It’s Picnic Time in the Vines on the Heart of Iowa Wine Trail

Close to home weekend fun doesn’t get much better than this!  With 15 wineries on the Heart of Iowa Wine Trail, all within a 60 mile radius of Des Moines, you can visit one, two or three each weekend and taste wine, learn and enjoy!

To add to the fun, you can purchase a picnic cooler for two at any of the participating wineries, and beginning Sunday, June 1st through July 31st, you can receive a unique picnic item from each winery for your Picnic Time in the Vines basket. This is a limited edition event with only 150 picnic coolers available for sale at $40.

 

The fifteen Heart of Iowa Wine Trail wineries are: Dale Valley Vineyard & Winery, Stuart; Eagle City Winery, Iowa Falls; Grape Escape, Pleasantville; Jasper Winery, Newton; John Ernest Vineyard & Winery, Tama; La Vida Loca Winery, Indianola; Penoach Winery, Adel; Prairie Moon Winery and Vineyards, Ames; Rosey Acres Winery, Runnells; Snus Hill Winery, Madrid; Southern Hills Winery, Osceola; Summerset Winery, Indianola; Tassel Ridge Winery, Leighton; Two Saints Winery, St. Charles; and White Oak Vineyards, Cambridge.

 

I’ve been to almost all of these wineries and can tell you the people are friendly and helpful, the wineries are interesting and unique, and you are sure to find wines you will enjoy! Hit the trail and have some fun in Midwest Wine Country!

 

Cheers!

Barbara Rasko

Publisher

Make Mine Wine

 

 

33 New Iowa Releases from 11 Local Wineries Announced in Make Mine Wine

The Wines for the Season in the Spring issue of Make Mine Wine are 33 new Iowa releases.  The 11 featured wineries have produced new wines that will please wine lovers from novice to sophisticate.

 

Reading the descriptions from the winemakers – with information on grapes, tasting notes and pairing suggestions — inspires me to hit the wine trail and sample! You can do the same using the three-page section in the magazine as a handy guide to new Iowa wines.

 

If you want to take notes and score the wines you taste, print out Make Mine Wine’s wine score card from www.MakeMineWinemagazine.com and take it with you.

 

If you would like to receive the Spring issue highlighting the new Iowa releases, subscribe today to Make Mine Wine by calling 515-962-5515 or on-line at www.MakeMineWinemagazine.com New subscribers will receive a bonus — the Winter issue, with the complete listing of the winners of the first-ever Mid-American Wine Competition.

 

The Spring issue of Make Mine Wine will be mailed to subscribers this week.

Cheers!

Barbara Rasko

Publisher

Make Mine Wine

 

 

 

 

 

Wineapalooza in Shueyville …What? …Where?

What?

This Saturday, May 10^th, The Secret Cellar Wine & Gift Boutique is hosting an outdoor tasting event with two dozen local and international wines complemented by party snacks.

 

The Secret Cellar also has great gifts (last-minute treats for your Mother). Drawings and live music add to the fun! $15.00 advanced tickets … $20 at the door.

 

Now … where is Shueyville? Near the #10 exit on 380 between Cedar Rapids and Iowa City. It’s worth the trip!

Cheers!

Barbara

Make Mine Wine

 

Here’s another great Mother’s Day gift idea … a subscription to Make Mine Wine – call 515-962-5515 today or log on to makeminewinemagazine.com.

Experience the Spring Fling this Weekend on the Western Iowa Wine Trail

Do you want to have some fun this weekend? Here’s the event for you!

 

During the Spring Fling on the Western Iowa Wine Trail, you can sample each winery’s newly-released wines, paired with cheeses, breads and flavored dipping oils.

 

Purchase a commemorative Western Iowa Wine Trail wine glass for $20.00 per person at your first stop … and that’s the ticket you use at each stop. You can visit wineries from 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. Saturday, May 3rd and Sunday, May 4th.

 

The Western Iowa Wine Trail runs 90 miles from north to south, so plan your route using the map of the Western Iowa Wine Trail available at www.westerniowawinetrail.com/events.shtm.

 

Sample the wines and visit with the owners at these participating wineries:

 

• Darrel and Roberta Morse, Breezy Hills Vineyard, Minden
• Allan and Carol Peterson, Danish Countryside Vines and Wines, Exira
• Rick and Karen Foster, King’s Crossing Vineyard & Winery, Glenwood
• Andy and Julianna Hrasky, Prairie Crossing Vineyard Winery, Treynor
• Larry and Sheila Rohatsch and Ron and Nancy Rohatsch, Loess Hills Vineyard & Winery, Crescent
• Frank and Amy Faust, Sugar Clay Winery & Vineyards, Thurman
• Mike and Dana Killinger, Whispering Hills Vineyard & Winery, Carson

 

The Western Iowa Wine Trail was featured in the Summer 2007 issue of Make Mine Wine. Spend a Midwest Wine Country weekend on the Western Iowa Wine Trail … you’ll taste some fine wine and meet some wonderful people.

 

Cheers!

 

Barbara Rasko

Publisher

Make Mine Wine

www.MakeMineWinemagazine.com

May 1st – May Day Baskets – My Mother – Mother’s Day – Brunch and Fun with Wine

Does the first of May trigger the same stream of thoughts for you?

 

When I was growing up, it was traditional to make May Day Baskets of construction paper, add pansies and anything else that was blooming in the flower garden, and run to the neighbors house (hopefully you wouldn’t be seen!), leave the basket, knock on the door and ………..RUN!

 

My brother and I were lucky because our Mother was good at making May Baskets and growing flowers. We had a lot of fun.

 

Mother’s Day is May 11^th, so it is time to plan for a wonderful day with your Mother or special lady at a Mother’s Day Brunch or special event at a local winery. There are many Midwest Wine Country wineries to choose from, so make your choice and call today to make your reservation.

Prefer to celebrate Mother’s Day on Saturday, May 10^th? Reservations are accepted through Wednesday, May 6^th for the Tassel Ridge Winery’s Mother’s Day Brunch at Leighton, Iowa. 641-672-WINE.

 

Sunday, May 11th from 1:00 – 4:00 p.m. you can enjoy the Mother’s Day Wine and Fondue event at Wallace Winery, West Branch, Iowa.  Call 319-643-3000 for details.

 

The Mount Pleasant Winery in Augusta, Missouri features a gourmet buffet for Mother’s Day with ham, roast beef, pasta, salads, omelets and desserts. The wine and music will add to the treat. Call for reservations: 800-467-WINE.

 

Here’s a great idea. Combine a Mother’s Day Luncheon on the Spirit of Dubuque (call 563-583-8093) with a winery tour. It’s not far from the Spirit of Dubuque dock to the Stone Cliff Winery in the historic Dubuque Star Brewery at the Port of Dubuque. You’re also close to the beautiful Park Farm Winery at Bankston.

 

Join the Salute to Mothers at Wollersheim Winery, Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin on Sunday, May 11from 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. The winery will be open for tours and tasting.

 

While you’re in the area, you may want to go on the Special Mother’s Day Mississippi River Cruise aboard the Mississippi Explorer Cruises. “Bald Eagle viewing on the River” will be the theme of this two-hour cruise departing at 2 p.m. from the St. Feriole Island riverfront, Prairie du Chien, 1-877-647-7397.

 

Jazz on the Vine is at The Osthoff Resort in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, May 9 – 11. The 6^th Annual Jazz on the Vine features world-renowned jazz artists and over 100 wines from international and domestic vineyards. Call 920-876-3366 for more information.

 

May I also suggest, if you are preparing Mother’s favorite meal at home, you pick up some fine Iowa wine to go with it. Many Iowa wineries have just released their new wines, so check those out.  In the Spring 2007 issue of Make Mine Wine we featured brunch recipes and recommended A Real Sweetie, a Muscato-style wine, from Tabor Homes Vineyard and Winery’s estate LaCross grapes (www.taborwines.com), Summerset Winery’s sparkling Festiva (summersetwine.com) and the fresh and fruity Sweet Cheeks from roseyacreswinery.com. Or pick up a delicious bottle of wine at your local winery. Give them a try!

 

Happy May Day!

 

Cheers!

Barbara Rasko