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Mitchell Vineyard

The Vineyard : Pick-Your-Own Grapes

GPS Coordinates to Vineyard:
W 42 54.567'
N089 19.969

Mitchell Vineyard was established in 1976 with 4 acres of grapevines planted in 6 varieties. Today it has grown to 6 acres with 12 different varieties of grapes.

In order to survive the cold winters of Wisconsin vines have to be carefully tended. They must be balanced pruned, judiciously cropped, and kept sufficiently free of insect and disease damage so they continue to bear year after year.

The grapevines are hand tended many times during the growing season. After pruning in March and April the young vines have to be tied to the trellis. Soon the new shoots are thinned to keep the crop small enough to ensure ripe grapes of maximum flavor. The developing shoots are then combed several times during the season to position them for maximum light exposure and air penetration. Additionally some leaves are pulled from around the grape clusters to allow greater air movement through the vines. Later in the season an assessment is made of the crop size and clusters may be cut from the vines and allowed to ‘drop' to ensure the remaining crop is of the highest quality. The vines are also ‘skirted' when the shoots are long enough so that more air movement is allowed through the vines. Finally after months of caretaking the grapes ripen from early September through early October.

Grape Varieties

The Foch and Millot grapes are the first to ripen in early September. They produce red wines ranging from a light and fruity Beaujolais style to a heavier red wine suitable for aging. Frontenac grapes produce a full-bodied red wine of high alcohol with cherry background flavors, which is popular as a big dry red, or a long lasting Port. In September 2007, which was an early ripening year, Frontenac grapes were picked on September 115 at 23-24 brix (% sugar).

Marquette is another new variety which was planted in the spring of 2007. It will produce a red wine that is higher in mouth filling tannins than other hybrid grapes and is expected to become a popular grape among Midwestern wineries. The first crop is expected in mid-September 2009.

The Delaware grape is a well known in the eastern US as a variety well suited to making flavorful, pink colored champagne. It also makes a delicious, aromatic eating grape.

In 2008 the vineyard will also be picking Espirit (white), St Pepin (white), St Croix (red), LaCrescent (white), and Prairie Star grapes.

Concord grapes are grown for fresh eating, juice, jelly, and wine. They usually ripen 15-20 September and last until the middle of October. Walking through the vineyard you can smell the ripening Concords as the sugar builds and the purple blush covers the grapes.

Visiting the Vineyard

The vineyard operates as a pick-your-own vineyard for the general public. It also sells its grapes in larger amounts to Minnesota and Wisconsin wineries. Customers can pick just a few pounds for fresh eating or hundreds of pounds for making large quantities of wine. Picking containers and picking shears are provided and the grapes can be gathered for customers using the vineyard’s ATV, thus saving the carrying of many grape ladened buckets of beautiful grapes to their vehicles.

How to find us: [click here]

The prices of grapes in 2008 will be:

• Foch, Millot .68-.80/lb. (prices vary with amts)
• Frontenac, St Pepin .66-.80/lb
• Delaware , Espirit .66-.80/lb
• Concord .66-.80/lb
• LaCrescent, St Croix .68-.80.lb

Picking Times: Tues 1-6 PM Sat* 11-4 Sun 12-4
In Oct Tues 1-5:30 PM Sat 11-4 Sun 12-4
*(Opening day in 2007 for Foch and Millot was in late August, though this is about a week earlier than average. Foch and Millot can usually be expected to ripen about Sep 5-10).

How do I pick grapes?

To pick grapes at the vineyard, just show up with your buckets or primary fermenters at the appropriate times, and start picking. (For white wines where you just take home juice, you might want to bring a glass secondary fermenter to take your juice home in). We will show you how easy it is to get the amount of grapes you need. The vineyard can supply picking buckets, clippers, and an electric crusher-destemmer and press for customers' use. The vineyard now has two bladder presses which can be used by customers. For 2008 we also have an ATV and wagon to haul customer's grapes from the vineyard to their cars. There is no charge for the use of the equipment. Winemaking and jam recipes are free for the taking.

In addition, the vineyard carries basic winemaking equipment and supplies, including carboys, yeast, nutrients, acids, and most other commonly used ingredients. However, we do not carry the full line of winemaking supplies available at the Shop.

How long does it take to pick grapes?

When the grapes are plentiful and ripe some pickers can pick 80-100 lbs/hour. Most of the grapes are 4-5’ off the ground, so little reaching is necessary. Most 5 gallon buckets hold 20-25 lbs of grapes, so a 5 gallon batch of wine, for which you will want 75-80 lbs of grapes, will require about 4 buckets of grapes.