Veni Vidi Vitis Labrusca
tesauro-eleypse
Missouri wine country...yes, Missouri! Here are my findings...
Veni Vidi Vitis Labrusca, or I came, I saw, I Concord
The Great Missouri Wine Secret
by Jason Tesauro
Two gentlemen's cheeks are aflush from an afternoon of sunshine, blues
and wine along the Missouri River in a town called Defiance. One shirt
reads "Got Merlot?" and the other, "Galena Cellars Winery, IL". Midwest
wine geeks? I decide to follow.at a slight distance. They leave the Sugar
Creek Winery tasting room/gift shop with a six-pack of Chardonel. Outside,
be-hatted folks under umbrellas sip with their feet up, listen to live music
and enjoy ice buckets of chilled Seyval Blanc (glassware costs just a $3
deposit). The proprietors, Ken & Becky "Birdlegs" Miller, pour for patrons
as I jot down descriptions: a late afternoon wine.; an evening wine.; fresh
citrus tones with a lively finish. Ken notices my busy pen and takes time
to sit with me and a glass of Chardonel.
Enjoying a barrique-aged, cream and apricot-driven, full-bodied white, I
learn that this Chardonnay/Seyval hybrid was created at Cornell University
and perfectly harmonizes the delicate, mutable vitis vinifera with the hardy
and indigenous vitis labrusca. French mastery meets Missourian innovation.a
leitmotif I would quickly respect.
That surreal Arch isn't the only site in Missouri. If all you've ever
heard of St. Louis are the Cardinals, the Rams and Budweiser.grab your
corkscrew and compass. I ventured into this region with a bit of an air,
but left with a deep, down-home appreciation. Who knew southern hospitality
spread this far west? I followed Highway 94 along the Missouri River and
discovered a verdant countryside beginning in the Augusta Region just an
hour outside St. Louis. Big city nerves loosened, I left with my wine
journal gloriously filled.
"I was astonished to find the wines so remarkably good.with something of the
Rhône about them."
- Gerald Asher, wine editor of Gourmet magazine, on Missouri wine, 1996.
Weinstrasse, Phylloxera and Prohibition
Upon seeing the abundance of grapevines, explorer Leif Ericsson named
North America "Vinland" in 1000 A.D. Even though he didn't venture into the
great midwest, he was onto something. As it turned out, it didn't take long
for later settlers to discover rich soils and a climate suited for
viticulture. In the glory days before temperance leagues and the 1919
ratification of the 18th amendment's Prohibition Law, St. Louis was gateway
to the West and a central station of winemaking. The German Settlement
Society was formed in Hermann and founded an American "Fatherland" to aid
emigrants seeking a better life in the New Rhineland. The first crop was
produced in 1845 from the native American Isabella grape. By 1855, wine
from 500 expanding acres was shipped to St. Louis and beyond. By 1869, 42%
of America's wine was from Missouri. This same year witnessed completion of
the transcontinental railroad, opening the midwest and eastern markets to
California wines. Made from varietals more familiar to Europeans, west
coast wines flourished quickly. Missouri surpassed Ohio as second-largest
wine-growing state and remained behind only California until Prohibition.
Stone Hill Winery in Hermann grew to be the third-largest winery in the
world; it produced more than a million gallons a year and won eight gold
medals at world fairs between 1873 and 1904.
The Missouri State Board of Agriculture first met in 1865 for the
purpose of disseminating scientific information. Its viticultural thrust
included extensive study of North American varieties, newfound species,
worthy seedlings and productive hybrids. In 1869, the board appointed
Charles V. Riley as first State Entomologist for Missouri and set him to
task reporting on beneficial and noxious insects. Meanwhile, across the
Atlantic, vineyards throughout France were under assault by an unknown
parasite. Riley was invited by the French government to inspect the crops
in 1871 and he diagnosed the problem as an infestation of phylloxera
vastatrix, an American plant louse. Since some native grapes were immune to
the louse, millions of rootstocks were shipped to France so v. vinifera
vines could be grafted onto them. A gold medal and a statue in Montpelier,
France commemorate Riley's rescue of the French wine industry. Until
recently, Missouri-grown vitis rupestris was also the basic rootstock
employed to protect California's v. vinifera as well.
"Now choose between me and the murderous wine,/ For lips that touch liquor
must never, never touch mine."
- Wm J. Kirkpatrick, The Prohibition Melodist, 1888.
Then the wine dried up. Rather, it was poured out. Carrie Nation, the
social- reforming, saloon-smashing, anti-booze crusader was a Cass County,
Missouri native. Her hatchet and editorials contributed to the closing of
more than 100 Missouri wineries in 1920 when the manufacture and sale of
alcohol was federally banned. Vineyards and winemaking equipment were
abandoned or destroyed and local economies built on the Weinstrasse
(literally, wine road) were devastated. When Prohibition was repealed in
1933, a few dozen wineries reopened, though there were still many legally
dry areas and little demand for anything but cheap dessert wines.
Renaissance
The past 30 years have seen a revitalization of Missouri (or
miz-UHR-uh, as the locals say) wine culture to pre-Prohibition eminence.
Led by the conservation of 19th century charm and architecture, families
returning to historical roots and a supportive state government, Missourians
are once again growing wine grapes and winning medals. In 1980, the
Missouri Wine Advisory board was formed, a state enologist was hired and
Augusta became the first Approved Viticultural Area in the U.S. A 6% wine
tax (earned $500,000 in 1999) is apportioned for studying state viticulture
and with 37 working wineries and counting, gallonage has nearly doubled
since 1991.
Much of the recent progress can be attributed to the once and future
king of Missouri viniculture, Stone Hill Winery. Established in 1847, the
largest series of vaulted cellars in America was turned into a mushroom farm
after Prohibition before its spectacular underground arches were reawakened
to winemaking in 1965. Jim and Betty Held began the process of restoration
that continues now primarily in the hands of their children-three of four
hold degrees in enology and viticulture. After 20 years of work with the
Held family, Dave Johnson is the most awarded American winemaker outside of
California and only two winemakers have collected more medals in the past
five years.
Patty Held-Uthlaut, Director of Public Relations, Distribution and
Special Events, is a remarkable woman, if not as dutiful a daughter as
Cordelia ever was to King Lear. Her gifted and well-educated nose and
palate continue to earn seats at the judges' table for prestigious wine
competitions. She is the consummate spokeswoman not only for Stone Hill,
but for all of Missouri's return to vinous renown. Balanced as the rich,
spicy, dry 1994 Norton Reserve I tasted, Patty is at home managing the
staff, the grapes, the custom-built state-of-the art stainless steel bladder
press and the perennial growth.and she should be. After all, she is at
home, I note, as she points to the second-story office window over the
retail shop where her bedroom used to be.
Nevertheless, not all Missouri wineries have slick brochures, New York
Times reviews and shimmering 12,000 gallon steel tanks to show visitors.
Dave Johnson's protégé, Clyde Gill, broke away from Stone Hill to take over
operation of Peaceful Bend Vineyard, a property on the Upper Meramec River
once owned by local wine historian Dr. Axel Arneson and used by the
University of Arkansas as a viticulture research facility. Katie Gill, too,
benefited from Stone Hill experience as Vineyard Manager before she and
Clyde moved an hour south to Steelville and married at Peaceful Bend. The
Gills are hands-on owners and with their dog, Hey Jude, staff every position
from hospitality to tractor-driver. I watch Clyde rack the Cayuga White
($7.99) and perform "The J.C. Act" as he calls it, filling tanks with juice
and topping with a hose ".turning water into wine," he explains. That's not
the only holy reference I catch today. There is much beholden tradition in
this midwest America and one grower "drops the fruit" every seven years in
reverence to the Bible's decree of famine in 2 Kings 8:1-6. Of course, even
this farmer has to make a living, so instead of cutting all the clusters
down, he rotates the sacrificial vineyard.
Clyde describes the changing regional tastes and observes that the trend
is towards drier wines, but the mass of sweet Concord wines are still what's
paying for barriqués and the experimental hybrid vines out back. We taste
the fruits of his labor and I learn the correct nomenclature as he cures my
befuddlement over local labels. Vignoles and Chambourcin keep their
European accents, but Courtois ($11.75) is not given the expected French
pronunciation. No, this Chardonel-based dry white is "like my mom used to
say," Clyde continues, "put your 'coat-a-way'."
Some of the bottles, I've noticed, list neither a vintage nor an alcohol
level. Hmm, don't these winemakers want to mark an excellent year or
identify a particular blend? Aren't there B.A.T.F. laws to contend? Clyde
and Katie clarify. Even with Missourian producers at full or near-full
capacity, thirsty loyal patrons-mostly from Kansas, Illinois and around the
state-exhaust each year's supply. Vintage Norton, heck, there's not enough
wine to last through this season, never mind what's been cellared for next.
This also answers my questions about the ageability of the best reds. Who
knows.no one gets much of a chance to find out. There's not enough supply,
space or patience to justify laying down these bottles for extended
maturation. Nevertheless, some of the older wineries stow a few precious
bottles. Each year Stone Hill sells-out its ten-year vertical Norton
tasting. As far as alcohol levels, the Gills point to label allowances and
cost effectiveness. Table wine is used for anything under 14% a.b.v. and
non-vintaged proprietary names enable wineries to bottle year after year
without changing the label, ergo the savings. As for why there's hardly a
mention of appellation, it seems that local growing regions don't have
worthy name recognition just yet.
Later that night we dine under the stars, commune over Clyde's perfectly
grilled salmon, toast his 41st birthday and languidly marvel over their new
life of love and work and wine in the woods. The 1999 Barrel Fermented
Chardonel's ($18.50) fruit comes forward and the acid mellows as a warm
night and crystal stemware expose the juice to summer air. I savour the
mouth-feel and long finish and wonder how many Napa Valley visitors can
possibly expect this kind of intimacy with Robert Sinskey? I will return to
this place.
Armed with an outstanding guidebook, "Exploring Missouri Wine Country"
by Brett Dufur (Pebble Publishing, 800.576.7322), my sweetheart and I
traverse the oddly named bucolic roads en route to another winery in the
Ozark Highlands region. "There's no strip mall of wineries and anyone
wanting to explore this beautiful countryside will undoubtedly stumble upon
great wine," says Brett. His guide is a history book with directions to
adventure. We negotiate intersections at Routes T, U and KK on a scenic,
20-minute drive west on Route 8 to the St. James Winery. There, the Hofherr
's are as much ensconced as the Helds of Stone Hill in the lore of families
as midwest wine pioneers. A converted airport field in 1970 grew their life
savings into today's 60,000 cases on 100+ acres. I pause at the overcrowded
shelf of ribbon-bearing bottles and learn that in 1998, St. James ranked
third in the country (including California) for the highest number of gold
medals won in national and international competitions. Bon Appetit Magazine
named their 1993 Seyval as one of the top 50 wines in the world for 1994.
The family biography attests to the continued balanced approach and
success: enology and viticulture degrees from Cal State Fresno and Univ. of
Arkansas, MBA from Georgia State and plenty of membership and elected seats
in relevant regional associations. Peter is General Manager at St. James
and Chairman of the Missouri Wine and Grape Advisory Board. He tells me
about a visit from Sutter Home Winery's founder, Bob Trinchero, who remarked
that his own kids aren't down-to-earth like the Hofherr clan-they each know
finance, marketing or winemaking, but not all three. To the contrary, each
Hofherr can work the politics, the fields, the American oak barrels
(produced for most U.S. winemakers by a nearby cooperage, McGinnis Wood
Products in Cuba, MO) or manage 80,000-100,000 visitors annually in the
tasting room.
Patricia Hofherr is the matriarch of St. James Winery and she greets
guests with simple directions to sate the prevailing palate, "Sweet wines
are over there." She leads me through the dry, semi-dry and late-harvest
dessert wines with great public relations acumen and rattles off the many
grape varieties as easily as the numerous accolades they collected in 1999.
Los Angeles County Fair: 1994 Private Reserve Norton ($24.99) .Gold.
Florida State Fair: Vintner's Reserve Seyval ($9.99).Gold. Missouri State
Fair: Late Harvest Vignole ($16.99).Gold. My taste buds affirm the results
and I take home each one of these bottles, along with the School House Red
($7.99), a lively and fruity wine made from Rougeon and evocative of
Beaujolais. Our second three-pack is completed with a pair of delicious and
sweet 100% Concord grape juice ($3.49).
The last winery I visit exemplifies much that I've come to appreciate
and understand about Missourian winemaking. Adam Puchta Winery is just two
miles outside of Hermann off Highway 100. There I meet two energetic and
purposeful boys whizzing about on a John Deere four-wheeler performing
chores. "When you have a house, you have animals.the goat and sheep need to
be watered and fed," chirps Spencer, the elder at 10. Parker, 7, is in
shorts and knee-high rubber boots in anticipation of today's truckload of
grapes, which he'll help unload into the crusher. They are the seventh
generation of Puchtas (rhymes with booked-uh) and already know more about
grapes than most people will ever know. While they point to the three acres
of Norton growing on the hill and explain why flood and frost concerns make
the fruit grow better up there, I see why the labor demand in Missouri is a
real concern. These boys are a renewable family resource, but with
unemployment too low to attract seasonal workers and west-coast schools
churning out chemistry and agriculture graduates that either stay in
California or jump into the lucrative bio-technology fields, wineries here
need more than a big 'Help Wanted' sign.
I ask the boys about the ups and downs of their work, ".get good pay
from my dad. but I hit my head about ten times every time I clean the
tanks." Spencer describes the bottling process from delivery of pallets of
glass to filling and re-boxing in greater detail than I have ever heard from
any adult and with a gleeful simplicity only a child could impose on this
laborious and tedious procedure. Tim Puchta, their dad, arrives in a dusty
cloud for a quick handshake and some questions as the tractor-trailer backs
into position at the loading dock. He and his dad reopened the winery in
1989, 150 years after his great-great-great-grandfather John Henry Puchta
first homesteaded here. Tim left the medical profession to work these
fields and in 1996, Puchta-picked grapes were back in bottles for the first
time since Prohibition.
Dad goes back to work fork-lifting Cayuga as Spencer and Parker
accompany me to the small cellar, then the retail shop. The hand-carved
beams and square nails above me were once part of the Puchta's house in 1858
and enjoying a 1997 Estate Bottled Norton ($26.49) is easy as contemplating
the abounding history. Nearly all Missouri wines are direct-marketed in
these tasting rooms and combined with current production levels, I see that
it's certainly not due to quality concerns that there's no Adam Puchta,
Sugar Creek or Stone Hill wines showing up on most supermarket shelves.
Waving goodbye to perhaps the next line of Missourian pioneers, I think
about how the only local wine word I knew was Norton, the vitis aestivalis
summer grape. Besides learning that Cynthiana is genetically the same fruit
just called something different across the river (like how sandwiches are
subs in New Jersey, but grinders in New England), I see how budgets and
burgeoning creativity lead to innovation.oak chips are used to invoke
vanilla and toast when pricey barrels are out-of-reach. My car is filled
with bottles that I can't wait to thrust curiously upon my label-reading
friends (like the Catawba Cream Sherry and a clove and chocolaty Port).
Even after reading the scores of fond reviews and heaping lists of awards, I
feel like I've stumbled on some great untold secret. The beautiful, untamed
heart of the country where there's wild grapes and open space; crickets, not
cars, make the most noise at night and Wiener Schnitzel is a menu fixture.
Better find myself a "Got Missouri?" shirt, I will indeed return to this
place.
For information about Missouri wineries:
www.mda.state.mo.us/c3.htm
or call (800) 392-WINE
Dominique Larré
this ederly Frenchman of the time when he used to read the New Yorker
every time he could afford a copy...
Maybe we should finally arrange that new tour of the States that we keep
postponing.
And taste St James and others. Visit friends. Make a few new ones.
Very cordially
Dominique Larré
= = = =
tesauro-eleypse a écrit dans le message
<8qaos8$lib$2...@slb6.atl.mindspring.net>...
:Greetings from Atlanta. I just returned from an outstanding adventure
in
:Missouri wine country...yes, Missouri! ....
[ ..... ]
:Better find myself a "Got Missouri?" shirt, I will indeed return to
:
:
:
:
:
Joseph B. Rosenberg
about it. Reminds of Gerald Acher in Gourmet magazine or some of the English
writers in Decanter.
--
Joe "Beppe" Rosenberg
"tesauro-eleypse" <tesauro...@mindspring.com> wrote in message
news:8qaos8$lib$2...@slb6.atl.mindspring.net...
txgra...@my-deja.com
"tesauro-eleypse" <tesauro...@mindspring.com> wrote:
> Greetings from Atlanta. I just returned from an outstanding
adventure in
> Missouri wine country...yes, Missouri! Here are my findings...
>
> Veni Vidi Vitis Labrusca, or I came, I saw, I Concord
> The Great Missouri Wine Secret
> by Jason Tesauro
>
Jason,
Just wanted to add my $0.02 worth of "bravo" to the other accolades
you've already received. Thoroughly enjoyable.
Dan
Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/
Before you buy.