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Missouri wineries hit jackpot with large grape harvestMissouri This year's Missouri grape harvest is larger than the fermentation and storing capacity of some wineries, say industry leaders. "It is an excellent harvest--20 to 25 percent more than anticipated in many instances," said Keith Striegler, director of the University of Missouri Institute for Continental Climate Viticulture and Enology. This harvest follows one of the worst years in Missouri grape production history, when many vineyards lost entire crops due to the "Easter Freeze" of 2007. By contrast, the 2008 harvest is hitting the jackpot. "All the rain we've had increased berry size, which led to larger clusters. In some cases, it's too much of a good thing," Striegler said. "You can't bring in more fruit than you can de-stem, crush or have adequate tank capacity for fermentation and storage." Missouri vineyards were in a good position to have an exceptional crop in 2008, he said. The light crop in 2007 allowed vines to produce excellent-quality wood for the 2008 season. Although some vineyards experienced damage, the state's crop weathered hurricanes Gustav and Ike fairly well. Winemaker Cory Bomgaars of Les Bourgeois Vineyards said he expects a large yield from the 30-acre Rocheport vineyard. The varieties at Les Bourgeois include Vignoles, Chardonel and Norton. Les Bourgeois storage tanks are full. "Usually you want to keep some flexibility there for things that come up in harvest," Bomgaars said. "We've had to turn down growers who had high quality fruit or loads of fruit at a bargain price." Tim Puchta of Adam Puchta Winery in Hermann said his winery had to purchase extra storage tanks to process the harvest. He lost 95 percent of his crop last year, but this year his harvest on red grapes is running two to four weeks late. "Quantity is not an issue," he said. "The quality of grapes is all over the place. Due to the cool, wet conditions during most of the growing season, for many varieties acidity is high, sugars low and the pH levels lower than normal." The large harvest comes at a time when some wineries are carrying larger inventories due to the slowdown in the economy, further reducing available tank space, Puchta said. The grape industry is growing rapidly in Missouri. The state has 78 wineries and 1,400 bearing acres of grapes, up from 1,200 acres in 2005. "Consumers can expect a good supply of high-quality Missouri wine," Striegler said. 11/24/08 Date: 11/18/08
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