Dry White Wines

A dry white food wine should goldish rather than greenish in colour. The goal is light to neutral aromatics from the grapes, but some from oak treatment. The aim is "vinous" not "fruity" or "floral". The mellowing effects of oak fermentation should be apparent in the wine, without tasting of "Chateau two by four". Alcohol should be relatively strong for a cold climate wine, being in the 12.5 to 13% range. Acidity after malolactic conversion or fermentation should be in the 6 to 7 g/l range. The vineyard strategy will be to allow the grapes to ripen as fully as possible, not just to increase the sugars but primarily to reduce the concentration of malic acid. These varieties must harden off quickly and be very winter-hardy.

We feel that the blend of three varieties will fulfill this target wine.

WHAT WE ARE PLANTING

We will plant 16 vines of the variety named Prairie Star. This grape variety (picture to the left) was created by Wisconsin grape breeder Elmer Swenson . It is very hardy and disease resistant, making a full and heavy base with neutral aromatics. It is ideally suited to our purpose.

We will also plant 16 vines of the variety named Louise Swenson. This grape variety (picture to the right) is another of Elmer's creations, and is named after his late wife. It is also very hardy and disease resistant, making a lightweight wine with delicate floral and honey aromatics. It may be the perfect foil to Prairie Star, and we tasted some of these blended in Minnesota.

The final part of the blend, 8 vines, will be yet another Swenson variety, ES 6-16-30. It is muscadet-ish with good sugar/acid balance and a delicate flowery nose. Also cold-hardy and disease resistant, this completes the trio. We are not currently waiting for further varieties to clear quarantine for making this wine.

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