| Estate Winery - Bed & Breakfast |
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Sweet Maya Reilly Palmer (age one) helping in
the planting of the first Syrah(shiraz) vines in
Indiana. They grow so fast, and so do the
vines.
the planting of the first Syrah(shiraz) vines in
Indiana. They grow so fast, and so do the
vines.
| "A man who could sit under the shade of his own vine with his wife and his children about him and the ripe clusters hanging within their reach in such a climate as this and not feel the highest enjoyment, is incapable of happiness." - James Busby |
| After a two-year search for the perfect conditions to establish their vineyard, Steve, Sandy and Michael Palmer selected a hillside site four miles north of the Ohio River and the historic town of Madison, Indiana. The soils were right: well drained and sloping gently to the south. The climate was right: moderate winters and a long, warm growing season. And in 1995 they planted their first vines. Today American, French Hybrid, and classic European Vinifera varieties greet visitors from around the world to MADISON Vineyards. |
| Our Vineyards |
| There's no secret. Great wine begins in the vineyard. |
It's Spring time. A small Cabernet Sauvignon
grape vine in early June. The Cabernet vines
took off in June and July and were cut back to
two shoots at least four feet tall. A great start.
grape vine in early June. The Cabernet vines
took off in June and July and were cut back to
two shoots at least four feet tall. A great start.
May is a time for early shoot growth. This is a
early spring photo of our 7-year old Seyval Blanc
vines just after flowering.
early spring photo of our 7-year old Seyval Blanc
vines just after flowering.
After a wet spring in 2000 all is green. These are
our lush Cayuga White vines which were
planted in 1997. They prodcue lovely, large
clusters of grapes which are used to produce our
Kleineweiss and, French cousin, Petite Blanc.
our lush Cayuga White vines which were
planted in 1997. They prodcue lovely, large
clusters of grapes which are used to produce our
Kleineweiss and, French cousin, Petite Blanc.
Early July in the vineyards. A time of pruning,
weeding, positioning & sweating. After a wet
spring the vines really take off and if not
controlled daily can run away from you. Leading
to dense canopies and shaded fruit. Michael
Palmer, seen here, tying up and spreading the
vine out for optimal sun & air exposure.
weeding, positioning & sweating. After a wet
spring the vines really take off and if not
controlled daily can run away from you. Leading
to dense canopies and shaded fruit. Michael
Palmer, seen here, tying up and spreading the
vine out for optimal sun & air exposure.
November is a time of racking and blending.
Here is Steve Palmer testing the newest vintage
of estate wines.
Here is Steve Palmer testing the newest vintage
of estate wines.
Winters in the Ohio River Valley rarely produce
much lasting snow, so I had to take this picture
quickly. A view from the front of the Seyval
Blanc vineyard, with the Winery in the distance.
All the leaves have fallen and the grape vines
hang dormant, waiting to be pruned in February.
much lasting snow, so I had to take this picture
quickly. A view from the front of the Seyval
Blanc vineyard, with the Winery in the distance.
All the leaves have fallen and the grape vines
hang dormant, waiting to be pruned in February.
| In the north eastern United States there are three principle grape families used in the production of wine: Vitis Labrusca, also know as the "fox" grapes; Vitis Vinifera; and the French/American/German Hybrids. At Madison Vineyards we grow all three groups. The majority of our vines and wines are French Hybrids: Seyval Blanc, Vidal, Marechal Foch, Vignoles, and Rougeon. We have one American Hybrid: Cayuga White, and one Native American Labrusca: Niagara. In April of 2000 we planted our first Vinifera, the classic European Bordeaux varieties. This year we planted Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot. The following spring we added Cabernet Franc and another section of Cabernet Sauvignon. Why Vinifera? They are difficult to grow, don't produce large crops, and can easily be killed during a severe winter. The answer is simple: Great grapes make great wine. And those particular varieties make some of the greatest red wines in the world. We plan to make two wines from our Vinifera. One will be labeled Cabernet Franc and will be a blend dominated by Cabernet Franc, but with a bit of Merlot and Petit Verdot thrown in to add more dimension. The other wine will be a Meritage (rhyming with "Heritage"). Meritage is a rather recent term used for both red and white wines, which are blends of the classic Bordeaux grapes. For a white Meritage the blend would be of Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon. For a red Meritage the blend would be….well, what we we've planted. Our Meritage (tentatively named "Montage"), will blend Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. "Montage" will be the top of the line, our ultra-premium wine. For those of you who want a bit more detail, the planting consisted of the following varieties, clones and rootstocks. Cabernet Sauvignon, clone 337, on 3309 rootstock. Merlot, clone 181, on 3309 Petit Verdot, clone 2, on Riparia Gloire. The next year we added: Cabernet Franc, clone 327, on 101-14 Cabernet Sauvignon, clone 191, on 101-14 and Syrah 174/ 101-14. |
