You can hear the excitement in Donald Millner’s voice as he describes the grape vines he has planted in the vineyard he, his wife Mary, and son Jonathan established on Highway 15 just north of Kingston. This year, the Millners planted three-fourths of an acre of test varieties which are bred to withstand the coldest Minnesota winter: Valiant, a red grape; Kay Gray, a white grape, which is an offshoot of St. Croix; and Savre Vois, another winter-hardy red, are expected to be used to blend with other grapes to create a distinctive Minnesota wine. Millner is even more passionate when he discusses the varieties he expects to plant next spring. Already on order are a selection of whites and reds. Many have the distinction of having been developed by the University of Minnesota, which has one of the largest and best vine breeding programs in the country. They are guaranteed to be winter-hardy. The vineyard will include such new varieties as Le Crescent, Frontenac Gris, Prairie Star, as well as Marquette, the most recent and much-touted red grape from the University of Minnesota. The Millners plan to plant 5 acres of grapes in 2007, and then another acre or more each year up to a total of approximately 10-12 acres. The rest of the 40-acre parcel will be used for the winery, tasting room and event center, which the Millners plan to build during the next few years. Since grapes take at least three to five years to mature, the Millners are working on getting the bulk of the grapes planted before they move on to constructing the buildings. The plan calls for a courtyard concept, in which an L-shaped winery, tasting room and picnic shelter/event center are located in a low spot, with a view of the grapevines on the gently rolling hills surrounding the buildings. As Jonathan Millner pointed out, once the vines begin producing, they can begin making wine, but their initial output will not be high. They will need additional grapes, and hope to team up with other grape growers in the region. The seeds for the vineyard and winery seem to be planted in the family’s Austrian heritage. Donald Millner’s ancestors were originally from a grape-growing region in Austria. The family also has a strong tradition of wine-making, using everything from strawberries to beets to make their home-made wine. Donald has made wine for years from wild grapes, raspberries, strawberries, elderberries and chokecherries, and has even tried such out-of-the-ordinary ingredients as goldenrod to make wine for his own consumption. Other family members have also experimented with unusual ingredients, including wine made from caraway seeds. In a telephone interview, Jonathan Millner shared stories of family reunions in which family members brought their own home-made wine to share. The family’s Austrian heritage will also be used to market the vineyard and winery. From the architectural style of the buildings to the name of the winery itself, Austrian themes and colors will celebrate the area where the family originated. Although wine-making is a family tradition, it was Jonathan who took the family hobby to a new level. When a stint in Afghanistan with the Army Reserve convinced him that the medical field was not for him (he had worked as an EMT, and considered going into nursing), Jonathan decided to pursue his passion for making wine by taking classes in viticulture and enology. Jonathan currently works as a vineyard manager in Iowa, as well as playing an important role in the family business. The Millners are enthusiastic about their new venture, but they also know it will be a lot of work. Since Donald has a dental practice in Paynesville, much of the work on the vineyard is done on the weekends. Donald and Mary have often spent 10-12 hours per weekend day planting and cultivating the grape vines. During the week, Mary does whatever additional chores need to be done, such as watering or weeding. Jonathan comes up from Iowa about once a month to work at the family vineyard. With three grown children, Donald and Mary realize that, at this stage of their lives, many people would be planning their retirement. Instead, the Millners have decided to put their energy into a new business which they hope will give them something in return. As Donald said, “How many people are remembered for their list of mutual funds? This gives us something to be remembered for and something to give to our son, to our family.”
