The United Grapes of America - Minnesota's Alexis Bailly Vineyard Voyageur

Minnesota wine was present last month at the annual Wine America Congressional Tasting through the Alexis Bailly Vineyard Voyageur ($29). The wine is a blend of Minnesota grown Marechal Foch, Leon Millot, and Frontenac. The first two grapes are French hybrids whereas the later was developed by the University of Minnesota in 1996 as an extreme cold hardy wine grape for northern growers. The wine itself, as well as the winery, is named after their 4th great grandfather, Alexis Bailly, who along with a handful of other French/Canadian pioneers (voyageurs) paddled their way through the St. Lawrence Seaway to Hastings, Minnesota. And the Marechal Foch and Leon Millot were part of the original vineyard when, in 1973, David Bailly planted the fist modern vineyard in the North Star State.

StarChefs.com: The United Grapes of America

The vineyard was inspired by not only Bailley's interest in wine but also a desire to start a business where he could deduct wine trips to Europe. I can relate to that sympathy. In 1967 he tasted the Boordy Vineyards Red from the historic Maryland winery and realized European styled wines could be made in the east. Further research lead him to Millot and Foch and over time he concluded that "the Léon Millot has made the best wine and the Maréchal Foch has been the most winter hardy".

The Voyageur is dark, both in color and black fruit forward flavors; stressing the fruit forward nature of this wine. Ten months of oak treatment comes in play during the mid-palate and outweighs the fruit, whereas the wine finishes with plenty of acids and a slight tannic coating. This wine shows well, a bit pricey in the world market, but more reasonable in the drink local market. Cheers.

Countryside Vineyards & Winery

When we detoured off I-81 after seeing Corey Ippolito Winery, we found another winery: Countryside Vineyards & Winery. Surrounded partly by the Appalachian Mountains and hidden from nearby I-81, Countryside looks like a secluded farm - with sheep and donkeys grazing near the vineyards. The vineyard grapes were planted in 1987 and the winery started operating four years later, selling just three wines. Today that list has expanded to 20 wines, most winning medals in state and national competitions.

The wines range from dry to sweet and from hybrids to labrusca and fruit wines. The dry Chambourcin is their most award winning red and they also produce a more fruitier nouveaux styled Chambourcin using whole berry fermentation. They also offer full bodied Merlot and Leon Millot wines; but their best selling wine is the sweet Countryside Red - made with the Buffalo grape. This is a less foxy sibling to the Concord and another product of the Cornell University's Geneva, New York experiment station. Another sweet red is the Autumn Harvest - made from Steuben. For blush styled wines, their is the standard Blush - a blend of several varieties, a Muscat Blush, and the Steuben - one of their best sellers. For whites, they offer a dry Chardonnay and Vidal as well as a semi-dry Vidal. The sweeter whites are the Niagara, Countryside White, Muscadine, Just Peachy (grapes and peaches) and Golden Muscat - which has the unique floral muscat nose. And finally, there are two fruit wines: Blackberry and Strawberry.

We did not have the change to spend much time at Countryside - but based on the number of visitors who came through the doors - this is a very popular destination.