Source: Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food
Once in a while, an agri-business idea so gutsy and so original comes along that it defies our own perceptions of what is possible here in Saskatchewan.
Enter Marty and Marie Bohnet’s Cypress Hills Vineyard and Winery project, just outside of Maple Creek.
“We used to ranch with my husband’s brother and his father,” explains Marie. “The operation wasn’t generating enough revenue to support three families. We wanted to keep living here because we are really attached to our community.
“A few years ago, we went on a holiday in the Okanagan Valley where we visited a number of wineries. We asked ourselves why we couldn’t do this in Saskatchewan. We have grown our own grapes for years. We have three 10 year-old vines that produce 38 pounds of grapes.”
The Bohnet family did some research and came across new grape hybrids from Wisconsin and Minnesota that were able to survive temperatures of 26 to 40 degrees below zero.
“We have never had any winter kill on our old vines,” proudly claims Marie. “Currently, we have 18 on a test trial to rate then for winter hardiness and production. The new varieties are mostly crosses between vinefere from Europe and the hearty American vitus labrusca variety. Together, these yield a wine similar to that made with European grapes, but you have the added advantage of plants that will survive prairie winters and have increased disease resistance.”
They planted 800 vines on their property last year and 1,000 vines this year, for a total of 3.5 acres of land. They plan on having 10 acres in the ground within four years.
“We get our vine stock from Ontario and Quebec, and every vine is watered through a drip line that allows us to use our water resources wisely. When we plant the vines, we take advantage of slope opportunities and, of course, shelter from the wind, which is always a concern. You know how windy it can get in the Cypress Hills.”
In planting their vines, Marie and Marty have established a low cordon system. This means that the actual trunk of the vine is six inches long. The first wire is just above that. The vines grow during the spring and summer. Grapes mature in the fall. When the plant is dormant in February or March, the vine is trimmed back to that short trunk.
“This is key to allowing the vine to survive,” says Marie. “Often, the trunk is buried under snow, providing extra protection against the extreme cold. It is funny, because when we used to be in the cattle business, we loved chinooks. Now we think a little differently thank most folk around the hills, because we don’t much like chinooks anymore. They can expose the vine to frost and wind, which could result in decreased production.”
While weighing these considerations, Marie is at the same time trying to establish the vineyard and winery in the most ecologically-friendly manner possible.
“Our aging facilities will be built underground, so as to minimize heating and energy needs. The vineyard is located over previously cultivated areas. We use a posthole auger to plant the vines in tame grass that is mowed. If you have sod cover, you get 10 to 15 degrees more frost protection. We stop mowing in August in order to allow the grass to hold the snow through winter.”
The winery is currently looking at licensing to produce wine, which is a complex process. As well, the Cypress Hills Vineyard and Winery is looking at organic production.
They plan on opening to the public in June of 2007, with 20,000 bottles ready for retail. They hope to be the first commercial grape vineyard and winery inSaskatchewan
The greenhouse will help propagate and sell new grape varieties that are hardy on the Prairies. Their operation will also include one acre of raspberry, rhubarb and chokecherry production.
Because they are located right on Highway 271, 20 kilometres southwest of Maple Creek, they hope to draw on the thousands of visitors who visit Fort Walsh National Historic Site and the estimated 250,000 who visit the Cypress Hills each year.
For more information, contact:
Marie Bohnet
Cypress Hills Vineyard and Winery
Maple Creek
(306) 662-4395
Once in a while, an agri-business idea so gutsy and so original comes along that it defies our own perceptions of what is possible here in Saskatchewan.
Enter Marty and Marie Bohnet’s Cypress Hills Vineyard and Winery project, just outside of Maple Creek.
“We used to ranch with my husband’s brother and his father,” explains Marie. “The operation wasn’t generating enough revenue to support three families. We wanted to keep living here because we are really attached to our community.
“A few years ago, we went on a holiday in the Okanagan Valley where we visited a number of wineries. We asked ourselves why we couldn’t do this in Saskatchewan. We have grown our own grapes for years. We have three 10 year-old vines that produce 38 pounds of grapes.”
The Bohnet family did some research and came across new grape hybrids from Wisconsin and Minnesota that were able to survive temperatures of 26 to 40 degrees below zero.
“We have never had any winter kill on our old vines,” proudly claims Marie. “Currently, we have 18 on a test trial to rate then for winter hardiness and production. The new varieties are mostly crosses between vinefere from Europe and the hearty American vitus labrusca variety. Together, these yield a wine similar to that made with European grapes, but you have the added advantage of plants that will survive prairie winters and have increased disease resistance.”
They planted 800 vines on their property last year and 1,000 vines this year, for a total of 3.5 acres of land. They plan on having 10 acres in the ground within four years.
“We get our vine stock from Ontario and Quebec, and every vine is watered through a drip line that allows us to use our water resources wisely. When we plant the vines, we take advantage of slope opportunities and, of course, shelter from the wind, which is always a concern. You know how windy it can get in the Cypress Hills.”
In planting their vines, Marie and Marty have established a low cordon system. This means that the actual trunk of the vine is six inches long. The first wire is just above that. The vines grow during the spring and summer. Grapes mature in the fall. When the plant is dormant in February or March, the vine is trimmed back to that short trunk.
“This is key to allowing the vine to survive,” says Marie. “Often, the trunk is buried under snow, providing extra protection against the extreme cold. It is funny, because when we used to be in the cattle business, we loved chinooks. Now we think a little differently thank most folk around the hills, because we don’t much like chinooks anymore. They can expose the vine to frost and wind, which could result in decreased production.”
While weighing these considerations, Marie is at the same time trying to establish the vineyard and winery in the most ecologically-friendly manner possible.
“Our aging facilities will be built underground, so as to minimize heating and energy needs. The vineyard is located over previously cultivated areas. We use a posthole auger to plant the vines in tame grass that is mowed. If you have sod cover, you get 10 to 15 degrees more frost protection. We stop mowing in August in order to allow the grass to hold the snow through winter.”
The winery is currently looking at licensing to produce wine, which is a complex process. As well, the Cypress Hills Vineyard and Winery is looking at organic production.
They plan on opening to the public in June of 2007, with 20,000 bottles ready for retail. They hope to be the first commercial grape vineyard and winery in
The greenhouse will help propagate and sell new grape varieties that are hardy on the Prairies. Their operation will also include one acre of raspberry, rhubarb and chokecherry production.
Because they are located right on Highway 271, 20 kilometres southwest of Maple Creek, they hope to draw on the thousands of visitors who visit Fort Walsh National Historic Site and the estimated 250,000 who visit the Cypress Hills each year.
For more information, contact:
Marie Bohnet
Cypress Hills Vineyard and Winery
Maple Creek
(306) 662-4395
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