Issue link: http://winesandvines.uberflip.com/i/264184
W i n e s & V i n e s M A R C H 2 0 1 4 43 Holman said the region's white wines are excellent, and he'd put them up against any white wine in the world. Vignoles in particular makes great wine, he said. "The reds have their challenges. The lack of tannin is always an issue." For Norton in particular, Holman said he throws tannin at it whenever he can. He uses - evOak oak dust at the crusher and then ferments with oak chips. The wine then ages in up to 70% new oak, depending on how much Holman thinks it needs. "It's an oak sponge," Bomgaars said of Norton. Some reds also need to be chaptalized to boost the Brix level for fermentation. Holman said he adds fructose and glucose with cane sugar. He said he worked with Scott Laboratories to engineer the winery tanks to accommodate a Guth mixer that does an ideal job of incorporating the sugar addition. Hybrids may have some unique chal- lenges, but Bomgaars and Holman say the new winery makes the entire production process much smoother and more efficient. With the new winery, plans for an expanded hospitality area, the restaurant and original A-frame, Les Bourgeois is poised to continue to grow with the wine industry in Missouri and the rest of the Midwest. MISSOURI AR OK IA IL TN KY NE KS Les Bourgeois Vineyards Springfield Kansas City M I S S O U R I Some old dairy tanks purchased in the 1980s are referred to as 'pigs.' G R A P E G R O W I N G W I N E M A K I N G