Union Leader: LaBelle Winery now using grapes from its Amherst vineyard for wine production

By KIMBERLY HOUGHTON
Union Leader Correspondent

AMHERST — For the first time, LaBelle Winery is producing wine from its own homegrown grapes.

“We are actually thrilled to have been able to make wine from our first grapes grown at the vineyard,” said Amy LaBelle, owner and winemaker at the Amherst facility. “Wine takes forever. This part of the dream had to wait for us.”

In 2012, LaBelle Winery opened its $4 million, 20,000-square-foot winery and event center along Route 101 in Amherst near the Bedford town line. At the time, 2-year-old plants were planted on a portion of the 11-acre farmland site.

The winery’s harvest in October of 2015 was used to create two new wine varieties — Amherst Vineyard Red and Amherst Vineyard White.

“Seeing it all come to fruition in a bottle of wine was very rewarding,” LaBelle said. “It is super special to be able to work with the grapes that we planted with our own hands.”

According to LaBelle, the 2016 growing season was good despite the drought conditions. The 2,001 vines growing in the vineyard are now stronger because they had to work harder to reach water, she said.