Today we’d like to introduce you to Amy LaBelle.
Amy, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
This special place began as a dream of mine in 2001 – a dream that happened as I visited a small winery in Nova Scotia Canada. The moment I walked into that winery, I had a “lightning bolt” moment, and I knew that I was meant to make wine. So, I began learning the art of winemaking first at home in my small Boston apartment, and then at UC Davis, California in their distance learning program, and I was hooked. I continued to work on a business plan and building knowledge and practice of winemaking, all the while keeping my “day job” as an attorney at Fidelity Investments, as I saved my pennies and planned for the future LaBelle Winery.
In 2005, I launched a small commercial production at the gorgeous Alyson’s Orchard in Walpole, NH where I fermented small batches of Apple Wines for two years. By then I had met and married my dear husband, Cesar Arboleda, and we moved the winery to a barn behind our residence in Amherst, NH where we grew production to 18,000 gallons. In 2010, with 200 wholesale accounts and no more room for expansion, we decided to take the big leap and embarked on our journey to build what is now our 20,000 square foot, state of the art, LaBelle Winery, Bistro Restaurant and Event Center.
With the dream of winemaking was also born the dream to build a place where community could gather and enjoy excellent food, wine, and cultural arts. At LaBelle Winery you can taste award-winning wine, learn on a winery and vineyard tour, dine in The Bistro at LaBelle Winery with fresh, organic product straight from The Farm at LaBelle Winery, listen to live music, take a class, stroll through our art gallery, enjoy the gorgeous architecture that evokes New England’s past in a very modern, sleek way, celebrate a special moment, or simply put your feet up and relax with a glass of wine on our terrace while sitting by our fire-bowl. We are so proud to offer you not just a place to go, but an experience unlike any other.
My husband, Cesar Arboleda, and I invite you to visit LaBelle Winery. We can’t wait to share our dream with you….
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
No! If the road to successful entrepreneurship were easy, everyone would do it! There were and continue to be struggles. First, financing a 5.3 million dollar project in hospitality and winemaking — an industry that is largely untested in New Hampshire and New England — was difficult to find. When the first 4 banks rejected us, we did not give up and Enterprise Bank in Lowell, MA finally supported our plan. Finding the right team of employees was also difficult and only now — five years in — have we cultivated a team of dedicated professionals who really get the mission and vision. In addition, winemaking in New England can be a bit lonely in that there is not a thriving community of winemakers with whom to gain knowledge or experience. We have largely self-taught and learned by trial and error.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with LaBelle Winery – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
LaBelle Winery’s core is, of course, wine. We specialize in creating exciting and unique wines from cold-hardy grapes — grapes that may not be well known but offer incredibly interesting opportunities to taste something new! Hosting over 300 events per year, LaBelle Winery also specializes in executing events with perfection and excellence, offering the best food and service in New Hampshire. We are most proud of the fact that since we opened 5 years ago, we have helped over 1000 charities (200+ per year) in all ways large and small, and we are making a BIG impact in our community. We are set apart by “The LaBelle Experience” — that is, we invite guests to come to LaBelle and have an experience that provides a few hours of education, artisan culinary products, and the opportunity to relax. LaBelle Winery is an excellent day trip from the Boston area — offering wine tasting, shopping, an art gallery, a stroll through the vineyard, wine cellar tours, and educational classes, alongside an award-winning restaurant!
So, what’s next? Any big plans?
We plan to open a distillery, more event space, an inn and spa, artisan bakery, chocolatier, cheesemaker, and coffee roastery in the coming years on property — making LaBelle Winery an artisan culinary destination. This will be in addition to our already very popular culinary classes held twice each month, wine tasting classes, jam making classes, bread making classes, yoga, and so many more educational opportunities!
Contact Info:
- Address: LaBelle Winery
345 Route 101
Amherst NH 03031 - Website: labellewinerynh.com
- Phone: 603-672-9898
- Email: info@labellewinerynh.com
- Facebook: https://business.facebook.com/LaBelleWineryNH/?business_id=296295657382342
Image Credit:
All credits to laBelle winery except the aerial — which is Lovely Photography
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