MU opens experimental winery

CAFNR opened the winery to test grape variety and growing methods.

By Krystin Arneson

Published Nov. 17, 2009

A College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources extension program has opened an experimental, small-scale winery to test out different grape varieties and growing methods.

"It gives us, as a research program, a real opportunity to take our experiments all the way through and gives us an opportunity to evaluate the finished product," said Eli Bergmeier, MU viticulture research specialist, who mainly oversees the grape growth process.

The new winery was established in collaboration with the Institute for Continental Climate Viticulture and Enology, which works with the state's 92 wineries and provides research support.

"It's much more effective and efficient for the industry to allow us to do this testing," ICCVE Director Keith Striegler said. "This work is important to the state because we have 92 commercial wineries right now. In 2005, we had 50."

Although it might not be as big as some of the commercial wineries in Missouri, Strielger said the new facility means the ICCVE can test its findings firsthand over the entire course of the winemaking process.

"This is the kind of information we can share with the entire industry here and provide them with the knowledge without spending hundreds of thousands of dollars," food science graduate student Steve Monson said.

According to the news release, despite the popularity of winemaking in the state, Missouri's harsh winters and temperature fluctuations present quite a difference from the Mediterranean climates typically associated with wine, which means research plays a large role in the success of the wine industry in the state.

Striegler said there was a distinction between being able to grow good grapes and the ability to make good wine out of those grapes.

"Certain varieties can survive, grow and produce fruit, but don't make good wine," he said. "Providing information on which varieties perform best in Missouri from the vineyard to the cellar is important."

Striegler said the ultimate goal of the new winery is to "enhance efficiency and profitability for the industry." He also cited winemaking as not only a source of economic activity, but also as an important tourism draw for the state.

"Our goal is to provide an economic engine to drive this rapidly growing industry," he said.

Striegler said the way to do that is to find the ideal grape that can be turned into the perfect glass of wine -- in other words, the holy grail of enology.

Monson said hopefully the research done by the winery would not only prove beneficial for the industry, but it would also give the university the ability to market its own label.

"I really think that there will be a characteristic MU wine that we can show the world, that will represent the university, hopefully before I graduate," Monson said.