Winemaking
CCC Trail Vineyard, Inc, a Kentucky small farm winery in Rowan County, sits atop a 1200-plus foot elevation ridgeline and has an extraordinary terroir, the French term for a vineyard’s unique geography, soil, and weather conditions. The vineyard was initially planned in the late 1990's by the founders, George Plage and Sonata Bohen. George and his wife, Sonata, had a dream, unheard of at that time in their Appalachian foothills.
George and Sonata’s vision became a reality at the turn of new millennium. They planted and nurtured 2700-plus vines in the five and a half acre vineyard with 37 varieties of grapes. They began to question if they would ever see a producing vineyard, given their hard work and years of training the fragile vinifera and French-hybrid vines. In 2004, the vines began to produce for the first time, four years after their endeavor began.
2006 was a spectacular year of accomplishment for the Plage family's winery operations. George was honored as Kentucky's Innovative Farmer of the Year by the University of Kentucky for his efforts. The winery operations center and wine-tasting pavilion was constructed, using the state-of-the art green technology. By employing geothermal heat and air, the wine is kept at a constant 59 degrees F. In addition, the all-critical local election supported the winery, as surrounding farmers and friends voted overwhelmingly to create a "wet" precinct.
The initial wine vintage was 2004, but sales started in earnest in 2006. By any measure, the 2006 vintage was a great year. Lightly-oaked Vidal Blanc 2006, made from the French-hybrid white grape has been a wild success. This wine is aging well in the bottle and adds the perfect touch for a romantic dinner, as well as social functions such as weddings and cocktail parties.
We have a seventy percent Chardonnay blend named Whatever. George's first choice for this wine’s name was Chardonot but the name was rejected by ATF's authorities. When they asked him for another name, having no immediate alternative, he just told them, "Whatever". A new wine name was born, despite the name’s shortcoming in romance. Even George laughs that the name does not engender in one's mind the true quality of the rich bodied white wine. The existence of Whatever is short-lived, not because of its name, but because of its popularity and it is approaching sell-out status.
Golden Harvest, a sweet white wine is award winning, receiving a Silver Medal in the American Wine Society fall competition held in Pittsburgh during September 2008. George created this treasure for the winery's supporters, blending his idyllic sweet wine containing slightly less alcohol, but with wonderful residual sugar content. Golden Harvest is a customer favorite wine, even winning over those who prefer a dryer wine. This classic sells exceptionally well and we recommend it for your consideration.
George made a bold move with some of his harvest of the banner year crop of 2006. Lacking the vessel capacity to ferment all of his wonderful varieties, he cut the Gordian Knot by mixing five red varietals at the crush, a step that was gutsy, but it was the only choice he had, given timing and finances.
Usually failures are not told with such flourish, and this decision was not a failure! His resulting Rowan Red, has been nothing but spectacular. Rowan Red is a full-bodied red blend with Baco and Cabernet Franc as its predominant grapes. While not a reproducible wine in the future, it is a tribute to the vineyard’s nutrient and mineral-rich soil. Once you taste this wine, you too will agree George’s gamble paid off. In 2009, Rowan Red 2006 won a bronze medal at the annual American Wine Society competition!
George is not one to brag, but he did have a third entry, a red wine named Red Fox, in the same 2008 American Wine Society It was also of 2006 vintage and it also proudly won the Silver Medal, despite completely selling out before the competition's results were public! This is another testimonial to the past success of the young vineyard coming to fruition from George's brilliant vision over a decade ago.
Rowan Ridge Rose is an interesting wine, with some American grape components in its blend. The American grapes make for a unique nose and taste, again, a great tasting room favorite, as tasters can use it to refine their tasting palate.
Starting in 2009, CCC Trail Vineyard, under new ownership is also making bold decisions, adding two non-grape wines. Blackberries are prevalent on the forty acres surrounding the vineyard, and we will make a fine Blackberry wine, handcrafted on the vineyard property, just like all the other fine wines we have mentioned. The 375ml split bottles will be a brilliant blue, a product any University of Kentucky fan would be proud of.
The second non-grape wine will come from produce cultivated in the Vineyard's rich garden plot adjacent to the tasting room and wine operations center. Several different types of heirloom tomatoes are being nurtured with great care. The selection process was based on the sugar and fluid content, acidity, and other intangibles. These heirlooms will be the foundation of the new Rosstica Tomato Wine, hopefully releasing just before Christmas 2011, again in 375 ml split bottles, with plans to bottle the wine in beautiful green collector bottles.
The Ross family is proud to honor the heritage of CCC Trail Vineyard and they hold George and Sonata in the highest esteem as pioneers in the recent vintage of new Kentucky winemakers. Following in George’s footsteps, the Ross family has already informed George and Sonata of a future sweet wine they will produce and it will be named George’s Sweet Sonata, honoring both of the founders.
The future of the winery is bright because of their attention to detail as George and Sonata created a new vineyard and winery, a decision forced by dramatic changes in the Kentucky farming landscape. As tobacco crops were being phased out, farming in Kentucky was in a crisis mode with farmers scrambling to recognize new income sources for their families. Their farming skills, conservation consciousness and commercial success is all one needs to declare their vision and their vineyard as a green, growing and glowing triumph!
Purchase your favorite CCC Trail Vineyard wine now, before they sell out! We do offer gift certificates and wine gift baskets as well, great for Father’s Day, Birthdays, and Holidays. We also sell our wines for weddings and receptions.
Speaking of weddings, we have three exquisite venues for weddings at the winery, our 16-room inn, Journey’s End Lodge in Bath County and at the Eagle Ridge Retreat in Fleming County.
William Tufts is now serving as Jim’s assistant winemaker and the vineyard is growing in prominence as more tourists and locals become supporters of the efforts at CCC Trail Vineyard.