Nebraska wine
Encyclopedia
Nebraska wine is wine
made from grape
s grown in the U.S. state
of Nebraska
. Nebraska's oldest winery
was founded in 1994, and about twenty commercial wineries operate across the state. The vast majority of these wineries are small and sell most of their wine to tourists
who visit the winery in person. The University of Nebraska–Lincoln
has a program in viticulture
. There are no designated American Viticultural Area
s in Nebraska.
and American varietals; varieties commonly grown include Edelweiss
, La Crosse
, St. Croix, and Vignoles
.
Nebraska's grape growers continue to introduce and develop new varietals. In 2006, Whisky Run Creek Vineyard of Brownville
produced the state's first Riesling
. In the late 1990s, Cuthills Vineyards of Pierce
began a breeding program to create European-style red wines by crossbreeding Spanish
and French
grapes with wild grapes native to Nebraska. The Temparia varietal is the first grape derived from this breeding program to be used in a wine.
. The Nebraska wine industry was devastated in the 1910s by Prohibition
; after the repeal of Prohibition in 1933, the remaining commercial grape industry in Nebraska was destroyed by a storm in November 1940
.
The wine and grape industry in Nebraska was dormant until the mid 1980s; the passage of the Nebraska Farm Wineries Act by the Nebraska Legislature
in 1986 increased the amount of wine that a Nebraska winery could produce from 200 gallons (757.1 l) to 50000 gallons (189,270.6 l). Even in the early 1990s, fewer than 10 acre (4 ha) of vineyards were in cultivation in the state.
The first winery in Nebraska since Prohibition, Cuthills Vineyard http://www.sdshspress.com/index.php?id=188&action=912 in Pierce, opened on 1994-12-17. The second winery in Nebraska, James Arthur Vineyards, opened in 1997. Since then, 15 additional wineries have opened, with most located near Omaha
and Lincoln
.
Nebraska wineries have gained national recognition for their wine. In 2006 Soaring Wing's "Dragons Red" was awarded the title of "best hybrid red" in the Best Of The East competition which pools wineries East of the Rockies. And since then they have garnered over 120 awards, including multiple Double Golds, in various national and international competitions.
Wine
Wine is an alcoholic beverage, made of fermented fruit juice, usually from grapes. The natural chemical balance of grapes lets them ferment without the addition of sugars, acids, enzymes, or other nutrients. Grape wine is produced by fermenting crushed grapes using various types of yeast. Yeast...
made from grape
Grape
A grape is a non-climacteric fruit, specifically a berry, that grows on the perennial and deciduous woody vines of the genus Vitis. Grapes can be eaten raw or they can be used for making jam, juice, jelly, vinegar, wine, grape seed extracts, raisins, molasses and grape seed oil. Grapes are also...
s grown in the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Nebraska
Nebraska
Nebraska is a state on the Great Plains of the Midwestern United States. The state's capital is Lincoln and its largest city is Omaha, on the Missouri River....
. Nebraska's oldest winery
Winery
A winery is a building or property that produces wine, or a business involved in the production of wine, such as a wine company. Some wine companies own many wineries. Besides wine making equipment, larger wineries may also feature warehouses, bottling lines, laboratories, and large expanses of...
was founded in 1994, and about twenty commercial wineries operate across the state. The vast majority of these wineries are small and sell most of their wine to tourists
Wine tourism
Wine tourism refers to tourism whose purpose is or includes the tasting, consumption or purchase of wine, often at or near the source. Wine tourism can consist of visits to wineries, vineyards and restaurants known to offer unique vintages, as well as organized wine tours, wine festivals or other...
who visit the winery in person. The University of Nebraska–Lincoln
University of Nebraska–Lincoln
The University of Nebraska–Lincoln is a public research university located in the city of Lincoln in the U.S. state of Nebraska...
has a program in viticulture
Viticulture
Viticulture is the science, production and study of grapes which deals with the series of events that occur in the vineyard. When the grapes are used for winemaking, it is also known as viniculture...
. There are no designated American Viticultural Area
American Viticultural Area
An American Viticultural Area is a designated wine grape-growing region in the United States distinguishable by geographic features, with boundaries defined by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau , United States Department of the Treasury....
s in Nebraska.
Grapes grown
Nebraska's climate, with its long, hot summers, cold winters, and wide seasonal variations in precipitation and humidity limits the ability to grow European grape varietals. Most Nebraska grapes are French-American hybridsHybrid grapes
Hybrid grapes are grape varieties that are the product of a crossing of two or more Vitis species. This is in contrast to crossings between grape varieties of the same species, typically Vitis vinifera, the European grapevine. Hybrid grapes are also referred to as inter-specific crossings...
and American varietals; varieties commonly grown include Edelweiss
Edelweiss (grape)
Edelweiss is a very winter-hardy wine grape variety derived from crossing the Minnesota 78 and Ontario grapes. It was developed by Elmer Swenson in 1980 in cooperation with the University of Minnesota. The clusters are large and rather loose, weighing a pound or more. Early picking of the grape...
, La Crosse
La Crosse (grape)
La Crosse is a modern hybrid cultivar of wine grape, mostly grown in North America. It produces grapes suitable for making fruity white wines similar to Riesling or as a base for blended wines. The grapes also make a good seeded table grape for eating. It has the benefits of early ripening and when...
, St. Croix, and Vignoles
Vignoles (grape)
Vignoles is a complex hybrid wine grape variety produced from a cross made by J.F. Ravat of two grapes, Seibel 8665 and Pinot de corton....
.
Nebraska's grape growers continue to introduce and develop new varietals. In 2006, Whisky Run Creek Vineyard of Brownville
Brownville, Nebraska
Brownville is a village in Nemaha County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 146 at the 2000 census.- History :Established in 1854 and incorporated in 1856, Brownville was the largest town in the Nebraska Territory, with a population of 1,309 by 1880. Bordering slave-holding Missouri, the...
produced the state's first Riesling
Riesling
Riesling is a white grape variety which originated in the Rhine region of Germany. Riesling is an aromatic grape variety displaying flowery, almost perfumed, aromas as well as high acidity. It is used to make dry, semi-sweet, sweet and sparkling white wines. Riesling wines are usually varietally...
. In the late 1990s, Cuthills Vineyards of Pierce
Pierce, Nebraska
Pierce is a city in Pierce County, Nebraska, United States. It is part of the Norfolk, Nebraska Micropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 1,767 at the 2010 census...
began a breeding program to create European-style red wines by crossbreeding Spanish
Spanish wine
Spanish wines are wines produced in the southwestern European country of Spain. Located on the Iberian Peninsula, Spain has over 2.9 million acres planted—making it the most widely planted wine producing nation but it is the third largest producer of wine in the world, the largest...
and French
French wine
French wine is produced in several regions throughout France, in quantities between 50 and 60 million hectolitres per year, or 7–8 billion bottles. France has the world's second-largest total vineyard area, behind Spain, and is in the position of being the world's largest wine producer...
grapes with wild grapes native to Nebraska. The Temparia varietal is the first grape derived from this breeding program to be used in a wine.
History
The wine and grape industry in Nebraska began in the late 19th century, by the end of which 5000 acre (2,023.4 ha) of grapes were in production, with most vineyards located in the counties of southeastern Nebraska adjacent to the Missouri RiverMissouri River
The Missouri River flows through the central United States, and is a tributary of the Mississippi River. It is the longest river in North America and drains the third largest area, though only the thirteenth largest by discharge. The Missouri's watershed encompasses most of the American Great...
. The Nebraska wine industry was devastated in the 1910s by Prohibition
Prohibition in the United States
Prohibition in the United States was a national ban on the sale, manufacture, and transportation of alcohol, in place from 1920 to 1933. The ban was mandated by the Eighteenth Amendment to the Constitution, and the Volstead Act set down the rules for enforcing the ban, as well as defining which...
; after the repeal of Prohibition in 1933, the remaining commercial grape industry in Nebraska was destroyed by a storm in November 1940
Armistice Day Blizzard
The Armistice Day Blizzard took place in the Midwest region of the United States on 11 November and 12 November 1940...
.
The wine and grape industry in Nebraska was dormant until the mid 1980s; the passage of the Nebraska Farm Wineries Act by the Nebraska Legislature
Nebraska Legislature
The Nebraska Legislature is the supreme legislative body of the State of Nebraska, in the Great Plains region of the United States. The Legislature meets at the Nebraska State Capitol in the City of Lincoln, Lancaster County....
in 1986 increased the amount of wine that a Nebraska winery could produce from 200 gallons (757.1 l) to 50000 gallons (189,270.6 l). Even in the early 1990s, fewer than 10 acre (4 ha) of vineyards were in cultivation in the state.
The first winery in Nebraska since Prohibition, Cuthills Vineyard http://www.sdshspress.com/index.php?id=188&action=912 in Pierce, opened on 1994-12-17. The second winery in Nebraska, James Arthur Vineyards, opened in 1997. Since then, 15 additional wineries have opened, with most located near Omaha
Omaha, Nebraska
Omaha is the largest city in the state of Nebraska, United States, and is the county seat of Douglas County. It is located in the Midwestern United States on the Missouri River, about 20 miles north of the mouth of the Platte River...
and Lincoln
Lincoln, Nebraska
The City of Lincoln is the capital and the second-most populous city of the US state of Nebraska. Lincoln is also the county seat of Lancaster County and the home of the University of Nebraska. Lincoln's 2010 Census population was 258,379....
.
Nebraska wineries have gained national recognition for their wine. In 2006 Soaring Wing's "Dragons Red" was awarded the title of "best hybrid red" in the Best Of The East competition which pools wineries East of the Rockies. And since then they have garnered over 120 awards, including multiple Double Golds, in various national and international competitions.
External links
- Vintage Nebraska Nebraska Wineries and Grape Growers Association
- University of Nebraska–Lincoln Viticulture Program