John Vittori and his sister Wendy purchased the 200-acre farm on Canaan Road in Richmond in 1987, saving it from development. Eight years later they established Furnace Brook Winery, naming it after the brook that originates on the orchard property, which once powered the historic Richmond Furnace.
The Vittori's decided to produce an authentic hard apple cider. John studied cider making in England, earning his certificate of cider-making at the Wooster College of Agriculture, where he learned the traditional English cider methods and formulas. “We chose to create a different, authentic American cider, using estate-grown New England varieties, such as McIntosh, Northern Spy and Golden Russett apples. These give "Johnny Mash" ciders a light and refreshing taste,” Vittori said.
Following the initial success of Johnny Mash, the winery has expanded to offer a growing range of wines, using varietal grapes selected from vineyards in the Northeast and California. Award-winning varietals include Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Riesling, White Zinfandel, Chardonnay, Sparkling Muscato and Blanc de Blancs. The French style Cidre, Apple Ice Wine and Johnny Mash are made from Hilltop’s own fresh pressed cider. In 2015 the Vittori's introduced Johnny Mash Dry Gold, a dryer variation made from golden russet apples and sold in a 22 ounce long-neck style beer bottle. The new Dry Gold is something distinctive that's been a real "WOW" in the taste tests.
The Vittori's decided to produce an authentic hard apple cider. John studied cider making in England, earning his certificate of cider-making at the Wooster College of Agriculture, where he learned the traditional English cider methods and formulas. “We chose to create a different, authentic American cider, using estate-grown New England varieties, such as McIntosh, Northern Spy and Golden Russett apples. These give "Johnny Mash" ciders a light and refreshing taste,” Vittori said.
Following the initial success of Johnny Mash, the winery has expanded to offer a growing range of wines, using varietal grapes selected from vineyards in the Northeast and California. Award-winning varietals include Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Riesling, White Zinfandel, Chardonnay, Sparkling Muscato and Blanc de Blancs. The French style Cidre, Apple Ice Wine and Johnny Mash are made from Hilltop’s own fresh pressed cider. In 2015 the Vittori's introduced Johnny Mash Dry Gold, a dryer variation made from golden russet apples and sold in a 22 ounce long-neck style beer bottle. The new Dry Gold is something distinctive that's been a real "WOW" in the taste tests.
