MN State Fair Wine Competition

The Minnesota State Fair provides the time and place for the annual International Cold Climate Wine Competition. This year the Crofut Family Vineyard brought home two silver medals for our Frontenac Rosé and Prairie Blanc wines, plus two bronzes for our Essence du Nord and La Crescent.

We'd really like to rock this competition since it takes place in our own backyard. However, the ICCWC judges seem to consistently favor the sweeter wines, and that's not where our own preference lies. I guess we'll just have to console ourselves with the 59 new medals we've brought home in the past two years.

Congratulations to the Crofut Family Vineyard and all the other 2010 ICCWC winners!

August 2010: Indy International Wine Competition

We won a boatload of medals in 2009, but haven't entered many contests in 2010 because the weather didn't cooperate with competition deadlines. (Fluctuating temperatures during shipment can affect the color and aroma of wine, if not the taste.) We did send some to Indiana for this summer's Indy competition, though. The results are:
Prairie Blanc 2008, SILVER
Frontenac Rose` 2008, BRONZE
Frontenac Red 2008, BRONZE
Essence du Nord 2008, BRONZE

Be sure to swing by the vineyard to pick up a few bottles of our award-winning wines for your dinner tonight!

Augusting in August

Veraison (augusting or turning) is in full force. Thanks to Marshal (from Cities 97) and Carol from coming out to the vineyard and hanging with us.

Want to pick?
We welcome all volunteer grape pickers who show up on weekends in late September through early October. Email and tell us you want to participate. You pick, then enjoy a home-cooked meal and wine after a MN morning harvest. Take home a bottle of our wine and a full tummy after a morning of playing with (er... harvesting) grapes.

Vineyard Growing Update

The grapes are about two weeks ahead of schedule and filling out nicely. They love this heat and I don't complain about it, either ...after piling on 3 layers in January.

The Frontenac Red is a hit. I have never heard so many visitors just gush bout the juciness and the balance of this wine. Come and try some at the tasting room!

We've been busy serving at many summer festivals, but now we're hunkering down and preparing for our own Grape Stomp Festival, Sept. 11-12. Registrations for stage stomping opens online this Saturday morning at 8 am. Even if you don't sign up to get covered in grape juice, mark your calendars. We're looking forward to seeing you at the Stomp!

Weekend Survivors

Yes we survived Basilica and Prior Lake Blues/Jazz Festival the same weekend. Chester Bay, VV Brown and of course Weezer and BNL were hot!

Menus are posted online for our weekly Friday Prixe Fix and July 25's Fun with Wine event. Everything look luscious in the vineyard. Come check it out!

Pictures: Above-Basilica Block Party tent; Below-BT from the CITIES 97 morning show poses with Cathy and Don from the vineyard.

Vettes in the Vineyard

The Corvette Club met in the vineyard for an Independence Day celebration. Great food, great wine, great weather, and great company. The 'vettes looked like thoroughbreds being stabled as they parked in the vineyard.

It was a kick to read all the vanity license plates, too. What a fun day!

Check out the video here.

City Pages Raves about Savor MN

April 2010: City Pages writer McKenzie Martin gave high marks to the first-annual Savor Minnesota event at Canterbury Park, which featured the best of Minnesota wine, food, and beer. She singled out the Crofut Vineyard and our Frontenac Gris in particular. Thanks to all our fans!

For more details, check out her blog entry.