Farms: Coastal Vineyards: Hand-Crafted From Vine to Glass

It was several years ago when Dave and Linda Neilson purchased a 14 acre plot in South Dartmouth, Mass. with lofty aspirations to plant a vineyard and start a winery on the land. Wait... in Massachusetts? On a field that that had once been farmed with corn? A tall task for sure, but with grit, determination and a great deal of hard work, Coastal Vineyards was born in 2008 and now produces some of the best blended and single varietal wine in the state. At a first sight, it's hard to imagine that Coastal's meticulously manicured eight acre vineyard was anything but the wondrous sight it is today. With seemingly endless rows of grape vines, Coastal grows ten different varietals on the land including Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Gewurztraminer, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Pinot Blanc and Marquette. It is from the same land that Coastal Vineyards produces small batches of superb wines that are hand-crafted, bottled, sold, and - for those lucky enough to visit - consumed in its small winery, which stands on a short hill overlooking the luscious greenery. In this segment, Dave Neilson takes us on a short tour through Coastal discussing along the way his passion for viticulture as well as his inspiration for starting Coastal, and why southeastern Massachusetts is a ideal location for grape growing. Coastal Vineyards is located at 61 Pardon Hill Road South Dartmouth, MA and is open for tours and tastings from April through December on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays from 12-5 PM. For more information, please visit http://coastal-vineyards.com. Editor's note: This video segment was produced by French Oak TV and is the third in a series profiling the Massachusetts Farm Winery & Growers Association and each of its member wineries.