About Our Name

Winderlea® — pronounced Win-dur-lee — is a made up word with a little bit of history. Winderlea® is the name of a Vermont property we purchased in 2001. The property was named by the prior owners – the Gerard Family – who owned, loved and nurtured the land and the house for over 60 years. As Jim Gerard, the son from whom we purchased the property tells us – his parents were doctors and studied, lectured and lived in Germany for brief periods. Jim believes Winderlea® comes from the German and has a loose translation of “Wind in the Meadow,” the word “lea” meaning meadow or grassland. Winderlea was an idyllic place for the Gerard family and has come to have the same meaning for Bill and me. As we searched for a name for our winery – we kept coming back to the word Winderlea®. We believe it sounds like a word that describes the feminine, sensuous and elegant wines we are making. We also love Winderlea® the place — and feel happy that by naming our winery Winderlea® — we are always keeping this special place close to us.