| Muscadine grapes (or scuppernongs as they are | | | | After the crushing and pressing the white grape |
| sometimes called) are native to Florida and were | | | | juice is quickly chilled. When the juice is clarified |
| first used for wine-making by the French | | | | cultured wine yeast is added and the fermentation |
| Huguenots and early Spanish settlers nearly 100 | | | | begins. White wines are generally fermented at |
| years before wine was made in California. They | | | | very cool temperatures, usually around 50 - 55 |
| can grow as big as golf balls and ripen individually | | | | degrees to capture aroma and flavour. Red |
| rather than in bunches over a period of a few | | | | grapes are crushed into fermentation tanks while |
| weeks in late August and into September. The | | | | select wine yeast is added. The grapes ferment |
| grapes are grown at vineyards around Florida | | | | "on the skins" for several days to extract the |
| where one can visit for free tasting and a tour. | | | | flavour and the colour from the skin of the grape. |
| The Chautauqua Winery chose its name because | | | | When ready the free run fermenting juice is |
| DeFuniak Springs was home to the permanent | | | | drained and the skin and pulp is pressed. Red |
| Winter Assembly of the Chautauqua Assembly | | | | wines usually ferment at 70 degrees. Both the |
| from Chautauqua County, New York from 1885 | | | | red and white wines ferment until all the sugar is |
| to 1928. Many turn of the century homes and the | | | | converted to alcohol and then the fermentation is |
| Chautauqua "Hall of Brotherhood" still stand, | | | | complete. The wines are then allowed to settle |
| gracing the shores of a perfectly round lake that | | | | and any blending is done at this stage. Grapes |
| is the centre of the city. The 40-acre vineyard | | | | harvested in the fall are usually ready for bottling |
| was planted in 1979 and is located 12 miles north | | | | in the following spring. The retail store at |
| of DeFuniak Springs. The varieties of grapes | | | | Chautauqua is open for free tasting and tours |
| grown by Chautauqua, Carlos (white) and Nobel | | | | daily from 9am - 5pm. Chautauqua is located at |
| (red) are improved varieties selected and | | | | the intersection of Interstate 10 (exit 85) and |
| propagated from native muscadine grapes. A | | | | Hwy 331 at DeFuniak Springs, Florida. Chautauqua |
| mechanical picker is used to harvest the grapes in | | | | Vineyards has a sister winery, Emerald Cost Wine |
| the cool morning hours and the grapes are then | | | | Cellars in Destin Florida. The Dakotah Winery |
| delivered to the winery for crushing, usually within | | | | (Dakotah means friend in the Lokota Indian |
| a couple of hours of picking. This cool picking and | | | | Language) is a family winery established in 1985. |
| rapid processing is essential to capturing the | | | | The 12-acre vineyard boasts over 30 varieties of |
| quality and flavour of the grapes. The winery was | | | | muscadine grape vines which are tended by Baby |
| constructed in 1989 and boasts 70,000 gallons of | | | | Doll sheep and Canada geese wandering freely, |
| temperature controlled stainless steel cooperage | | | | pruning the vines and mowing the grass. there is a |
| as well as over 1,980 gallons of barrels for oak | | | | comfortable tasting room, and walking among the |
| ageing. The current wine press was custom made | | | | grounds viewing grapes, sheep, geese, wood |
| for Chautauqua by the Scharfenberger Company | | | | ducks and koi fish is positively encouraged. |
| of Germany. It is the largest press of its kind | | | | Dakotah is located at 14635 NW Hwy 19, |
| east of the Rocky Mountains. The press gently | | | | Chiefland. It is open Monday to Saturday, and is |
| extracts the juice from 30 tons of fresh grapes, | | | | just 10 miles from Manatee Springs State Park. |
| or 35 tons of fermented reds in a single load. | | | | |