A Hinton vintage: Couple opens winery

(Sentinel photo by Magdalene Landegent) Barry Dittmer, center, who started Tucker Hill Winery and Vineyard just south of Hinton with his wife Brenda, explains one of the seven varieties they introduced during the winery's grand opening last weekend. [Click to enlarge]

The bundle of 400 grape vines that arrived at Barry and Brenda Dittmer's door nearly six years ago have come to fruit.

This weekend, the rural Hinton couple opened the doors to Tucker Hill Winery, complete with seven varieties of wine.

Around 300 people visited the winery and vineyard during the weekend grand opening to taste the fruit of the Dittmer's labor.

"It's something we've been working on for a long while," Barry said. "It was hectic, but very fun."

With about 1 acre of vineyard on their property, the couple has nurtured, pruned, weeded, sprayed and harvested grapes from the vines.

They've crushed the grapes, fermented the juice in vats, bottled the wine and labeled the bottles.

For the grand opening, the couple produced 1,200 bottles of wine in their seven varieties -- three whites, three reds and a blush.

Tucker Hill wine is primarily made from the Dittmers' own grapes.

One variety, the sweet royal blush, Barry has been making for years, using juice other than from his grapes.

"I had friends who begged me to keep making it," he laughed. "Everything else is from our vines out here."

Many wineries may grow the same varieties of grapes, but their wines will all taste different, Brenda had explained earlier.

Variables like how the grapes are grown, how they are pressed, and how long the juice is allowed to ferment will produce unique wines.

The Dittmers' wines range from Marechel Foch, a red grape that produces a smooth burgundy-style red wine and the Frontenac, a more spicy red, to the Niagra, a white with a very grape-y aroma and the LaCrosse, a more intense white wine.

"We ran out of one variety during the grand opening," Barry said. "I'm going to have to make more."

That batch will be from saved grape juice -- the grape vines are currently early in their growth stages, just ready to pollenate. Harvest comes in later summer.

Barry said they'll expand their vineyard to include other grapes to add to the varieties they offer.

"I'm going to try to make different wines, see what people like," he said.

One on the way is Elvira, and down the road he wants to try Edelweiss.

"It's a good vine in Iowa," Barry said.

The Dittmers also added stainless steel casks for larger-scale fermenting and remodeled the interior of what is now the winery shop. It includes a bar for wine tasting and a room for everything from bridal showers to office getaways, Barry said.

Tucker Hill Winery will be open 6-9 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays and 1-7 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays.

"People can generally kick back, relax and enjoy a glass of wine," Barry said. "And we've got a great view. We see wildlife, deer and turkeys, run by."

Starting a winery in the hills near Hinton might have been ambitious, but Barry said the sweat and hours have been worth it.

"It's something different for out here," he said, surveying the crowded winery. "This is what I've been working for."