Volume 41 • Issue 3

Fall 2015

— MGGA — Serving the Cold

Climate Grape and Wine Industry

Since 1976

2016 IS A BIG YEAR FOR THE MGGA!40 years ago, the MGGA was founded by a few grape growing and wine making pioneers. They suffered through very cold winters and labored in the spring to uncover the buried dormant vines – hoping to produce another crop and fill the tanks with juice for award-winning wines. They ran through that cycle for many years, fueled by personal passion and the drive to make good wine from French-hybrid varieties.

In 1976 the MGGA was born and, since then, has served to help other passionate growers and wine makers understand the challenges of vineyard management, and elevage, while building a brand new business category -- no small task, in an inhospitable part of the continental U.S.

The plan for the 2016 CCC will be to honor 40 Cold Climate p ioneers , entrepreneurs , visionaries, and architects of the Cold Climate wine industry. Come celebrate with us at the 12th Annual Cold Climate Grape & Wine Conference. You might just be one of the people selected for this honor!

And the CCC is only the tip of the iceberg...other high-visibility events are planned for later in the summer and fall! Please stay tuned...more information will be shared at the Conference. Hope to see you at the Hyatt!

Cheers!

Steve UnverzagtMGGA -- Marketing Director2016 CCC Committee Chair

UPCOMING EVENTS

MGGA BOD MeetingDecember 7, 2015

Location TBD

MGGA Annual Membership

Meeting Thursday evening February 11, 2016

Hyatt Regency Minneapolis

The annual meeting will be held on Thursday at 6PM, Feb. 11th, 2016 at the Hyatt Regency in Minneapolis. All

MGGA members are encouraged to come

early and check out the CCC trade show at no

cost prior to the General Membership meeting.

Details to follow!

2016 CCCFebruary

11-12-13, 2016Hyatt RegencyMinneapolis

ATTENDEE REGISTRATION SET TO OPEN DEC. 1DETAILS COMING SOON!

Page 2

I’m in the middle of picking grapes to the point that I see grapes at night when I close my eyes. The enjoyable part of picking is that I get to sit and talk with friends and new acquaintances about the vines and the wines they will hopefully produce. As I have these conversations the one point that seems to keep coming up is that you must have quality fruit to produce quality wines.

The old adage is that the wine is made in the vineyard. In as much as I do believe this I see time and again growers that don’t look at their fruit as a holistic function of the winemaking process. I am reading on the listserve/MN Google Group the comments such as, “my fruit is ready because its X brix.” I speak with growers all the time and the question comes up more often than not, “Does a brix reading tell me that my fruit is ripe?” Or the grower who tells me they know their grapes are ready because “they look good”.

Ultimately, if quality wine is to come from quality fruit, we, as an entire industry, need to understand what “quality fruit” is. We need to begin with quality control measures in the vineyard to ensure that we know what top quality fruitchemistry looks like, tastes like and smells like.

When the fruit is ripe there are several factors that come into play. Yes, the sugar level in the grape is one of the three major factors. However, this year has taught me that fruit can be fully ripe and you may have low sugar levels. We have had major rains in my area of the state and it has resulted in most of our fruit coming in with very low Brix readings. So why did we pick them or why did we know it was ripe?

The other major factor in fruit ripening is the berry pH. Many growers tell me they have good Brix shudder when I ask them what their pH is at. Determining the pH is not rocket science. In fact, pH can be measured quite easily with a moderately priced meter from many vendors. With a small sample of juice from some test berries we can quickly find out if it is time to pick based on the strength of the acid in the grapes, or pH. Without getting too technical, I know I am ready to pick whites when their pH is between 3.0 to 3.4. Reds I typically shoot for 3.25 up to 3.6. Above these numbers and I know the fruit is getting too ripe. A brix reading of 24 is great, but if the pH is 2.8 the fruit is not ready to pick.

President’s Cornerby Irv Geary

The third indicator of ripeness is the berry itself. Tasting the berry and analyzing its balance on the palate as well as the color of the seed and the softness of the skin tells me a lot about the grape’s performance. If I taste a berry and it has an acidic zing I am immediately questioning its pH and corresponding acid levels. If I see green seeds that is usually a good indicator that the fruit is still not ready to harvest. Ultimately, I would choose fruit that has lower brix reading but better pH and better taste that a grape that is harvested solely on brix.

Understanding some of these key components of grape chemistry is key to raising the bar in our industry. Quality control in the vineyard is the first step to high quality wines. We hope to define more clearly these concepts in the new edition of the MGGA “Growing Grapes in Minnesota Viticultural Best Practices Manual” that is currently in the works.

In the meantime, happy picking .

Irv

MDT & Associates

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Page 3 Volume 41 • Fall• Issue 3

MN SUMMER WINE FESTIVAL AND MARKET

The first ever, MN Summer Wine Festival and Market was held at The Shops at West End in St. Louis Park, MN on July 11. 16 wineries, 8 vendors, and 3 musical acts welcomed a crowd of just under 500 people on a beautiful summer Saturday to the event which ran surprisingly smoothly for its first year. A big key to that success of course goes to the sponsors of the event: Discover St. Louis Park, Cub, MN Monthly, and The Shops at West End. Without these sponsors and the positive support of the wineries, this event would not have made the

impact it did. Immediately following the event, a number of wineries, vendors, and sponsors called for a repeat in 2016 and that is being planned for early August.

While the idea of a wine festival is not new in Minnesota, this particular wine festival is the first to make a large impact in the Twin Cities metropolitan area. In addition to traditional advertising, educational segments on Minnesota wine and cold-hardy cultivars were done on 5 broadcast TV morning news shows and 1 radio program leading up to the event. These segments have probably provided the greatest positive exposure that the Minnesota wine industry has ever had to the Twin Cities market. Wineries have already reported receiving new visitors as a direct result of the festival.

Next year, we look forward to continuing the momentum of this event and hope to reach an even greater audience.

Ahhh and finally the Clean-up...great job everyone!One of our newest MN Wineries...Next Chapter Winery!

And the Band played on . . .Commemorative Glass

A beautiful day made for a steady flow of wine tasters and shoppers.

With our volunteers and board members, this first time event went smoothly.

A bird’s eye view of this beautiful venue.

Page 4

U OF MN 2015 GRAPE BREEDING AND ENOLOGY PROJECTby Alexandru Bortnov, private grape breeder and MGGA Board Member

I am always excited to visit the University of Minnesota Horticultural Research Center (HRC) for their Grape Breeding and Enology Project. For me, it is a pleasant, like a holiday event I’ve had the pleasure of attending the last 17 years. While it is usually held on a first Saturday after the Labor Day, this year it was on September 12, and the weather was absolutely gorgeous.

We met the new Grape Breeding and Enology Project Leader, Matthew Clark for the first time during this event. Here is a link to read more about Matthew Clark - http://horticulture.umn.edu/about/horticulture-news/welcome-matthew-clark

Despite some changes, this event, as usual, was well organized. Attendees were divided into two groups. The first group learned about diversity of grape varieties, perfectly presented by Jenny Thull with diseases and pest control, presented by Matthew Clark. The second group visited U of M vineyard where John Thull, Vineyard Manager, demonstrated different trellising systems, including VSP, GDC for hardy hybrids and mini-J system for a non-hardy Vinifera and hybrid varieties.

Grape samples were placed on several tables. I enjoyed seeing and tasting new varieties presented. All grapes were divided into categories - Red, White, Labrusca, and Muscat grapes. In addition, we also saw other variations of grapes.

One table presented teinturier grapes - an old ancient Saperavi variety; nice looking long clustered teinturier variety created by U of MN and a Brandt Vinifera variety. Some berries were sliced in half, demonstrating the dark colored flesh of those cultivars.

The sweetest was the Saperavi grape (Brix 24). It had extremely pleasant and smooth, but not sharp tannins. Why are teinturier varieties so important for blending for our progressing Northern Viticulture? Because they can bring variations of nicely intense rich colors especially in blended wines.

Another table represented some varieties created by HRC of U of MN and marked by alphabetical

letters (A-G); the other table presented colored mutations of wild V.Riparia grapes; mutations of Pinot Noir and Frontenac grapes as well as Vitis Riparia #89, which was a parent for a lot of hardy hybrids. A cross of Landot 4511 and Vitis Riparia #89 lead to a new generation of hardy grapes such as Frontenac, Frontenac gris and Frontenac blanc.

One table had a demonstration of leaves affected by diseases, herbicides and insects. For the first time in my life I had a chance to see kind of a bonsai trained Cabernet Sauvignon grape vine growing in a greenhouse. It was nice that on many displayed grapes, the measured Brix for each specific variety was written on the plate. It was interesting to compare numbers of Brix for Cabernet Sauvignon growing in a greenhouse vs. growing in the field. Greenhouse Cabernet was almost twice as sweet than the same grown in the field; Brix 22 and 12 respectively.

I also liked the very pleasant aroma of Early Muscat and Muscat Ottonel grapes which were presented among different Muscat varieties. An impressive taste, skin and flesh texture had a new seedless Labrusca type white seedlingcreated at the U of M. I did not find a lot of Labrusca aroma in it, but the sweetness and a full body table grape taste was complete there for that variety.

For the first time, I was able to taste a couple (rare for Minnesota climate) Vinifera varieties — Garnacha and Tempranillo. Many red varieties had noticeable amounts of tannins.

Among several U of M seedlings, I also liked MN 1299 which has a nice Muscat flavor. There was also talk about new white grape commercial release, probable in 2017 for MN 1285.

My other first time taste was a white variety created by David Macgregor, DM P 3-25.

From the imaginations of professionals at the UofM-HRC, to successfully growing multiple variations of grapes . . .

Pictures from the event - Bonsai Cabernet vine, pictures of different grapes, Jenny Thull, HRC Vineyard Manager; Matthew Clark, new University of MN Grape Breeding and Enology Project Leader; and John Thull, HRC Vineyard Manager with mini-J for Vinifera varieties, GDC (Geneva Double Curtain) for Frontenac, and VSP for Marquette variety.

Page 5 Volume 41 • Fall• Issue 3

Alex had 10 entries at MN State Fair competition and

received three first premiums:

Trollhaugen (top right) grapes which he presented for Any Seedless varieties competition. Two first places for his own created grapes;

Prestige variety which he presented at White Table Wine Grape competition. (center right)

And for his AMB 4-7-B, a not yet named variety presented at Red Table Wine Grape competition. (bottom right)

He also received the second premium for the heaviest cluster grown in Minnesota for the same unnamed AMB 4-7-B variety.

CONGRATULATIONS! Keep up the GREAT work. We look forward to hearing about your progress.

W I N E R YPASSPORT10 TASTINGS

Map Point Winery City/State

1 Richwood Winery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Richwood, MN 2 Carlos Creek Winery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Alexandria, MN 3 Northern Hollow Winery . . . . . . . . . . . .Grasston, MN 4 Whispering Oaks Winery . . . . . . . . . . . . .Melrose, MN 5 Glacial Ridge Winery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Spicer, MN 6 Millner Heritage Vineyard & Winery . . .Kimball, MN 7 Two Rivers Vineyard & Winery . . . . . . . . Ramsey, MN 8 Willow Tree Vineyard Winery . . . . . . .Ham Lake, MN 9 North Folk Winery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Harris, MN 10 Winehaven Winery & Vineyard . . . Chisago City, MN 11 Wild Mountain Winery . . . . . . . . . . .Taylors Falls, MN 12 Chateau St . Croix Winery . . . . . . . . St . Croix Falls, WI 13 Dancing Dragonfly Winery . . . . . . . St . Croix Falls ,WI 14 Hinterland Vineyards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Clara City, MN 15 Crow River Winery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Hutchinson, MN 16 Buffalo Rock Winery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Buffalo, MN 17 Sovereign Estate Wine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Waconia, MN 18 Parley Lake Winery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Waconia, MN 19 Schram Vineyards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Waconia, MN 20 Saint Croix Vineyards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Stillwater, MN 21 Northern Vineyards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Stillwater, MN 22 Alexis Bailly Vineyard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Hastings, MN 23 Cannon River Winery . . . . . . . . . . . Cannon Falls, MN 24 Falconer Vineyards & Winery . . . . . . . Red Wing, MN 25 Flower Valley Vineyard & Winery . . . . Red Wing, MN 26 Morgan Creek Vineyards . . . . . . . . . . . . New Ulm, MN 27 Chankaska Creek Ranch & Winery . . . . . .Kasota, MN 28 Next Chapter Winery . . . . . . . . . . . . . New Prague, MN 29 Indian Island Winery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Janesville, MN 30 Villa Bellezza Winery & Vineyards . . . . . . . Pepin, WI 31 Lake Pepin Winery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lake City, MN 32 Whitewater Wines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Plainview, MN 33 Danzinger Vineyards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Alma, WI 34 Garvin Heights Vineyards . . . . . . . . . . . . .Winona, MN 35 Elmaro Vineyard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Trempealeau, WI 36 Round Lake Vineyards & Winery . . Round Lake, MN 37 Four Daughters Vineyard & Winery . Spring Valley, MN 38 Winneshiek Wildberry Winery . . . . . . . . Decorah, IA

2015 PASSPORT SALES ARE STILL GOING STRONG!In past years we sold a ton for Christmas Presents...you might want to stock up and push the PASSPORT GIFT idea over the next several weeks.

ALEXANDRU BORTNOV WINS AWARDS FOR HIS WORK WITH GROWING AND GRAPE BREEDING

Page 6

Another crop has budded out, grown, colored, gained sugar and is now behind us. It was, as all growing seasons seem to be, typically, untypical. In fact, as I grow older, I begin to wonder if there is such a thing as a ”typical” season. Scanning my lifetime I do not recall one, although I suppose there must have been one back there somewhere.

This past season certainly was not one. While budbreak and blossom were pretty much during typical time periods, the rain came in regular downpours from early spring well into June. In past years this has been an annual feature but in recent years when rain stopped in early July it stopped for the rest of summer becoming extremely dry, even droughty.

This year the rain stayed on in regular intervals all summer long. While this would have gladdened the heart of my apple-growing father (who hated dry weather), and stimulated the local corn crop to grow to 10 feet in height or more, it also kept disease pressure on our grape crop all summer long.

Never have I seen so much Powdery Mildew and particularly bunch rot as we saw this year. Most of us have trained ourselves to start our anti-fungal spray program early in spring. These measures are effective in controlling early outbreaks of our primary problems: downy mildew, black rot and anthracnose. In Minnesota it tends to become dry, often very dry, in mid-summer and if we can preclude early outbreaks of fungus we tend to be home free here. Not the case this year. The late, regular and often copious downpours kept the foliage and crop wet, the humidty high and ambient water in the form of dew, present almost continuously. My highly vulnerable Valiants slowly succumbed to Downy Mildew despite repeated sprays and essentially defoliated by mid-September. It was interesting to note that Frontenac gris appeared to be more susceptible to bunch rot than its original red counterpart. Some, however, were conspicuously immune to the conditions. Bluebell, for example seemed completely, unaffected by the late wet conditions. King of the North, Louise, Sabrevois and Brianna seemed only marginally affected with little powdery mildew, and little bunch rot. While we have not seen this scenario in past we plan nonetheless to watch carefully for late season problems and likely add to the routine sprays to prevent problems. Grapes that were brought in for purchase showed that we were not the only ones struggling with late season problems.

From the Vineyardby John MarshallGreat River Vineyard & Nursery

While the vineyard has not fully recovered from the cold injury of two years ago the crop was up about 80% from a year ago. It was gratifying to have growers calling me with grapes to sell the winery again as opposed to last year when we were calling everywhere begging for grapes that few had and everyone wanted. We expect the regional crop to be nearly back to ‘normal’ next year as the vines seem to be rebounding well.

Our Bluebell, Valiant (of course), King of the North, Sabrevois, Louise and Brianna all came through with little or no damage from the cold of two winters ago. We were surprised to see extensive damage on Frontenac and Frontenac gris which have been poster vines for reliability in the past. Most of these died back to the ground and we are training new trunks for virtually our entire planting. Our Frontenac blanc block remains too immature to come to any real conclusion about its long-term hardiness. Marquette has had so many problems previously making it difficult to determine how it responded to the cold. It was spotty, ragged and marginally productive. We are close to taking the lead of some other growers and pulling them out although we would do so with a heavy heart considering the popularity of this wine varietal.

Monthly Grape Grower’s Guide

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Great River Vineyard & NurseryLake Pepin Winery36580 Hwy. 61 Blvd.Lake City, MN 55041

Page 7 Volume 41 • Fall• Issue 3

Somerset Seedless, Elmer’s pretty hot selling little red table grape, all killed to the ground. Even so they are mostly rebounding vigorously and barring another bout of extreme cold, we expect to have a good crop in the coming year. While Elmer Swenson is mostly known for his wine hybrids he was actually a fruit man and could talk knowledgeably and enthusiastically about pears, plums, apples and about nearly any fruit that comes to mind. Despite its marginal cold hardiness, Somerset could well be the apex of Elmer’s lifetime of grape breeding as his initial selections were, in fact, selected as table grapes. Fruit-growing was what he appeared to believe in —a grape that has great eye appeal, delicious flavor and hardier than any other seedless is surely a great achievement and could well be the capstone of his life’s work.

The picking season was all we could have hoped. September became dry and warm. Ripening proceeded nicely and our grapes came in with adequate sugars, lower than expected acids, and ph levels that we hope for. The weather was so nice, even my picking crew didn’t complain. The grapes are in and now safely fermenting away and to become next year’s wine. Despite all the tension and uncertainty of growing grapes, it has been another good year for which we can all be thankful.

From the Vineyard continued

June - September Hours:Mondays: Closed

Tuesdays-Thursdays: 12-6pm, no kitchen hoursFridays: 12-9pm, Kitchen: 4:30-8:30

Saturdays: 12-9pm, Kitchen: 12-8:30Sundays: 12-5pm, Serving only Pizza from kitchen 12-4:30

Book your Private EventsCall 507-317-7914

507-234-5469Ask for Ray

Indian Island Winery18018-631st Ave.

Janesville, MN 56048www.indianislandwinery.com

indianislandwinery@yahoo.com

Enjoy Award-Winning Wines - Grown & Made Local!Family Owned and Operated

MGGA SUMMER PICNICby Irv Geary, MGGA President

On Sunday July 19th the MGGA held its Annual Summer picnic at Sovereign Estate Wine in Waconia, MN. The morning started with approximately 50 people participating in a summer regional seminar with a focus on canopy management. The seminar was led by John and Jenny Thull, University of MN HRC Vineyard Managers, beginning with a PowerPoint presentation showing all of the best practices in leaf and shoot removal. From there, the group relocated out to the vineyards where they could observe and participate in hands-on leaf pulling and shoots positioning.

Brian Nordschow of Windridge Implement presented on mechanical leaf and shoot hedgers. His presentation included a good discussion on how much time and labor savings can be achieved by implementing these mechanical operations. A video of his hedger can be seen at the following link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GZrdjX1n6Ck&list=PLdI86kl161PYnArAhbfqkhCuYdTiApQ3S

After the morning class, participants moved on to the tent-covered patio, furnished by Sovereign Estate Wine, for a wonderful summer picnic lunch. Approximately 85 people attneded and were able to enjoy the day of food friends and good conversation. A very big thank you to Paul and Terri Savaryn for hosting the picnic and providing free wine tastings to all who wanted to participate. Another big thank you to Ben Banks, winemaker, for giving numerous tours to members throughout the day. “Of all the events we do an a yearly basis this may be my favorite as I get to see all the faces of the MGGA and touch base with so many good friends. Everyone should try to make this event —the relaxed atmosphere and good friends, makes for a GREAT EXPERIENCE.

SAVE THE DATESFebruary 11-12-13, 2016

Hyatt RegencyMinneapolis

Page 8

7TH ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL COLD CLIMATE WINE COMPETITIONThree Oak Wines of Albert Lea, MN, Wins Top AwardsAtThe 7th Annual International Cold Climate Wine Competition

Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minn., (8/18/2015) – After much swishing and spitting, winners have been confirmed at the 2015 International Cold Climate Wine Competition (ICCWC), held today at the University of Minnesota’s Continuing Education Conference Center in St. Paul, MN. The trophy for the best Minnesota grape wine known as the Minnesota Governor’s Cup, was won by Three Oak Wines of Albert Lea, MN, for their single varietal 2014Frontenac Gris. The Minnesota Governor’s Cup, a lovely large silver ice bucket, recognizes the “Best of Show” or top prize of all Minnesota gold-winning wines. This is the 7th year the traveling trophy has been awarded.

The Three Oak Wines 2014 Frontenac Gris also won the Best of Show or top prize in the white wine category.

Lincoln Peak Vineyard of New Haven, VT, took Best of Show in the red wine category for their 2013 Marquette. The Best of Show award for rosé wines, awarded this year for the first time, was won by Shelburne Vineyard of Shelburne, VT, for their 2014 “Whimsey Meadow Rosé,” a Marquette-based blend from cold-climate grapes . The specialty/fortified wine category Best of Show winner was Millner Heritage of Kimball,MN, for their 2012 “Müllner Nice” Frontenac Gris Dessert Wine.

This year’s competition included 308 wines from 60 commercial wineries in 10 states and Canada. Awards were based on blind tastings by 21 expert judges, who include enologists, wine writers, restaurateurs, retailers, and wine educators. Three-judge panels determined the initial medals, with the top-scoring Best of Show wines evaluated by five- or six-judge panels and all 21 judges determined the Minnesota Governor’s Cup award.

The ICCWC is a partnership between the Minnesota Grape Growers Association and the University of Minnesota, which developed several of the cold-hardy grapes used to make the wines in the competition. This competition is the only one exclusively dedicated to wines made from cold-hardy grape varieties that can withstand the winters known to the Upper Midwest, North East, and parts of Canada. The main goals of the ICCWC are to educate the world about these grape varieties and encourage enology practices that will produce high quality and highly marketable wines. The competition is coordinated by Gordon Rouse, AWS Certified Judge, of the Minnesota Grape Growers Association (MGGA), Gary Gardner, Professor of Horticultural Science in the University’s College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource

Sciences, and Aaron Berdofe, Member of the MGGA’s Board of Directors. Sponsors include the Minnesota Farm Winery Association, Clements Lumber of Morgan, MN, and the law firm of Winthrop &Weinstine of Minneapolis,MN.

The competition is open to commercial wineries meeting the criteria for cold-hardy grape and fruit content. In 2015 a total of 8 Double Gold, 23 Gold, 80 Silver, and 96 Bronze medals were awarded. In addition, “Best of Show” designations were awarded to wines rated as the finest in the available categories. Medal winners and competition judges are listed below.

The Less Familiar Grape Names of Cold Climate Regions.

The grape varieties that most wine drinkers are familiar with: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, and the like grow wonderfully under a multitude of conditions as long the winters do not get too cold. Despite the fact that the Twin Cities are at approximately the same line of latitude as Bordeaux [44.9° to 44.8° respectively], famous wine regions like Bordeaux do not have winters with temperatures that consistently sit below 0° F. At these temperatures, the vines of European varieties would perish. Native American grape varieties found in the northern states do survive our winters though. Therefore, instead of spending thousands of years breeding our native grapes to create ones that produce wines we enjoy as was done with the European varieties, we are cross-breeding the native varieties with the European ones to produce grapes that not only survive the winters, but taste good as well. The names of these hybrids are what you will find on the wine labels in Minnesota and numerous other cold climate regions.

History

Grape growing and winemaking has been a part of just about every state’s history starting when European settlers began arriving. In the northern states though, European grape varieties never fared well. It wasn’t until the 1970s that successes from notable Wisconsin grape breeder, Elmer Swenson and the University of Minnesota showed that cold climate grape growing and winemaking could be a viable industry. In 1976 the MN Grape Growers Association was formed. Two years later, the first vineyard exclusively growing cold hardy grapes was established. The Minnesota Legislature soon recognized this potential and in 1985, they directed the University of Minnesota specifically to research grape growing and wine production in cold climates. In 1996, the University released Frontenac, its first truly cold-hardy grape variety which has since been followed by numerous

2015 ICCWC Sponsored by:

Page 9 Volume 41 • Fall• Issue 3

others including La Crescent and Marquette. Over the years, the University of Minnesota has been recognized as having one of the top wine grape research programs in the United States. The contribution to the economy of the industry was estimated at $59 million in 2011 and has continued to grow (even through cold winters) ever since.

There are currently over 70 registered wine producers and blenders in the state of Minnesota. The number of wine producers in the state has nearly doubled in recent years and is expected to continue to grow.

Double Gold (8)Cellar 426 Winery (Ashland,NE) - 2014 Big Bold RedCold Country Vines & Wines, LLC (Kewaunee,WI) - 2014 Frontenac Gris Ice WineCold Country Vines & Wines, LLC (Kewaunee,WI) - 2013 Frontenac FortifiedParley Lake Winery (Waconia,MN) - 2013 Marquette Limited EditionShelburne Vineyard (Shelburne,VT) - 2014 Whimsey Meadow RoséTassel Ridge Winery (Leighton,IA) - NV Candleglow WhiteTrain Wreck Winery (Algona,IA) - 2013 BriannaTug Hill Vineyards (Lowville,NY) - 2014 La Crescent

Gold (23)Cellar 426 Winery (Ashland,NE) - 2013 Aspire Reserve MarquetteChateau St. Croix Winery (Saint Croix Falls,WI) - 2012 Chateau RougeDancing Dragonfly Winery (St Croix Falls,WI) - 2014 CharlestonDancing Dragonfly Winery (St Croix Falls,WI) - 2014 Promenade Elmaro Vineyard (Trempealeau,WI) - 2014 Elmaro DeliciousFireside Winery (Marengo,IA) - 2014 La CrescentLeigh’s Garden Winery, Inc (Escanaba,MI) - 2013 BekaLeigh’s Garden Winery, Inc (Escanaba,MI) - 2014 MarquetteLincoln Peak Vineyard (New Haven,VT) - 2013 MarquetteLincoln Peak Vineyard (New Haven,VT) - 2014 Ragtime WhiteMiletta Vista Winery (Saint Paul,NE) - 2014 FlightMillner Heritage Vineyard & Winery (Dassel,MN) - 2012 Müllner Nice

Parley Lake Winery (Waconia,MN) - 2014 Petite AmieSaint Croix Vineyards (Stillwater,MN) - 2013 Frontenac GrisSandhill Crane Vineyards (Jackson,MI) - NV Blue SkiesShelburne Vineyard (Shelburne,VT) - 2014 Louise SwensonSovereign Estate (Waconia,MN) - NV Frontenac RoséThree Oak Wines (Albert Lea,MN) - 2014 Frontenac GrisWhite Winter Winery (Iron River,WI) - 2015 Hard Apple CiderWild Mountain Winery, Inc. (Taylors Fall,MN) - 2013 Mtn IceElmaro Vineyard (Trempealeau,WI) - 2014 Currant AffairSandhill Crane Vineyards (Jackson,MI) - NV 840 ReserveThe Cape Winery (Cape Vincent,NY) - NV Marquette

Silver (80)Ackerman Winery (Amana,IA) - NV Red RaspberryCannon River Winery (Cannon Falls,MN) - 2014 Sogn BlancCannon River Winery (Cannon Falls,MN) - 2014 Apple WineCannon River Winery (Cannon Falls,MN) - 2014 St. PepinCellar 426 Winery (Ashland,NE) - 2014 Sweet n SexyCellar 426 Winery (Ashland,NE) - 2014 BlueJay EdelweissCellar 426 Winery (Ashland,NE) - 2014 2 Hearts 2 SoulsChankaska Creek Ranch and Winery (Kasota,MN) - 2014 Marquette ReserveCold Country Vines & Wines, LLC (Kewaunee,WI) - 2014 BriannaCoyote Moon Vineyards (Clayton,NY) - 2013 Casa Papa RedCoyote Moon Vineyards (Clayton,NY) - 2012 FrontenacCoyote Moon Vineyards (Clayton,NY) - 2013 MarquetteCoyote Moon Vineyards (Clayton,NY) - 2013 Twisted SisterCoyote Moon Vineyards (Clayton,NY) - 2012 2011 Marquette Special ReserveDancing Dragonfly Winery (St Croix Falls,WI) - 2013 CanCanDancing Dragonfly Winery (St Croix Falls,WI) - 2013 Tap Dance Dancing Dragonfly Winery (St Croix Falls,WI) - 2014 JigDanzinger Vineyards (Alma,WI) - 2014 Sweet Alma RedDanzinger Vineyards (Alma,WI) - 2014 Twlight DelightDanzinger Vineyards (Alma,WI) - 2014 Midnight VoyageDanzinger Vineyards (Alma,WI) - 2014 Golden SunriseDanzinger Vineyards (Alma,WI) - 2014 Twin BerryDanzinger Vineyards (Alma,WI) - 2014 River ParadiseDanzinger Vineyards (Alma,WI) - 2014 Bluff Top Breeze

Elmaro Vineyard (Trempealeau,WI) - 2014 Elmaro La CrescentFalconer Vineyards (Red Wing,MN) - 2014 Frontenac RoséFeather River Vineyards (North Platte,NE) - 2014 AmbianceFeather River Vineyards (North Platte,NE) - 2014 LaCrescentFeather River Vineyards (North Platte,NE) - 2014 RegaleFeather River Vineyards (North Platte,NE) - 2014 StrettoFlower Valley Vineyard (Red Wing,MN) - 2014 CranberryFour Daughters Vineyard & Winery (Spring Valley,MN) - 2014 LacrescentFour Daughters Vineyard & Winery (Spring Valley,MN) - 2014 Frontenac GrisFresh Tracks Farm Vineyard & Winery (Berlin,VT) - 2012 La CrescentFresh Tracks Farm Vineyard & Winery (Berlin,VT) - 2014 Vermont RoséFresh Tracks Farm Vineyard & Winery (Berlin,VT) - 2014 Marquette RoséFresh Tracks Farm Vineyard & Winery (Berlin,VT) - 2013 Little BanditsFresh Tracks Farm Vineyard & Winery (Berlin,VT) - NV Maple WineGalena Cellars (Galena,IL) - 2014 MarquetteGrape Mill Vineyard and Winery (East Grand Forks,MN) - NV MarquetteGrovedale Winery and Vineyards (Wyalusing,PA) - 2014 North BranchGrovedale Winery and Vineyards (Wyalusing,PA) - 2013 HeritageIndian Island Winery (Janesville,MN) - 2014 MarquetteLincoln Peak Vineyard (New Haven,VT) - 2014 LimestoneLincoln Peak Vineyard (New Haven,VT) - 2014 LaCrescentLincoln Peak Vineyard (New Haven,VT) - 2014 (White blend)Miletta Vista Winery (Saint Paul,NE) - 2014 Prairie RoséNiobrara Valley Vineyards (Nenzel,NE) - 2014 White Blend

The 2015 ICCWC

Winners Are . . .

ICCWC Results continued on next page

Special THANKS to our ICCWC Volunteers!

Best of Category ............ Winery .................................................................... EntrantRed ..................................Lincoln Peak Vineyard (New Haven,VT) .......................2013 MarquetteRosé .................................Shelburne Vineyard (Shelburne,VT) ............................ 2014 Whimsey Meadow RoséWhite ...............................Three Oak Wines (Albert Lea,MN) .............................. 2014Frontenac GrisFortified ...........................Millner Heritage Vineyard & Winery (Kimball,MN) .....2012 Müllner NiceGovernor’s Cup ................Three Oak Wines (Albert Lea,MN) .............................. 2014Frontenac Gris

Page 10

Silver (80) continuedParallel 44 Vineyard and Winery (Kewaunee,WI) - 2013 LacrescentParley Lake Winery (Waconia,MN) - 2014 Lake View WhiteParley Lake Winery (Waconia,MN) - 2014 Brianna BreezeRound Lake Vineyards & Winery (Round Lake,MN) - 2014 La CrescentRound Lake Vineyards & Winery (Round Lake,MN) - 2014 Frontenac GrisRound Lake Vineyards & Winery (Round Lake,MN) - 2014 Apple IceSaint Croix Vineyards (Stillwater,MN) - 2013 MarquetteSaint Croix Vineyards (Stillwater,MN) - 2013 FrontenacShelburne Vineyard (Shelburne,VT) - 2013 Marquette ReserveShelburne Vineyard (Shelburne,VT) - 2014 La CrescentThe Cape Winery (Cape Vincent,NY) - NV Marquette RoséThree Oak Wines (Albert Lea,MN) - 2014 La CrescentTrain Wreck Winery (Algona,IA) - 2013 EdelweissTug Hill Vineyards (Lowville,NY) - 2013 Cuvee RoséTug Hill Vineyards (Lowville,NY) - 2014 2014 Prairie StarVilla Bellezza Winery and Vineyards (Pepin,WI) - 2014 St. PepinVilla Bellezza Winery and Vineyards (Pepin,WI) - 2013 Frontenac gris Ice Wine

Vinmark Estates (Hastings,MN) - 2014 Marquette EstateVinmark Estates (Hastings,MN) - 2014 Frontenac GrisWhite Winter Winery (Iron River,WI) - 2015 My Faire LadyWild Mountain Winery, Inc. (Taylors Fall,MN) - 2013 LaCrescentWollersheim Winery (Prairie du Sac,WI) - 2014 Prairie BlushWoodland Hill Winery (Delano,MN) - 2012 Vinny’s RedCoyote Moon Vineyards (Clayton,NY) - 2013 Frontenac GrisDanzinger Vineyards (Alma,WI) - 2014 Danzinger WhiteDoor 44 Winery (Sturgeon Bay,WI) - 2014 BubblerGrape Mill Vineyard and Winery (East Grand Forks,MN) - NV Huntsville Sweet RedNorthern Sun Winery (Bark River,MI) - 2013 2014 La CrescentParley Lake Winery (Waconia,MN) - 2013 MarquetteParley Lake Winery (Waconia,MN) - 2013 Barn Quilt RedParallel 44 Vineyard and Winery (Kewaunee,WI) - 2014 La Crescent MoscatoVilla Bellezza Winery and Vineyards (Pepin,WI) - NV Fortaleza

Bronze (96)Cannon River Winery (Cannon Falls,MN) - 2013 Sparkle EdelweissChankaska Creek Ranch and Winery (Kasota,MN) - 2014 Petite CollineChankaska Creek Ranch and Winery (Kasota,MN) - 2014 Kasota RoséChateau St. Croix Winery (Saint Croix Falls,WI) - 2012 Thoroughbred RedCold Country Vines & Wines, LLC (Kewaunee,WI) - 2014 Red SunsetCoyote Moon Vineyards (Clayton,NY) - 2013 Island MamaCoyote Moon Vineyards (Clayton,NY) - 2013 LaCrescentCoyote Moon Vineyards (Clayton,NY) - 2013 BriannaCrow River Winery (Hutchinson,MN) - 2013 Frontenac GrisDancing Dragonfly Winery (St Croix Falls,WI) - 2013 Bill’s Waltz Dancing Dragonfly Winery (St Croix Falls,WI) - 2014 Calypso Dancing Dragonfly Winery (St Croix Falls,WI) - 2013 FoxtrotDanzinger Vineyards (Alma,WI) - 2013 Marquette ReserveDanzinger Vineyards (Alma,WI) - 2013 Late Harvest St PepinDanzinger Vineyards (Alma,WI) - 2014 St.CroixDanzinger Vineyards (Alma,WI) - 2014 November DawnDanzinger Vineyards (Alma,WI) - 2014 Sunset RidgeDanzinger Vineyards (Alma,WI) - 2014 White VelvetDanzinger Vineyards (Alma,WI) - 2014 Waumandee WhiteDanzinger Vineyards (Alma,WI) - 2014 King CranberryDanzinger Vineyards (Alma,WI) - 2014 Mississippi MistDoor 44 Winery (Sturgeon Bay,WI) - 2014 MarquetteDoor 44 Winery (Sturgeon Bay,WI) - 2012 SunburstElmaro Vineyard (Trempealeau,WI) - 2014 Elmaro Marquette RoséElmaro Vineyard (Trempealeau,WI) - 2014 Elmaro Sweet CheeksFalconer Vineyards (Red Wing,MN) - 2014 Prairie Star Falconer WinFireside Winery (Marengo,IA) - 2014 GLOWFlower Valley Vineyard (Red Wing,MN) - 2013 Les Petites RecoltlesFour Daughters Vineyard and Winery (Spring Valley,MN) - 2013 Marquette Silver Cap ReserveFour Daughters Vineyard and Winery (Spring Valley,MN) - 2013 MarquetteFresh Tracks Farm Vineyard & Winery (Berlin,VT) - 2011 The MessengerFresh Tracks Farm Vineyard & Winery (Berlin,VT) - NV Freerider RedFresh Tracks Farm Vineyard & Winery (Berlin,VT) - NV Dog River RedFresh Tracks Farm Vineyard & Winery (Berlin,VT) - NV MappleGalena Cellars (Galena,IL) - 2014 (Sparkling grape wine)Garvin Heights Vineyards (Winona,MN) - 2014 CranberryGrape Mill Vineyard and Winery (East Grand Forks,MN) - NV FrontenacGrovedale Winery and Vineyards (Wyalusing,PA) - 2014 Desert RoséGrovedale Winery and Vineyards (Wyalusing,PA) - 2013 Frontenac GrisGrovedale Winery and Vineyards (Wyalusing,PA) - 2012 Whistle StopHawk Meadow Winery (Hastings,MN) - 2013 Hawk MeadowIndian Island Winery (Janesville,MN) - 2013 LaCrescentIndian Island Winery (Janesville,MN) - 2014 Midnight FantasyJewell Towne Vineyards (South Hampton,NH) - 2014 Petite AmieLeigh’s Garden Winery, Inc (Escanaba,MI) - 2013 C.MarieLeigh’s Garden Winery, Inc (Escanaba,MI) - 2014 FrontenacLincoln Peak Vineyard (New Haven,VT) - 2014 Ragtime RedMiletta Vista Winery (Saint Paul,NE) - 2014 EdelweissMiletta Vista Winery (Saint Paul,NE) - 2014 Vacation

Millner Heritage Vineyard & Winery (Dassel,MN) - 2012 RonaMillner Heritage Vineyard & Winery (Dassel,MN) - 2014 Mein OnkelMillner Heritage Vineyard & Winery (Dassel,MN) - 2012 SalierMillner Heritage Vineyard & Winery (Dassel,MN) - 2013 SchnickelfritzNiobrara Valley Vineyards (Nenzel,NE) - 2014 BriannaParallel 44 Vineyard and Winery (Kewaunee,WI) - 2011 Glacier RedParallel 44 Vineyard and Winery (Kewaunee,WI) - 2014 Drink PinkParallel 44 Vineyard and Winery (Kewaunee,WI) - 2011 Late Harvest St. PepinParallel 44 Vineyard and Winery (Kewaunee,WI) - 2011 Frontenac Dessert WineParallel 44 Vineyard and Winery (Kewaunee,WI) - 2014 IcewineParallel 44 Vineyard and Winery (Kewaunee,WI) - 2013 MarquetteParley Lake Winery (Waconia,MN) - 2014 MarquetteRound Lake Vineyards & Winery (Round Lake,MN) - 2014 Skinny Dipping Saint Croix Vineyards (Stillwater,MN) - 2014 La CrescentSaint Croix Vineyards (Stillwater,MN) - NV Orchard ReserveSaint Croix Vineyards (Stillwater,MN) - 2012 Frontenac GrisShelburne Vineyard (Shelburne,VT) - 2013 MarquetteThe Cape Winery (Cape Vincent,NY) - NV FrontenacTug Hill Vineyards (Lowville,NY) - 2014 Black IceTwo Rivers Vineyard & Winery (Ramsey,MN) - Frontenac GrisVilla Bellezza Winery and Vineyards (Pepin,WI) - 2013 Pepin blancVilla Bellezza Winery and Vineyards (Pepin,WI) - 2014 Dolce WhiteVilla Bellezza Winery and Vineyards (Pepin,WI) - 2013 (White blend)Vine Street Cellars (Glenwood,IA) - NV Leon MillotVine Street Cellars (Glenwood,IA) - NV BlackberryWild Mountain Winery, Inc. (Taylors Fall,MN) - 2012 Arrowhead RedGrape Mill Vineyard and Winery (East Grand Forks,MN) - NV Frontenac GrisGrovedale Winery and Vineyards (Wyalusing,PA) - 2013 St. PepinIndian Island Winery (Janesville,MN) - 2014 DreamcatcherIndian Island Winery (Janesville,MN) - 2014 Frontenac RoséJewell Towne Vineyards (South Hampton,NH) - 2014 Marechal FochLeigh’s Garden Winery, Inc (Escanaba,MI) - 2013 Little Bay de Noc WhiteMiletta Vista Winery (Saint Paul,NE) - 2014 WorkhorseParallel 44 Vineyard and Winery (Kewaunee,WI) - 2014 FusionSandhill Crane Vineyards (Jackson,MI) - NV Annie’s MapleShineSchram Vineyards (Waconia,MN) - NV Bumbley BlueberrySchram Vineyards (Waconia,MN) - 2013 MarquetteSeven Hawks Vineyards (Fountain City,WI) - 2012 Prairie StarShelburne Vineyard (Shelburne,VT) - 2014 Celestial LouiseSovereign Estate (Waconia,MN) - 2013 MarquetteVilla Bellezza Winery and Vineyards (Pepin,WI) - 2013 MarquetteVinmark Estates (Hastings,MN) - 2014 Marquette Rosé V-SeriesWinehaven Winery (Chisago City,MN) - 2013 Frontenac GrisWinehaven Winery (Chisago City,MN) - NV StingerWinehaven Winery (Chisago City,MN) - 2013 Marquette ReserveWoodland Hill Winery (Delano,MN) - 2012 Days EndTassel Ridge Winery (Leighton,IA) - 2103 Marquette Rosé

ICCWC Results continued

Page 11 Volume 41 • Fall• Issue 3

Varieties Include:

V ineyard NurseryWINTERHAVEN

Ray A. Winter18103-628th Ave.

Janesville, MN 56048Home: 507-234-5469Mobile: 507-317-7914

OrderNOW

For 2016Planting

Blue BellBrianna

EdelweissFrontenac

Frontenac blancFrontenac gris

King of the NorthLa Crescent

Louise SwensonMarquette

Petite AmiePrairie StarSabrevois

Somerset SeedlessSt. CroixSt. Pepin

— PLEASE CALL WITH ORDER —

Email: order@winterhavengrapevines.com

Website: www.winterhavengrapevines.com

QUALITY ASSURANCE PROGRAM GRANTA grant has been awarded to the Central Lakes College to start a quality testing program to benefit Minnesota wineries. Dennis Emslie Drummond (MS Enology, U.C. Davis and VESTA Instructor) is setting up a laboratory and sensory analysis panels, under the direction of the Minnesota Farm Winery Association. A wine bottle sticker will be available to the wines that pass the quality standards. Those with 80% Minnesota grown grapes will have the “Minnesota grown” recognizable logo.

The intent is that start up wineries will be able to have a quality target and an opportunity to have their wines assessed by an independent body. Expanding and established wineries will also have the ability to have a quality designation on the bottle to give added presence to the wine buying public in liquor stores, restaurants, etc.

This project was supported by the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program at the USDA and MDA through Grant Agreement Number 14-SCBGP-MN-0027. Its content are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the USDA.

Further details on this program will be presented at the Cold Climate Conference Enology sessions Feb 11-12, 2016.

World Class, Gold Medal Winesfrom the West Coast . . .

of WISCONSIN!Located on the Great River Road along the

banks of the Mississippi River.

Fountain City, Wisconsinwww.sevenhawksvineyards.com

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Falconer VineyardsRed Wing, Minnesota

Vineyard • Winery • Nursery • Wood-Fired Pizzas

Open Wednesday - sunday May tO OctOber

and Weekends year-rOund

Visit our winery in picturesque Red Wing tosample our award winning wines as well as our

delicious wood-fired pizzas.

Nursery specializing in northern winter hardy varietals.

Call for current availability and pricing.

3572 Old Tyler Rd. Red Wing, MN 55066 • (651)388-8849www.falconervineyards.com

MINNESOTA GRAPE GROWERS ASSN. President: Irving Geary Vice President: David Mohn Secretary: Josie Boyle Treasurer: Larry O. Olson Past President: Ronald L. Barnes Board of Directors: Ryan Allshouse, Aaron Berdofe, Alexandru

Bortnov, Jenny Ellenbecker, Dr. Gary Gardner, Jay Grokowsky, John Howe, John Maloney, Dr. George Martin, Bob Olson, Dr. Scott Overmyer, Kent Schwickert, Steve Unverzagt, Dr. James Luby - ex officio Administrative Director: Amy Beckham, Creating Order, LLC Editor: Cheri Anderson Purpose Statement: The Minnesota Grape Growers Association

(MGGA) was formed to further the art and science of growing grapes in cold climates. The Association sponsors grape growing instructional workshops and events for those interested in learning more about grape growing and winemaking in Minnesota.

Membership Levels $50/Individual Electronic NFTN; $65/Paper & Elec. NFTN$100/Professional Vineyards/Incl. up to 2 members$200/Farm Wineries &/or large vineyards/Incl. up to 4 members$250/Associates - Vendors Membership Details: www.mngrapes.org click MGGA INFO/SERVICES Email: cheri.anderson@mngrapes.org or send a check to MGGA address.COPYRIGHT INFORMATION: Unless otherwise noted all material may be copied, quoted, etc., provided the author and MGGA are credited. The editor authors all material and photographs without a designated author or source.

Properly timed applications of Agro-K’s KDL® 0-0-24, can dramatically enhance brix, color development, and uniform maturity in all grapes. Increasing brix and color can improve juice phenolic compound levels resulting in measurable increased wine quality.

KDL’s unique formulation links potassium to a sugar complex that can quickly penetrate plant tissue – encouraging sugar development in the leaf and transport into the fruit. Even when tissue analysis shows adequate K levels, KDL provides a rapid increase in brix that also encourages color development and phenolics. KDL also improves uniform maturity helping to minimize harvesting passes.

To find out how KDL can be a part of your comprehensive science-based nutrition program, call 800-328-2418, visit www.agro-k.com, or email info@agro-k.com.

200%

150%

100%

50%

0%

KDL Nutrient Program

gallic acidpolymeric

anthocyanins

monomericanthocyanins

malvidin

quercetinaglycone

quercetinglycosides

caffeic acid

caftaric acid

polymericphenols

epicatechin

catechin

Average of Controls 7 & 8 AGRO-K CORpORAtiOn8030 Main Street, NE • Minneapolis, MN 55432

800-328-2418 • www.agro-k.com

Help ensure your grape crop makes great wine. KDL ®

Pinot noir JuiceTreatment Bunch Weight

(lbs.)/5 vines Brix pH %K

KDL Nutrient Program

93.8 25.2 3.48 0.066

Control #7 90.0 23.5 3.45 0.073Control #8 93.0 23.9 3.50 0.0721) Fully replicated trial conducted by Hale Agricultural Services,

Santa Maria CA Trial location Kendall Jackson Vineyards, Santa Maria, CA 2) Juice data generated from replicated samples by Dr. Ken Fugelsang,

Dept of Enology and Viticulture, Fresno State Univ.

Science-Driven Nutrition SM

Minnesota Grape Growers Association207 5th Ave NMinneapolis, MN 55401