All this is part of our vision for our vineyard and the promise that we will make the finest wines possible. During Winter 1997-98, we hired a South Carolina company to blast a cave into the granite mountain where our vineyard is planted. At its deepest point, it's 60 feet under our vineyard and allows us to maintain a temperature of approximately 53 degrees with 85 percent humidity, perfect conditions for the production and aging of fine wines. Our winery building was planned with specific purposes in mind. We drive our grape-laden trucks onto the winery roof where the grapes are crushed in a special machine and drop by gravity through roof openings to fermentation tanks below.
Fermentation takes place after special handling of the crushed grapes to maximize color and taste.
By moving the grapes with gravity, we minimize bitter flavors and enhance the fruit's natural flavors that, when present, help produce a great wine. A year or so so of aging in oak barrels completes the maturation before the wine is bottled. Valhalla Time Line April 1993 Purchase of 200-acre peach orchard. 1994 Removal of 3,000 peach trees. Ground leveled and cover crop planted.