New Wines for 2020, 2 of 3: "Haw Creek"

“Haw Creek” is a dry white wine made from the Cayuga White grapes grown in our east vineyard. The wine’s flavor leans more toward stone fruits (apple and pear) compared to the unmistakable citric flavors of LakeHouse. Unlike LakeHouse, which is made predominantly from the same grape (with a few other blended in), Haw Creek has a touch of oak for a smooth and creamy “mouthfeel”, heavier in body.

By the way, when you see “mouthfeel” when someone talks about wine, they are referring to the “weight” or viscosity of the liquid when you taste it (think skim milk vs whole milk and how they feel in your mouth). A classic oaked Chardonnay would be described as “heavy bodied” (whole milk) and a light and crisp Sauvignon Blanc would be described as “light bodied” (skim milk).

See the Virtual Winery Shop page for current availability.

How about the weird name and label story?

To those of you who are new to Stover culture and a love of the town, its history and lore runs deep among its citizens. We are no exception. The “Haw Creek” label is another entry in the “Stover Lore” label series (others include Caboose, Blackberry Patch, etc).

The city of Stover is within the Haw Creek Township of Western Morgan County, so named in the mid-to-late 1800’s when the earliest settlers noted the “Black Haw” trees that grew abundantly in the creek banks. Haw Creek itself is the creek to the west of town (between Stover and Cole Camp) that has the picturesque Haw Creek trestle bridge standing proudly over it after all these years.

Our artist, mom, made sure to capture the beauty of the trestle bridge and the Black Haw trees in the label. (left: Haw Creek Trestle, right: Black Haw tree/shrub).

it should be noted that we always reach for the ultimate authority on Stover area history when we include the backgrounds to our “Stover Lore” series: The Stover Centennial Book. This book should be essential reading for Stover residents or visitors who enjoy the residents here and our culture. It is a seminal work and a publication that we should celebrate for years to come. We can’t thank the Stover 2003 Centennial History Book Committee enough for putting all of this history together, full of pictures, first hand accounts, and narratives.

If you can find one of these cherished books, grab a bottle of Haw Creek and flip through the glorious pages of Stover history and legends. But keep in mind that 2003 wasn’t the end, it is still a great place to live full of many of the same names in that book (and plenty of new ones!) working hard to make sure Stover is strong well into the future. The bicentennial book in 2103 will be full of tales and legends on the very decisions, relationships, and moments in which we are living through right now.

Cheers to Stover past, present, and future!