By Luke E. Saladin
Post staff reporter

When he retired from Cincinnati Bell in 1995, Dennis Walter decided he wanted to work full-time on his family farm, but wasn't sure what he wanted to grow.

Nestled among bounding hills in the Camp Springs area of Campbell County, the 100-acre farm, which has been in his family since 1870, had been used for cattle and foliage, but Walter wanted to do more.

He thought about tobacco, but decided it was too risky with the state's tobacco buyout looming.

Then one day his neighbor, who had recently relocated from Florida, decided to put in a vineyard, and that gave Walter an idea.

Now, four years after planting his first batch of plants on two acres, Walter has sold his first full crop for upwards of $12,000.

"I was only expecting about $3,500 to $4,000 an acre if I had done tobacco," said Walter, adding that tobacco would have involved a larger up-front investment for equipment as well. "I've already put another one acre vineyard in and next fall I'm going to put in another 1½ acres."

The grape growing trade has been so successful that Walter, along with other farmers and wine enthusiasts, have formed the Northern Kentucky Vintners and Grape Growers Association and are trying to turn the region into what some are calling the "Napa Valley of the East."

That slogan is a stretch to say the least at this point, but it echoes the group's long-term goal to turn southern Campbell County into a weekend destination, where wine tasters can tour the vineyards, sip some of the local fare, sample some cheese and relax.

For now the group is trying to spread the word about the benefits and financial rewards of grape growing, preparing for the day when there are enough grape growers and wineries to make that happen.

"We believe we are going to turn Northern Kentucky into one of the best wine producing regions in the country," said Larry Leap, a member of the association and owner of Lost Heritage Vineyards in Alexandria, which he started four years ago.

"I see no reason why in the next 15 years we can't become one of the top five or 10 wine producing states in the country."

In fact, between roughly 1830 and 1930, the region was one of the top wine producing areas in the nation, earning the nickname "Rhine of America," in reference to the region in Europe where many wine grapes are grown and from where many immigrants brought their skills.

Leap, who considers himself a wine scholar as well as a wine maker, estimates that during the era there were about 3,500 acres devoted to growing grapes in the region.

While Northern Kentucky is roughly the same longitude as the Rhine region, it is more humid. The best grape crops are produced in dry weather, experts say.

During the prohibition years, many of the wine makers moved west and Kentucky became known for its tobacco rather than its lush grapes, Leap said.

"I decided to name our wine Lost Heritage because that is what has happened in this region," said Leap, who also maintains his own one-acre vineyard at his home wine-making operation. "Everyone can see that tobacco is on its way out, so what better time for wine to make a comeback in Kentucky."

According to the University of Kentucky Department of Horticulture, the number of acres devoted to commercial grape growing in Kentucky has grown from 81 acres in 1997 to 309 acres in 2003.

And according to a 2002 report commissioned by the Kentucky Agricultural Development Board, 83 percent of the farms that were growing grapes that year either grew tobacco or had grown it within the previous five years.

"It is clearly a crop that is taking up some of the slack left by tobacco," said Don Strang, extension horticulturalist with the UK Department of Agriculture. "I wouldn't say we are a premium-grade growing area, but we can grow some good grapes."

The problem keeping Kentucky -- or any other state for that matter -- from attaining the lofty recognition of California's wine country is that grapes are an extremely difficult fruit to grow, both because of the time involved to cultivate the vines and the attention required to raise a successful crop.

At present there are not enough farmers in Kentucky like Walter who have the skills to grow the fruit properly, Strang said.

Strang said the neighboring states of Ohio and Indiana already have a few years' head start in the grape growing and wine industries, as do many others across the country.

But what Kentucky does have is a very strong demand for grapes from the limited number of growers in the state, which is good news for farmers looking to make a buck.

The key to success for the grape industry in Kentucky is to not flood the market too quickly and drive the price of grapes before the industry has had time to mature, Strang said.

So far that hasn't been a problem.

"Most of our industry is going to be in the entertainment, where people do wine tasting at various vineyards in the country on the weekend," Strang said. "I don't see us being a huge player in the wholesale market."

Walter is proof that, at least for right now, grapes are a viable commodity in bourbon and horse country.

The two vineyards lining the side of the road leading to Walter's farm are still an oddity among this otherwise traditional-looking farm, complete with stone house and single-story barn. Equipment and tools are scattered about the property.

A mixed-breed farm dog named Biscuit follows Walter as he tends to the vines, which have begun to turn brown.

Walter chose for his initial crop a species commonly known as French hybrids, which are capable of producing a high-quality wine but are not as susceptible to disease and poor weather.

Grapes also require a lot of faith and commitment on the part of growers because plants normally don't produce a full crop until three or four years after they are planted.

Much of Walter's property is made up of rolling hills, an advantageous occurrence that helps keeps rain water from settling around the plant, thus preventing disease and fungi.

Once the plants do produce a crop, vintners must make sure each plant produces just the right amount of fruit. Too little will cut into your profits, while too much can cause underdeveloped fruit.

Walter said because the wine making process is so exacting; the grapes used in making them require equal scrutiny.

The vines must have enough separation between them so the air can dry up any moisture that builds up. The soil near the root must be completely weed- and grass-free to keep the vine healthy.

"Grapes don't like competition," he said.

He uses a tractor to spray the plants, but almost all other maintenance on the plant is performed by hand.

Next spring, Walter will plant a more difficult species known as Vinifera, commonly used to make wines like Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon.

With the risk comes extra rewards, however, as Viniferas can bring in $2,000 to $2,200 a ton, compared with $1,000 a ton for the French hybrids.

Walter said his goal is grow 10 acres of high-quality grapes each year.

For now, the demand for Walter's grapes by far outweigh his supply, which he sold to two Kentucky wineries -- Lost Heritage and River Valley Winery in Carrollton.

"I wanted to start conservative with the one acre because I was still learning," Walter said. "As we get a little more experience I want to branch out."

Leap said making wine has proved lucrative as well.

He currently has capacity for about 2,000 gallons of wine at his home operation, producing somewhere between 5,000 and 6,000 bottles a year of four different varieties, including his most popular, Dandelion Wine, which retails for $24.99 a bottle.

Wines must age anywhere from four to six months for various white wines to three to 10 years for some of the higher quality varieties.

Leap said his supply always sells out before they are even ready for shipment, thanks to orders from restaurants and bars, so he is hoping to expand in the next year.

"People in Northern Kentucky tend to favor sweet wines, so that's mostly what we have right now," Leap said. "I'm hoping to move into a commercial space next year, which would give me about 4,000 square feet to work with."

To market the idea, Leap is hoping to give the region a signature name, much like California's Napa Valley. He also wants to stamp each bottle of wine made in Northern Kentucky with a trademark label.

He even has a name in mind.

"Indian Springs," he said.

"That is the name by which this area was once known -- I want it so every time someone picks up a bottle of our wine they will look at it and say, 'That's from Northern Kentucky, that's a good wine.'"

Publication Date: 11-27-2004