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Bottling Up Success: The Ingenuity behind Wisconsin Wine  
Continued...

“The smells are different [after the wine oxidizes],” LaVerne Vetrano said. “I don’t even have to drink our wine; all I have to do is pour it all day.”

That oxidation process explains why people often drink red wines from larger bowled glasses. Because the flavors of a dry wine are subtler, allowing the wine to splash into a larger glass aerates it and unlocks hints of varied tastes. The larger glass also allows the drinker to smell the wine, and as 85 percent of taste is in the sense of smell, that enhances the experience.

Wine is nothing if not an experience. Bill Vetrano’s first encounters with wine came at weekly Sunday spaghetti dinners throughout his childhood. His grandfather, Michael Vetrano, and father, Joseph Vetrano, both made wine for friends and family, sharing it at holidays and family gatherings. As an adult, he continued the family tradition, making wine as a hobby, never dreaming it would become something more. All that changed when the monsignor at the Vetranos’ church convinced them they had something special.

vineyard
Matthew Wisniewski/Curb
 

The Vetranos' backyard vineyard will eventually produce an estimated five tons of grapes each year.

“We always gave him wine at our church,” LaVerne Vetrano said. “He said, bring it to the turkey dinner, you know, the annual turkey dinner. And people were buying it that we didn’t know. He said, ‘OK, now what are you guys going to plan on doing? Why don’t you venture out and go into business?’”

Vetro Winery has been open for five years, a testament to the Vetranos' love of wine and sharing it with others. Opening their store took time, LaVerne Vetrano said, because government permits take nine to ten months to process. They’ve purchased bigger equipment as well—vertical fermenting tanks direct from Italy. Bill Vetrano still works full time at Quad/Graphics while LaVerne Vetrano mans the store. Even though the winery is becoming successful, the Vetranos maintain the love of wine and community in which their wine is rooted. When a new recipe needs to be tested or a bottle of tasting wine finished off, it goes to the neighbors.

Gomon followed a similar route. He made wine in his home for eight years before best in show awards at amateur competitions made him consider selling it to the public.

“I convinced my wife I wasn’t half crazy for wanting to do this for a living,” he said.

Gomon, who has a background in engineering, was drawn to winemaking while working full time as a teacher. A co-worker’s beer-making hobby appealed to him, so he decided to try his hand at wine.

“I got a winemaking kit and just kind of fell in love with the whole process,” he said.

Mason Creek Winery, which began in the Gomon's sunroom in 2000, quickly sold every bottle it had to restaurants and area grocery stores. With increased demand, the business moved out of the couple’s home and into a location in the town of Delafield. In May 2006, the Gomons relocated yet again to Lyndale Farms, a small group of shops in Pewaukee. The winery now produces about 30,000 bottles of wine annually.

Despite its challenges, the Wisconsin wine market is far from cutthroat. Bill Vetrano said many times wineries from different parts of the state will recommend Vetro Winery to groups of travelers, and he and his wife will do the same.

“That’s what’s nice about Wisconsin winery people,” he said. “We’re not in competition.”

winemap

“Everybody has their own individual way and tastes,” LaVerne Vetrano agreed.

That variety is what distinguishes Wisconsin from California and other wine centers. The flavors, sweeter and diverse, represent a different philosophy: one based in ingenuity and elbow grease. The struggles that small Midwestern wineries undergo in order to practice and perfect their art create a distinct flavor.

“Good wine is a wine you enjoy,” Gomon said. “Some people take wine a little too seriously. It’s just meant to be enjoyed, and it’s a drink to share with your family and friends.” curb logo

 

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