Old Retired Guy Blog
September 10, 2008
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Wineheads?I admit it; I really do love cheese. Not just cheddar, but also Swiss and brie and pepper jack and mozzarella and even limburger. So, being called a cheesehead doesn't bother me at all. Despite what the ads on TV might say, California can't hold a candle to Wisconsin when it comes to making cheese. If you don't believe me, check out the results of the 2008 World Championship Cheese Contest.
A winery was started at this location in the 1840's by a Hungarian Count named Agoston Haraszthy. After he headed for the California gold rush in 1849, Peter Kehl, a German immigrant, took over the place. During the Civil War, Kehl put up the buildings that are still used at the site. Wine making continued until 1899, after which the farm was used for more traditional Wisconsin crops. Luckily, the property was discovered in 1972 by Robert and JoAnn Wollersheim when they were looking for a place to start a winery. So, what was old is new again. The grounds are very beautiful with vineyards lining the hillsides near the Wisconsin River. The grape harvest had begun and we could see containers full of freshly picked grapes. A tour of the winery took us to the fields, to the cave where the wine was originally stored in the 1840s, to the cellars where the latest wines were aging in oak barrels, and ended up in the tasting room where we sampled quite a few varieties of wines.
I don't know very much about wines but I know that we had a very enjoyable visit to Wollersheim Winery and came home with some liquid souvenirs. |
When
it comes to wine, however, I'd probably have to admit that California might come
to mind before Wisconsin. Since the weather was so beautiful yesterday,
Kathy and I decided to drive up to Prairie du Sac to visit the
