Dixon winery perfects process

From the production and size of the plants, the Watchdog Winery appears to have been in operation for several years. But in truth, it is in its fourth year of operation, located along Highway 200 west of Dixon. Ben and Alyssa Griffith began prepping the land for grape growing in 2017 on Alyssa's parents' property before they moved to Dixon.

"We planted our first grapes in 2017, then moved to Montana in 2019," Ben explained. He said the grapes grew very fast. They opened for business in 2022 with the motto, "Family First. Great wines come from great families." The name came from their German Shepherd, who Ben says is always watching the property and lets them know if anyone shows up.

The business is a part of Harvest Host. Ben said it is an RV club that allows dry camping for free to travelers who want to take a tour of the winery and buy some wine. So far the Griffiths have four wines and two blends. "We have two rosé wines coming from out of state," Ben said. Not all grapes can be grown in Montana, so they bring in grapes to increase their production and variety of wines. Watchdog wines can be bought from the online store.

It takes one ton of grapes to produce 200 gallons of wine. Their most popular blend is Harvest Blend made from their Itasca and La Crescent vines, which produce white grapes. "Typically we look at a fermentation/setting time of two to three months for white wine before we think about bottling," Ben explained. "Red wines can take much longer before bottling, six months or more." Red grapes are fermented with skins and stems to add flavor and color. White grapes get crushed to destem and pressed to get the juice out to leave skins behind, according to Ben.

The farm yields about 1,000 pounds of grapes a year. "The birds eat a lot of them," he said. Netting has been placed over grapes to keep birds and wasps from eating and ruining the grapes. To ensure bigger yields, Ben said they trim the lower branches to keep animals, such as rabbits, from eating the crops. Grapes get watered once a week for two hours. "We have a grape picking party," Ben said of the harvest time.

Both Ben and Alyssa have taken classes for their business. "I took the Pegram Enology, a winemaking course that teaches, among other things, about the process with sulfites that are naturally occurring in grapes. We use as little added sulfites as possible in the fermentation process. Alyssa took viticulture classes to learn about grape growing," he said. The couple investigated the time and process for running the business. Alyssa is a registered nurse and works in Missoula. Ben is a paramedic and works online for a business back east. "We visited Ireland to get acclimated to Europe, then Italy and New Zealand to see what it takes to run the business and if we would like it," he said.

The farm currently has one acre of grapes but the Griffiths plan to add another two acres of vines with more varieties. "Our grape stocks come from patented and certified growers," Ben said. The owners of Watchdog Winery have done their homework for growing healthy productive grapes and how to turn them into award winning vintages. "We sell wine in bottles and bags. The bags are lighter and easier to ship," Ben said.

Their wine has received awards from the Montana Grapes and Wine Association. The family business includes their two young daughters, who have plenty of activities to keep them entertained in the winery. Fruit presses for grapes, apples, pears and peaches from the farm are in the winery as well as play areas and chalkboards for the girls to keep busy.

The winery does not currently sell their products in stores but is on tap at the Ronan Cooperative Brewery. Tours and tastings can be booked online or by phone. Wine can be purchased at their online store. For tours and shopping visit [email protected]. Or call 406-404-6828.