2020 has, among other things, made us even more thankful for wine. This year has been so hard for so many, including small businesses. But there’s a silver lining in every struggle, and we’re thankful for that, too. So in the name of positivity, and in celebration of saying sayonara to this particular segment of time, here are 5 good things that came out of 2020 for M Cellars.
1. Our Cabernet Franc
Easily our favorite release of the year, this small-batch production blew our expectations out of the water. Sourced from only two rows in the vineyard and aged in French oak, the resulting wine is loaded with red fruits balanced by excellent acidity and a super-smooth texture. With less than twenty cases left, this year’s production won’t be released beyond our wine club, but this success gave us to confidence to commit to five acres of cab franc in our new Stoltz Road field (see #4). So, there’s much more to come.
2. Our Harvest Vineyard Experience
Creativity was a huge component of 2020. When business could not operate as usual, we had to come up with new solutions for providing superb service and experiences for our guests. Among our favorites was the Harvest Vineyard Experience. We invited guests on a guided (and physically distanced) tour of the vines to learn how we nurture our European fruit to harvest. Then, they joined our Sommelier, Scott Stutz, for a guided tasting featuring some special small-lot wines. The feedback was so wonderful that we might consider offering a similar experience in the future.
3. Expanded Shipping
Another happy result of hardship, we’re very excited to now ship to 40 states. With the limitations of the pandemic, we knew we had to reach our customers in new, convenient ways. So we ramped up curbside and delivery services, eventually expanding shipping from 6 states to 40. We’re thrilled to be able to continue to offer this convenience moving forward.
4. Vineyard Expansion
This year, we completed our 19-acre Stoltz Road vineyard, bringing our total vineyard acreage to 30. Grapes growing next season will include Bordeaux varieties (cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc, merlot and petit verdot), saperavi (a red grape native to the country of Georgia), and new champagne clones of pinot noir and chardonnay. We also added to our aromatic white varieties with grüner veltliner (a dry white grown almost exclusively in Austria) and gewürztraminer (one of our up-and-coming favorites).
5. Cellar Production Upgrades
We started M Cellars because we believed it was possible to handcraft world-class wine right here in Northeast Ohio. Quality has always been a top priority, and to continue this mission, we’ve begun adding new tanks, updating barrels, and upgrading processing equipment. The wine we’ll be able to share beginning next season will be well worth the investment.
There you have it—our top 5 good things to come out of 2020. We hope that you’ve also had some positive outcomes this year. Feel free to share them with us… maybe over a glass of your favorite varietal. Wishing everyone a very happy new year!
