University of Nebraska / Lincoln, NE

Business is booming for Nebraska's wine industry, which didn't even exist a decade ago.

Five wineries have been constructed since 1994, four more are anticipated in the next 18 months, and a University of Nebraska expert predicts there will be 15-20 wine producers in the state within five years.

"It's a nationwide phenomenon," said Paul Read, NU viticulture specialist. "Nebraska is a little behind, but moving quickly up the slope."

Read, of NU's Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources, said over 200 acres of grapes have been planted in the state, although only a small percentage of these acres has reached bearing age.

Those acres that are mature and producing yielded nearly 100 tons of grapes used for making wine last year. Before 1994, fewer than a dozen acres of grapes had been planted and no saleable wine had been produced.

Read attributes the interest in wine to the mounting evidence that red wine reduces the chance of heart disease and its popularity as an alternative to stronger drinks. Nebraska's long growing season and abundant sunshine have helped the industry grow locally by providing ideal conditions for grape growing.

"You can make bad wine from good grapes, but you can't make good wine from bad grapes," he said. The mostly locally distributed wines represent a variety of colors and flavors, ranging from Edelweiss, a semi-sweet white wine produced at James Arthur Vineyards in Raymond, to dry red wines such as deChaunac, and Mulberry Mead, a blend of honey and mulberry wines produced at Cuthills Vineyards in Pierce.

Several wines from Nebraska have won national and international awards, and in 2001, six of Nebraska's wines were placed on a list of the 100 best wines produced in the eastern United States.

Wine production adds value to Nebraska agriculture and attracts tourists, Read said. People visit the scenic vineyards to sample wines and participate in events such as the annual Wine and Wings Festival in August at Cuthills Vineyards, and the Renaissance Festival in May at James Arthur Vineyards.

"It's basically a hobby that has gotten out of control," said Jim Ballard, operator of James Arthur Vineyards, Nebraska's largest winery. "What we have here I'd never envisioned when we first planted those grapes."

James Arthur Vineyards now distributes wines to more than 200 locations, although, like most Nebraska wineries, it sells most of its products to people who visit the vineyard.

"We have a facility with an atmosphere where people can enjoy themselves and relax," Ballard said. "We're also selling that experience to people."

With the expansion in the industry, the Nebraska Wine and Grape Growers Association was formed in 1998. The NWGGA has assisted Read and the University of Nebraska Viticulture Program in sponsoring annual forums since then to discuss issues concerning the wine industry. The first forum had 40 participants. The fifth forum, held in March, hosted 260.

Current operating Nebraska wineries are: Cuthills Vineyards, Pierce; James Arthur Vineyards, Raymond; Lover's Leap Vineyards, Crawford; Blue Valley Vineyard, Crete; and Prime Country Vineyards, Denton. Soon-opening wineries include: Whiskey Run Creek Vineyards, Brownville; Mac's Creek Vineyards, Lexington; Millennium Wines, Lexington; and Soaring Wings, Springfield.

Read coordinates NU Cooperative Extension forums, instructional field days and classes, visits with growers and produces a newsletter, Nebraska Vine Lines, for grape growers. He also researches topics such as weed control, grape varieties, vine pruning and reducing pesticide use.

Read will coordinate instructional field days this summer on July 6 in Lexington at Mac's Creek Vineyards and July 20 in the Lincoln area. Those who wish to attend the field day on July 6 should contact Mac's Creek Vineyards at (308)324-5375. Those who wish further information about either field day or have questions about the wine industry in Nebraska can contact Read by phone at (402)472-5136 or e-mail at pread@unl.edu.

Address:
University of Nebraska Viticulture Program
377 Plant Science Hall
Phone: 402/472-5136
Fax: 402-472-8650
Email: dmichel@unl.edu and pread@unl.edu
Website: http://agronomy.unl.edu