Schleswig Wine and Bier Club prepares for annual contest
By Becky Irvine, Journal correspondent | Posted: Saturday, October 18, 2003
Judges select the grand champion wine at the 2002 Schleswig Wine and Bier Contest. Pictured, from left to right, are Rod Schneider of Ida Grove, Karla Bohlmann of Denison and Dr. Dennis Crabb of Denison. This year's contest will take place this weekend. (Photo by Coleen R. Russell)
SCHLESWIG, Iowa -- Don Thompson is a dedicated wine enthusiast. So much so, in fact, that he and his wife, Rose, who were recently married, included winery tours on their recent honeymoon trip to South Dakota.
The Thompsons are members of the Schleswig Wine and Bier Club, which is having its annual Wine and Bier Contest on Sunday at Schleswig Country Club. This will be the 28th annual contest. Thompson has been involved with the club for the past 25 years. He is secretary-treasurer of the club and writes the club newsletter, which is sent out to members each month.
Thompson had been making wine himself for eight years before the club began its wine and beer contest.
"I got started in winemaking when a friend of mine asked me if I had ever made wine. He said it was really easy to do, and showed me how he did it. So, I thought I would try it myself."
Later, Thompson, a former vocal music teacher in Gregory, S.D., had some of the teachers from his school over to his home for coffee and cookies, and decided to offer to let them taste a sample of his wine.
"I got lots of compliments on it," he said, "so I was encouraged to keep making it."
Thompson has won many awards for his wines at various contests he has entered over the years. This year he plans to enter several wines in the Schleswig contest, including some unusual ones -- potato wine, elder flower wine, German-style rhubarb, red currant and jalapeno pepper.
"I take pride in the fact that I grow my own grapes for my wine, and I also grow my own hops for the beer that I make," Thompson said. He purchases the other ingredients from winemaking supply catalogs and retail stores.
Kevin Poggensee, president of Schleswig Wine and Bier Club, got started in winemaking as part of a family tradition.
"I have my grandfather's original hygrometer that he used in the 1920s and 1930s," he said, "and my mother also made wine."
Poggensee has been making wine himself for the past nine years.
"I just got started in making my own beer," he said. "I'm entering a beer in the contest here for the first time this year. I am also entering apple, pineapple, elderberry sherry and plum wines."
Poggensee recently traveled to the Ukraine for 10 days. While there, he sampled some Russian wines and beer.
"I purchased several excellent wines and some caviar to bring home," he said.
Twelve members of the Schleswig Wine and Bier Club recently traveled to Herman, Mo., to tour the wineries there.
The club meets once each month at a different member's home. There are currently 87 members in the club, mostly from the western Iowa area, according to Thompson. Eleven members grow their own grapes, 15 members make their own wine, and seven make their own beer.
"Most of the entries in the annual wine and beer contest come from western Iowa," Thompson said. "Some come from Mason City, and the farthest away we've had an entry come from is Texas."
The judges for the contest, in addition to those from the surrounding area, are from Ames and Des Moines, Iowa; Omaha, Neb.; Minneapolis, Minn.; and Santa Fe, N.M. Seminars for the judges will be held today, and the brew pub beers will be judged at 7 p.m.
"There are seven brew pubs represented this year," Thompson said.
Entries for the wine contest will be accepted beginning at 9 a.m. on Sunday. The judging will begin at 1 p.m.
Wines are judged by clarity, color, aroma, bouquet, body, balance, taste, finish, and overall impression of the judges. The beer entries are judged on their aroma, appearance, flavor, mouthfeel and overall impression.
There are 17 categories of wine that will be judged, and 19 categories of beer. A new category in the wine contest this year is for sherry, sweet dessert, port and ice wines.
Poggensee and Thompson have past experience as judges for the contest. Poggensee believes that the characteristics of a good wine are "lots of flavor, and a good aroma. It should taste and smell like the fruit it is made from."
"I think that the characteristics of a good beer are a good aroma, color, mouthfeel, and taste," Thompson said. After the completion of the judging, awards will be presented at 4 p.m. Sunday. Ribbons will be awarded for first, second and third place in each class. All blue ribbon winners will be rejudged, and the best of each class will be considered for best of show.
The wine judged as the best will be awarded a plaque to keep, and a traveling trophy. The beer judged to be the best will be presented with a traveling walking stick and a beer stein. Entrants who are club members will be allowed to keep the traveling trophies for one year.
The beer contest is sanctioned by the American Homebrewers Association, according to Thompson.
Entries for the Schleswig Wine and Bier Contest will be accepted until noon on Sunday.
"We did ask for a registration of entries to be sent in by Oct. 1," Thompson said, "but more entries can still be brought in on Sunday morning."
Spectators are also invited to attend the judging at 1 p.m., and sample the wines. There is a small sampling fee.
"People who would like to find out how to get started in winemaking are invited to come and talk with our club members, and learn more about the process," Thompson said.
The Thompsons are members of the Schleswig Wine and Bier Club, which is having its annual Wine and Bier Contest on Sunday at Schleswig Country Club. This will be the 28th annual contest. Thompson has been involved with the club for the past 25 years. He is secretary-treasurer of the club and writes the club newsletter, which is sent out to members each month.
Thompson had been making wine himself for eight years before the club began its wine and beer contest.
"I got started in winemaking when a friend of mine asked me if I had ever made wine. He said it was really easy to do, and showed me how he did it. So, I thought I would try it myself."
Later, Thompson, a former vocal music teacher in Gregory, S.D., had some of the teachers from his school over to his home for coffee and cookies, and decided to offer to let them taste a sample of his wine.
"I got lots of compliments on it," he said, "so I was encouraged to keep making it."
Thompson has won many awards for his wines at various contests he has entered over the years. This year he plans to enter several wines in the Schleswig contest, including some unusual ones -- potato wine, elder flower wine, German-style rhubarb, red currant and jalapeno pepper.
"I take pride in the fact that I grow my own grapes for my wine, and I also grow my own hops for the beer that I make," Thompson said. He purchases the other ingredients from winemaking supply catalogs and retail stores.
Kevin Poggensee, president of Schleswig Wine and Bier Club, got started in winemaking as part of a family tradition.
"I have my grandfather's original hygrometer that he used in the 1920s and 1930s," he said, "and my mother also made wine."
Poggensee has been making wine himself for the past nine years.
"I just got started in making my own beer," he said. "I'm entering a beer in the contest here for the first time this year. I am also entering apple, pineapple, elderberry sherry and plum wines."
Poggensee recently traveled to the Ukraine for 10 days. While there, he sampled some Russian wines and beer.
"I purchased several excellent wines and some caviar to bring home," he said.
Twelve members of the Schleswig Wine and Bier Club recently traveled to Herman, Mo., to tour the wineries there.
The club meets once each month at a different member's home. There are currently 87 members in the club, mostly from the western Iowa area, according to Thompson. Eleven members grow their own grapes, 15 members make their own wine, and seven make their own beer.
"Most of the entries in the annual wine and beer contest come from western Iowa," Thompson said. "Some come from Mason City, and the farthest away we've had an entry come from is Texas."
The judges for the contest, in addition to those from the surrounding area, are from Ames and Des Moines, Iowa; Omaha, Neb.; Minneapolis, Minn.; and Santa Fe, N.M. Seminars for the judges will be held today, and the brew pub beers will be judged at 7 p.m.
"There are seven brew pubs represented this year," Thompson said.
Entries for the wine contest will be accepted beginning at 9 a.m. on Sunday. The judging will begin at 1 p.m.
Wines are judged by clarity, color, aroma, bouquet, body, balance, taste, finish, and overall impression of the judges. The beer entries are judged on their aroma, appearance, flavor, mouthfeel and overall impression.
There are 17 categories of wine that will be judged, and 19 categories of beer. A new category in the wine contest this year is for sherry, sweet dessert, port and ice wines.
Poggensee and Thompson have past experience as judges for the contest. Poggensee believes that the characteristics of a good wine are "lots of flavor, and a good aroma. It should taste and smell like the fruit it is made from."
"I think that the characteristics of a good beer are a good aroma, color, mouthfeel, and taste," Thompson said. After the completion of the judging, awards will be presented at 4 p.m. Sunday. Ribbons will be awarded for first, second and third place in each class. All blue ribbon winners will be rejudged, and the best of each class will be considered for best of show.
The wine judged as the best will be awarded a plaque to keep, and a traveling trophy. The beer judged to be the best will be presented with a traveling walking stick and a beer stein. Entrants who are club members will be allowed to keep the traveling trophies for one year.
The beer contest is sanctioned by the American Homebrewers Association, according to Thompson.
Entries for the Schleswig Wine and Bier Contest will be accepted until noon on Sunday.
"We did ask for a registration of entries to be sent in by Oct. 1," Thompson said, "but more entries can still be brought in on Sunday morning."
Spectators are also invited to attend the judging at 1 p.m., and sample the wines. There is a small sampling fee.
"People who would like to find out how to get started in winemaking are invited to come and talk with our club members, and learn more about the process," Thompson said.
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wheelman dave wrote on Oct 21, 2006 9:36 AM: