Behind the Scenes of Marquette Vineyard

At ellicottvilleNOW, we like to take field trips, and last Friday’s adventure was not just fun but also informative. Sam Sheehy, owner of the Winery of Ellicottville, along with his son Neven, guided our team on a tour of the Marquette Vineyard. Did you know that there was a vineyard in Ellicottville? We didn’t. Let us tell you about it!

Vineyard owner Bob Maranto was excited to share his story with us after we told him we weren’t even aware there was such a place here. He said, “Growing up, my family - and in particular my Uncle Dino who was born in Italy - made wine. I started making my own wine about 20 years ago with my father. I’ve always had an interest in, and a love for, red wine in particular. My love of red wine was further developed by my Uncle Ron Maranto, who is a sommelier. My wife and I purchased approximately 85 acres of land in Ellicottville so that we could build a home there and have a destination for our children and hopefully future grandchildren. (I have one on the way now!) In June of 2019 after speaking to a friend of mine, John Comerford who also grows grapes in the Ellicottville area, I decided to plant approximately 500 vines. During Covid I spent most of my time in Ellicottville, was isolated and bored, and decided to clear enough land to plant an additional 1,850 vines.”

All that effort has definitely been fruitful. (See what I did there?) Bob’s Marquette strain of grapes are used to create wine (which also goes by the same name) for the Winery of Ellicottville. According to Sam, this will be the third batch of wine he creates from the vineyard’s yield since its beginning.

Bob told us, “The initial vineyard was planted on June 23, 2019. John Rosier, the owner of Forevergreens in Springville, was instrumental in getting this project going. We planted the vineyard while my wife was away on a spiritual pilgrimage in Italy. She unfortunately and unexpectedly passed away the next day (June 24, 2019), so she never saw the vineyard. What I call the “old vineyard” is very special to me for that reason. The “new vineyard” was planted in 2020 during Covid. The land was cleared and prepared for planting by Asa Moss, from Moss Construction in Ellicottville. Friends and family helped plant all 1,850 vines while social distancing during a really uncertain time. It is also special to me – just for different reasons. At the present time, all of the grapes that are made into wine, and sold, are done so through the Winery of Ellicottville.”

That’s a lot of grape vines, but it isn’t just the one variety. Bob grows five different grapes. The primary is of course the Marquette, which was first introduced to colder climate vineyards in 2006. It was produced by the University of Minnesota and is the grandchild of Pinot Noir. It was created to withstand up to -30 degrees. He also grows Somerset, Frontenac, Frontenac Gris, and Leon Millot grapes. (The Somerset are very tasty table grapes, meant for eating and not for wine making.)

While Sam walked us through the vineyard to show us each section - from the lowest part (which was the original) all the way to the top of the hill, we soaked in all the information he threw at us and learned what working a vineyard entails.

A typical day at the vineyard starts with a visual inspection to determine if tying or pruning of the vines is necessary. Visual inspection is also performed to determine if there is any type of insect or disease concerns. Grassy areas between the vines are cared for. Insect, weed and/or disease maintenance is performed as necessary. (Bob does much of this work himself with the assistance of Joe Nosbich, who lives full-time here in Ellicottville.)

Since there are multiple varieties of grapes, there are 3 different harvests which are dependent on weather conditions. The first harvest can be as early as late August, and the last harvest as late as mid-October. Harvest time is a party at the house with friends and family. During the winter, winter pruning is performed in order to prepare the vines for the following season. (Bob hires a great team of professional trimmers to trim and balance the vines for the next season.)

The vineyard is beautiful and though it currently is not open to the public, Bob has a lot of plans in mind for its future. He says, “Although not completely solidified as of yet, my hope is to turn the property into a winery. A destination of sorts for people traveling to the Ellicottville area. The winery would have a tasting room, some production on site, outdoor areas to enjoy the beautiful Enchanted Mountains and scenery, and access to the walking trails and wooded areas on the property. Some time ago, I had a wonderful meeting with the Executive Director of the CCIDA, Corey Wiktor, and discussed this plan. I will be submitting some thoughts to the IDA in the next couple of weeks. We will see!”

Bob went on to explain, “When the original vineyard was planted, it was for fun. A hobby. After Covid and the quadrupling of its size, this whole endeavor took an entirely different path. I had no plan and no idea what I would do with all of the grapes. The leap of faith was the hope that something - or someone - would come along at some point to guide me. That happened. I can’t stress enough how a chance introduction to Sam Sheehy from the Winery of Ellicottville changed everything for me. Sam’s experience working in vineyards, and the advice that he provides, has been invaluable to me. Sam is also an extremely gifted vintner whose expertise in making wine seems to be expanding daily. I am so grateful to have met him and his beautiful family. This relationship has changed everything for me and the vineyard, and I am excited to see what the future will bring.”

Sam is most certainly a talented individual. He explained the process of harvesting, pressing and winemaking said vineyard grapes. (Did you know that the sanitization in their winemaking process is achieved using alcohol? Or that most of the wines offered at the Winery are crafted for balance and drinkability, often resulting in wines with a lower alcohol content? Perfect for an afternoon glass… or two.)

As a matter of fact, we ended our day downtown at the Winery of Ellicottville with a sampling of 2021’s Marquette Vintage, and it was a delightfully dry, fruit forward wine. It was amazing to learn the story of grape to glass. Sam is full of information on all the processes of winemaking, variety of wine, and what best to pair certain wines with. Fun fact: The color of wine is achieved from the grape skins!

So keep your eye out for news on the Marquette Vineyard; we’re sure you’ll be hearing more about it soon! In the meantime, stop into the Winery of Ellicottville and enjoy yourself a glass of your preferred flavor. Order up a charcuterie board, sit out on their upstairs patio and have a delightful afternoon!

More information on the Winery of Ellicottville can be found on their Facebook page or website, www.wineryofellicottville.com.