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Taming the wild grape
I read with interest your recent article "The Call of the Wild" concerning the South Dakota winery (May 2008). The gentleman in the article seems to take a certain degree of pride in his claim to have produced the "…first commercial wine from Vitis Riparia in 1996."
If he spent as much time researching the history of this grape and its incarnations as he does promoting his "achievements," he would have come across this Riparia wine made in the great state to his east, Minnesota, (at) Alexis Bailly Vineyard. This wine was approved by the BATF in 1978, nearly 20 years prior to the wine to which he lays claim.
My father, David Bailly, believed there was a place for this native grape when he started the winery in 1976. With great imagination, innovation and vigor he pursued this goal. However, after several attempts at producing a drinkable wine, he abandoned this pursuit and focused on French/American hybrids.
The flavors and acidity of the grape produce wines that are very challenging for the modern wine consumer. To render it drinkable, we find that aging in barrel for a minimum of five years, and using only small amounts to give the wine a bit of grip, is its best usage. It does have great color.
Nan Bailly
Alexis Bailly Vineyard
Hastings, Minn.
Will feds fund alcohol research?
I enjoyed your recent column about the NGWI (Cliff Ohmart's Vineyard View, May 2008) and the real need for more research support for the U.S. industry--so true! But I have this odd lingering question: I have been told by various USDA types that it is currently not allowable to use federal money to support alcohol research (other than treatment and addiction).
Why is wine included in the name of this new umbrella group if funding (in the form of large federal grants) is really only available for viticultural studies and examinations of grapes, raisins, nutriceuticals or other non-vinification topics?
Eileen Harbertson
Department of Viticulture & Enology
Washington State University, Prosser
Dr. Ohmart replies: In some circles there is an unwritten understanding that federal dollars cannot go to projects that involve making wine. Someone from USDA admitted that this is an issue, but can be worked with. At the NGWI board meeting a few weeks ago, a USDA representative was asked if this is still an issue and replied, "No," in so many words. My guess is that it is still an issue, and NGWI is going to work to make it a non-issue.
We never hesitated putting "wine" in the name of NGWI. The solution is to not deny who we are, but to solve the problem, which we will. If we are going to significantly increase the amount of money going to research, the answer is not the federal government. We also have to tap other sources, such as the grape and wine industry itself. The fact that "wine" is in the name will not be a problem for these other sources.
I read with interest your recent article "The Call of the Wild" concerning the South Dakota winery (May 2008). The gentleman in the article seems to take a certain degree of pride in his claim to have produced the "…first commercial wine from Vitis Riparia in 1996."
If he spent as much time researching the history of this grape and its incarnations as he does promoting his "achievements," he would have come across this Riparia wine made in the great state to his east, Minnesota, (at) Alexis Bailly Vineyard. This wine was approved by the BATF in 1978, nearly 20 years prior to the wine to which he lays claim.
My father, David Bailly, believed there was a place for this native grape when he started the winery in 1976. With great imagination, innovation and vigor he pursued this goal. However, after several attempts at producing a drinkable wine, he abandoned this pursuit and focused on French/American hybrids.
The flavors and acidity of the grape produce wines that are very challenging for the modern wine consumer. To render it drinkable, we find that aging in barrel for a minimum of five years, and using only small amounts to give the wine a bit of grip, is its best usage. It does have great color.
Nan Bailly
Alexis Bailly Vineyard
Hastings, Minn.
Will feds fund alcohol research?
I enjoyed your recent column about the NGWI (Cliff Ohmart's Vineyard View, May 2008) and the real need for more research support for the U.S. industry--so true! But I have this odd lingering question: I have been told by various USDA types that it is currently not allowable to use federal money to support alcohol research (other than treatment and addiction).
Why is wine included in the name of this new umbrella group if funding (in the form of large federal grants) is really only available for viticultural studies and examinations of grapes, raisins, nutriceuticals or other non-vinification topics?
Eileen Harbertson
Department of Viticulture & Enology
Washington State University, Prosser
Dr. Ohmart replies: In some circles there is an unwritten understanding that federal dollars cannot go to projects that involve making wine. Someone from USDA admitted that this is an issue, but can be worked with. At the NGWI board meeting a few weeks ago, a USDA representative was asked if this is still an issue and replied, "No," in so many words. My guess is that it is still an issue, and NGWI is going to work to make it a non-issue.
We never hesitated putting "wine" in the name of NGWI. The solution is to not deny who we are, but to solve the problem, which we will. If we are going to significantly increase the amount of money going to research, the answer is not the federal government. We also have to tap other sources, such as the grape and wine industry itself. The fact that "wine" is in the name will not be a problem for these other sources.
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