Nashoba Valley Winery
u r t o r y
While the vision started in 1976, Nashoba Valley Winery was born in 1978 when founder Jack Partridge’s interest in fruit wines exceeded his fascination with being a city planning for the City of Cambridge. After producing wines out of his house for 2 years, he rented space in a West Concord mill building called Damon Mill. By 1980, as the business expanded, so did Partridge’s desire to locate in an orchard, where he could grow a wide assortment of fruits for the wines. In 1983 Partridge found just the spot in Bolton which at the time was known as Upland Farm.
The property included a rustic farmhouse which was built in 1923 and was originally owned by Dr. Clemens, a chiropractor. In 1983 Jack Partridge purchased the property, built the original wine shop, replanted the orchard and established Nashoba Valley Winery & Orchard. From 1983 until 1995, Jack Partridge lived with his family in the farmhouse until it was sold to its current owners, Rich and Cindy Pelletier.
Our Story
o w I t A l e g a n
Today, Nashoba Valley Winery is Massachusetts’s leading fruit wine producer and the nation’s pioneering “winery orchard.” With over 100 national and international medals to its credit and accolades from such noteworthy publications as “Boston Magazine”, “Wine Enthusiast”, “Cooking Lite Magazine”, “Food and Wine”, “Boston Parent’s Paper”, “The Yankee Magazine” 2003 Editors Choice, Travel & Leisure, Nashoba Valley Winery is one of the ultimate destinations on the east coast.
In 1995, the concept of grown locally was starting to be developed and agritourism was a concept not a business. With a new team in place, Nashoba began to bring west coast concept to an east coast farm. A visit had to become an experience; a place where people gather to experience open land and dirty hands.
From 1995 to 1998, the transition team focused on recreating the original wines which required bringing back the original winemaker, Larry Ames. Rich Pelletier remembers being told by Bob Davis, a big-league farmer in Bolton, that to rebuild the winery’s image required him to bring back Larry to make the wines.
One of Jack’s many accomplishments was the Planting of over 100 varieties of antique apples for his experimentation with wine and the best varieties for producing the finest wines and ciders.
The Barrel Room was added in 1998 about the time that Cody Parrow and Malibu Pelletier joined the team
crafts people
e u K y P o p l e
Richard Pelletier
President, IT and Maintenance
SUFFOLK UNIVERSITY
Justin Pelletier
Annie Parrow
Cindy Pelletier
MIDDLEBURY COLLEGE
UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS
Milestones
e i e e c a e s o f H i s t o r y
1976
The Beginning
Jack Partridge begins making wines in the basement of his house in Sommerville, Massachusetts.
1980
Building the Winery
The winery produces first vintage of commercial wine at Damon Mills in West Concord, Massachusetts in 1989 and moves to Upland Farm in 1984.
LATE 1990-IES
The Transition
The original team of Nashoba was led by Jack, center front, Larry Ames, right front, Denis Wagner, left top, and Noel Ploef, right top.
The Pelletier Family starts its quest to turn Nashoba Winery into a destination vineyard with goals of adding a restaurant, festivals and weddings. Experimentation begins with growing grapes in the vineyard block now dedicated to St. Croix.
1998
J's Restaurant is Born
Named after the owner’s sons, Jesse and Justin, our restaurant was established to showcase the wine & food of our local farm. The first major renovation was to add a commercial kitchen to the existing farm house. In 2019, J’s Restaurant is named one of the top winery restaurants in America.
2001
The New Winery
A building over a building. The building to the right was actually build over the original winery so that production operations could continue during construction. On the left, the right side of the building remained while the left side was engulfed by a new structure and later walls were removed.
Transformation of a 4000 square foot facility into a 15000 square foot facility
1999 – Series Challenge of the Chefs
2001 – Festival – Oktoberfest
2004 – Taste of Nashoba Food Festival
2009 – Vine to Wine
2012 – Taste of the Maze
2018 – Food Truck Fridays
2020- The year to Forget
The Mid 2000's
Events & Weddings
The evolution of agri-tourism brings the plan to action with Nashoba leading the way. The Wedding Pavilion is built and Nashoba is designated in 2020 as one of the top 10 places in Massachusetts to host a wedding. The brewery is constructed so that all beers and wines served in our venues are featuring products made on site. In 2001, Nashoba is granted the first Farmer’s Distillery License in Massachusetts and becomes the leader in producing Vodka made from Apples. Never from gluten is the theme.
2019
The Incredible Distillery
Nashoba expands its Distillery which ends up making more sanitizer than hooch in 2020. Well, the best-made plans came to a screeching halt as we were all told to go to our rooms. Awe, whiskey takes years to make so, in theory, we lost a year of sales but gained a year of aging! Aging can be a good thing to a hooch in a barrel.
sustainability
i n d f u l n s s o f t h e E n v i r e t
As part of the agricultural industry, we fully depend on our surrounding, just as it depends on us. That’s why we grow our fruits using Integrated Pest Management (IPM). Integrated pest management(IPM) uses biological pest and reduced pesticides and advance monitoring to reduce the overuse of pesticide applications. IPM aims to develop and extend effective, affordable, and environmentally-sound control strategies. Over the past decades the carbon footprint of the winery has been positive, which is something we’re really proud of.
r o w n a n P o d u c e d b y Y o N i g h b o r s
Made in Massachusetts by your neighbors lets you know that our wines are being produced by qualified, well paid, professional employees earning a fair wage and producing a quality product. As much as possible, we buy American and support local companies, farms and individuals. When a farmer’s crop is hit by hail, we are there to help him survive by processing his crop into wine or spirits and still paying her or him a fair price. From cranberry gowers on the cape, to apple and peach farms around Bolton to blueberry growers in Maine and maple syrup harvesters in the Berkshires, Nashoba Winery has friends in the farming community because everyone is treated as family.
Can you purchase less expensive wine? Absolutely but probably not as good and probably not from a grower with the reputation of Nashoba Valley. A bottle of Nashoba not only includes a great product but it includes the quality and love of our team, the commitment to our team and to our community. Preserving land, employing your neighbors and helping local charities. Each bottle includes a contribution to preservation or land and the fundamentals of the American Dream.
