Buying a bottle of wine for a weekend celebration might be routine for some, but there’s a long process from seed to bottle.

For Waterloo’s Schorr Lake Vineyard & Winery owner Paul Nobbe, wine is a year-round process.

He began growing the vineyard off South Library Street in 1993, and once he had a good start on it and got his license approved, the winery opened in 1997.

Nobbe has a background in chemistry, so the science of the whole process fits in with his skill set.

“I’ve actually been making wine since I was about 18,” Nobbe said.

Over the years, he’s conducted hours of research and attended seminars on the commercial aspect of winemaking.

The Nobbes expanded their vineyard by two acres each year over a four-year period and now grow what Paul estimates is 19 different varieties of grapes on the property.

“We offer 42 types of wine: some are blend, some are dry, some are sweet,” he said. “Everything we make is grown on the vineyard. We monitor everything very closely.”

He described how last year’s vicious winter took a toll on the vineyard, causing many crops to freeze.

“About 70 percent of our blackberries froze, and the grapes were running about 50 percent of what they should have been,” he said.

Last year’s harsh winter had more of an effect on the crops than this year’s mild summer.

“A hot, dry summer gives you better grape quality,” he said. “The sugar content is higher. Of course, we always strive for the best quality wine possible.”

Schorr Lake Vineyard gets its grapevines as starts from plant breeders in New York. The grapes are then planted, and from there, it takes about three years before they are ready to harvest.

“It’s a long-term process,” he said.

They grow their own blackberries as well, which is about a two-year process, Nobbe said.

After that, the grapes are pruned each year. The vineyard contains about 4,000 plants that are pruned by hand.

“It takes us about six months to do it,” Nobbe said. “I have a limited staff, so it keeps everyone busy.”

They start at the first frost of the season when the plants are dormant.

“It’s easier to do if they’re dormant because all the leaves fall off,” he said. “We wait for the frost so we just have bare branches to work with.”

After the vines are pruned, the grapes come out in the spring.

They are harvested, crushed

and pressed, a process that is taking place this time of year.

The pressed grapes are then stored for a period of time, which can be anywhere between six months and 36 months, depending on the wine variety.

Vineyards and wineries have popped up all across America in recent years, but Nobbe doesn’t look at them as competition.

He sees them as contributors to agri-tourism, which he’s very supportive of.

“(Vineyards and wineries) bring people into the area,” he said. “While they’re here, they’re buying gas, eating at our restaurants and visiting our museums. I think it’s great.”

He said oftentimes when people visit the winery in Red Bud, they’ll come visit Schorr Lake as well.

“We kind of help each other,” he said.

A lot of the vineyard’s clientele come from across the river in St. Louis, and Paul said feedback has been mostly good in the years they’ve been open.

“Keeping everything organized is hard, but the gratifying part is the happy customers,” he said.

Schorr Lake Vineyard & Winery at 1032 S. Library Street in Waterloo is open Friday through Sunday from noon to 6 p.m.

They have live music every weekend on their outdoor patio.

To learn more, visit them online at www.schorrlakevineyard.net.