Helvetia Vineyards

“Welcome! Are you here for the wine tasting?” the guy with the purple shirt and baseball cap asked from the porch of the old farm house. Thus began my introduction to John Platt, co-owner (along with his wife, Elizabeth Furse) of Helvetia Vineyard & Winery in the rural beauty of Helvetia. The charm of the old house (built in 1906) was trumped by John’s welcoming smile as he guided us into the parlor room that serves as the tasting area. Following brief introductions to his dogs – Cocoa, Jake (the one with the gooey tennis ball in his mouth), and Sushi – John proceeded to share the story of Helvetia Vineyard & Winery.

Turns out the area was settled in the late 1800s by families from Switzerland and Germany. In fact, for you linguist fans out there, “Helvetia” is the term Italians used to refer to people living north of Italy in present-day Switzerland. Gracing the walls of the tasting room are framed photographs of the original settlers of Helvetia, including pictures of the family that built the original farmhouse.

John poured from an impressive array of estate wines made by winemaker John Derthick. Beginning with whites (pinot gris and chardonnay), John wove stories of the community, the dogs, the vineyards, and the characters who shaped the winery. He doesn’t feed your head with many adjectives about the wine. He leaves that to you to experience. Moving through the reds (including his pride and joy pinot noir), John ended with a delightful rosé. I already had been won over, but I was blown away by John’s “pinot noir training plate.” During our visit, two women visitors exclaimed that they only liked whites. Working fast, John prepared a plate of smoked salmon and crackers, and invited the women to try a little taste of the pinot noir with the salmon. “Oooooh, that’s good,” remarked one of the new converts. Nice touch.

Helvetia Vineyard & Winery is a required stop along the Greater Portland WineTrail. Experience the wine. Stay for the bucolic beauty. Soak in the history. And before leaving, check out the quotation on the wildflower-adorned wine labels, from the property’s original owner, Jacob Yungen: “The north wind howls here every time it frosts. However, the grapes often ripen full and wonderful.” He wrote this to his Swiss relatives in 1917 – a true harbinger for what was to come for John Platt and Elizabeth Furse.