In the 1990s, I was working in Mexico for an international
nonprofit organization that focused on community development. About
every other year, I had the opportunity to return to my home state
of Nebraska to visit with family and friends.
In the 1990s, I was working in Mexico for an international nonprofit organization that focused on community development. About every other year, I had the opportunity to return to my home state of Nebraska to visit with family and friends.
If time and good fortune permitted, I tried to reunite with some college roommates and their wives – a group of us known for raising an occasional ruckus together.
The responsibility of organizing our reunions fell on the shoulders of my good friend Jeff “Korb” Korbelik. Korb now works as an entertainment reporter for the Lincoln Journal Star.
I was pleased to hear that my trip home this past summer would include a second visit to James Arthur Vineyards, Nebraska’s largest winery, located in the small town of Raymond, Neb. The winery was started in the mid-1990s by another college chum, Jim Ballard. Korb also works at James Arthur Vineyards part time.
When one thinks of Nebraska, the college football team usually comes to mind. The other thing that people recognize is the wonderful agriculture the state produces – bountiful supplies of wheat, corn, soybeans, beef and pork. One thing that doesn’t come to mind is wine. That is changing, thanks to the adventurous spirits of people like Jim.
When I first heard that Jim was opening a winery, I was shocked. “What is he thinking?” I kept asking myself. But Jim had a hunch. He thought his father-in-law’s farmland would be perfect for growing grapes. Jim’s initial plan was to plant a few vines and experiment with making homemade wine as a hobby. Luckily for the people of Nebraska, this hobby turned into something greater.
This enterprise is a family-run business. Jim and Neenie Jeffers are the owners; Jim is the head winemaker; and Jim’s wife, Barb, runs the day-to-day operations and special events.
As I mentioned, this trip was my second to James Arthur Vineyards. The first visit a few years ago was fun, if not a bit embarrassing. In lingo from the movie “Sideways,” I went to the dark side that night. There were reports of me laughing uncontrollably, riding oaks barrels like they were horses and stealing wine from the fermentation tanks when I thought Jim was not looking. Although some witnesses claim my behavior was precocious, I thought my actions would prevent me from being invited back. I kept imagining a photo of my face on the wall of the tasting room with the red-circle slash straight through it! Thankfully, Jim is of the forgiving sort, so I was allowed a second chance.
Nebraska’s rocky, sandy soil and underground water sources are perfect for growing grapes. The challenge is the weather, which often times is either extremely hot or extremely cold. Viniferous grapes like cabernet sauvignon, chardonnay and merlot would not survive the climate. The types of grapes grown at James Arthur vineyards are French-American hybrids or American varietals. Some of the grapes grown include St. Croix, edelweiss, vignoles, St. Pepin, DeChaunanc and LaCrosse. Everything planted must be able to withstand the harsh winters and flourish in a short growing season, usually from June to late August.
The main estate has 15 planted acres, and current annual production for James Arthur Vineyards is around 6,800 cases, with 21 types of wines that are created and blended by Jim. Many of the wines come in unique bottles and have special labels. For instance, the white table wine “Nebraska White” comes in a bright red bottle – perfect for those ravenous Cornhusker fans!
The best-selling wine at the vineyard is its edelweiss. This semi-sweet wine has won numerous awards, including a double-gold and best-of-class from the Los Angeles County Fair International Wine Competition. The edelweiss was also named in “The Top 100 Wines East of the Rockies” by Wineries Unlimited.
During my visit, the group of friends sat out under a gazebo, surrounded by the vines and noises associated with a busy winery. We snacked on cheese and fruit and tried a few bottles of the vineyard’s current releases. I am sure my enjoyment of the day was accentuated by the company of my longtime friends.
The 2003 edelweiss was nicely balanced with notes of citrus and passion fruit and a bit of tartness, and it tasted great on that warm summer day.
Another wine that I really liked was the 2003 St. Croix. This $17 dry red wine was medium- to full-bodied, with hints of all-spice and blackberries.
Some guests were going on tours of the winery, personally led by Mr. Jeffers himself. I never pass up a chance to ride in a golf cart, so Korb and I jumped in and off we went. Korb explained that many events take place at the winery, including live music, weddings and special dinners.
“The two biggest attractions are the annual Renaissance festival in May and the murder mystery dinners we hold throughout the year,” he said.
There was great pride in seeing someone like Jim succeed at something he loves doing. I am a bit jealous. I will never know wine like Jim, and I will never write as well as Korb. However, others might be jealous of the loyal friendships we share.
Bottle of the Week
Fortino Winery, Gilroy
Wine: 2003 Santa Clara Valley cabernet sauvignon
Flavor: Black cherry with hints of oak. A fuller-bodies wine with lots of texture.
Why: It earned a silver medal at the 2006 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition, which was held in January and is the largest in the world for American wines.
Where: The wine can be purchased at the winery, 4525 Hecker Pass Highway. Call (408) 842-3305. The tasting room is open from 10am-5pm Tuesday-Saturday and 11am-5pm Sunday.
