When visitors ask the three former nursing professionals about creating Athena Vineyards and Winery, most assume they had lots of help.
"Planting vines that first year, 2002, it was the three of us with shovels, an augur and some help from my nephew for a few days," Ada Jacox said of the 40-acre property overlooking the Great Wicomico River. "It was tough."
Even harder times followed for the women, all in their 60s.
"About the time we got that first planting done, along came [Hurricane] Isabel," said Ruth Harris. "We spent months and lots of money recovering from that. We had more than 500 trees down" and drainage issues.
After that came a learning curve that had the women studying everything from grape varieties to fertilizer, diseases and eventually, wine-making techniques and equipment.
"Our careers in the health-care industry gave us the skills needed," said Carol Spengler, "how to educate ourselves on the business, budgeting and planning and then dividing up the operation in a way that makes sense."
With the completion of a small winery in 2005 and, more recently, the construction of a combined wine-tasting facility-gift shop, what started as a retirement project among three longtime friends has become a thriving business.
Athena now grows 20 varieties of grapes on 14 acres. The vineyard produces more than a dozen wines, ranging from "Galleon Treasure Red" in a distinctive boat-shaped bottle to a trademark rose to "Athena's Sweet White," a late-harvest white-blend dessert wine.
The trio is quick to credit the contributions, advice and support from the Flemer family at Westmoreland County's Ingleside Vineyards, as well as the work of Athena wine-maker Jacques Recht and vineyard manager John Stebbins.
But visit the softly rolling hillsides of the property on any business day and you'll see all three partners at work: greeting customers, helping out in the winery or, yes, pruning and picking.
Among the three, they have decades of experience as top administrators at hospitals and schools.
And they've endured their share of hardships.
"We were so proud of that first crop of grapes," said Harris, an Operation Desert Storm vet. "That made it so hard to see almost all of it destroyed by birds and wasps."
By the next year, they had learned how to deal with pests by blending high-tech measures, such as fake predators and CD-recorded calls, with low-tech protection, such as nets.
"We also started going to classes, seminars, trade shows," said Spengler. "The state and wine associations provide an amazing amount of support and guidance."
There's also been help with the business and marketing involved in a winery.
"We know that it's critical for us financially to sell 80 percent of the wine we make directly," said Jacox, either onsite or at venues like farmers markets or wine festivals.
Likewise, she said, the gift shop and event facilities at Athena must contribute to the facility's success.
Lifetimes of owning rental properties and participation in a waterfront development in Northumberland County helped to provide the seed money to get Athena going.
So why the name?
"Athena was the Greek goddess of wisdom," says the trio's Web site. "We are pleased that you wisely chose Athena's wines, and hope that you enjoy them."
Through Dec. 21, Athena Vineyards is open Friday, Saturday and Sunday, from noon to 5 p.m. Call 804/580-4944 for information.source
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