A “Bucket List” can be defined as a list of actions that individuals would like to accomplish in their lives.  I have my own list and staying in the Lincoln Bedroom at the White House is not on the list.  At the end of this month, another item from my list will be crossed off – attending a baseball game at the infamous Wrigley Field in Chicago.  Taking the Bucket List trip will allow for another item of interest – traveling to learn more about the wine industry in Illinois. 

 Wine Growing History 

In the 1770’s, French settlers first introduced wine making to small village in Illinois now called Peoria.  Emile Baxter, along with his sons, opened a winery along the banks of the Mississippi River near Nauvoo in 1857.  The Baxter Vineyard remains the oldest operating winery in Illinois.  Before prohibition, Illinois laid claim to being the fourth largest wine producing state in America.  Prohibition, as it did in many states, virtually caused the wine growing industry to disappear in Illinois until resurgence in the late 1970’s.  By the year 2001, there were 27 wineries and, in the last nine years, another 63 have been added – a 330 percent increase in the past decade. 

  Wine Growing Zones

Illinois is divided into four major wine growing zones.  Each zone approximately divides the state into quarters with the growing zone boundaries running east to west.  The zones are aptly named the Northern, Central, South Central and Southern.  Nearly one-half of the vineyards are located in Jackson, Union, Johnson and Jo Daviess Counties.  About 55 percent of the wineries are located in Union, Jackson, Madison, Adams, De Kalb and Randolph Counties.  Illinois has the capacity to produce approximately 850,000 gallons of wine per year but is currently operating at about 65 percent of capacity.  Grapes are cultivated on approximately 1200 acres in the state. 

  Wine Grapes Cultivated 

Of the grape area harvested, twelve wine grape varieties comprise nearly ninety percent of the harvest.  The following twelve varieties, listed from most produced to least are: Chardonel, Chambourcin, Vignoles, Traminette, Concord, Foch, Seyval, Norton, Vidal Blanc, Frontenac, Niagara and Cayuga White.  The Northern and Southern zones account for 57 percent of the cultivated acres of grapes.  Many of the grapes grown are considered hybrid varieties adapted to the cold climates of the state.  Fruit wines from apples, peaches and berries are also recognized as a key category within the state’s wine industry. 

 Wine Tours

The wine producing community of Illinois has four designated wine trails that are ideal to tour.  The wine trails are Shawnee Hills (Southern Zone), Northern Illinois, Illinois River and Heartland Rivers.  Any of these trails are worth the effort to explore and enjoy.  There are established bus tour companies that will allow you to taste as much wine as you want and leave the driving to them.  Interstate highways abound and make traveling to one of the wine trail tours easy.  Award winning wineries like the 2010 State Fair entry from Prairie State Winery will surely reward your palette.  Other notable wineries winning awards at the 2010 Fair were Lynfred, Spirit Knot, Hickory Ridge, Hill Prairie and August Hill Wineries. 

Illinois offers a great selection of tasty wines you should try.  It will still boil down in the end to what wine suits your palette.  As I always say, buy the wine you like, store wine properly in a wine cooler, serve it at the proper temperature and enjoy it immensely. 

Author: Ronald Senn, Vice-president, Ideal Wine Coolers, July 2010

My son and his family used to live in Anacortes, Washington.  We generally traveled to visit them by either  taking Interstate 5 north from California or Interstates 82 and 90 west from Idaho.  Along both of these routes, we noticed many scattered Washington vineyards during our trips.  I often wondered how the different wine producing zones in Washington managed to produce great grapes and wine because the climatic regimes on either side of the Cascade Mountain Range are so different.

Washington’s Two Wine Growing Areas

Washington can be generally divided into two  grape growing zones with approximately 34 to 36 thousand acres under cultivation.  One zone is defined as the Interstate 5 corridor on the west side of the Cascade Range.  This zone receives adequate rainfall to grow grapes (average of 48 inches per year).  The other zone is defined as the plains on the east side of the Cascade Range.  Storms in Washington generally arrive from the northwest Pacific Ocean coastal area and move to the east.  As these storms push through the Cascade Range, abundant rainfall occurs on the west side of the mountains.  Later, these same air masses push over the Cascades much drier than when they arrived.  This produces a rain-shadow effect (average of 8 inches per year) because of the topographic lifting of the air mass over the coastal mountains.  Because of the rain shadow effects of the Cascade Range, this area often must use various irrigation techniques to maximize grape production.

Washington Wine Production Facts

The grape growing season in Washington is generally from March to September each year.  Harvesting starts in August and can run as late as November.  Washington is the second largest wine-producing state with only California out doing them.  Washington’s grape annual production is approximately 160 to 170 tons of grapes, which is only a fraction of California’s production of 3.6 to 3.8 million tons.  Prohibition arrived in 1920 banning alcohol-based beverages, and, as in other states, set the wine producing industry back.  The industry is building rapidly based on the availability of reasonably affordable land, but because most of the vineyards are small operations, the per bottle production costs are higher than most other areas in the country.  Washington wines are generally more expensive than wines produced elsewhere.  It remains to be seen if this will be restrictive and problematic as    Washington’s wine industry  grows.  Meanwhile, one article I reviewed stated a new winery opens about every other week with the current total around 650 wineries.

Washington Wine Types

The quality of Washington wines cannot be disputed.  The wines from this region have won numerous awards and are currently marketed in every U.S. state and 40 other countries.  Some of the leading red grapes found are Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, Cabernet France, Malbec, Sangiovese, Pinot Noir and Lemberger.  Some of the leading white varietals are Chardonnay, Riesling, Pinot Gris, Sauvignon Blanc, Gewurztraminer, Viognier, Semillon and Chenin Blanc.  White wine production is 54 percent of the total, while red wine is 46 percent of the total.  The  wine producing industry economic impact to Washington State is estimated to be in the neighborhood of 3 billion dollars a year.

Washington Wine Tour Planning

Touring wineries and vineyards is an excellent way to pass the time.  Cities in the Interstate 5 corridor that could serve as a tour base are Vancouver, Longview, Olympia, Tacoma, Seattle, Everett, Mt. Vernon, Bellingham and Fern Dale.  Wine production in the more arid eastern side of the Cascade Range is more scattered across the area.  Cities that could serve as a tour base are Spokane, Brewster, Chelan, Wenatchee, Yakima, Moses Lake, Toppenish, Richland and Walla Walla.  One thing I did notice, when visiting the few vineyards that I have, is that  during your wine tours often you will get a great view of a snow-covered peak.  I have also found another blogger that had a great experience touring Washington and visiting wineries and breweries.

When visiting Washington, touring its wine country will be very rewarding.  Some great wines are produced; the small wine growing operations are friendly to visit; and a landscape of beautiful views will reward you.  Remember, buy the wine you like, have a good wine storage cooler, serve it at the proper temperature and enjoy it immensely.

Author: Ronald Senn, Vice-president, Ideal Wine Coolers, July 2010

Biggest Wine Country

Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay

Visit Texas Hills Area

Many of us have danced the Texas Two-step.  I found another Texas tradition, the Texas Two-sip.  The Texas Two-sip is a challenging, blind taste test of a collection of in state and out of state wines.  The goal is to use your taste buds to find the best.  There are special rules and forms to fill out, but no specific rules on what food you can eat.  Sounds like a party to me.  The only caution I have is I did not find out the rule when you get to take your blindfold off.  Be careful where you step.

When I was in the military traveling home on leave, I had car trouble in Fredericksburg.  The people took me in, fed me and housed me, while the resident mechanic repaired my heap.  When I was getting ready to leave, they gave me the gift of a thank you for my service and covered all my bills.  Because of the wine growing there, I now have another reason to take a pause there.  Look out Highway 290 here we come.

Author: Ronald Senn, Vice-president, Ideal Wine Coolers, June 2010

Much to my surprise, I recently came across a feature article in the June edition of Good Sam’s Highway Magazine that featured Winona, Minnesota.  This town of about 30,000 people is the place I was born.  I was excited to learn that my old hometown was under going a complete renaissance, which included increased access to the arts and cultures of the local area.  Another fact that surprised me is that near Sugar Loaf, the lofty chuck of granite over looking Winona and the Mississippi River, a new vineyard was established.  I decided to research the rest of the state to learn more about its wine industry. 

Any one that has spent any time in Minnesota knows about the short growing seasons and the long winters. Infamous names in Minnesota wine growing lore include Louis Suelter, 1870 era German homesteader from Carver, Minnesota and A. W Latham, a Minneapolis transplant in 1865.  Both of these men spent considerable time and effort producing new types of growing grapes adapted to the climate of the state. 

Conditions as found in this state are not conducive to development of a substantial wine industry.  However, the University of Minnesota reported in 2008 that the wine industry’s total impact to the state’s economy was a little over 36 million dollars.  Employment was around 324 people with a labor income of around 10 million dollars.  Some would say “that ain’t hay”. 

Many grape varieties require special handling to protect them from the winter weather, including in some places burying the vines under soil for the season.  Research has developed several hybrid and other grape varieties that are cold hardy.  Grapes produced include Marquette, Frontenac Gris, Frontenac, Chambourcin, Chardonnay, Concord, Edelweiss, Delaware, La Crescent, La Crosse, St Croix and several others. 

There are approximately 30 wineries in the state of Minnesota.  Most are located within the lower Mississippi, Saint Croix and Cannon River Valleys in the southeast quadrant of the state.  Most of these wineries have websites one can visit to get specific information on their operations.  Wine crop harvest generally happens in September but will vary slightly depending on the variety. 

A recent addition to the wine scene in Minnesota is the Three Rivers Wine Trail.  This Trail was established to feature the Wine Haven, Northern, Saint Croix, Falconer and Cannon River Vineyards in the southeastern part of the state.  These vineyards are five of the oldest in the state.  There are several events planned at these wineries and at the same time, you can explore towns like Chisago City, Stillwater, Red Wing and Cannon Falls.

During my research, I ran across an article by Annie Baxter, Minnesota Public Radio, written June 25, 2006.  She stated, “It may come as a surprise that Minnesota even has vineyards, given a climate that can be fatal for wine grapes.  But a wine industry is emerging in a state that’s better known for producing corn and soybeans.”  Regardless of the current “growing pains” of the Minnesota wine industry, I believe its worth looking into.  Having been born in the state, I know Minnesota citizens will go out of their way to try any home grown product, including its wine.  

As I always say, buy your favorite wine, store it properly, serve it at the right temperature and enjoy it to the fullest. 

Author: Ronald Senn, Vice-president, Ideal Wine Coolers, May 2010

Many of our customers at Ideal Wine Coolers hail from the great state of Florida.  I was curious what Florida’s wine industry was all about.  Interestingly, Florida ranks third in wine consumption with New York and California holding the top two spots. However, the wine growing industry in Florida is not a significant state contributor to the local economy, but the wineries are gaining a growing reputation for their wine production.  Another fact that eluded me was that Florida is home to the Original American wine.  

 Wine was first made in Florida 300 hundred years before California became a state.  Early Spanish and French explorers discovered native grown Muscadine grapes growing in the wild.  Around 1565, colonists started producing the Original American Wine from the native grapes largely as sacramental wine for religious purposes.  The tropical climate in Florida and the presence of many grapevine diseases made wine growing problematic for many years.  In the 1930’s, hybrid grapes suited for the Florida climate were developed by University of Florida researchers.  It was not until the 1980’s that Florida could even claim a wine growing industry of any note. 

There are fewer than 30 wineries and vineyards in the state.  These few industry leaders can be found scattered throughout the state from the Florida Panhandle to the Homestead area south of Miami.  Primarily because of the growing season differences, the grape harvests begin in May and end in September, which is much earlier than places like Pennsylvania.  Most of the wineries can be found in the “out-of-the-way” places of the state and are centered near small, delightful country communities.  Visiting these small, friendly towns could be a highlight of a wine tour trip in the state and certainly enhance the understanding of early American history. 

Muscadine wines cannot be found anywhere else in the world and are considered a Southern specialty.  The research and development of new hybrids will surely enhance the varieties of grapes grown in Florida.  Some of the key grapes grown are Stover, Blanc du Bois, Swanee, Noble, Muscadine, and Miss Blanc.  I have no doubts that development of more varieties and hybrids will ultimately serve to increase the future choices for Florida wine drinkers.  Florida is also a state that allows shipping of wines across its borders with minimal requirements.  It may be worth your time to check out the possibility if you cannot travel there. 

On June 24 and 25 this year, the Florida International Wine Challenge will hold its sixth annual competition at the Palms Hotel in Miami Beach.  The 2010 Wine Challenge is touted to be the biggest in history.  This event has given out awards to wineries and vineyards from all over the world.  This year event organizers will be offering an educational package that is sure to enhance everyone’s enjoyment of the event. 

Many people wonder why the Florida wine industry does not achieve more notoriety.  Many of the wines made there have won numerous national and international awards.  Perhaps, it is because many of us still look at Florida where the oranges are grown and where Lake Okeechobee, the Everglades and Disney World are located.  I recommend, when next in Florida, that you find one of the small town wineries or wine venders and try a bottle of homegrown wine.  Remember, as I always say find a wine you enjoy, store it properly until you use it, serve it at just the right temperature and enjoy it. 

Author: Ronald Senn, Vice-president, Ideal Wine Coolers, May 2010

In elementary school when learning U.S. geography, Pennsylvania always “threw me for a loop” when trying to spell it.  I kept forgetting the “y”.  The state is infamous as the location where the Declaration of Independence was signed.  In December 1878, Pennsylvania became the second state to join the new union of American states, just five days after Delaware.  The state ranks sixth in population and thirty-third in total area when compared to the other states.  In agricultural production, Pennsylvania ranks nineteenth overall, but ranks first in mushroom production, third in Christmas tree production and, surprisingly, seventh in the nation in wine making. 

The state has over 100 wineries covering over 14,000 acres.  The wine industry contributes over 2 billion dollars to the state’s economy.  Approximately 230 distinct growers produce nearly 400,000 cases of wine annually.  The Pennsylvania wine industry accounts for over 10,500 jobs.  The wine industry is relatively young, but is growing fast and gaining recognition for its quality wines.  The grape crop harvest typically starts in late August and ends in the middle of October. 

The wine industry originated in the southeast and northwest portions of the state.  Today, wineries are scattered throughout the state.  The majority of wine production is in the eastern part of the state within a polygon defined by drawing a line from Williamsport east to Scranton, then southeast to Newtown, then southwest to Eddystone, then west to Orrtanna, and then north back to Williamsport.  In August 2009, Jennifer Eckinger, Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Winery Association, in an interview with Joel Berg, The Patriot News, said, “There’s actually a winery within a 45 minute drive anywhere in the state . . .” 

The primary Pennsylvania varietals that can be found includes Cabernet Sauvignon, Catawba, Cayuga, Chambourcin, Chardonnay, Gewurztraminer, Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir, Reisling, Seyval Blanc, Vidal Blanc and Virnoles.   One of the strengths of the Pennsylvania wine industry is the diversity of the grapes grown.  Many of the wine makers have received awards and other recognitions for their quality vintages.  Most of the wine growing operations are family-owned and offer a special brand of hospitality should you opt to tour them. 

Touring Pennsylvania wineries can be fun endeavor to partake.  Plan your trip carefully before hitting the road.  If you do not like crowds and want a more one-on-one experience, tour during the week rather than the weekends.  Prepare yourself by learning as much as you can about the wineries you plan to visit by visiting their respective websites.  Do not forget to stop occasionally to “smell the roses” and experience the local cultures, museums, historical markers, restaurants, etc.  Manage your tour trip to get all the enjoyment you can and not let the trip become an onus to having fun. 

Author: Ronald Senn, Vice-president, Ideal Wine Coolers

Every year my wife and I try to plan a fall trip to some place we have not been before.  The choice this year was an RV trip to Branson, Missouri.  Branson is infamous for its broad range of entertainment shows that one can attend and enjoy.  We also like to find out more about a particular state’s wine industry.  For example, I did not know that the area just west of St Louis overlooking the Missouri River is officially recognized as America’s first wine district.  Missouri is also home to over 90 different wineries, comprising an industry that is on the rise. 

In the 1830’s, some of the first settlers to the Missouri River Valley were German immigrants from the Rhine River Valley.  They were looking to settle down and become crop farmers.  They were dismayed to find the plots they staked were not the optimum for accomplishing what they wanted to do.  Instead, the idea of starting vineyards and producing fine wines became the goal.  One such vineyard, Stone Hill Winery, was so successful that it won the first of eight gold medals at the Vienna World Fair in 1870.  The wine industry in Missouri was off and running and building a reputation of producing some of the best wines in the world. 

The hub of the wine industry in the eighteen hundreds became centered on the town of Hermann, Missouri, first settled in 1837.  The city of Hermann takes its name from Hermann the Cherusker, who beat back three Roman legions in the Battle of Teutoburger in 9 AD.  To Germans, he is a symbol of strength.  Historical Hermann is one of those places you visit where “time has seemed to stand still”.  It is full of quaint, red brick buildings, several personalized bed and breakfast inns and numerous other shops and museums.  The town has all the amenities to make a visit there a great experience.  Hermann is the heart of Missouri wine country with its wineries producing nearly 70,000 gallons of wine per year, 1/3 of the state total. 

Aside from the Hermann area, there are four other areas of note worth your time to visit.  In the central part of the state west of Hermann near Fulton, Missouri and accessed by Interstate 70 is the Missouri River wine area.  In the southeastern part of the state near Chaffe and Cape Vardeau is another wine growing area (Route Du Vin) that can be accessed by Interstate 55.  The wine growing area near Springfield (Ozark Mountain) in the southwestern part of the state is accessed using Interstate 44.  Finally, the area just west and adjacent to St Louis is called the Missouri Weinstrasse Tour and is located south of I-70 and north of I-44.  

There is a broad array of events often planned within these wine growing zones.  Wine tasting, winery openings, wine and dinner theatres, wine release parties, and winery anniversary celebrations abound.  I also discovered that most of these events feature “live entertainment” to make the discovery tours even more enjoyable.  As in many other places in the country, the October Fest celebrations always seem to cap off a great wine growing season, making a Missouri October wine tour extra special.  Because of Prohibition in the 1920’s, the Missouri wine industry nearly disappeared, but since the early 1960’s the industry is once again flourishing. 

In 2009, Stone Hill Winery received the Governor’s Cup Award.  That competition featured over 220 different Missouri wines.  Gold medals awarded totaled 42 with 54 Silver and 64 Bronze medals also awarded.  The most important grapes are the Norton, Chancellor Noir, Cayuga, Catawba, Niagara and Concord.  New French hybrids that are also gaining in reputation include Vidal, Seyval, Vigroles and Chardonel. 

Missouri is often affectionately called “The Show Me State”.  My investigation of Missouri’s Wine Country ended up “showing me” that they have carved out a nice niche in wine producing.  Remember, store your wine properly, serve it at the right temperature and enjoy it immensely. 

Author: Ronald Senn, Vice-president, Ideal Wine Coolers, 4/2010

For a time our son lived in Anacortes, Washington.  A summer not long ago, my wife and I traveled up Interstate 5 along the west coast to visit him.  The scenery along I-5 was like looking at a collection of mail home postcards.  Once we hit the Oregon State line, another common thread of notoriety was the vast number of wineries and vineyards we saw along the way.  We decided to slow our trip and spend time exploring and learning more about Oregon Wine Country. 

We learned that there are currently over 400 wineries and 875 vineyards in the state.  Planted acreage is over 19,000 acres, which makes the average vineyard about 20 to 25 acres.  Oregon wine growers are mostly small, family-owned operations by people with a deep love for and an enduring responsibility to care for the land.  Many of these small producers make 5,000 cases of wine or less.   What they lack in production they gain in quality by their careful attention to details.  Oregon is currently ranked third in the U.S. with regard to the number of wineries.  Oregon wine sales in 2008 were nearly 1.75 million cases and production today is approaching 2.0 million cases. 

Many of the Oregon wine grapes, especially the cool-zone grown varieties, exhibit high levels of a potent antioxidant derived from grape skins called resveratrol.  Antioxidants have been known to have positive effects on one’s health.  Wine drinking in moderation, according to recent studies, exhibited health benefits of improved heart health and decreased incident of illness.  About 65 percent of the grapes cultivated are of the red varieties, while 35 percent are of the white. 

 The top five wine varieties are cultivated on about 85 percent of the total planted acreage of 19,300 acres.  Pinot noir is the most cultivated variety on nearly 59 percent of the total planted acreage.  Pinot gris is cultivated on about 14 percent of the acreage; Chardonnay on about 5 percent; Reisling on about 4 percent and Cabernet Sauvignon on about 3 percent.  Other wine varieties you could often in counter include Syrah, Gewurztraminer, Viognier, Cabernet France, Zinfandel, Sauvignon blanc and Pinot blanc.  With close to 70 different varieties known to be cultivated, it is reasonable to assume you will easily find one to fit your taste. 

If you are considering a tour of Oregon Wine Country, plan to go in October or November.  During this time of year, you will be able to experience a collaboration of wine makers, cheese makers, brew masters, chefs, growers and producers.  The annual celebration is called Oregon Bounty, a unique Oregon event.  This unique event could very well provide you with some tips to making your next wine tasting party a favorite with your friends.  Remember to enjoy your wine to the greatest extent by storing it and serving it at just the right temperature. 

Author: Ronald Senn, Vice-president, Ideal Wine Coolers, April-2010

Ideal Wine Coolers is located in the Sonoran Desert near Tucson, Arizona.  People have commented that a business selling wine refrigerators should be closer to the infamous wine growing regions of the United States like Napa Valley for example.  The fact of this matter is that the Desert Southwest is home to more than just the Grand Canyon.  A wide variety of award winning wines can be discovered in the great State of Arizona.

The Spanish Missionaries of the 1700’s were the first “Arizonans” to start producing wine in the region.  Wineries scattered here and there survived through the years, but in the 1970’s, wine cultivation in Arizona really begin to flourish as an industry.  Currently there are over 30 vintners actively culturing grapes in the great state of Arizona and the industry, while young, is growing fast.  One of the largest vegetative zones in Arizona is the high desert grassland with elevations ranging from 4,000 to 5,000 feet in elevation.  It is in this elevation zone where most of the wineries in the state are established.

There are three primary wine growing zones in the state.  One of the zones is in northern Arizona and is commonly associated with the Verde River Valley.  Towns with names like Skull Valley, Cornville, Jerome, and Sedona are the focal point of what I term the Northern Zone.  In what I call the Southern Central zone, the communities of Sonoita, Patagonia and Elgin are the focal points.  The last zone can simply be called the Wilcox Zone, where several wineries are located, but other close communities like Bowie and Portal also are home to wine growers.

Because of the clustering of wineries within each respective zone, it is very realistic to make a day trip to one of the growing areas to discover Arizona wines.  To tour the Northern Zone, take Interstate 17 north from Phoenix and then State Highway 179 to Sedona.  Take Alternate 89 from Sedona to reach the Jerome area.  To visit the Wilcox Zone, take Interstate 10 east from Tucson to reach that wine growing area.  The Southern Central Zone can be accessed by taking Interstate 10 east to State Highway 83 to reach Sonoita.  Wineries in Patagonia and Elgin can be reached from Sonoita on State Highway 82.

Arizona’s high desert grassland hot daytime temperatures and cooler nights make for “happy” grapes.  The climate and soils in the wine growing regions of Arizona are similar to regions around the world like southeastern Australia, Spain and southern France.  The Arizona Wine Grower’s Association (AWGA) also views the Arizona wine growing region as similar to the area located around Paso Robles, California.  If you want to know more about Arizona Winery locations, check the website of the AWGA.

Some Arizona wines have received national and international awards. They have been served in prestigious places like the White House.  Red and white wine types that are especially good are Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Mataro, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Shiraz and Zinfandel.  Arizona’s wine country, while infantile relative to other U.S. wine growing regions, is worth the time to investigate.

Do not forget to keep all your wines safely stored to protect their taste and longevity.  At Ideal Wine Coolers, you can find a wide variety of wine storage solutions that will fit your every need.

Author: Ronald Senn, Vice-president, Ideal Wine Coolers, 2/2010