Antiquum Farm

"Some folks tell me I am crazy. I grow wine differently. They say my methods are slow, difficult, and simply too much work. I say, life is work. It's a gift to have work you love." - Stephen Hagen, Winemaker

Some do not see how the use of draft horses, grazing livestock and poultry in the vineyard, or infinite hours of meticulous hand labor can create a wine that is more unique, intense and full of life. Stephen doesn't understand how it couldn't.

Stephen often says his wines are made cluster by cluster. Growing wine one cluster at a time is a mentality, and a different one at that. It means starting small and staying small. It means countless hours of work that can only be done by hand. Going slower. It means that many times a season he personally touches, inspects, admires and yes, loves every single beautiful cluster. It means rigid culling without regard to my pocketbook.

This attention to detail is inspired by love for his life's work. Stephen is not a landowner overseeing the operations of a vineyard. He is the operations and a part of Antiquum Farm.