As the subject of this month's "Where Am I?" the numbering system for the rows at Newport Vineyards in #MiddletownRI is far more intricate and involved than most would ever realize.
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CONTACT: Matt Sheley at (401) 842-6543 or msheley@middletownri.com
WHERE AM I? ANSWER — JUNE 2023
MIDDLETOWN, R.I. (JUNE 14, 2023) — Fifty years ago, the idea of Aquidneck Island hosting several successful vineyards would probably seem a bit of a reach.
But times have definitely changed.
According to Paul Nunes, the proprietor and vineyardist of Newport Vineyards, the wine industry is critical to not only Aquidneck Island, but all of The Ocean State.
For one, Nunes said the industry is labor intensive, creating many jobs in farming, wine production, retail sales and tourism. It also preserves important open spaces and helps make farming viable and sustainable instead of succumbing to development pressures.
“Visitors are now seeking out locally grown, raised or caught items including food, wine and experiences more than ever before,” Nunes said.
But it’s not just locals and tourists who are noticing. Several Newport Vineyards wines have been recognized for their taste, body and drinkability.
“Hopefully by now, we have shown that Aquidneck Island is a great place to grow and produce world class wines,” Nunes said. “Our many gold medals and two ‘Best of Show’ blind tasting competition victories speak for themselves.”
As for the No. 11 at the end of a row backing up to the town’s Four Corners Cemetery, Nunes said it actually means far more than most would realize.
Nunes said row numbers start fresh with each change in the variety of grapes. The No. 11 sign featured in this month’s “Where Am I?” are actually sauvignon blanc grapes that were planted in 2000.
All told, Nunes said Newport Vineyards has 489 rows of grapes, with 56,000 grapevines. That’s enough for 60 acres of grapes. Because every grape is unique, Newport Vineyards has 28 different varieties of grapes.
“We have 55 linear miles of grapes if they were laid out in one long row,” Nunes said. “This is the distance from the winery to Boston or Nantucket.”
As for the future, Nunes said Newport Vineyards is in the middle of a number of important projects.
In addition to preserving and restoring the more than three miles of stone walls on vineyard property, Nunes said the operation originally established in 1977 is growing.
This includes taking over the former Chaves Garden greenhouses next door to grow a large variety of ingredients used in vineyard kitchens for public dining and events.
Nunes also said the culinary and Taproot brewing teams continue to collaborate on beers together using vineyard-grown ingredients for their pumpkin and fruited beers. He said the vineyard also planted a number of varieties of hops to use in future beers.
Document Link: https://www.middletownri.com/DocumentCenter/View/8872/WAI-Answer-June-2023