Sustainability at Stargazers Vineyard:

"Our wines begin in the vineyard where we use natural fertilizers and foliar nutrients so the vines can withstand disease and weather. We hoe between vines and mow between rows, turning weeds and grass into green manure. Because of our humid climate we must use fungicides, but we try to use low impact materials to the extent possible.
Our efforts at sustainability extend beyond the vineyard. We capture rain water in cisterns for spraying the vineyard and winery washing. A nine kilowatt photovoltaic array provides all the electricity for the winery and the needs of our passive solar home.
Wine-growing starts in January with pruning for balanced yields and continues through careful canopy management to the culminating point - the timing of harvest. Fermentation, with carefully selected yeasts, then turns juice into wine in our cellars, which are built into the earth so we do not need additional heating or cooling. Fermentation temperature is controlled with water from our cistern. When getting the wines ready for bottling, we believe that minimal manipulation and filtration maximizes flavor, freshness and finesse."

Upcoming Events:

Dornfelder Day, celebrating the first wine of the vintage with sausages from market vendors and onion tart at the winery Saturday November 29, 2010

www.stargazersvineyard.com

Serve these rich canapés as the perfect starter to an autumn meal. Glasses of crisp white or sparkling Stargazers wine make the perfect addition.
Ingredients
3 tart apples, cored and sliced into eighths
1 tablespoon melted butter
1 tablespoon brown sugar
.75 lb Fat Cat Cheese (Birchrun), sliced
24 baguette slices
Method
Preheat oven to 375°F. Toss apple slices with melted butter and brown sugar. Bake apples until are tender, about 20 minutes.

Arrange Brie evenly over the bread slices and top with the apple slices. If desired, broil 1 to 2 minutes until cheese is just melted. Serve immediately.