Richmond, MA - Hilltop Orchards will host their Apple Blossom Bash on Saturday, May 19 from 1-5 pm. This annual event celebrates the renewal of spring, the Berkshire's agricultural heritage and the promise of a new growing season. Admission is free and visitors will be treated to complimentary hors d’oeuvres and tastings of the farm winery's Furnace Brook Winery varietals.
John Vittori, owner of Hilltop Orchards and the label's wine maker, states “It will be the first opportunity for many to try the 2006 Big E Wine Competition silver medal winners; the 2003 Chardonnay Special Reserve, the 2004 Riesling and the Muscato.†Two other “firsts†are a behind-the-scenes tour prior to the event and the launch of a new wine club. “We are excited to offer a wine club – the fact that we don't have distribution outside of the Berkshires has disappointed many of our visitors. Now that we have the necessary licenses, we can ship our wines,†explained John.
Facts
Event: “Apple Blossom Bashâ€
Date: Sat. May 19, 2007 from 1pm-5pm
Behind-the-Scenes Tour begins at 12pm
Place: Hilltop Orchards
508 Canaan Rd. / Rt. 295 (just over the NY border)
Richmond, MA 01254
Tel. 1-800-833-6274
Less than 10 miles from downtown Lenox, less than 5 miles from Hancock Shaker Village
Details: Free admission, free wine tasting and hors d’oeuvres
Live entertainment
Background
This year marks the 20th anniversary that John Vittori and his sister Wendy purchased the 200-acre Hilltop Orchards. John and his wife Julie and their children live on the property year-round.
At the time of the purchase, the orchard's cider production was only 3% of what it is today. The Vittori's invested substantially in the business to ensure that the orchard would sustain itself financially in order to preserve the open space that symbolizes the beauty of the Berkshires. This included boosting production of sweet cider (the largest in the region with over 200,000 gallons per year) and the 1994 introduction of Johnny Mash, a hard apple cider containing 6% alcohol.
After the success of Johnny Mash, they built a 6,000 square foot facility to house a new cider-mill and necessary equipment to pasteurize and ferment all their products on site. In 1998 they started Furnace Brook Winery, the first farm winery in the Berkshires.
The Furnace Brook Winery label (named after the brook that originates on their property and runs into the historic Richmond Furnace site) includes Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Riesling, White Zinfandel, Chardonnay, French Cidre', Sparkling Muscato and Blanc de Blancs. Last year, for the first time, John submitted wines for judging at the Big E Wine Competition and was honored to win silver medals for the 2004 Riesling, Muscato and 2003 Chardonnay Special Reserve. The farm winery store at Hilltop Orchards is open year-round, Friday through Sunday, from 11am – 5pm. In addition to wines and ciders, the store sells fruit pies, scones, cider donuts, healthy local produce and cheese.
One year ago, the Vittori's acquired The Garden Gables Inn on Main St. in Lenox and are making substantial improvements to the property. As farm owners and members of Berkshire Grown, they are committed to supporting other local farmers by buying regionally grown and prepared ingredients for their Inn's kitchen.
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While its nice that they support the local farms,
Wendy Vittori, as GM for the Motorola Computer Group is responsible for hundreds of people in Arizona losing their jobs which she shipped to Mexico and India. People should think of this before they buy her wine.
Late last month, the Conservation Commission greenlit some tree pruning on the property. New windows and a new door can be seen in the front of the building.
"It's a substantial renovation that's currently underway here," Brent White of White Engineering said, speaking on behalf of the applicant and owner, Huajie Zhu.
A fire gutted the longtime Wahconah Street supermarket in 2023, and the following year, Zhu purchased the property for $460,000 two years ago to build a restaurant with hibachi in the existing footprint of the more than 100-year-old building.
White explained that the project has been ongoing for over a year, and the Community Development Board granted the property a waiver to reduce the minimum required number of parking spaces so that additional spaces aren't needed.
He noted that, looking at the site plan, there is very little room to do so. A mirror will be installed near the sharp turn on Bel Air Avenue to alleviate traffic concerns.
Pruning will be done on trees in the southeast corner of the existing paved parking lot, as a number of branches are hanging over. The new owners also intend to patch, sealcoat, and re-stripe the parking lot.
A fire tore through the building less than an hour after the supermarket closed for the day three years ago. An automatic sprinkler system is required for the new use.
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