Grape Growing

Before we made wine at Dale Hollow Winery, we planted grapes. Grape growing is as rewarding as it is exhausting. But as we say in Missouri, it is worth the work. We grow 8 different varietals, over 3,000 vines covering nearly 10 acres.

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Cayuga White

Large white grapes and clusters

Harvest mid to late August

Grapes best showcased as a light bodied wine like our LakeHouse with citric flavors, tending toward Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio, or dry Riesling qualities.

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Norton

Small, extremely dark grapes. State grape of Missouri

Predominantly used to make dry red wine, referred to as the “Cabernet of the Ozarks”

Harvest early to mid October

We use in standalone Norton, blended in the “Knockout”, and as the base for “Nightshade”

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Vignoles

Small grapes and tight clusters

Harvest late Aug to early Sept

Grapes make fruit-forward wines from dry to sweet. Very important white grape for state of Missouri. We use in standalone Vignoles (semi-sweet), Blossom (sweet), and a small amount in LakeHouse (dry)

Birds love these grapes as much as we do.

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St. Vincent

Medium sized grapes, loose clusters

Harvest mid to late September

Discovered in Missouri; versatile for wine making

We use in standalone St Vincent, “Kay-Sera” dry rosé , “Knockout'“, and “Storybook Red”

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Concord

Very large grapes and clusters.

Harvest early to mid September

Concord is native to America and shows superb vigor in our vineyard. It makes a full bodied, sweet and jammy wine. This sweet wine showcases fruit forward flavors.

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Catawba

Large grapes and clusters

Harvest early to mid September

Grapes are native to America, grow dark pink on the vine, and we use it for a sweet blush wine.

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Baco Noir

Very small grapes, extremely dark.

Harvest relatively early for red grape- August

Grape makes a soft, delightful red wine in similar style to a Pinot Noir. Between birds and winter injury to these vines, we do not get a harvest every year, making this extremely low availability year-to-year.

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Chambourcin

Medium sized grapes and clusters

Harvest late Sept-early October

Grapes used for age-worthy dry red wines, can have wonderful cherry fruit forward flavors. We use in standalone Chambourcin and in “Knockout” blend