Buy Iowa Wines Easily and Conveniently from Home!

Not long ago I was needed to buy some Iowa wines for a photo shoot for Make Mine Wine.  I checked the websites of each winery to determine where I could buy each wine. Then I got in the car and drove to three grocery stores and purchased all of the wine except for one bottle. The store listed on the website was out of that particular bottle.

 

I was frustrated.

 

I am glad to know I won’t have to go through that experience again.

 

Now, unless I am visiting a winery, I will be ordering Iowa wine online at www.buyiowawines.com. I’ll buy local while saving time and money (gas). I’ll be able to order 24/7 and have it shipped directly to my home. I will easily get what I want when I want it and I won’t be frustrated.

 

You can do the same!

 

Matthew Wiskus at Muddy Creek Wine Company in Coralville, Iowa launched www.buyiowawines.com last month and features the best-selling wines from 14 Iowa wineries.

 

You can buy wines from Central Iowa wineries: Summerset Winery, Jasper Winery, Tassel Ridge Winery, LaVida Loca Winery, Prairie Moon Winery and Vineyards, The Grape Escape Vineyard and Winery and White Oak Vineyards.

 

Eastern Iowa wineries on the site are Tabor Home Vineyards & Winery, Cedar Ridge Vineyards, Winery & Distillery, Park Farm Winery, Fireside Winery, Deja Vine Vineyards & Winery and Wallace Winery.

 

Muddy Creek Wine Company is in Coralville, Iowa. I’ve been there and they have a world-class selection of wine. You can shop Muddy Creek Wine Company on the same site, or contact Matt for a hand-selected recommendation to meet your needs.

 

If you’ve just received your Fall/Holiday issue of Make Mine Wine, you’ll see that buyiowawines.com is the sponsor of Tasting Time with Make Mine Wine. I am excited about this partnership since it allows you to easily order the Iowa wines that our tasting panel reviews.

 

Take a look at buyiowawines.com. The site is easy to navigate and the easiest and most convenient way to buy Iowa wines from any state that Iowa wines can be sold.

 

Cheers!

 

Barbara Rasko

Publisher

MakeMineWinemagazine.com

Sure you can image it, but I’m telling you, it’s not the same!

Every day I receive announcements of upcoming events in Midwest Wine Country. I can read the details and imagine the fun while staring at my computer, but it’s sure not the same as being there … drinking some wine, listening to the music, seeing friends and neighbors and joining in the good-natured camradarie. Maybe you’re prefer dressing up for Halloween and sitting down to a chef-prepared feast. Or you might choose to view holiday lights from a helicopter and come back to the winery for dessert and wine. You can’t imagine the entertainment options at the wineries near you!

 

Next weekend, November 1st and 2nd, is a special one with wine trail events and a special open house –

 

Eagle City Winery, Iowa Falls

Open House November 1st and 2nd – Meet winemaker Dr. KenGroninga and sample some of his award-wiinning wines. Choose some to bring home to pair with your Thanksgiving meal – you and your guests will love them! The winery is about one hour north of Des Moines and worth the trip! www.eaglecitywinery.com

 

The Iowa Wine Trail Holiday event features eight Iowa wineries in the Upper Mississippi River Valley – if you haven’t visited this wonderful collection of wineries, this is the perfect chance. If you have, no doubt you’ll be going back. Added incentive is the holiday treats that will be paired with the delicious Iowa wines. If you’re from the Chicago-land area, plan a weekend getaway and hit The Iowa Wine Trail. Details are at www.IowaWineTrail.com.

 

Getting out and having fun is a good mood lifter – so do it this weekend and the next and the next! You’re going to love these wine-related, close-to-home events. Reservations are required in some cases so check the websites. The hospitality is genuine, the cost is low, and great to buy local! Here are a few of the upcoming events – and remember you can check out the events list for more ideas at www.makeminewinemagazine.com

 

Have fun!

 

Tonight, October 23rd, in Sandwich, Illinois, get on over to Girl’s Nite Out. Fox Valley Winery and JJJitters Coffee Studio will offer live music, snacks and more. It’s free. www.foxvalleywinery.com.

 

Saturday, October 25th, 1:00 – 5:00 p.m., $5 cover

Live music featuring Ben Green Original Acoustic Blues

Sugar Clay Winery, Thurman, IA   www.sugarclaywinery.com

 

October 25th, 11:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m., Linn Creek, Missouri

Seven Springs Winery’s Halloween Bash

Enjoy live bluegrass music with Cletus McDuff and Blind Willy from 11:30 – 5:30. Enter to win a prize: funniest, scariest or best couple costume and jack-o-lantern  judging at 4:00 p.m. www.sevenspringswinery.com

Sunday, October 26th, 3:00 – 6:00 p.m.

Summerset Winery Sunday Tunes with the Bob Pace Band featuring Barb Miller

 

Friday, October 31st, Washington, Iowa

Dress up and go to dinner at Café Dodici in Washington, Iowa, where Mike Tschantz is the guest chef for the evening. There’s a 10% discount if you wear your Halloween costume. http://www.cafedodici.com/

 

Friday, October 31st, 6:00 – 9:00 p.m., Indianola, Iowa

Summerset Winery’s Fall Case Club Costume Party

Stop out at Summerset Winery and buy a case and you’ll receive an invitation to this fun event – great food, live music preformed by Blues Bureau Trio, door prizes, prizes for best costume, discounts in the gift shop … and your favorite Summerset wines.

 

Saturday, November 15th, 11:00 – 3:00

Summerset Winery, Indianola, Iowa

Women & Wine: A culinary and shopping experience

Wine reception, lunch with wine, gift bags, giveaways, shopping and a ton of fun! www.summersetwinery.com. Reservations required.

 

November 20th – December 20th, Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings

Renner, South Dakota

Strawbale Winery presents Twilight Flights – enjoy appetizers and wines, hop a helicopter to view the holiday lights of Falls Park and Sioux Falls, then return to the winery for dessert and wine. Details at info@strawbalewinery.com or call 605/543-5071.

 

 

November 26th, Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

Whether you are a beginner or a wine enthusiast you can learn about tasting wine at , you can take a class and learn more about tasting wine at Vineria Wine Shop in Cedar Rapids. If you enroll by the 22nd you pay $25.00. It’s $30 after that. www.vineriawineshop.com

 

Many wineries host music events on Friday, Saturday or Sunday night, so check the website for your closest winery. Be there and enjoy!

Cheers!

Barbara Rasko

Publisher

Make Mine Wine

Learn from Your Favorite Chefs at The Celebrity Food & Wine Expo

Updating your cooking skills and elevating your food prep know-how enhances enjoyment of your meals and changes time in the kitchen from ho-hum to I can’t wait to get started!

You’ll find the inspiration and encouragement you need to try something new at The Celebrity Food & Wine Expo, Friday, November 21 – Sunday, November 23 at Hy-Vee Hall in the Iowa Events Center.

Celebrity Chefs will strut their stuff—or is that stir their stuff—at The Celebrity Kitchen Theatre, exhibitors will display their goods at The Emporium and The Gourmet Stage will feature daily demonstrations from local and regional chefs. You’ll find ready-to-eat goodies in the Sampling Zone*, The Vineyard and The Sweet Tooth Cafe.

We’re excited here at Make Mine Wine to attend this new close-to-home, food and wine event. Staff Chef Tom White will be soaking it all in, and editor Staci Scheurenbrand, a food channel junkie, can’t wait to see her favorites in person.

Celebrity chefs include Curtis Stone, Sandra Lee, Jamie Gwen, Guy Fieri, Andrew Zimmern and Butch Lipinetti. Des Moines’ own Sheree Clark will be on The Gourmet Stage … and (you’re among the first to know), we’ll feature some of her vegan recipes in the winter 2009 issue of Make Mine Wine!

You can check out all of the details of the Celebrity Food & Wine Expo at CFWEXPO.Com. Be sure to get your tickets for $25 in advance.

Food and wine—that’s inspiration for me!

Cheers!

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Publisher

Make Mine Wine

www.makeminewinemagazine.com

Have Some Fun with that Wine!

Gorgeous fall days remind us to get out and do what we love. If you enjoy fun with your wine, you should consider these outings.

 

Here’s a special invitation I just received from Paul Tabor at Tabor Home Vineyard & Winery near Baldwin, Iowa. I know you are all invited!

Hello from our 1989 Vineyard -

We just finished harvest yesterday – 15 tons of beautiful bunches of Foch, LaCrosse, St. Croix, Catawba, Seyval, & Fontenac are now crushed & destemmed and starting fermentation. The winery is very busy and smells great! Come & feel the excitement of our 2008 harvest.

 

We are celebrating the harvest with our 12th Anniversary Festival this Saturday, October 4th, 1-6 pm with BOB DORR and the BLUE BAND!

 

Once again the Delaware Meats will be grilling their tender pork loin sandwiches and brats. We will also have Iowa Cheeses & free lemonade. (No beer or other alcohol may be brought onto winery property.) $5.00 cover charge.

 

And our niece, Andrea Peterson, graphic artists in NY City, has designed another beautiful poster to celebrate this occasion.

 

Come, relax and enjoy your favorite Tabor Home Wine by our 19 year old vineyard in the rolling hills of Iowa.

 

Here’s an upcoming event from Chateau Thomas Winery in Plainfield, Indiana. You won’t want to miss the wine, chocolate and music fest this weekend where you ou can tour the winery, taste wine, listen to jazz. Details are at www.chateauthomas.com.

 

The Man in Black Johnny Cash Tribute Party, featuring Man in Black and the Crystol Creek Outlaws, is coming up next weekend, October 11th at Sugar Clay Winery, Thurman, Iowa. Check out the details at sugarclaywinery.com. Please note: arrangements have been made to hold the event indoors in case of rain.

 

So … go have some fun!

 

Cheers!

Barbara Rasko

Publisher

Make Mine Wine

www.makeminewinemagazine.com