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USA - MINNESOTA : GRAPES AND LAKES by Toni Dabbs   Minnesota has long been known as the "Land of 10,000 Lakes." Now grape growers are turning some of that water into wine.And while Minnesota wineries might be fewer and farther between than in California's popular wine regions, visiting them still affords travelers with drives through scenic landscapes, stops at historic towns and tastes of flavorful wines.
The winery first opened the doors of its limestone and knotty pine tasting room in 1978. It's located about 35 miles southeast of the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and Saint Paul in the countryside near Hastings, a picturesque town at the convergence of three waterways, the Mississippi, St. Croix and Vermillion Rivers. Hastings is rich in Victorian architecture, with 63 buildings on the National Register of Historic Places. Its preserved main street shopping district (actually Second Street) is a collection of 19th century facades with interesting architectural details. Within them are tempting cafes, boutiques, and galleries as well as Reis Hardware, the oldest hardware store in the state, dating from 1855. Farther along the street is an assortment of distinctive residences, such as the Octagon House built in 1857 and the mansard roofed Strauss House completed in 1875. But the town's centerpiece is its imposing City Hall, an 1871 red brick structure that features a central Neoclassical dome, French Renaissance tower domes, Greek Corinthian columns and Florentine stone arches. Summer Sunday concerts are held on the Public Square where it stands. "In 10 years, you'll find a string of wineries along the Minnesota River, and this area will be known as the Napa of the North," predicts Georg Marti, proprietor of Morgan Creek Vineyard, New Ulm. The winery, opened in 1998, is built into a hillside, with rows of grapevines growing up sunny slopes beside it. Although Morgan Creek Vineyard produces Riesling and Gewurztraminer wines in recognition of the German heritage of the nearby town of New Ulm, its specialties are wines made from Minnesota hybrids such as the white St. Pepin and the red St. Croix and Frontenac. The 10-acre property is named for the tributary to the Minnesota River that runs alongside it. To say that New Ulm, situated in the Minnesota River Valley 90 miles southwest of the Twin Cities, is proud of its German heritage would be an understatement. The signs are evident, from the 102-foot-tall Hermann Monument, erected in 1897 to honor an ancient Teutonic hero, to the more modest German Bohemian Immigrant Monument, installed at the entrance to German Park in 1991 to pay tribute to the town's early settlers. Especially charming is the Glockenspiel at the center of town. The clock tower contains a 37-bell carillon that, three times a day, chimes German folk melodies while 12 animated figures twirl around the base. Pride peaks in July and October, when townsfolk costumed in dirndls and liederhosen celebrate Heritagefest and Oktoberfest. New Ulm's oldest industry, the August Schell Brewing Company founded in 1860, plays a major role in the festivities. Visitors can tour its operation and sample its beers from Memorial Day through Labor Day. "Deer like to over-prune our vines," laments Bob Johnson, owner of Carlos Creek Winery at Alexandria, about the unwelcome visitors that roam his 30-acre vineyard, the largest in the state. Johnson grows European vinifera, including Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, which must be buried for protection during the winter months because they are more delicate than the Minnesota-bred varieties. The winery opened in 1999 as part of a 200-acre farm already operated by Johnson. In addition to grapes, he grows apples for making cider and wine, and he raises Arabian horses. Visitors may view the stables and paddocks before sampling wines in the tasting room. Carlos Creek Winery is located on the outskirts of Alexandria, 120 miles northwest of the Twin Cities, a place that may have been visited by 14th century Viking explorers. The claim is based on The Kensington Runestone, found entangled in the roots of a tree by a homesteader in 1898. The stone is inscribed with runes that record a "journey of exploration" by eight Goths (Swedes) and 22 Norsemen (Norwegians) in 1362. It is now housed in The Kensington Runestone Museum, which also has exhibits about local history and wildlife. Big Ole, a giant Viking statue, stands guard year-round at one end of downtown. But on Memorial Day, he's the center of attention, as the community celebrates Ole Oppe Fest at his feet, with music, dancing and other activities. A highlight is the Feast of the Runestone, a Viking Age meal served by people wearing period costumes. NASCAR fans can get their thrills throughout the summer at the Viking Speedway. Racing begins in May and runs through Labor Day on the half-mile dirt track at the Douglas County Fairgrounds. Photo courtesy Paul Stafford/Explore Minnesota Tourism
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