Sutcliffe Vineyards History - Part 1

We have resolved to explain the derivation and development of Sutcliffe Vineyards, hopefully expressing the randomness of it all. Moving forward on a whim rather than a plan, stumbling from mistake to humorous mistake; progress reliant on luck, kindness and the remarkable devotion of a tight band of people. Simply moments that led to other moments, occasionally triggering a little action, some of those actions proving positive. This is no litany of humility, no attempt to rid us of our incompetence, it is an honest attempt to understand how we got to the beautiful vineyard that we now celebrate.

Driving back from camping in Canyonlands with a panting English Labrador in back, through the swirling dust of the dirt road in McElmo Canyon."For sale, Melons, peaches, tomatoes, ranch." Pulling in beside a long beautifully neat house trailer, the door above some painted steps opens. Older man in perfectly pressed blue jeans and work shirt greets us. "Well hello." Hello we respond. We explained we had seen the sign and planned to buy the first three. "You bet they really ripe, specially them peaches" We mention that it says ranch on the sign too. "You bet, everythings for sale round here," he chuckles. We take the fruit back to Shiprock where Emily's working, they are all unimaginably delicious, particularly the Melon whose flesh is translucent with ripeness. The next day we began the steps to buying the Ranch. That little black, metal sign so shiny that the chalk writing was barely legible was the beginning.