Why We're Different | Liquid Art Winery | Manhattan, KS
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The Estate  is perched on top of an ancient mountain range in an area of the Midwest known as "The Flint Hills". The terroir of the area replicates the soil profile and terrain of some of the most prominent grape-growing regions in the world, allowing us to craft premium wine with old-world grape varietals using sustainable viticulture.

the hills

The unique topography of the Kansas Flint Hills plays an important role in the growth of premium wine grapes.  The hills provide frost protection in the winter and spring by allowing cold air to slide off of the hillside and into the valley below.  Liquid Art's Estate vineyard is planted on the hillsides and has a southern exposure, giving the grapes more direct sunlight during early spring and late fall.  This allows the grapes to fully ripen and provides the vines with a healthier state going into the winter months.

the soil

Old World winemakers have known it for centuries; the soil plays an important role in the art of crafting fine wines. Grapes were first planted on the barren hillsides because nothing else would grow on them. European winemakers realized that the best wines were made from grapes grown on the rocky, clay and limestone soils.  

 

Grapes are unique because they are able to grow deep roots.  Their roots can penetrate into fractured limestone layers and access the highly calcareous minerals and nutrients deep within the rock.

 

Burgundy and St. Emillion are European locations in which similar calcareous and minerality soils are found.  As many don't know, similar soils are found in the Flint Hills. The soil was one of the deciding factors for Liquid Art's vineyard to be planted on Wildcat Creek Rd in Manhattan, KS.

the vines

Liquid Art planted a 10-acre Estate vineyard of 7,000 grapevines in 2015 and added another 10-acres  in 2018. David launched a sister company for vineyard development and management; partnering with local land owners to convert their property to vineyards.  Since January 2018, land preparation, irrigation installation, trellis development, and grapevine planting has been completed on ten additional acres of vineyard on Liquid Art's Estate property and approximately 100+ acres on satellite properties across Kansas. Vitis Vinifera grapes, such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay, are the primary grapes planted. 

© 2022 by DUGANHAAS & LAWE LLC.

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