Ray Maxe introduced Dr. Paul Rupert, his neighbor, chemist, winemaker and also Dean of Graduate Studies for Adrian College who shared some interesting facts about what Icewine. A few years ago he enrolled in MSU's Viticultural Program. He explained the process for making clear ice cubes that would later simplify how Icewine is made. Clear cubes freeze from the outside-in while the ones typically made from our home ice makers freeze from the inside-out. The same process occurs in the making of Icewine which is generally quite a bit more expensive and much sweeter than average table wines.
"You can make bad wine from great grapes but you can’t make great wine from bad grapes", Paul said. The two most important molecules are: water and glucose (your brain’s only source of energy!). The process of photosynthesis, he said, was nothing short of amazing – where plants take carbon dioxide, water and sunshine and turn them into glucose or fructose while giving off oxygen. Glucose + water + yeast = ethanol and carbon dioxide (fermentation).
Paul took the audience through the life of a grape berry: Zero to 120 days is the average growing season for grapes. Grapes start out as hard, green spheres and continue to get larger and larger over time and are quite bitter to the taste. Half way through they begin to change in appearance as well as their chemical makeup as their sugar content increases. Paul then explained the term "brix”in the grape. Some 55 days into the growing season, grapes contain approximately 4% sugar content. Grapes are harvested after 4 months when they contain about 24% sugar.
They then go into the winery where they are crushed, yeast is added, then they are clarified and then bottled. That the process. For Icewine, however, the process is slightly different. In fact, it originated through a mistake or by accident when in 1794 in Germany a vineyard was subjected to an unexpected freeze. The owner of the vineyard, instead of letting the grapes hang until they rotted, picked them anyway and they became the ingredients for the first ever Icewine!
Probably the best Icewine makers in the world, Paul said, are in Canada. The VQA is the body governing this industry. They have imposed very stringent requirements for every manufacturer. You can’t just take grapes and freeze them yourself, they have to be naturally produced; they cannot be harvested before November 15 and their temperature cannot be less than 8 degrees C, etc. Typical Icewines will have a alcohol content between 7.5-15% and the sugar content must be 12.5%. For stillwines, the content is about 12%. Dry table wines have only about a 1/10 of a % sugar content.
Paul concluded his presentation by giving everyone a taste of his favorite Icewine while mentioning that their expense is due to the fact that the juice yield of a typical vineyard is only 15-20%.
Sam Skeels, principal of Lincoln Elementary along with students Meredith, Anna Marie Anzalone’s daughter and Grace, Anne Smart’s (Technical Support Advisor for APS) daughter, Grace presented today’s program – PYP or Primary Years Program. PYP is part of Adrian Public Schools International Baccalaureate program for the students at Lincoln Elementary.
Adrian Public Schools is one of only four schools worldwide participating in the International Baccalaureate Open World Schools Pilot offering online IB courses to students anywhere in the world! The Adrian school district and Adrian College are partnering on an effort to expand the district’s elementary curriculum through an International Baccalaureate pilot program at Lincoln Elementary School. The pilot program will include the addition of a preschool and foreign language offerings for elementary students at Lincoln, and could later expand to other buildings. It will also give the college a chance to enhance its teacher training program. The IB diploma program was rolled out at Adrian High School in fall 2010, and the district has been working to implement the IB middle years program, which is for middle school and high school freshmen and sophomores.
With assistance from Lisa Wilkie, Meredith and Grace shared with the audience research and work they had completed in this program. Meredith did work with artifacts from her great, great grandmother and through the process became more familiar with her family’s ancestors. Grace’s project involved a license plate from an older vehicle from Washington state and as a result learned more about her family’s ancestry as well.
June 11 – Annual Super Market Sweep - to be held at Country Market in Adrian the proceeds of which will benefit the Damascus Road in memory of founder Bob Fultz who passed away recently. Volunteers have been secured. Thanks to Lisa Wilkie, Mary Murray and Rhonda Gage.
June 13 – New Member Orientation (Fireside Chat) – Mark Murray announced that this will take place at his home on Sawmill Court behind the Charlotte Stephenson Center on Lake Adrian beginning at 4pm and ending 1 hour later. Anyone is welcome to attend.
June 15 – Race at MIS – Proceeds go to support LISD. Still looking for a single driver for that afternoon. Those who have already volunteered are asked to bring their own food and drinks for the time they’ll be there.
June 20 – Annual Changeover Dinner - The event will be held outdoors (weather permitting) at The Stables in Blissfield.
June 21 – Inaugural Arts Festival at Devil’s Lake – Our club will help staff the children’s art tent that day. We still need volunteers.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Rotarian of The Year Nominations - President Theresa encouraged members to complete and submit applications for this year's award to be presented at the Changeover Dinner on June 20th.
Brent Mercer launched his maiden voyage as a first-time finemaster and collected oodles of money from these deserving Rotarians: Keener, Kojima (2), Keller, Sack (2), Alvarez, Pender (3), Mary Murray (2), Anzalone (4), Satterelli, Wagley (3), Bendes (2), Douglas, Rye, Wilkie (2), Williams (2), J. Clark, Soto, Mark Murray, Adama, Burg, Herrera, Slater.
Happy Bucks
Mark Murray, Anzalone (2), Bendes, Satterelli, Maxe, Chase.
Sam Skeels, principal of Lincoln Elementary along with students Meredith, Anna Marie Anzalone’s daughter and Grace, Anne Smart’s (Technical Support Advisor for APS) daughter, Grace presented today’s program – PYP or Primary Years Program. PYP is part of Adrian Public Schools 