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As much as we enjoy what we do, we want you to be safe. Please, if there is any sign of serious weather issues, make sure we are open, checking via Twitter, Facebook or by phoning us. Our website/Twitter link is likely to have the most current information as well. |
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Newly Arrived
Syrah 2011
Kreibaum Bay Moscato, 2012 | |
Almost Gone
Riesling, 2011 |
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WINOS series for 2013 announced | |
The ultra-popular Girls Night Out-- W.I.N.O.S. (Women In Need Of Shopping) -- is still a few months away, but we have finalized dates for this year's series. Mark your calendars and message your girlfriends to make plans to attend one or more of the following dates:
May 17 ~ June 7 ~ June 21 ~ July 12 ~ July 26 ~ August 9
We'll have tickets available for purchase online starting in April, along with a list of menus and Merchant Marketplace vendors. Check our website and future newsletters for more details. | |
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Visit our Website
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Nothing is certain but change, yet with change comes oppurtunity. As a new growing year is beginning around us, we at Satek Winery will change along with it. Starting with this newsletter, a three-part feature series written by Larry Satek begins, documenting the earliest stages of this winery, continuing on to the modern day, while articles from variety of sources will spotlight areas (hopefully) of interest. Onward. |
IT HAS BEEN 20 YEARS: PART 1.
While Satek Winery is now almost 12 years old, Pam and my first venture into the vineyard and wine business actually started with the first vines planted 20 years ago this coming May. We operated for years as solely a commercial vineyard until 2000, selling our grapes to Indiana and Michigan wineries.
The story officially starts in August, 1992. It was one of several ideas we discussed for us having something to do when we retired, hopefully in 10 years or so, but those were also uncertain times. My amateur winemaking hobby and interest in vineyards had led to the question of whether we could indeed do a commercial winery in Indiana. The idea seemed interesting enough, so much so that we immediately laid out a plan to investigate. That September and early October, we initiated a series of meetings, contacting much of the then much smaller Indiana wine industry. In particular, we'd like to thank the Butler's (Butler Winery), the Oliver's (Oliver Winery), Charlie Thomas (Chateau Thomas), the Schrodt's (Brown County Winery), and Ben Sparks (Possum Trot Winery, now closed) along with the then newly formed Purdue wine team; They were wonderful, friendly and informative, in helping us to plan this venture.
Deciding to jump in, we started clearing overgrown "ancestral" land on the Lake James property (purchased in 1915, by Pam's Great-Grandfather) off of 300 W, beginning in the fall, Columbus Day weekend, 1992. When the bulldozer was finished the heavy work (thanks, Wyatts), we hand scattered rye seeds to prevent erosion. All winter long, our weekends were spent cleaning up the debris from the land clearing (almost wearing out one chainsaw, as well as learning that Pam was highly allergic to poison ivy). In March and April of 1993, we sub-soiled and smoothed out the vineyard, about one acre at that time. A small bridge was built, and a path was created back to the vineyard. We started collecting the materials needed for the trellis system we had selected, a Geneva Double Curtain, which would increase air exposure within the same density of vine plantings, rather than in a different trellis.
We were anxiously awaiting the 600 vines, ordered the previous October, that were scheduled to arrive in early May, 1993. They were carefully chosen, as there was no history of commercial wine grape growing in cold and hearty Northeast Indiana: 250 Marechal Foch, 200 Seyval Blanc, 50 Golden Muscat, 50 Steuben and 50 Riesling vines. We had decided to hold off on two more varieties: Vidal Blanc and DeChaunac until the following year, as part of a positionally ripening strategy.
(Continued next month, the planting).
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WHAT'S OLD IS NEW AGAIN
Driven by a combination of factors, containing no less than the spirit of recycling, celebration, and labor-saving, here is an original article written for the newsletter in 2012, marking the anniversary of a fantastic wine trip taken south of the Border. Really south.
In early March of this year, a contingent of Satek Winery luminaries, along with Shane and myself, and later a large diverse group of Indiana-centric (but by no means exclusively) wine professionals as well as the Purdue Wine Grape Team traveled south of the equator to Chile, and later Argentina. This was, by parts, a good will trip, a fact finding mission, team building exercise and "opponent" scouting. It was not a junket nor a vacation, and anyone who says otherwise wanted to go but couldn't. From the benefice of the Winery, what did we learn?
Many of the dozen or so wineries we visited were much much larger in production capacity than we, and, due to the South American climate (very comparable to California), were able to grow varietals (Malbec, Carmenère, Torrontes, etc.) that would not be possible in our neck of the woods. Most were leveraged towards international distribution versus domestic consumption. Many of these businesses had familial origins in 19th century mineral fortunes and despite turbulent times (government privatization, Coup d'état and their own form of prohibition), they had endured, and eventually prospered. And herein lies the most important lesson I took away.
The United States of America is a young country, having existed as such for 236 years. Indiana became a state in 1816. Satek Winery opened in 2001. All these numbers are smaller than other countries, states, and wineries. They are smaller, but they "are", so to speak. There is an old saying I like to repeat- "When is the best time to plant an oak tree?" with the answer being 30 (or whatever) years ago. The second best answer is today. What we couldn't take away as comparison, we definitely could take away as inspiration. Our oak is planted.
Originally, the article by my father was going to be in regards to the upcoming grape growing season, when he himself pointed out "It has been 20 years since the first planting". Quite suddenly, things took on a more grand and formal (and serialized) form. The sentiments described in the above piece hold true; The Satek "oak" has roots, but you have to remember to keep an eye out for them, or they may remain obscured, right up to the point when you trip over them. |
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WINE 101- TERMINOLOGY AND TASTE 
If you've ever felt an interest regarding the wine "world" and wanted to learn more, but wasn't sure how to go about it, one answer could be the Satek Winery Wine 101 course. If you've wanted to increase your existing appreciation of the wine by exploring the terminology, technique, and taste profiles of wine, we offer an unpretentious 75-minute class that breaks down all the jargon while leading you in a sensory analysis of 10 different wines. The course is $35 per person, which includes a Satek wine glass and corkscrew to keep, as well as a $15 gift certificate for Timbuktoos restaurant to enjoy dinner following the class, and a 10% discount on any Satek wines purchased that evening. The next scheduled class date is Saturday, March 9, starting at 6 pm. Seating is limited, advance ticket purchase is required. Click on the link below for all the details or to reserve your tickets:
Hope to see you there. |
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Satek Winery works very closely with our grape growers to produce spectacular wines that create a sense of place. Periodically, we will run a column highlighting one of our grape growers and their vineyard. The vineyard in focus is owned by Kay and Ron Kummer of Clear Lake, Indiana.
Vineyard: Nob Hill Vineyard
Varietals Grown: Steuben, Traminette Years Growing Grapes: 7
It's easy to overlook the vibrant plump tomatoes hanging in Kay's garden. In fact, even the meticulously manicured vineyard is indeed secondary to the view of Clear Lake to the north of Ron and Kay Kummer's home. This 840 acre lake is one reason Nob Hill Vineyard has produced nearly perfect fruit for the last 4 plus years.
The gently sloping rows of vines usher harsh cold air across South Clear Lake Drive down onto Clear Lake, and this pristine body of water helps insulate the precious plants like a giant bear hug. Where the last two years have been difficult for all area vineyards to dodge spring time frost damage, Ron proclaims Nob Hill didn't see any.
Ron, a retired lifetime employee at Central Soya Company in Fort Wayne, and his wife Kay planted 640 Steuben and 490 Traminette vines both 7 and 6 years ago, respectively. At just under 2 acres, the vineyard is an ideal place for Kay (and their yorkie Boomer) to escape the office with a cold glass and survey the hanging greenery. "It's just a real pretty place", Ron says, who enjoys the tractor work. Kay, no stranger to farming, says the vineyard fire pit is a popular place for neighborhood friends to gather. Think Happy Hour, Clear Lake style.
Photo by Al Patterson
All this comes with a ton of work, keep in mind. Besides the harvest, vineyard maintenance, and dodging Indiana's volatile weather patterns, intensive pruning sessions keep Kay and Ron challenged most. Spring pruning is labor intensive, and summer weed control an ongoing tug-of-war. As Kay says, "much of the work is on your hands and knees". Although the winery would love to work with Ron and Kay to plant more vines, the Kummer's are happy with their current workload. Plus, Ron can still get in a round of golf or two.
In the end comes the reward. With guidance from the winery, gently harvested grapes with electric flavors get trapped in bottles, all for our customers to relish.
Kay, what time was Happy Hour again......?
-Shane Christ
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Something Cold, Something New
In a (perhaps too) ambitious project, we at Satek Winery will try to "capture", via photo, the seasonal life of a trio of selected grape vines: one Steuben, one Marechal Foch, and one Golden Muscat. Each will (hopefully) develop during the year, show differences varietals can exhibit, inform, entertain and in the end, the endeavor will <ahem> bear fruit. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.
Bachelor #1 Steuben Bachelor #2 Foch Bachelor #3 G. Muscat
And the upclose "head" shots:
Next Month- Everyone gets haircuts.
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