Vineyard
Mission Mountain Winery began as a vineyard in the beautiful Dayton valley at the mouth of Dayton creek where it enters Flathead Lake’s west shore. First planted in 1979 by Dr. Thomas Campbell and his son Tom Jr. the vineyard has been and continues to be a grand experiment in finding suitable grape varieties for this northern banana belt of western Montana. many varieties have been exposed to the harsh reality of our short growing season that starts in May and ends in early October. the cold winter , occasionally -20 F eliminates those that are not cold hardy and of those varieties that are cold hardy we have eliminated those that do not ripen in our short season. We have found pinot noir, pinot gris, chardonnay and gewurztraminer to fit our criteria for commercial success in our vineyard site.
Chardonnay grape MT
Mission Mountain Winery is not alone in the quest to grow grapes in Montana. over the years other pioneers have started vineyards around flathead lake and in the flathead valley and banded together to form the Montana Winegrowers Institute.
Dr. Dudley & Annie Page ( a kindred soul to Johnny Appleseed ) have been growing pinot noir and other varieties on Finley point.
Sunnie and Mel Dobson (the owners of Partridge Hill Vineyard on Sunnyslope NW of Polson) are growing a variety of clones of pinot noir as well as experimenting with many other varieties of vinifera grapes such as pinot gris, chardonnay and merlot.
Gregor Tavenner has taken over the old Walker experimental vineyard and added some exciting new plantings of pinot noir and pinot gris above the eastern shores of flathead lake north of Finley Point.
Hartman Vineyard has a beautiful planting of Pinot Noir next to his old apricot orchard near Yellow Bay on the east shore. This site has shown real potential and we look forward to seeing it grow.
Mike and Lisa Dolson have planted gewurztraminer and pinot noir in Moise in the SW Flathead Valley.
European and Hybrid varieties of wine grapes are also grown in small vineyards near Plains, Thompson Falls, Eureka, Missoula, Billings and in the Bitterroot Valley..
