Andy Sponseller on the right with Dr. George and Janet Schemm. The Schemms were on their way to deliver two cases of wine to Frederik Kreutzer in Copenhagen, Denmark.  Kreutzer, who came up with the name Ten Spoon in our contest to Name-That-Winery, won a case of Ten Spoon wine every year for life.

Frederik Kreutzer receives his two cases of Ten Spoon wine in the Copenhagen Airport, delivered by the Schemms.

The Ten Spoon Story

«BACK TO THE BEGINNING  Ivan and Vasily, two Russian craftsmen, ingeniously refigured all those rocks mined from the vineyard site into an 800-foot stone wall along the road, fencing in the horses. It contains no mortar and is straight as an arrow, as confirmed by passersby who stop to make sure. The technology behind this feat was one string used as a straight line. The Missoula Historical Commission has honored it with an award for Agricultural Tradition.

Salish Country

But the real history here belongs to the Salish Indians. To avoid Hellgate Canyon where Blackfeet waited in ambush, Salish buffalo hunters crossed this land for generations, camping at a nearby spring on their way to and from the buffalo grounds east of the mountains. In fact, they named the creek “Rattlesnake,” not because any rattlesnakes live here —they don’t—but because the charging spring runoff tumbles the rocks, sounding like the rattle of a rattlesnake.

In 1812, David Thompson, the British surveyor known as one of the greatest practical land geographers of all time, walked south through Rattlesnake Valley to map the region from the top of Mt. Jumbo, the valley’s eastern boundary. It was a commanding view from the top because the Salish burned Mt. Jumbo every ten years to clear off brush and trees, preventing enemy cover.

Across Rattlesnake Valley on its western flank lies a historic, unmarked Salish burial ground. The ancestors of the Salish, who live to the north on the Flathead Indian Reservation, remain here, watching over their valley.

How Ten Spoon got its name

In 1998 we thought we'd found the perfect name: Rattlesnake Creek Vineyard. We sold our wines under that name for a few years. Then in late 2005 an e-mail arrived from Paul Portteus, who owns Portteus Winery in Washington State's Rattlesnake Hills. Portteus told us he had been selling a red blend called Rattlesnake Ridge since 1989, and asked us to cease and desist. We consulted with a patent attorney, who advised us that a court battle would cost a bundle and that we ought to pick a new name. The following article from Dec. 28, 2005 issue of the The Wine Spectator tells about how we made the choice:

We like a happy ending

“Montana winery owners Andy Sponseller and Connie Poten believe that when life gives you lemons, turn them into publicity. The owners of Rattlesnake Creek Vineyard, outside Missoula, recently received an e-mail asking them to change their winery's name . . . Sponseller held a name-that-winery contest . . . . more than 1,000 entries arrived by e-mail and phone, including Snattle-Rake Creek Wineyards, Sponseller's Cellars, Baroque’n Chain, Cease and Desist Winery, Gossamer Rhino, and Snakebit Lawyer. One contestant suggested Gallo Wines, adding, "Why not piss off a really big winery?" Poten, Sponseller and several friends whittled the list down to 10, checked to see if any of them were trademarked (several were) and chose Ten Spoon Vineyard (a sort of combination of their last names), which they felt was the catchiest.

“Frederick Kreutzer, chief wine expert for Taster Wine, Denmark's largest wholesaler and distributor, send in the winning suggestion. Now the Montana duo just has to figure out how to send Kreutzer his prize—a case of Ten Spoon wines every year for life.”


Copyright © 2007 Ten Spoon