There was, however, a nearly 40-year window of time in which Martha's Vineyard did live up to its name. In 1971, a winery called Chicama Vineyards established itself on the island, according to the Martha's Vineyard Chamber of Commerce Vineyard Blog. The family-owned business was actually the first bonded winery in all of Massachusetts, according to EnjoyMA. However, the business had to struggle against New England's weather and wildlife. One year, a hurricane nearly destroyed all of its grapes, and the vineyard had to design a system of nets and fences to keep birds and deer from gobbling up its produce.
The vineyard was started by George and Catherine Mathiesen, who moved to Martha's Vineyard with their six children, according to the Vineyard Gazette. In the first year, they planted six acres of grapes and harvested their first crop three years later. Eventually, the vineyard expanded to 50 acres and the couple grew varieties including Chenin Blanc, Viognier, and Zinfandel, according to the Vineyard Blog. They also mixed European and U.S. grape varieties, the Vineyard Gazette reported. However, the business closed its doors for good in 2008 after the couple died and their children decided to sell. "No one in the family wanted to continue the business on their own," their son Tim Mathiesen told the Vineyard Gazette.
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