Classic Wines from Noble Grapes,
in a
Dangerous Neighborhood

ABOUT TURTLE CREEK WINERY
Turtle Creek is a small winery located in the shadow of Boston. We presently produce about nine hundred cases per year. With additional vineyard space leased from the Town of Lincoln we expect to eventually grow to one thousand cases per year. Our plantings include Chardonnay, Cabernet Franc, Pinot Noir, and Riesling. We also purchase ultra premium fruit from select growers in California. We produce wines from Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Syrah, Chardonnay & Riesling. We make no hybrid nor fruit wines; we do not produce tourist wines.

There is no tasting room at the winery and visits are by appointment only. We announce new releases by email. If you would like to receive announcements, please send us your email address. We take orders over the telephone and can arrange free delivery in Lincoln, Concord, and Lexington for orders of one case or more. You must be at least 21 years of age to order and a verified signed release by someone at least that age will be required upon delivery.

Our Approach
Some years ago, French traditionalists coined the phrase vin de garage as a pejorative term to describe the burgeoning phenomenon of small scale wineries whose wines did not represent known terroirs and who had no previously established brand recognition. A few of these wines quickly garnered outstanding reviews. In France these wineries include Chateau le Pin in Pomerol, which produced its first vintage in 1979, and Claude Dugat in Cotes de Nuits. In Italy, Tenuta di Trinoro. In California are Screaming Eagle, Marcassin and Colgin Cellars.

All these garagistes have in common a small scale (usually less than 2000 cases per year), extraordinary quality and a passion for the craft of viticulture and winemaking.

At Turtle Creek we welcome this appellation. Small scale wineries, while accounting for a negligible share of market for wine production, are nevertheless at the leading edge of innovation. At larger volumes of production, it is simply not possible to devote the attention to detail which is feasible at a smaller scale. In wineries and in viticulture, decisions are always a tug-of-war between quality and economics. At Turtle Creek quality is an uncompromising criterion. Clonal selection, yield per vine, fruit thinning, ripening criteria, hand picking and sorting, batch size, new French oak, gentle handling of must and wine with peristaltic and progressive cavity pumps—all are examples of stark differences between the way we go about our work and that of the typical medium to larger winery; all these choices speak to a point of view and our passion for the craft.

Kip Kumler, Owner, Winemaker, Garagiste