CHRISTMAS TREES: RIVER RIDGE IS NOW OPEN FOR BUSINESS

SCOTT CITY -- The River Ridge Christmas Tree Farm's Yule log cabin is now open.

"We have also started taking reservations for Christmas trees," said Joannie Gunther, who has been selling Christmas trees since 1985 at her farm off Route N five miles south of Scott City.

"This is the fifth year for the log cabin gift shop," said Gunther. "The Christmas gift shop is one of the reasons we open the holiday season this early; people can select their trees now and get them later."

The River Ridge Christmas Tree Farm, formerly Gunther's Christmas Tree Farm, has about nine acres of Christmas trees.

"We have a new attraction at the farm this year," said Gunther. "We have constructed a `two-holer' outdoor bathroom with Santa Claus' sleigh parked outside. Santa, of course, occupies one of the seats in the bathroom, which includes a sign that says `Santa Stops Here.'

"The new name of the farm will go along with a new product we will be offering at the gift shop in 1993," said Gunther. "River Ridge Winery will open next year, and we'll be carrying its Christmas Rose' wine."

Jerry L. Smith, who has been working more than a decade to perfect River Ridge Vineyards, will offer the new wine for retail.

Smith said, "The River Ridge name is derived from two geographical factors: the winery is located on the north end of Crowley Ridge about a mile and a half from Commerce and overlooks the Mississippi River."

"It takes eight to 10 years to get a vineyard to the quality that it will produce grapes for quality wine," said Smith. "I have two acres of French grapes, which are grown and cultivated for the sole purpose of making a fine dinner wine."

Smith said the two acres would produce about 6,000 pounds of grapes, which will make about 500 gallons of wine.

"The vineyard and winery, situated on an 80-acre farm, will open during the summer or fall of next year," said Smith.

"We will produce a Christmas Rose' wine, which will be available at the River Ridge Christmas Tree Farm gift shop next fall," he said. "The process will start in August when we pick the grapes. They will be fermented in August and September, stabilized in October and go on sale for holiday consumption in November."

Smith, a native of central Arkansas, is an insurance adjuster with United States Fidelity And Guaranty Co. in Cape Girardeau.

He is a graduate of Central Arkansas University at Conway, and was in the Navy for more than seven years. He flew fighter planes in Vietnam.

Smith bought a farm near Commerce in 1980. "In my travels with the Navy, I developed a taste for fine dinner wines while in California and Athens, Greece," he said. "Our winery in Missouri will be a family operation."