Issue link: http://winesandvines.uberflip.com/i/235941
GRAPEGROWING Machine-picked grapes are dumped into bins. He said his winery's growth curve is "shaped like a hockey stick (blade up)," and he has to ship in about 25% of his total fruit from Lodi, Calif., because his vineyard just can't produce enough to meet demand. Amigoni said he wants to plant another 10 acres within the next five years to produce wines made with 100% estate, Missouri fruit. The vineyard currently is planted with Chardonnay, Viognier, Cabernet Franc, See us at Unified booth #931 Mouvedre, Petite Verdot, Malbec, Tannat and Teroldego. Amigoni said he typically pulls 3 tons per acre. To protect against a severe winter freeze, Amigoni hills the dormant vines. One year he did suffer cold damage, but within two vintages his vines were back to producing at normal levels. "I think I've already proved I can grow it," he said. "I think when it comes to the viticulture I've got a firm hand on that." Amigoni based his business model on the urban wineries in the San Francisco Bay Area and that of City Winery, which operates wineries that also feature live music and food in Chicago, Ill., and New York, N.Y. Such companies attract a crowd that generally knows wine and prefers it dry. "I think there's a place for the sweet wines, and I think those wineries in the state that are agri-tourism have their own niche and will keep that niche," he said. Gerke at Jowler Creek, however, does not hold much confidence in the prospects for vinifera in the state. "There is just too much risk in the vineyard, and at the end of the day semi-sweet and sweet wines are what pay the bills in the winery," he said. "I think vinifera will remain a niche in Missouri until gene mapping fast-tracks selection of new grape varieties with optimum survivability and desirable wine characteristics." He said one of the state's best and biggest opportunities is to build customer awareness of high-quality wines that are not made with vinifera grapes. The evergrowing number of new wine drinkers and the growing popularity of the state's wine trails puts Missouri wineries in a good position. Jowler Creek produces hybrid wines that range from sweet to dry. Gerke said like most of the other wineries in the state, he sells more sweet wines but does see a typical progression to drier. "As such, our semi-sweet wines have the highest demand. Not dry but not too sweet," he said of his customers' preferences. "They are ready to tone down the residual sugar and enjoy the fruit, but they are not ready to dry out their taste buds with high tannins or heavy oak." The ability by local producers to meet consumer demand—be it for a dry Cab Franc or semi-sweet Vignoles—shows the state now has the means to support a local wine culture. It remains to be seen what will help push the wines of Missouri past state lines. Win es & Vin es ja n ua ry 20 14 93