Enjoy Minnesota’s cold climate wines
By 2010-10-26 14:36:32
| I know most often times this column is used to explore the many different perspectives of our community of Waseca, but this time I’m going to give my perspective on this awesome part of the great state of Minnesota. What a fantastic state we live in with so much to do; any season we have a number of things to keep us busy. This fall weather has been exceptionally gorgeous and what a better way to spend the day than on a winery tour of Southern Minnesota. Now mind you, I am not any kind of sommelier, master vintner or oeneologist, but I do have the ability to distinguish what kinds of wine I do like and those that I don’t. It all started a couple of months ago on a short day trip to take my daughter up to my folks’ for the weekend and to visit my Dad’s manufacturing plant. We were on our way through Waconia when I noticed a sign for a small local vineyard that offered wine tastings. Of course it sparked my interest and it would be on the daily agenda after visiting my father later that afternoon. A few short hours later we found ourselves driving on a windy road through a beautiful canopy of oak trees leading us to Parley Lake Winery. It was truly scenic, on a hill overlooking a lake with nothing but trees as far off into the distance as one could see. It was here where it all began with a simple brochure about Minnesota’s Heartland Wine Trail. We looked at our watches and decided that with a quick jaunt over to Jordan, we could make it before Crofut Family Winery closed. Here, it was evident by all of the photos and newspaper clippings on the wall that this was something the family had done for years — which was marked by the delicious wine. It wasn’t until last Friday that we decided to finish that tour of the remaining five cold climate wineries on the trail. (Listen to me, I sort of sound like I know what I’m talking about!) We started our day trip heading north up to Delano to the Woodland Hill Winery where we were welcomed by “Vinnie”, the family’s dog, who even has a wine named after him! Next on the list came Kimball and the Millner Heritage Vineyard & Winery. It was here where Don and John, a father/son duo with Hungarian heritage sent a bottle of wine with us to deliver to the next vineyard, after they showed us a short cut to get to Spicer. We were on a tight schedule and needed to get to the edge of Green Lake before 6 p.m.. We arrived at Glacial Ridge Winery at 5:20 with bottle in hand with specific instructions; we were to tell them that if they enjoyed the wine, that Don and John expected reciprocation, which was received with a hearty laugh and a story of course. This gentleman had started Glacial Winery about six years ago after being in the grocery business for over 20 years and he commented that every store was your competition but after going into the grape business, he found it so refreshing because all of the vineyards work together and help one another out; no one winery was competing with another. We told him we had to be on our way as we still had two more wineries to get to before the last one closed at 10 p.m. We asked if he thought we should make hotel reservations ahead of time. While we waited a quick minute he called Charlie, one of the owners of the Redwood Falls winery. While on the phone, he repeated everything Charlie had said out loud about not having a problem with hotels and ended by saying Jeff and Sara will be at his place later that night. Next stop was Clara City and the Hinterland Vineyards. During this entire day I don’t think I saw a field without a combine on it somewhere and the same would hold true over here as well. This was probably the newest winery on our tour but he still had tons of information to share. He was a younger man, early 20s I’d say, and recently married with the dream of venturing into the profession of grape grower. We bought our two bottles and were on our way to our final destination, Fieldstone Vineyards in Redwood Falls. We arrived shortly before 9 p.m. and were told that this winery had just moved into a new location down town from 12 miles out on a vineyard. We walked in while one of the owners was with a group of people; I assumed it was Charlie, who looked over and had to do a double take and then shouted out, “I’ll be right with you Sara, it’s been a long time!” Come to find out it was a brother of one of my classmates from high school whom I knew as “Chuck”. We stayed for over an hour, reminiscing about the past and other classmates from high school. He explained that with marriage also came the name Charlie and it stuck. It was truly a wonderful night catching up, but the heels I was in were getting the best of me and it was time to end our day. We came home with many different types of wines as well as a day full of fun memories. It wasn’t heavy on the pocket book, some vineyards, the tastings are free if you purchase the wine, others charge just $5 per tasting and you keep the glass. Most times, the tastings include a flight of five or more wines. www.heartlandwinetrailmn.com If you get stamps at all of the vineyards listed, you get a gift at the last winery … something to look forward to! Now we need to go visit the new winery in Janesville, I hear it’s fantastic! And the “Sips of History” trail which includes wine, beer and coffee! |
From wasecacountynews.com