Nassau Valley Vineyards facts for kids

Nassau Valley Vineyards is a special place in Delaware. It was the very first winery to open in the state! Today, it's also the biggest winery there.

A jazz singer named Peggy Raley had a dream to open a winery in Delaware. But there was a problem: the state laws didn't allow wineries. So, Peggy decided to do something amazing. She worked with the state government to create a new law. By 1991, her new law was passed. This allowed her to get a license and open Nassau Valley Vineyards in 1993. For many years, it was the only winery in Delaware. The vineyard has eight acres of land and is a popular stop for tourists visiting the nearby beaches.

A Look Back: The History of Winemaking in Delaware

The Delmarva Peninsula (with modern-day Delaware outlined in red) was where Swedish and Dutch settlers first tried to grow grapes.

Nassau Valley Vineyards played a big role in bringing winemaking back to Delaware. Before this winery, growing grapes and making wine in Delaware was not very common.

Way back in the 1630s, settlers from Sweden came to the Delaware River valley. They were encouraged to plant grapevines and make wine. The idea was to send this wine back to Sweden, where it was hard to grow grapes. Later, in the mid-17th century, the Dutch took over the area. They also tried to promote winemaking. However, they found that the land was better for growing apples.

After that, most winemaking in Delaware was done at home, not for sale. This continued until Nassau Valley Vineyards opened. It became the first commercial winery in the state, bringing winemaking back to life!

In the 1980s, Peggy Raley worked for a group that loved wine. She traveled to many wine regions around the world. She became convinced that her home state of Delaware could also grow great grapes. Between 1987 and 1990, she planted about 7 acres (2.83 hectares) of grapes.

At that time, old laws from the Prohibition (a time when alcohol was banned in the United States) made it impossible for Peggy to sell wine directly to people. So, Peggy started a campaign to change these laws. She talked to the state government and even wrote the new law herself! In 1991, the law was passed. Finally, in 1993, Nassau Valley Vineyards was allowed to sell Delaware wine. It was a huge step for the state's wine industry.

Where the Grapes Grow: Location and Production

Chardonnay is one of the grape types grown at Nassau Valley Vineyards.

As of 2009, Nassau Valley Vineyards was the only winery in Delaware that made "estate grown wine." This means they grow their own grapes on their property. Then, they make the wine right there at the same location.

The vineyard is located about 3 miles (4.82 km) from Cape Henlopen. This is very close to the Atlantic coast. The weather here is called a "maritime climate." This means it's influenced by the sea. Peggy Raley thought this climate was similar to Bordeaux in France, a famous wine region. Because of this, she first planted grape types from Bordeaux. These included Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc. Later, they also planted other grapes like Chardonnay, Seyval blanc, and Chambourcin.

By 2005, Nassau Valley Vineyards was making about 5,000 cases of wine each year. Besides their own Delaware wines, they also make wines from grapes bought from Maryland and Virginia.