Wine festival celebrating spring renewal

By RON LARSEN

Journal Staff Writer

NEW ULM--While George Marti has not been involved in the August Schell Brewery business in New Ulm since 1989, he's plotted a course in winemaking which in Germany is a close kin of beer brewing.

"Some years ago I traveled to Germany to the area where August Schell got his start, and I found Riesling and Gewurztraminer vineyards side-by-side with the breweries," Marti said.

He started growing hardy varieties in 1993 and, in 1997, opened the Morgan Creek Vineyards winery east of New Ulm just off Highway 68. "Our first full selling season was 1998."

For the second year, George and Paula Marti hosted the Bacchus Festival at the winery Saturday.

"The Bacchus Festival celebrates the beauty of spring, the return of the sun, the creativity of a new growing season," Marti said, "and, of course, it's designed to raise awareness in the community about wine."

While visitors slowly sipped and exposed their palate to dry, semi-dry, semi-sweet and sweet wine samples from Morgan Creek's selection of three reds and five whites (with a fourth red "coming very soon"), others toured the winery, musicians played and artisans displayed their crafts. The culinary magic was supplied by Chef Patrick Liley and his staff from The Creamery in Otisco, 13 miles south of Waseca.

"He works with us on our gourmet cooking classes, and he just does a wonderful job," Marti said.

Bridget Rewitzer, 11, was beading in the tent next to her mother Carolyn Rewitzer's Hope Diamonds display. In the same tent, goldsmith Patricia Conlin showed her designs along side the displays of Charlene Roberts, Everlasting Gardens, and Mary McClellan, fine art acrylic painter.

From there, the visitor then encountered the Council for the Arts in New Ulm Kiesling House Gallery Gift Shop display. Then, it was on to the tent with the furniture designed by G. Adam Marti of Red Earth Wood Designs, the carved wooden spoons and bowls by carver T. Woods, aka Tim Standafer of Belle Plaine and the rug designing and henna art by Mark Hofmann.

George and Paula put on a number events during the growing season as a means of introducing their wine products to the community. "You must come to our annual Cambria Crush grape stomp," Marti said.

Visitors are invited to take their shoes and socks off and join in an ancient ritual of grape harvesting, the crushing of the grapes. "Everyone has loads of fun, and it's quite an event."

Soon to be introduced are a red semi-dry wine called Frontenac and a white wine yet to be named. Right now it goes by Minnesota 1166.

Proud as he is of the wines his firm is producing, Marti is more excited about his recruitment campaign to get local and area farmers to grow grapes for his winery.

"I have six or seven producers now," he explained, "and depending upon the growing season they should be able to provide an additional 25 percent to possibly 50 percent grape volume next year for us."

With corn and soybean prices what they are, Marti is excited about providing an alternative cash crop for neighboring farmers.

"We're paying $1,200 a ton, and in a good growing season, these farmers should be able to produce three tons to the acre," he said. "That's looking pretty good to them."

That helps Marti, too, grow his wine business without having to resort to importing stock.

"There are a number of hardy varieties for growing in this region," Marti said. "Many farmers are surprised what can be grown here. Of course, it is more labor intensive but the potential return is there."

Meanwhile, George and Paula have weekend winery tours and other events lined up for those looking for something different to do. You can even color your feet purple at the next grape stomp.