By Susannah Black
“Arterra is a created word from the words art and terra, meaning land,” says Sandy Gray-Murray. “Most of the magic happens in the land, in the vineyard.” Gray-Murray along with husband Jason Murray will open Arterra Wines, a winery-meets-art gallery concept, this Saturday in Delaplane.
Murray is a self-taught winemaker and was the grape-grower and winemaker at Chateau O’Brien in Markham for the past 11 years.
Gray-Murray is a lifelong artist and has been selling her art through her website, Hawkmoth Arts. Now, their tasting room will also serve as her art gallery, as her pieces reflect the wine-making process. She paints and draws vineyard landscapes and grapes and turns wine barrels into wall decor. “Our central niche is craftsmanship,” says Gray-Murray. “We’re the makers … it’s all coming from our hands.”
Arterra Wines resides on a 75-acre plot of land with 8 acres of land already cleared and ready to be planted in the spring. The Murrays expect to produce between 800 and 1,200 cases of wine per season, and Murray will concentrate on single varietals: Petit verdot, malbec, tannat, cabernet franc, chardonnay and a blueberry-apple wine are available now. “Our work is about delicacy and balance … we want that to reflect the wine making process,” says Gray-Murray.
At Saturday’s opening guests are encouraged to visit the production facility in the basement; after the debut weekend there will be a tour fee. / Opening Saturday: Arterra Wines; 1808 Leeds Manor Road, Delaplane
