Who Knew?

images from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign at http://w3.aces.uiuc.edu/NRES/faculty/Skirvin/cfar/winecult.htm

Well, hello again fellow oenophiles. It's been sometime since I last wrote, but I won't bore you with overdue pleasantries and will instead get right down to business.

I have been relocated due to Hurricane Katrina and now reside in the beautiful Bluegrass state of Kentucky. Naturally, I was curious about the wineries here and what they had to offer. So, I did some research and WOW! Who knew what a booming industry there was in Kentucky and even more notably, Indiana. I was so astounded (and somewhat overwhelmed) by all the information that I was at a loss as to where to start. However, I've decided a logical starting place might be to offer some information about the local varieties, many of whom I'd never heard of and so felt certain that my readers, although extremely worldly and well read, may not be aware of these offerings either.

Although many of the wines produced in Kentucky and Indiana have traditionally been made from Vitis Vinifera varietals (grapes from European varieities such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Chardonnay), the trend has moved toward using grapes native to America (Vitis Labrusca). Below are just a few of the grape varietals currently used in Kentucky/Indiana wine production:

1. Baco Noir - The fruit is usually high in acid and produces wines of good quality that are normally deeply pigmented but low in tannin content.
2. Cayuga White - Its wine has a medium body and good balance. This versatile grape can be made into a semisweet wine which brings out the fruit aromas, or, using oak aging, into a dry, less fruity wine. When harvested early, it may produce a very attractive sparkling wine with good acidity, good structure, and pleasant aromas.
3. Chambourcin - A late-ripening grape that may produce a highly rated red wine when the fruit fully matures. Wines from this grape are higher in tannins than other French-American hybrids.
4. Chardonel - It is distinguished by its superior wine quality combined with high productivity and cold hardiness superior to its acclaimed parent, 'Chardonnay'. Wines, which were first made in 1966, have been described as pleasant and delicate with light fruitiness.
5. Foch - Properly known as Maréchal Foch, the wine styles can range from fruity, light red table wines, to hearty, full bodied reds.
6. Niagara - A medium-sweet, white varietal table wine with the fresh fruity flavor and luscious aroma of the famed Niagara grape. As a direct descendant of the Concord grape, it seems only fitting that Welch's would use this variety for their famous white grape juice.
7. Norton - The wines are dry and earthy with a taste similar to Merlot and Pinot Noir. In 1873, a Norton wine made just south of St. Louis was declared the "best wine of all nations" at a competetion in Vienna.
8. Seyval Blanc - It is one of the most widely planted hybrid grapes east of the Rocky Mountains. The wines have attractive aromas of grass, hay, and melon.
9. Traminette - The wines, which were first made in 1972, have been described as distinctively spicy and fragrant, much like the 'Gewürztraminer' parent.
10. Vidal Blanc - It is mostly grown in the northeast US, and is very hearty. It does well in late harvest sweet wines, as well as in icewines.

I proffer these descriptions as a starting point for venturing out into the beautiful countryside of Kentucky and Southern Indiana to try out what our local wineries have to offer us. As always, I recommend that we support our local farmers and producers and what a great excuse to get out of the house and enjoy a little scenery. Some of these wineries are also B&B's, so you wouldn't even have the worry of driving home. For extensive information about local grape varietals and where you can find them, I will defer to the 'Great' Robin Garr's column, 30 Second Advisor, which can be found at the WineLover'sPage.

Happy Hunting.