OUR STORY
In the summer of 2020 we began leasing vineyards owned by David and Linda Boyden in Cambridge, Vermont. Home to some of the oldest vines in Vermont, these three plots are planted to Frontenac Noir, Marquette, and Frontenac Blanc.
We converted the vineyards to organic practices, spraying sulfur and copper as well as some stylet oil and various plant teas to help control fungal disease in the vineyard. In the fall of 2020 we leased space in the old Shacksbury production facility, and produced the first vintage of Stella14 wine. We destemmed and foot-trod all of our grapes and allowed indigenous (native, ambient, etc.) yeast to do their work.
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In September 2022, we began processing our fruit at our home in Cambridge after we transformed part of our barn into an insulated cellar space and poured the foundation for an outdoor crush pad. We produced and bottled our first vintage in our new space that year, and will continue to do so in the years to come!
STELLA 14
In 1785, the Vermont Republic issued a copper coin with the words 'Stella Quarta Decima' or 'The 14th Star' in hopes of becoming the 14th state. In 1791 Vermont was admitted to the nascent United States and the coin left circulation.
The coin's Latin text was the inspiration in 2015 for Angela Kubicke, a freshman at St. Johnsbury Academy, to propose that Vermont adopt a second motto in Latin: Stella Quarta Decima Fulgeat, or May the 14th Star Shine Brightly. Meeting with opposition from some misinformed citizens who thought that Vermont should not have a 'Latino' motto, the press and high school students alike seized on the opportunity to educate those less learned in Vermont history (and ancient languages). Gov. Shumlin signed the bill into reality saying: "veni, vidi, signati" and Vermont had its Latin motto.
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We took the history of this coin and the charming path to a new motto for our state as inspiration for both our name and the back label to our wines.