They quickly realized when they planted that first of 500 vines in the ground that starting a vineyard isn’t exactly for the faint of heart as not only would the planting be arduous but the realization that they can’t control nature as the weather, disease, insects and animal pests would all be attacking their investment.
They learned quickly the methods for protecting their investment and today they have 12 European and Minnesota varieties thriving and fruiting in the sloping fields of their vineyard.
Making wine was also an adventure as Eric and Erin quickly realized that nature loves to consume sugar from the juice of the fruit they would be fermenting. Fermentation is a biological process that can quickly go wrong if proper care is not given before, during and after fermentation. Again, Eric and Erin had to quickly learn through trial and error that started with one five gallon glass carboy of juice at a time in their kitchen to fermenting four carboys of juice at a time to working their way towards using 130 gallon stainless steel fermentors in a 3600 sqft Winery they had built in 2008.
There have been many struggles and frustrating moments through their battle with nature but what a better way to end a workday than with a glass containing the tasty nectar from fermented fruits of their own labor.