OAKENCROFT'S FINE GRAPE JUICE PRODUCTION AND PRESERVATION

Amy Griffin

INTRODUCTION In 2008, Amy Griffin and her husband purchased Oakencroft

Vineyard and Winery, helping shift the establishment from winemaking into a high-quality, non-alcoholic grape juice company. Oakencroft Farm, as it’s called now, employs hand-picking techniques, emphasizing environmental stewardship and on-site processing of ingredients, which feature several varieties of grapes, like the crisp, bright tones of Seyval Blanc, the floral, fruity white juices of Traminette, and the rich, red berry-flavored Chambroucin.

Oakencroft shares business information and exchanges ideas with boutique grape juice producers around the nation, as well as in New Zealand.

OAKENCROFT The company developed a partnership with the Wine

and Enology Grape Chemistry Group at Virginia Tech, Amy Griffin's alma mater, where a minimalist production process was developed to ensure special attention is paid to every batch. The company is also paired with ETS Labs, a wine analysis laboratory, to develop preservation techniques for the juice's anthocyanins and phenols, such as resveratrol, a fermentation compound occurring naturally in grape juice.

For more information, visit www.oakencroft.com.