Raymond's James Arthur Vineyards trying to shed perception that wine is snooty

Jim Ballard of James Arthur Vineyards has begun aging some of his wine in bourbon barrels.

To gain some insight into the mind of James Arthur Vineyards winemaker Jim Ballard -- from his creativity to the fun he brings to an industry with a well-earned reputation for snootiness -- you need only give a glance to the local winery's take on port wine.

It's a wink, perhaps a finger in the eye -- you decide which finger -- to an industry that earned its pinkies-out elitism over centuries by, among other things, deeming that only wines originating from the Duoro region of Portugal could be designated Ports.

Obviously, James Arthur's Tropasti -- hold the bottle up to a mirror to find the wit, snark and creativity in the name -- is made right here in the Cornhusker State.

Tropasti is to Portugal what Genoa, Nebraska (pronounced ja-NO-a around here, I've learned) is to eye-talian salami.

And just to turn the knife a bit more the verbiage on the wine's label uses words that feature those same four letters -- portray, portfolio, important, supportive, opportune and portal -- in describing it.

Jim Ballard of James Arthur Vineyard works a bottling machine, Tuesday, March 14, 2023, near Raymond.

It's just more in-your-face creativity from Ballard, who wasn't born into the wine business, but has earned his seat at the table.

The former journalism major at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln has shown that you can take the writer out of the newsroom, but a little wine will always lubricate those creative muscles. Especially on deadline.

Put him in a vineyard and the sky's the limit. And that's where this story gets interesting. He believed that his father-in-law's farmland in Raymond was fertile ground for growing grapes.

With Jim Jeffers' blessing, Jim planted 100 grapevines in 1992 with the hope that his hobby would someday produce fine homemade wine and something to share with family and friends.

That hobby -- predicated on fun, always fun -- took a new twist five years later when James Arthur Vineyards opened for business.

"Wine should be fun," he said. "Sometimes, we take it a little too seriously, maybe rightfully so."

A bottling machine is seen at James Arthur Vineyard, Tuesday, March 14, 2023, near Raymond.

When it's your business, your way of keeping on the lights over the last 26 years, you take the craft seriously, but that doesn't mean you don't have fun in the process.

Ballard and his team have never forgotten that. Case in point: the newest vintage is called Bossy Sister, named for the sibling who complained of never having her name grace one of two dozen wines James Arthur produces.

Another example is Ballard's latest experiment: aging certain wines in barrels that contained other spirts.

Aging red wine in bourbon barrels has been tried at other U.S. wineries in recent years, but there is no evidence that anyone has tried aging semi-dry white wine in tequila barrels or sweet blush in a barrel that once held rum.

James Arthur is currently going through the filtration and bottling process for small batches -- a combined 600 gallons (12 barrels) of the three.

Shawn Barger (left) and Jim Ballard work at a bottling machine at James Arthur Vineyard, Tuesday, March 14, 2023, near Raymond.

"It's a test market, trail and error, to see what people think," he said. "If they like it, there are all sorts of other barrels out there we can use."

Off the top of his head, Curaçao- and Mezcal-aged barrels were some of the other flavors he's been considering.

But first things first: Mastering the barrel-aging process is a priority -- and determining if there is a market for such a product will follow.

"Maybe it will grow into something that we will have on a regular basis," Ballard said.

And maybe it won't. Regardless, Ballard is never going to stop trying new things. In any competitive industry -- and making wine is one of them -- those that stop growing the product line are doomed to rot on the vine.

"This business has changed," he said. "We’ve been doing this almost for 26 years now and from the day we first opened, our business plan has evolved. It's always evolving and changing."

The one part of the business plan that hasn't changed is the one that mandates fun. Sure, it's called work -- the king of all four-letter words -- for a reason, but that doesn't mean it can't be enjoyed.

For many, wine is a special-occasion beverage, one to be savored and cherished. The James Arthur mindset is that it's wine o'clock somewhere and can be enjoyed -- in moderation, of course -- virtually anywhere: at a tailgate party, while watching a movie or after a long stressful day at the office.

It was James Arthur that showed us which wines to pair with our favorite junk foods -- Reese's Peanut Butter Cup is best when paired with Sweet Charlotte, a semi-sweet red; while Cool Ranch Doritos are the perfect accompaniment to Kira, James Arthur's semi-sweet blush -- and to do so without shame or hesitation.

"Fun is an operative word and we try to be creative with our product because there's a lot of competition out there, especially with the younger generation.

"They want different and unique."

Don't we all?

Wine pairing is a delicate process of combining food dishes with the perfect wine to help elevate the dining experience. Here are some food and wine pairing guidelines that will have you wine-matching like a sommelier before you know it.

Napa. Sonoma. Finger Lakes. Columbia Valley. Many of America's most celebrated wine regions have gained recognition from oenophiles worldwide. But even though producing wine is traditionally associated with certain regions, up-and-coming wineries are making their mark in surprising areas across the country from the islands of Hawaii to Arizona's desert trails.

Locations designated as an American Viticultural Area are grape-growing regions that have specific geographic or climatic features that make them distinct from the surrounding areas and directly affect how grapes are grown. Wineries in these areas will often include their AVA designation on bottle labels as a way to easily identify the origin of their wines. Plonk Wine Club reviewed the 10 most recently approved AVAs by the U.S. Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau.

Some AVAs were established decades ago and will need to file petitions to change borders or grape varietals. Other regions are newly established as an AVA, or are still "pending" regions, listed as "accepted as perfected" but not yet approved or codified.

Here are 10 wine regions across America that have been established within the past year.

Ulupalakua was established on July 1, 2021. The Ulupalakua wine region is located on the island of Maui in Hawaii, near Makena at the foot of Haleakala, a dormant volcano.

The only operating winery is Tedeschi Vineyards' MauiWine, which produces wine from grapes as well as pineapple. The vineyard produces some classic varietals such as grenache, syrah, malbec, and chenin blanc. Fruit wines are also popular such as Maui blanc, a pineapple wine, and Lehua, a juicy raspberry wine. Hawaii is home to two more vineyards: Volcano Winery on the Big Island, and Oeno Winemaking on Oahu.

The Virginia Peninsula is located within the counties of James City, York, New Kent, and Charles City, as well as a few cities such as Poquoson, Hampton, Newport News, and Williamsburg. When the Virginia Peninsula was established in August 2021, the region was already home to five wineries: Gauthier Vineyard, ​​Williamsburg Winery, New Kent Winery, Saude Creek Vineyards, and Upper Shirley Vineyards.

While there are some two-dozen grape varieties growing in Virginia, many of the more classic grapes in the Virginia Peninsula include chardonnay, riesling, cabernet franc, merlot, and petit verdot. A few unique varieties are also offered including viognier, petit manseng, albariño, mourvèdre, and tannat.

The Verde Valley, established in November 2021, is located in Yavapai County just north of Phoenix. It's also home to the Verde Valley Wine Trail, which features 25 different wineries within the region. Page Spring Cellars, Arizona Stronghold, and Caduceus Cellars are some of the more popular wineries to visit on the trail.

Vineyard owners grow more than 40 different grape varieties for both white and red wines. Popular white grapes include malvasia bianca, viognier, chardonnay, vermentino, seyval blanc, and picpoul blanc. For red grapes, popular varieties are syrah, petite sirah, cabernet sauvignon, sangiovese, tannat, and barbera.

In November 2021, Lower Long Tom region was established in Oregon between Corvallis and Eugene. It lies at the southern tip of the Willamette Valley, just north of the Umpqua Valley region. Part of the Willamette Valley Wineries, the Lower Long Tom AVA is a partnership of 12 wineries including High Pass and Benton-Lane. Pinot noir is one of the more popular grape varietals of the region, along with chardonnay, riesling, pinot gris, and sauvignon blanc.

As of March 9, 2022, the San Luis Obispo Coast was designated as a wine region in central California. Home to the San Luis Obispo Wine Collective of 30 member wineries, this emerging region is just five miles off the coast and is popularly known for its chardonnay and pinot noir grapes. The coastal air provides a cooling atmosphere for the grapes, offering 20 different varieties. Edna Valley Vineyard is a frequent stop from the SLO Wine Collective.

The West Sonoma Coast, established in May 2022, is another up-and-coming wine region in California. Located farther north, this wine region is home to the West Sonoma Coast Vintners, an association made up of 28 wineries formed to promote community-minded farming and support member wineries and the greater region. The cooler, coastal climate is also an advantage for vineyards, best known for chardonnay and pinot noir.

Mount Pisgah, Polk County, also associated with Willamette Valley Wine in Oregon, is located in the northwest part of the state. Established in June 2022, the region relies on the rich soil from the mountain to produce grape varietals such as pinot noir, pinot gris, pinot blanc, chardonnay, and tempranillo.

The region is in north Willamette Valley and is home to Freedom Hill Vineyard, as well as 10 other vineyards. Mount Pisgah, Polk County, only contains two wineries—Illahe Vineyards and Open Claim Vineyards.

Paulsell Valley is another growing wine region in central California, located in Stanislaus County east of Modesto. Paulsell Valley is home to three commercial vineyards covering 826 acres of vines, and a proposed fourth vineyard would add another 700 acres.

Conditions are known to be warmer—the area gets a large amount of direct sun exposure due to a type of topography referred to as a "mound-intermound relief," which means shadow-producing hills are low and intercut with arroyos. This makes an ideal climate for cabernet sauvignon, petite sirah, petite verdot, and teroldego. Paulsell Valley became an established wine region on June 3, 2022.

Established on June 3, 2022, Rocky Reach is located in Chelan and Douglas counties and is one of the most northern regions to be established as an AVA within Washington. Because Rocky Reach has lower elevations while still surrounded by mountains and plateaus, the warmer climate makes it well-suited for growing cabernet sauvignon grapes.

There are 117 vineyards located within the region, which is also home to Rocky Pond Estate Winery, a family-owned operation that produces cabernet, syrah, malbec, grenache, and five varieties of white and rosé.

The Upper Lake Valley AVA was established wholly within the existing Clear Lake AVA, effectively expanding that footprint to an additional 17,360 acres. Good soil and drainage, as well as a relatively temperate climate and generally low winds, make this area ideal for the development of sauvignon blanc.

Sixteen commercial vineyards are located within this region with wineries such as Ceago Vinegarden and Brassfield Estate Winery. Nearby, the Lake County Winery Association is linked with other regions including High Valley, Guenoc Valley, Red Hills Lake County, Big Valley District, Kelsey Bench, and Benmore Valley.

This story originally appeared on Plonk Wine Club and was produced and distributed in partnership with Stacker Studio.

Reach the writer at 402-473-7391 or [email protected]

On Twitter @psangimino

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Night editor

Pat Sangimino is a San Francisco native who has been the Journal Star's night news editor since April 2018.

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