 10th Anniversary of Coastal Wine Trail

Newport Vineyards in Fall, photo by Marianne Lee Photography

Newport Vineyards in Fall, photo by Marianne Lee Photography

Look out, Napa! Wineries in Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts are seeing record demand for their whites, reds, and sparkling beverages. The Coastal Wine Trail, a nonprofit group of 14 wineries that weave through the heart of Southeastern New England, has quietly built a reputation for serving nationally recognized wines in unique tasting rooms that offer a deep connection to the roots of each bottle. Tourists and locals alike are taking notice, making the Coastal Wine Trail a top destination in New England.

The secret’s out. Tickets for the Coastal Wine Trail’s annual Wine, Cheese, and Chocolate Festival sold out two months before the event, even after expanding the event to allow 600 hundred additional guests. Even wineries are taking notice. In the past year, five new wineries have joined the Coastal Wine Trail, skyrocketing foot traffic to the wineries.

“There is a new energy on the trail,” said Maggie Harnett, Director of the Coastal Wine Trail, which is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year with special tasting deals. “There is a growing awareness that wines made in Southeastern New England are truly exceptional and can compete on a national level.”

Member wineries have amassed an impressive collection of international and national awards, including a Gold Medal in the 2016 Indy International Wine Competition, a Silver Medal in the 2015 Amenti Del Vino 22nd Annual International Wine Competition, and second place in the Dry White Wine category from the Connecticut Specialty Food Association. Saltwater Farm Vineyard was named one of the Top 50 Romantic Wedding Venues in the U.S. by Brides Magazine.

The secret to the Coastal Wine Trail’s success? An unusually tight-knit community of winemakers who are dedicated to creating more than great wines. These winemakers, including a former dentist, snowboarding instructor, and engineer among them, want to convert every visitor into wine lovers, as they were once converted. Call them wine missionaries, because to join the Coastal Wine Trail, you must have a tasting room to connect with visitors.

Close proximity to each other also means travelers can tour the entire Wine Trail in two to three days, all the while sticking close to New England’s scenic coastline. The heart of the Coastal Wine Trail is less than 3 hours from New York City and 90 minutes from Boston.

To celebrate the Coastal Wine Trail’s 10th anniversary, member vineyards are offering a barrel of a deal for just a few more weeks: 67% off a Vintner’s Tasting Ticket that includes wine tastings for two at each of the 14 member wineries. Bottle yours today for just $99. Vintner’s Tasting Tickets can be purchased on the Coastal Wine Trail website: http://coastalwinetrail.com/on-sale-vintners-tasting-ticket/.

October 20, 2016 0 comment
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Napa Valley’s Summit Lake Vineyards Comes to Rhode Island with a Wine Dinner and Tastings

by David Dadekian December 2, 2014
written by David Dadekian

The vineyards at Summit Lake on Howell Mountain

The vineyards at Summit Lake on Howell Mountain

This week Napa Valley native Heather Griffin of Summit Lake Vineyards and Winery visits Rhode Island bringing her family’s wines to an exclusive dinner at Table in Barrington on Wednesday (a few reservations are still available, call 401-337-5830), The Savory Grape’s Holiday Open House in East Greenwich on Thursday and a tasting at Bellevue Wine & Spirits in Newport on Friday.

Summit Lake’s wines are distributed in Rhode Island by Sage Cellars, a family-own distributor of high quality beers and wines from around the world. Sage sampled some of their portfolio at the most recent Eat Drink RI Festival. Eat Drink RI had a chance to email with Griffin prior to her visit to learn about the winery where she was raised and now raises her two daughters. Full details on this week’s Summit Lake Vineyards and Winery events follow below, along with The Story of Summit Lake written by Griffin’s mother Sue Brakesman.

From Heather Griffin (edited to format):

Summit Lake was established in 1971 when my Dad, Bob Brakesman, purchased the property. He had recently graduated with a degree in engineering, but had fallen in love with wine and the wine making process his senior year in college. He started looking for property in the valley and was shown the property up in Angwin. It had been abandoned for about 30 years, but had some old pre-prohibition Zinfandel on it. I think he felt it was fate since it was the same dollar amount that he had just inherited.

We are a family owned and operated winery. My dad oversees both aspects of the business, both the vineyard and winery and has been the winemaker since the beginning. My brother Brian Brakesman is now the winemaker for our winery, in addition to several other clients he makes wine for, and is in charge of the daily operations. I am in charge of the wine after it hits glass and do all of the sales and marketing, as well as hospitality. My husband Mark is employed full time at another winery and vineyard in St. Helena, but also helps with our vineyards in his “spare time.” As with any family business we all do a little bit of everything, especially during harvest. We all drive the tractor, run the crush machinery and do whatever else needs to be done. Thankfully we all get along!

Bob Brakesman with Brian's daughter Sophia Lynn, with her first vintage of Petite Sirah

Bob Brakesman with Brian’s daughter Sophia Lynn, with her first vintage of Petite Sirah

The first acre that my folks planted on the property was Cabernet, and then they planted the rest of the property to Zinfandel since they knew that grew well in the area. We built our winery in 1985, it was an old fashion barn raising, and Summit Lake was born. We currently have 14 acres of vineyard planted on our 20+ acre estate on Howell Mountain and we produce 5 different wines, all from our vineyards.We are best known for our Zinfandel which is our largest production at between 800-1000 cases annually. Our second largest production is dedicated to our Emily Kestrel Cabernet Sauvignon, which is currently at about 300 cases. We also produce a small amount of Clair Riley’s Pirate Reserve Zinfandel Port (yes it’s Pirate, not Private)—200 cases on the years when the weather holds. Our smallest productions are our Blythe Susan Rose, a blend of Zinfandel and Cabernet, at 50-80 cases annually and our Sophia Lynn Petite Sirah at 50 cases. The wines are all named for my Dad’s grandaughters. He got four girls before he got any grandsons.

We first met Anne from Sage Cellars several years ago while she was visiting the valley on a food and wine trip. She and her husband Jesse Sgro have been true advocates for our wine since starting up and taking us into their book. I have only been to Rhode Island once before to visit but am really looking forward to being back in early December. As for what I am looking forward to the most . . . probably the food. I love to eat.

Dinner at Table in Barrington with Heather Griffin from Summit Lake Vineyards & Winery begins at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, December 3rd. Call 401-337-5830 for reservations, $80 per person for the four-course dinner paired with Summit Lake’s Rosé, Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel and Port. Wines will be sold via Grapes & Grains wine shop. The menu is as follows:

Course 1
CAULIFLOWER, Roasted Mushroom, Apple, Herbs

Course 2
RABBIT TERRINE, Celeriac, Carrot, Pickled Mustard seed

Course 3
VENISON, Chestnut, Salsify, Roasted Venison Jus

Course 4
ALMOND and DEHYDRATED FRUIT BREAD PUDDING, Almond mouse, Fig

Table, 8 Anoka Ave., Barrington, RI 02806

On Thursday, December 4th from 5 – 8 p.m. Griffin will be at The Savory Grape Holiday Open House where they will be featuring Summit Lake Vineyards. The Savory Grape, 1000 Division Rd., East Greenwich, RI 02818.

On Friday, December 5th from 5 – 7 p.m. Griffin will be at an in-store tasting in Newport at Bellevue Wine & Spirits. Bellevue Wine & Spirits, 181 Bellevue Ave., Newport, RI 02840.


The Story of Summit Lake by Sue Brakesman

The story of Summit Lake Vineyards begins more than forty years ago when Bob and Sue Brakesman, the owners and operators of Summit Lake, met at Jordan Jr. High school in Palo Alto, California.  After graduating from school in 1964, Bob went to the University of California at Berkeley to study mechanical engineering, and Sue went to Foothills Jr. College in Los Altos to study biology.

Bob joined the Phi Gamma Delta house and Sue would visit on weekends, enjoying all the activities that made the “Fijis” famous-not protesting the war or burning bras or marching on the student union.  What they were famous for was their wild parties and their fraternity brother Bill Gamma.  When the chancellor realized he was a fictitiously registered student to whom all vehicles, library books, beer kegs, etc., were registered, the entire fraternity was asked to leave and never return to another U.C. Campus.

Soon after the “Fiji” fiasco, Bob and fraternity brother Tom Anderson took a year off.  They flew to England, purchased a Volkswagen van and traveled through Europe and the Middle East, as far as Afghanistan and Indian Nepal.  Upon his return, Bob enrolled in San Jose State.  While Bob finished his degree, he and Sue lived in a romantic cabin on a horse-boarding ranch in the foothills of West San Jose.  The Agees, their landlords, had extensive gardens, chickens, goats, dogs, cats, and of course, horses.  They loved their new home.  One afternoon, out by the north corral, bob met one of the neighbors, Peter Mirassou.  Peter had recently retired as CEO of Mirassou Vineyards.  Bob had begun making his own beer and invited Peter in for a taste.  In the course of their conversation, Peter suggested Bob trying “brewing” wine.  The Agee ranch was surrounded by vineyards and orchards.  That fall, late one evening, Bob liberated some of the local grapes.  Following the ancient tradition, they crushed the purloined fruit in open top fermenters (new plastic garbage cans).  Their wine-making days had begun.

Bob graduated from San Jose State in January, 1971.  To celebrate, Bob and Sue packed their Dodge van and took off for South America.  They drove to Miami and joined another fraternity brother Peter Downey, who was finishing a Peace Corp assignment in Chili.  They spent many hours sipping the luscious wines of small family-run wineries in Peru, Chili, and Argentina.  This led Bob to question whether he wanted to be an engineer or explore his growing passion for wine and wine making.  On their return, they moved from the San Jose cabin.  Bob went to Point Reyes to help his friend Tom Anderson build a house in the forest, and Sue went back to her family home in Palo Alto.  They would travel different routes through the Northern California wine country, looking for an affordable piece of land to start their own vineyard.  Bob was always drawn back to the Napa Valley

On November 12, 1971, Sue returned home from work.  Bob was there with birthday champagne for her, and her mother, acting a bit strangely, kept telling her to open her birthday card.  Inside the card was the deed to Summit Lake Vineyards! It described 28 acres of land, eight planted in pre-prohibition Zinfandel (their favorite varietal), fruit trees in the orchard, a chicken house, garage, a huge redwood barn, walnut groves, vistas in every direction, and a house built in the 1880’s.  Reading the deed, Sue thought Bob had purchased paradise.

On Christmas Eve of that year, they left their old life behind.  Having yet to see the ranch, Sue was giddy with anticipation.  When they finally entered the gate and drove down the muddy driveway, her heart sank.  It was paradise all right, after the fall.  The deed had failed to mention that the property had been abandoned for over thirty years and was completely overgrown with manzanita, poison oak, and coyote weed.  Only the house had been used, but it too had fallen into a woeful state of disrepair.  The house was filthy, it was freezing cold, and the fireplace barely worked.  After placing buckets around to catch the leaks, they went to bed listening to the storm.  The next morning there was snow on the windowsill and on the bedroom floor.  They dressed and rushed outside into their first white Christmas on Howell Mountain.  Sue’s anxieties vanished when she saw how a beautiful white coat of snow had transformed the land.  They rolled up their sleeves and went to work-a lot of work!

Their first step was to befriend the local farm advisor, Jim Lider, who quickly became their guru.  He helped them define the soil, told them the history of the vineyard, and recommended rootstock.  Well into the third month on the ranch, they discovered a pre-world war II tractor hidden in the brush.  After several trips to the tractor graveyards in Petaluma, Bob worked his magic and the work became easier.  It took a little over two years to clear the land and resurrect the old eight acre Zinfandel vineyard.

After restoring the old Zinfandel vines, Bob and Sue needed to expand and improve the rest of the land.  When they needed vines, they both went to work at a nursery in St. Helena that produced bench-grafts (baby grapevines).  They worked the 6pm to midnight shift, staying a couple of hours more each night grafting their own vines.  They planted them in milk cartons and lined them up behind the house with overhead sprinklers to keep them healthy.  On weekends, friends with white-collar jobs would come up to the ranch and help plant the new vines, enticed by the promise of a six-pack of cold beer upon the completion of a row.  It took three years to plant thirteen acres of new vines, eleven of Zinfandel and two of Cabernet.  During this time, Heather, their first daughter was born.  She spent time strapped to Sue’s back or sitting in a big canning pot, playing with the water dribbling from a hose, happy to watch her young parents work.

When the vines needed water, Bob went to work for a company that installed drip irrigation systems.  It was the company’s policy to bury leftover pipes and fitting because it was too costly to return them to the warehouse.  Soon the leftovers began to come home on the back of their flatbed truck.  Within a year their irrigation system was complete.  It was then time to let the vineyards mature.

When Bob needed to perfect his winemaking skills, he took a position as cellar foreman at Freemark Abbey which, in the early 80’s, was considered one of the best of the 13 wineries on the valley floor.  Owners Chuck Carpy, Bill Yeager and Frank Wood were legendary.  Their winemaker, Jerry Luper, became a friend and mentor to Bob.  Freemark developed many innovative techniques, producing one of the first Trockenbeerenauslesen in California (a sweet late harvest wine).  Bob was in heaven for the next six years.  During the crush of 1975, their son Brian was born.

Before 1985 all harvests were parties.  Friends would begin to arrive on Thursday night and the fields would begin to look like an ad for The Whole Earth Catalog.  Bright and early Saturday morning everyone would invade the vineyards with assorted trucks, lug boxes, grape knives and first aid kits.  Soon the fruit would start arriving at the crush pad behind the house.  The men would flex their muscles and begin pitch-forking the grapes into the stemmer crusher.  During crush, Sue would act as queen bee in the kitchen directing all the gals in preparing the nights feast.  Dining, dancing, and hot tubing would last well into the night.  The following morning, those that could crawl out of their sleeping bags, would come down into the basement and help bottle the wine from two harvests ago.  The old hand corker made a wonderful rhythm. Music and laughter filled the basement as they worked and talked about the crazy activities of the previous evening.  Everyone left with a “free” case of wine.

When they outgrew the small cellar under the house, it was time to build a winery.  A sight was cleared and leveled and a massive cement pad was poured.  Their three children’s handprints can still be found in the Northwest corner.  Their youngest, Danny, born in 1979, and their old dog blue, left many additional prints.  The walls were constructed and raised with the help of friends and neighbors and their tractors, in the true “barn-raising” style.  With the rafters in place, Sue’s cousins Mark and Russell skillfully laid the roof.  A couple of coats of paint on the walls and a beautiful mural on the big front doors painted by Sue’s Uncle Ralph completed the job.  Bonded winery #5255 was finished in 1985.

Bob’s engineering degree kicked into full throttle when the winery needed equipment.  He began working for the Complete Winemaker in St. Helena.  Bob was soon traveling to wineries springing up in Napa, Sonoma, and Mendocino, designing and installing their new bottling lines.  He also kept a sharp eye on the equipment ready to be replaced.  A filler from here, a labeler from there, tanks, barrels, pieces of this and that, lots of stainless steel, and the winery was ready to go.

Summit Lake Vineyards first commercial release, a 1978 Zinfandel, won the coveted double gold medal at the California State Fair.  It sold out in just eight days.  They had done it!

2014 marks our 43rd year at Summit Lake Vineyards, and we are proud to still be Family Owned and Operated.  In addition to our Zinfandel, we are now producing Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel Port, Petite Sirah, and Rosé.  All of these wines are named for Bob and Sue’s granddaughters; Emily Kestrel, Clair Riley, Sophia Lynn, and Blythe Susan.

A big “THANK YOU!” to all of the family and friends that have made Summit Lake Vineyards what it is today, we couldn’t have done it without you!  Please feel free to stop by and see what is new, and what isn’t, at Summit Lake.

December 2, 2014 0 comment
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