Valley Bounty: Black Birch Vineyard

Published December 14, 2024 in the Daily Hampshire Gazette

Hatfield Winery Has a Recipe for Holiday Cheer

By Jacob Nelson

In the right hands, wine has a way of bringing people together.

“Even before we started this business, we loved the wineries and vineyards we’d visit when we traveled,” says Michelle Kersebergen, owner of Black Birch Vineyard in Hatfield. “Especially the sense of community many were able to create, with local people buying local wine and gathering to have meals together. That’s the kind of space we’re hoping to create here for people to enjoy.”

Black Birch Vineyard has an uncommon vision for a winery in New England. They want to grow all the grapes they use to make their own wines, keeping the process in-house from vine to bottle.  Together with her husband and fellow owner, Ian Modestow, who manages the vineyards, and head winemaker Kevin Collins, Kersbergen and her team are learning how to make it happen.

Black Birch has had grapes in the ground since 2017, but they’ve always made wine using some grapes from elsewere too, usually from regions in New York known for wine production, like Long Island and the Finger Lakes.  “This year is exciting, though,” says Kersbergen, “because 2024 is the first year we didn’t source any fruit from outside our own vineyard. That was a big leap for us.”

It may not happen every year, given how unpredictable every growing season is thanks in part to climate change. It certainly couldn’t have happened in 2023, when a cold snap in late May froze new-forming fruit on the vine and decimated that year’s grape harvest – not to mention berries, apples and other crops across the region. But with Black Birch’s recent plantings now maturing, their vineyard covers 18 acres. In good years, they should harvest plenty of their own grapes for their winemakers to work their magic.

Grazing amid the row of vines, sheep also contribute in important ways. Moving through areas where grapes are planted and in pastures outside of that, they keep the grass low and fertilize the soil with their manure. They also produce both meat and wool, which are sold at the vineyard.

Wine, though, is by far their main focus, and making good wine starts by choosing the varieties of grapes that can thrive in Massachusetts. As Kersbergen explains, it’s been an experiment since day one.

“We’ve definitely found varieties that didn’t work,” she says. “For example, we planted some Blaufränkisch in 2017 (an Austrian variety that makes a rich red wine). That never did well so we ended up taking it out. Pinot Grigio and Pinot Blanc also got hit hard by conditions in the last few years.”

At the same time, other varieties have exceeded expectations. Grüner Veltliner, which happens to be the most-planted grape in Austria, also seems to enjoy Hatfield soils. They’ve had great success with popular choices like Chardonnay, Reisling, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Franc too. The common thread between all these varieties is cold-hardiness – since New England winters get much colder than many wine-growing regions – and an ability to still produce quality grapes even when a tough growing season means the overall harvest is smaller.  With whatever fruit the vines bear, the winemakers go to work pressing, fermenting and bottling wines that capture the subtly different flavors brought forth each season.

Often people think of New England wines as more sweet than subtle. But at Black Birch, “we tend to like and make drier wines that are more acidic and fairly bright,” Kersbergen says. “They’re like the more classic varieties you might find in Germany, France and the cooler climate in central Europe.”

Looking ahead, Kersbergen is excited to see their list of estate wines grow (that’s the technical term for a wine made with only grapes grown by the wine’s maker). With that comes the chance to liven the conversation about why estate wines are special.

“Most people are pleasantly surprised at the quality of wines that can be made here in Massachusetts,” says Kersbergen. “It’s important to us to talk to people about what grapes grow in this climate and how the style of wines we make expresses that. Because really, that’s what winemaking is all about for us.”

Black Birch Vineyard’s wine can be found at several local stores, including both River Valley Co-op locations, all three Provisions locations, Ryan & Casey Liquors in Greenfield, and several smaller independent markets. Customers can also buy wine at the winery in Hatfield, and for frequent buyers, their wine club gives members discounts on purchases at the vineyard, complimentary wine tastings every month and other perks too.

Beyond just selling wine, Black Birch wants to use their wine to bring people together, lifting up other local businesses too. That’s where their tasting room and event spaces come in.

Throughout the year, Black Birch Vineyard is open for tours and tastings Wednesday through Saturday from 12-6 and Sundays 12-5. There are both indoor and outdoor areas where people can enjoy wine, and local food trucks often serve food on the weekends. Sunday afternoons feature live jazz music, and other music and entertainment is common throughout the year.

For the holiday season, Black Birch is hosting Sip & Shop Markets on the weekends, where a handful of local vendors have been invited to sell their what they make. These events are billed as a great place to find holiday gifts, including Black Birch’s wine and the other locally grown and made things they have for sale themselves.

“We want to support as many other local businesses as possible,” says Kersbergen. “In our shop we have syrups from Old Friends Farm in Amherst, dressings and sauces from Appalachian Naturals in Goshen, and cheeses from Grace Hill Farm in Cummington.

“Usually, it’s a benefit for everyone in this community when we work together,” she continues. “For us, wine is the common thread.”

Jacob Nelson is communications coordinator for CISA (Community Involved in Sustaining Agriculture). To learn more about holiday events and local gifts from farms and food businesses near you, visit buylocalfood.org.