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Page 4A THE BEACON August 2018 The Nectar of the Gods is a Passion for Indiana Vintners Continued from page 1A forty-five years; he began in my kitchen and laundry room - always just for fun.” Today, this award-winning family winery welcomes visi- tors and produces about two thousand gallons of wine each season. Mr. Stutz explains, “Our process is a lot different than most wineries; we’re very small, we don’t have any big stainless steel tanks, we do very small batches.” Mrs. Stutz says, “We truly just like to watch people enjoy drinking the wine. That’s the most fun part, I think. You can tell some people have not been in a winery before, so they’re nervous, they’re scared they’re going to be perceived as dumb because they don’t know any- thing about wine. But it’s just about enjoying it. If you like it, you like it; if you don’t, you don’t.” Doug Holtkamp of Holt- kamp Winery laughs about his first batch of homemade wine from a kit nearly twenty years ago. “My buddy said it was absolutely undrinkable, and I remember telling him, you need to try it again - it gets better. He said no, no, no, it’s not supposed to get bet- ter!” But Mr. Holtkamp was a quick learner, and this year Holtkamp Winery earned the Indiana Farm Winery of the Year award. Since 2013, Doug and Julia Holtkamp have worked with notable vintner Jeff McCann planting, nurturing and devel- oping six acres of vineyards. Mr. Holtkamp said, “One day, Jeff asked me if I was going to start a winery or just keep talking about it - he was kind of blunt.” When plans to buy an already established winery didn’t work out, Mr. McCann suggested they make use of the current Holtkamp property by planting a vineyard and converting an existing barn into a winery. Mr. Holtkamp says, “When you look at how things have turned out, I can’t imagine how I could have been any- where else.” The new year begins in local vineyards not with a glass of bubbly and a toast, but with pruning shears and a heavy coat. Mr. Ahaus says, “We have seven hundred twenty- Grapevines at Holtkamp Winery. (Photo provided Julia Holtkamp) The Stutz’ support crew for their family business- Maddie Stutz, Parker Stutz, Gage Vollner, Grandma Debby, Kaden Stutz, Cora Vollner, Grandpa Donnie, KC, Allissa Stutz, Scarlett Kirch- gassner, Grace Kirchgassner. (Photo provided by Debby Stutz) five vines to an acre, and we have fifteen acres. It’s manual- ly intensive and it doesn’t mat- ter if it’s zero outside - spring doesn’t wait. They’re going to start running if you’re finished pruning or not. When it’s nine degrees with a twenty- below wind chill, people can’t believe we’re out there, but you’ve got to get out there and get it done.” Pruning lasts through early April, with planting begin- ning as early as March. Mrs. Stutz says, “We grow seven different kinds of grapes here. Donnie just planted a new vineyard this year in the field. He planted 200 vines a few weeks ago, but it takes about five years for them to mature.” According to Mr. Ahaus, the vines …. “grow six or eight buds per cane and you cut them back. I may have my grape growing up the wire, seven spurs, three buds on every spur - I’m counting how many buds I’m leaving on each side of the plant. It’s very specific. Each plant, depend- ing on the variety, can usually produce thirty to forty pounds of grapes at the maximum rate. It’s a balancing act because you want high yield, but not so much yield that you get a lack of ripening.” With the return of summer, local growers have more than enough work to do. “You’re into your growing season when bud break comes in,” explains Mr. Ahaus. “It’s basi- cally that third week of April to the first of May. Now things get crazy because now you’re cluster thinning, shoot posi- tioning, balancing your crops out, spraying fungicides - every ten to twelve days we’re spraying the vineyards with pesticides, fungicides, and I know some people won’t find that attractive. It’s my least favorite job, trust me, but if I don’t go out there and control with fungicides and pesticides - there will be no wine.” Large grape leaves must be selectively removed on the Brian Ahaus balances the demands of vineyard man- agement with the passion of wine making at Ertel Cel- lars. (Photo by Susan Ray) eastern side of the vines, but still allow a canopy on the western side as sun protection for the ripening grapes. The vineyards have to be mowed and the trunks of the vines kept free from weeds and debris in order to control Continued on page 5A IF YOU LIKE THE BEACON…PLEASE SUPPORT OUR ADVERTISERS, AND TELL THEM YOU SAW THEIR ADS IN THE BEACON. THA