Join Mill River Winery on June 17 for their “Revolutionary Launch Party—Salute to Old Nancy,” to celebrate the release of their newest wine and the history of Rowley and surrounding communities.
Nancy’s Cannon wine was inspired by a revolutionary war cannon, “Old Nancy,” and the spirited battle of its ownership between the towns of Rowley and Georgetown. The cannon was originally captured from the British brigantine “Nancy” in 1775 and later sold to Major Eben Boynton of Rowley. After his death, ownership of the cannon was disputed between his two sons, who resided in Rowley and Georgetown.
Since then, each town has claimed to own the actual cannon originally captured, and to this day, there are tales of covert plans to steal the cannon, secret hiding places and even decoy cannons. The Georgetown Historical Society and the Rowley Historical Society will be at the launch party to present evidence as to why the cannon in their possession is the true Old Nancy.
“This hyper-local wine is meant to celebrate the historical roots and culture of Rowley, Georgetown and surrounding towns,” said Donna Martin, winemaker and co-owner of Mill River Winery. “We hope that everyone will come out to try our newest product and enjoy a fun day of music, food, wine and a friendly rivalry!”
Nancy’s Cannon is a dry white wine made with Mill River Winery’s estate Cayuga grape, which is grown in Rowley. The local wine has a pronounced honeysuckle aroma along with flavors of apricot, honey and hints of citrus, and pairs perfectly with baked brie and jams, vegetable quiche, spanakopita, grilled chicken, honey BBQ wings, or spinach salad with strawberries, goat cheese, and poppy seed dressing.
Free samples of the newly released Nancy’s Cannon will be served and wine by the glass will be available for purchase in the vineyard tasting room for attendees 21 years and older with proper identification. Food from American BBQ, Bucciarelli’s Butcher Shop and Deli, and Jeff and Maria’s Ice Cream will also be for sale.
Attendees can enjoy live music performed by The Bob Kramer Band and tours of the vineyard and manufacturing room, which will be ongoing throughout the afternoon. The event will also feature a revolutionary war era cannon on display, as well as an official toast to Old Nancy along with a live cannon blast.
This is a family-friendly event and admission is free. In the event of rain, the Revolutionary Launch Party will be rescheduled for the fall.