Advertisement
Nearly four years after 21 area growers first planted grape vines, the University of Wisconsin-Extension office in Vernon County is initiating the project to help individuals plan for establishing a winery that might put the crop to use.
Tim Rehbein, UW-Extension agriculture agent for Vernon County, said Wednesday that no one yet has firm plans for starting a winery.
But he added, "I'm quite sure we will have at least one winery going up somewhere within the region in the next couple years."
In 2001, 21 area growers began planting grape vines as part of a three-year demonstration project. Their first harvest was in fall 2003.
The number has increased to 27 growers in Vernon, Crawford, Monroe and La Crosse counties, Rehbein said. Most of the 2004 crop was sent to Eagles Landing Winery in Marquette, Iowa, with the rest going to Weggy Winery near Richland Center, Wis., and cooperative-owned Northern Vineyards Winery in Stillwater, Minn., he said.
The 27 area growers "are all interested in seeing a local winery start up," Rehbein said. "And that could be simply from the point of being able to sell their grapes to a winery, to being a winery owner, or to being a winery (cooperative) member. All of those options are out there."
Rehbein said the project could help further the growth of the region's wine industry, noting that three wineries have opened in southwest Wisconsin in the last two years.
The project also is the next step for the grape growers, Rehbein said. But it is open to anyone interested in starting a winery.
The project will teach participants about writing a business plan, arrangements for starting a winery, grape varieties and grape production risks.
Participants will attend a series of seven seminars on Saturdays, from Feb. 26 to mid-April. They also will take a field trip to Michigan wineries in mid-summer.
The project is limited to 30 participants. There are no fees for the training sessions, thanks to a $25,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Risk Management Agency, which was routed through the North Central Risk Management Education Center at the University of Nebraska, Rehbein said.
For more information, call the Vernon County extension office at (608) 637-5276.
Steve Cahalan can be reached at (608) 791-8229 or scahalan@lacrossetribune.com.
