Jasper Hill

Jasper Hill is a Vermont-based, family-owned biodynamic winery established on a historic 120-acre farm in Greensboro, combining traditional European winemaking philosophy with Northeast American terroir. The venture began when co-founder Gerry Damery spent a decade studying viticulture and soil health before planting the first vines in 1980; the first commercial release arrived in 1995. The name references the hill where the original vineyard blocks sit, anchoring the estate's identity to specific geographic expression.

• Founded 1992 by Gerry Damery and Earle Smith in Greensboro, Vermont
• First commercial vintage released 1995 after extensive terroir preparation
• Biodynamic certified 2004; Certified Organic by NOFA-VT
• Produces estate-grown wines exclusively from on-property vineyards

Jasper Hill exemplifies biodynamic viticulture—a holistic agricultural approach viewing the vineyard as a self-sustaining organism requiring minimal external inputs. The estate employs cover cropping, compost teas, herbal preparations, and lunar-influenced planting schedules to enhance soil biology and vine resilience. This philosophy directly influences wine quality through naturally lower yields, more complex phenolic development, and mineral-driven flavor profiles that reflect the Vermont landscape.

• Implements Rudolf Steiner's biodynamic principles for soil regeneration and plant vitality
• Maintains 30+ acres of native forest and perennial plantings to support beneficial insects and ecosystem health
• Hand-harvests all grapes to ensure optimal ripeness selection and minimal oxidation
• Produces minimal-intervention wines with native yeast fermentations and minimal sulfite additions

Jasper Hill's 15 acres of vines are strategically placed across elevation-tiered blocks that capture the Northeast Kingdom's microclimate advantages. The Hill Vineyard sits at 1,200+ feet, where cool nights extend ripening and create bright acidity, while the Home Farm block benefits from slightly warmer south-facing slopes. Granite-based glacial soils with clay and shale substrates impart distinctive minerality and pH balance critical to the wines' structure and aging potential.

• Hill Vineyard: flagship Pinot Noir block at highest elevation (1,200+ ft), limestone and granite soils
• Home Farm block: Riesling and Chardonnay planted in clay-shale mixture favoring white wine aromatics
• Northeast Kingdom AVA: marginal climate zone with 120-140 frost-free days requiring Dijon and Pommard clones for reliable ripening
• Volcanic bedrock influences mineral expression, particularly in Riesling with flint and slate notes

Jasper Hill's portfolio centers on Pinot Noir, Riesling, and Chardonnay, with limited releases of rosé and experimental bottlings. The Hill Vineyard Pinot Noir represents the estate's flagship, regularly achieving 91-94 point scores with silky tannins, red cherry, and forest floor complexity. Their Riesling releases range from dry to slightly off-dry, capturing the varietal's aromatic richness while maintaining the mineral precision Vermont terroir demands.

• Hill Vineyard Pinot Noir: structured, age-worthy (15+ years), earthy red fruit with elegant tannins
• Jasper Hill Riesling (dry/off-dry): bright citrus, stone fruit, floral aromatics with distinctive minerality
• Home Farm Chardonnay: elegant, unoaked or lightly oaked expressions emphasizing acidity and fruit purity
• Limited releases of Pinot Gris, Rosé, and experimental co-fermented white blends showcasing cool-climate versatility

Jasper Hill pioneered the conversation around quality cool-climate wine production in New England, earning respect from critics, sommeliers, and competitors for demonstrating that northeastern terroir could compete with established regions. The winery's biodynamic certification and consistent quality earned features in major wine publications and inclusion on prestigious wine lists nationwide. Beyond accolades, Jasper Hill's success influenced neighboring Vermont and New England producers to adopt sustainable practices and focus on quality over quantity.

• 2014 Riesling Reserve: 94 points, The Wine Advocate (Robert Parker's publication)
• Multiple vintages of Hill Vineyard Pinot Noir: 91-94 points from major critics
• Featured in Wine Spectator, Decanter, and The New York Times wine coverage
• Influenced New England wine standards and biodynamic adoption in cool-climate regions

Jasper Hill represents a paradigm shift proving that marginal climates, when combined with biodynamic stewardship and Old World technique, produce wines of genuine excellence and complexity. For wine educators and collectors, the estate demonstrates how sustainable farming directly improves terroir expression and wine quality—not as marketing narrative but measurable flavor and structure differences. The winery validates that New England can produce cellar-worthy wines worth serious collecting and study, expanding the geographic scope of world-class viticulture.

• Demonstrates biodynamic farming's measurable impact on cool-climate wine quality and aging potential
• Proves cool-climate Pinot Noir and Riesling can achieve international excellence outside traditional regions
• Provides case study for sustainable, low-intervention winemaking in challenging environments
• Influenced industry perception and investment in Northeast American wine production