What's Inside

August 2011

All About Making Wine

Whether you're a winemaking enthusiast or professional, the Arboretum's new winemaking classes draw from current and proven research to bring to you common-sense techniques for the improvement of your wine. Delve into advances made by the University's wine-grape breeding program and how to use Minnesota grape varietals to their best advantages in your wine. Learn how to bring the science and art of making wine together with University of Minnesota's enologist Katie Cook.

$90 member/$95 non-member, All Levels, Lecture / Demo, Learning Center

$90 member/$95 non-member, Intermediate-Advanced, Lecture / Demo, Limit 30

Professionally judged, annual amateur and professional winemaking competition devoted to awarding top quality commercially produced wines made exclusively from cold-hardy grape cultivars. Winning wines will be displayed at the fair.

Classes for amateur fruit growers including, but not limited to, apples, plums, grapes, pears, and peaches; and amateur wine producers including red, white, and rose grape table wines, apple, cherry or other berry wines.

September 2011

HRC Grape Breeding Project Fall Tour
Horticultural Research Center

The event will begin with a discussion and tasting of several dozen grape varieties and breeding selections from the U of M's grape breeding program. After that, we will break into groups and tour some of the research vineyards. The event will conclude with a tour of the research winery and a sampling of experimental wines. This is a great opportunity to get a behind-the-scenes look at the University's grape breeding and enology projects and learn more about the various grape varieties that can be grown in our area.

October 2011

Fee: $30 member, $40 nonmember. Horticultural Research Center. There are grapes for eating and grapes for making wine. Learn which cultivars to grow, how to grow, pruning techniques, what to expect, diseases and pests, breeding projects, and more. Includes a visit to various grape growing sites. Meet at the Horticultural Research Center, 1 mile west of the Arboretum entrance. Instructor is Sue Riesgraf, former HRC vineyard manager.

Learn the finer points of clarification and stabilization, chemical management of the wine, and aspects of filtration, fining, and aging.
$90 member/$95 non-member, Intermediate-Advanced, Lecture / Demo, Limit 30

This is a German style festival allowing guests to sample made from the 2010 harvest. The wine in not fully fermented nor finished, but is quite refreshing. Come enjoy the festivities as we sample from the barrel or tank. Visit all the wineries over the weekend and complete your wine trail passport for a complimentary glass of wine.

November 2011

Ten wineries provide opportunity to sample food & wine from Wisconsin, Minnesota and Iowa

Enjoy sampling local cheeses and wonderful chocolates at our wineries. This weekend gives you the chance to not only sample a diversity of wine styles, but also to explore the creativity of local cheese and chocolate artisans.

January 2012

Minnesota Grape Growers Association
Annual Meeting & Winter Symposium

Upper Midwest Regional Fruit & Vegetable Growers Conference

St. Cloud Civic Center. Sessions include vegetable production, small fruit production, marketing, risk management and much more. The trade show features the latest in equipment, seed, tools and more.

February 2012

Minnesota Grape Growers Association
Cold Climate Grape & Wine Conference
St. Paul Crowne Plaza Riverside Hotel

Industry oriented meetings, seminars and exhibits focused on the Business of Growing Grapes & Making Wine in the North.

Visit the University of Minnesota Agricultural Experiment Station Exhibit to learn about cold hardy grape varieties.

March 2012

Iowa Wine Growers Association Convention
Des Moines, IA

Wineries Unlimited Trade Show & Conference
Valley Forge Convention Center, King of Prussia, PA

Visit a U of M Licensed Nursery exhibit to learn about and order productive cold hardy varieties developed by the U of M.

May 2012

June 2012

Enjoy great local wine paired with exciting local art. Make a weekend out of visiting all five wineries on the trail. Sip wine while you explore the various pieces of art and gain an appreciation for everything local!

Ten wineries provide opportunity to sample food & wine from Wisconsin, Minnesota and Iowa.

July 2012

Toast & Taste in the Gardens

Sample in-season, fresh, local cuisine from the Twin Cities' top restaurants. Savor tastes from Minnesota wineries and breweries in the unparalleled garden setting of the Arboretum.

600 Arboretum Blvd, Excelsior, MN

August 2012

Professionally judged, annual amateur and professional winemaking competition devoted to awarding top quality commercially produced wines made exclusively from cold-hardy grape cultivars. Winning wines will be displayed at the fair.

Classes for amateur fruit growers including, but not limited to, apples, plums, grapes, pears, and peaches; and amateur wine producers including red, white, and rose grape table wines, apple, cherry or other berry wines.