By Ray Spaziani
Wine Talk
Ray Spaziani
In 1952 my father, armed with my oldest brother’s military allotment check, purchased a building lot on Drummond Road in Orange. He and his brother Jack had a building and remodeling business, and he wanted to build a large home for his family. He built a wonderful colonial cape for us. He loved living in Orange. He was born just outside of Rome, and I think it has something to do with the fact that Orange was founded on seven hills, just like Rome.
One of the many things I wish I had an opportunity to share with him is that Orange has its own vineyard. Stappa Vineyard is located on a gorgeous property on 403 Derby Tpke. and surrounded by trees. The three sisters who own it – Alexa Charles, Rosamaria Ponte and Sara Landino Mahon, have planted over 5,000 vines.
The winery was purchased in 2020 by the three from their father Pietro to help make his dream come true. They are well on their way. They grew up working in the restaurant and hospitality industry, and the girls spent their summers in Italy where wine is not a beverage, it is a way of life. A meal without wine in Italy is called breakfast.
The family immigrated from south-central Italy, where their Pietro had been a shepherd and their mother, Antonietta, had farmed peaches and tobacco in the village of Santa Maria Capua Vetere. The village is located on the western shore about a quarter of the way up from Italy’s “boot.”
These people were no strangers to hard work. They have truly restored the natural beauty of the land. The wines they have on offer include Cayuga White, Chardonnay, Rosè, Marquette and Chambourcin.
The wine is being made in a large, restored building that may have been used as a barn. They have turned it into a wonderful, slightly rustic building that houses the fermentation tanks and the oak barrels. There is a wine bar set up in the building as well. There is seating in the building and all around it. There is even a charming old windmill on the property.
There is no hint of traffic noise in the winery area; it is private and a wonderful addition to Orange. You can bring in food, sit out and have a glass of wine and enjoy the surroundings with a touch of old world charm.
They are closed Monday and Tuesday. They are open 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Sundays, and 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. It’s a great place to celebrate a lovely autumn afternoon.
Ray Spaziani is the chapter director of the New Haven chapter of the American Wine Society. He teaches wine classes for the Milford Board of Education and has some openings for classes in October. He is on the tasting panel of Amonte del Vino and Wine Maker Magazine. Email Ray with your wine questions at
re***************@gm***.com
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