As we celebrate 10 years of Timber Hill Winery, we’re celebrating more than the wines we’ve made, the spaces we’ve grown into, or the milestones we’ve reached. We’re celebrating the people who believed in Timber Hill along the way.
Roxanne and Jerry Hemmerling are two of those people.
Their Timber Hill story started simply enough: with a day of fishing and a little sign that said “winery.”
From a Little Sign to the Herd
Roxanne and Jerry had been fishing on Storrs Lake when they noticed a small winery sign in the industrial park. Curious, they decided to stop.
That visit introduced them to Amanda, Aunt Karen, and Amanda’s parents… and, of course, to Timber Hill wine.
“Amanda and her family were lovely people, not to mention the wine we purchased was perfect!” Roxanne shared.
They loved what they found and wanted to support the small business Amanda was building. It wasn’t long before Roxanne and Jerry became Herd members and began a relationship with Timber Hill that would continue through the next decade.
More Than Just Wine Club Members
Some of Roxanne and Jerry’s favorite memories take us back to a very different era of Timber Hill.
In the early years, they would lend a hand bottling wine or help build wine racks out of pallets.
Those are the kinds of memories that make looking back at 10 years so special. Before all the growth and everything Timber Hill is today, there were days spent bottling wine together, building what was needed by hand, and a community of people willing to jump in and help.
And Roxanne and Jerry weren’t the only regulars.
Their dogs, Jasmine and Gus, frequently came along, happily hanging out while Roxanne and Jerry enjoyed a bottle of their longtime favorite Timber Hill wine: Throwback Thursday.
It’s hard to think of a more fitting favorite for a story all about looking back.
Watching Timber Hill Grow
A lot has changed since Roxanne and Jerry first followed that little winery sign.
Through all of that growth, they’ve continued to be part of the Herd.
When we asked what has kept them coming back after all these years, their answer went beyond the wine.
“We continue to come back to Timber Hill because we are very proud of what Amanda has accomplished,” they shared. “The staff, and the food and wine choices are another factor why we love Timber Hill.”
For us, that’s one of the most meaningful parts of celebrating this anniversary: getting to hear from people who remember Timber Hill in its earliest days and are still walking through our doors today.
A Toast to the Next 10
We asked Roxanne and Jerry one final question: If you could raise a glass to Timber Hill’s next 10 years, what would you cheers to?
Their answer was simple:
“Timber Hill’s continued success.”
So we’ll raise a glass to that, too.
Roxanne and Jerry, thank you for taking a chance on the little winery you discovered after a day of fishing. Thank you for supporting Amanda and her family, for bottling wine, building wine racks, bringing Jasmine and Gus along for the ride, and continuing to be part of the Herd all these years later.
Timber Hill’s first 10 years were built with the support of people like you, and we couldn’t imagine celebrating this milestone without sharing your story.