If you have a backyard full of grapes, you might just have a future in winemaking.
If you are thinking that’s kind of a leap there, Michelle… I’d like to introduce a gentleman named Von Potter.
Yes, that is his real name!
In 2008 Potter found himself in possession of an abundance of backyard-grown Interlaken grapes. After eating all he could eat and giving away as much as people would take, he still had 300lbs on his hands. The thought of turning those grapes into wine crossed his mind, but unfortunately he knew nothing about winemaking. Undeterred, he headed to the local homebrew shop.
There he bought a carboy, a how-to book, and some supplies. Armed with minimal knowledge, a lofty idea and a whole lot of grapes, a white table wine was born.
Potter said he did everything wrong, yet when he brought the wine to a family function everyone loved it, and his dad convinced him to submit it for competition at the Western Idaho Fair. Lo and behold it took first place!
He made more wine throughout the following year, again entered the Fair competition and again took first place.
Around that time he heard of jalapeño wine. It sounded interesting and fun to cook with, and even though his wife Crystal wasn’t entirely optimistic about the idea, he decided it was something he would try.
He began experimenting at home and made a three gallon batch that turned out better than expected. In fact, to the surprise of both he and Crystal, it was really good!
And so, to the Fair it went, and for the third time in three years the wine took first place.
That was when the Potters realized they had a business on their hands. As fate would have it, Crystal’s family owned property containing an abandoned house. They saw possibilities in the old place but it needed to be brought up to code. Over evenings and weekends for the next four months, Von, with the help of a friend, gutted and renovated the 900 square-foot home and passed the Central Health Department inspection.
Potter Wines officially launched in 2013!
The first commercial success came at the Eagle Farmer’s Market by way of their Original Jalapeño Wine and Chipotle Jalapeño Wine. At this point they were using jalapeños from their own garden, but as of today their wine production has grown enough to require sourcing from local gardens and farms such as True Roots Organics, Purple Sage Farms and Peaceful Belly.
Potter Wines soon expanded into Boise farmer’s markets. One day Crystal bought some lemonade from a fellow vendor and poured a little bit into the Jalapeño wine just to see what would happen.
It was, like, really good.
Another product was created! The Jalapeño Wine Lemonade garnered a huge response and is now their top seller. People buy it out as quickly as Potter can make it!
In addition to their non-traditional products, Potter also makes a dry Riesling, which received a silver medal at the Idaho Wine Competition, as well as a Syrah that has become nearly as popular as the Jalapeño Wine Lemonade.
Like many of Idaho’s urban wineries, Potter buys grapes from growers in the Snake River Valley. The Riesling and Syrah grapes come from the Skyline Vineyards.
Von has graduated from wine hobbyist to professional over the course of several years, all while developing a winemaking style that is entirely self-taught.
As I listened to Von and Crystal tell their unconventional tale, I was struck by the idea that there are no limits to what they can do. Maybe it’s because everything they’ve built has been accomplished by imagining what wine could be, rather than following the standard formality of wine should be. Von in particular seems to have the unique ability to be a dreamer and a doer, and these twin attributes should benefit him and his winemaking for many years to come.
We wish him luck!
Cheers!
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