Summer Fun at Western Iowa Wineries!

This weekend, July 11 & 12^th is the Western Iowa Wine Trail’s event, Grillin’ With Iowa Wines. Seven wineries invite you to stop by and sample their paired wine and grilled foods. Hours are 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. Saturday and 11:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Sunday.

The first 225 passport holders are eligible to receive a 7-piece gift set when they have completed a visit to all seven wineries on the trail. Most folks on the trail prefer to visit the seven wineries over a two-day period, not one. To reserve your passports with a credit card, please call the winery where you will start your journey. Passports: $60 per couple $35 for a single.

Participating wineries are:
Breezy Hills Vineyard Minden

Danish Countryside Vines & Wines Elkhorn

King’s Crossing Vineyard & Winery Glenwood

Loess Hills Vineyard & Winery Crescent

Prairie Crossing Vineyard & Winery Treynor

Sugar Clay Winery & Vineyard Thurman

Whispering Hills Vineyard & Winery Carson

Visit http://www.westerniowawinetrail.com for a map and Western Iowa tourism information. You will also find links to information about each winery, its history, wine and the winemaker.

Have fun … and be safe.

Cheers!
Barbara Rasko

Publisher

Make Mine Wine

Wine Tasting, Beads and Masks Can Be Yours at Mardi Gras on the Western Iowa Wine Trail

Seven Western Iowa wineries welcome you to Mardi Gras, this weekend, Saturday, February 28 (10:00 – 6:00)  & Sunday, March 1st 2009 (Noon to 5:00).

Spend the weekend on the trail, visiting the wineries, sampling Iowa wine paired with samples of Mardi-Gras-style food. Collect beads and have fun!

Passports for the event are $18 per person and are available at each winery. The Western Iowa Wine Trail wineries are Breezy Hills Vineyard, Minden; Danish Countryside Vines & Wines, Exira; King’s Crossing Vineyard & Winery, Glenwood; Loess Hills Vineyard & Winery, Crescent; Prairie Crossing Vineyard & Winery, Treynor; Sugar Clay Winery & Vineyard, Thurman and Whispering Hills Vineyard & Winery, Carson.

Visit
www.westerniowawinetrail.com for more information.

Cheers!

Barbara Rasko, Publisher

Make Mine Wine

http://www.MakeMineWinemagazine.com

Summer Grillin’ and Iowa Wines on the Western Iowa Wine Trail

When was the last time you made the easy trip to Western Iowa? This weekend’s Western Iowa Wine Trail event is high motivation for wine lovers to get out and enjoy the beautiful Loess Hills countryside, historical landmarks, and parks and check out the antiquing, museums, casinos, fine dining, Bed & Breakfasts or camping.

 

There’s always plenty to do in Western Iowa and this weekend, July 12^th and 13^th, the main event is the 4^th Annual “Grillin’ with Iowa Wines” at seven host wineries along the trail stretching from Elk Horn to Thurman and back to Crescent. The Western Iowa Wine Trail was featured in the Summer 2007 issue of Make Mine Wine – go grab your copy and hit the trail. (Or, visit www.westerniowawinetrail.com.

 

From 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. each day of the two day event, each winery will be pairing their Iowa-made wines with samples of delectable grilled food. Passports are available for purchase at each participating winery for $60 per couple or $35 per single. The first 225 couple/single passports sold will receive a bonus opportunity to cleck one piece of a 7-piece cheese board set at each winery they visit. Visit all seven wineries over the weekend to complete your set. There will also be one complete set given away as a door prize at each winery.

 

The wineries are Breezy Hills Vineyard at Minden, Danish Countryside Vines & Wines at Exira, King’s Crossing Vineyard & Winery at Glenwood, Prairie Crossing Vineyard & Winery at Treynor, Loess Hills Vineyard & Winery at Crescent, Sugar clay Winery & Vineyards at Thurman, and Whispering Hills Vineyard & Winery at Carson.

 

Enjoy the wine – pack a cooler to purchase and transport your favorites home at a safe temperature – and discover the personality of each winery. You’ll meet some wonderful people, see unique gifts in the gift shops, and have a great time!

 

Cheers!

Barbara Rasko

Publisher

Make Mine Wine

MakeMineWInemagazie.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

http://www.MakeMineWinemagazine.com

Let Spring Fever Carry You Away to a Winery Event!

Remember your high school days? How did Spring Fever affect you? Were you frisky? Restless? Ready to get out and try something new?

 

It’s time to let Spring Fever get a hold of you again … and this time, I’m guessing you are old enough for a weekend escape … so go out and try some new wines!

Go Grilling with Iowa Wines on The Iowa Wine Trail this weekend, April 26^th and 27^th.  Discover wines that complement your summer outdoor barbeques. The event is open each day from 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. at seven Eastern Iowa wineries. You can sample tasty grilled tidbits paired with the excellent wines of the Upper Mississippi River Valley.  The Iowa Wine Trail wineries are: Daly Creek Winery, Anamosa, Wallace Winery, West Branch, Sutliff Cider Company, Lisbon, Tabor Home Vineyards& Winery, Baldwin, Park Farm Winery, Bankston, Eagles Landing Winery, Marquette, and Winneshiek Wildberry Winery, Decorah.  

Ticket information is available at www.iowawinetrail.com. Free Designated Driver Tickets are also available for food sampling only.

King’s Crossing Vineyard and Winery at Glenwood, Iowa is hosting a Medieval Feast with Vegetable-beef soup, roasted turkey legs, twice baked potatoes, bread and butter, fruits and a medieval dessert … and King’s Crossing wine. They seat 20 royals, merchants, commoners or peasants … so call today for details or to reserve your space. Reservations and pre-payment ($30 per person) required, so call 712-526-2873. If it’s too late to join the fun this weekend, get your reservation in for their next event! www.kingscrossingvineyard.com

 

Head over to Wichita, Kansas, Saturday, April 26^th for the 13^th Annual Midwest Winefest. At the Grand Tasting and Auctions in Century II Exhibition Hall, from 6:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m., attendees will sample from over 300 different wines, enjoy gourmet cuisine from Wichita’s finest restaurants, attend cooking with wine demonstrations and participate in silent auctions. Enjoy live Jazz music, browse wine-related booths and a rare bottle exhibit, or visit the Cigar Veranda. You’ll sip new wines, learn some interesting facts, taste outstanding foods and delight in the company of fellow wine enthusiasts.

 

The fast-paced excitement of the live auction begins with the venerable wine auctioneer, Fritz Hatton. Participants will have the opportunity to bid on everything from rare wine to wine dinners to vacation getaways. 

 

Best of all, your attendance will help the Guadalupe Health Foundation serve the needy families in our community. For more information about the Midwest Winefest and the Guadalupe Health Foundation, visit the web site at www.midwestwinefest.com.

 

Already booked this weekend? Plan ahead to attend one of these enjoyable events next weekend!

It’s Southern Hills Winery’s Birthday and it’s time to celebrate. The party is Saturday, May 3^rd  from 7:00 – 11:00 p.m. in Osceola, Iowa  … and you are invited. Step up to the taco bar and fill your plate, then relax while One Night Stand entertains with their high-quality contemporary jazz and rhythm and blues sound. Purchase your tickets ($15.00 each) before May 1^st. www.shwinery.com

 

Planning to be in the Cedar Falls area on May 3^rd? Order your tickets now to attend An Evening in Celebration of Wine & Tulips, 6:00 pm – 8:00 p.m This is the 23^rd year for this popular and enjoyable event, presented by the Friends of KUNI/KHKE to benefit public radio in Iowa. Attendance is limited to 800 guests so don’t hesitate to order tickets ($35 in advance and $45 at the door) at 319. 277-1255..

More than two hundred domestic and imported wines are available for sampling with reds, whites, blushes, dessert and sparkling wines on hand. Wines from the vineyards of California, Washington, Italy, France, Australia, Spain, and Iowa, will be poured. Also available for sampling is a variety of Midwestern cheeses, plus breads and fruits to cleanse the palate.

Adding to the festive atmosphere will be live jazz and classical music by Marc Irving Weber, plus arrangements of fresh tulips by Rainbow Florists & Greenhouses (Waterloo).

 

You may be interested in attending the Meet the Distributors VIP Pre-Party – call Angela Vezdos at 319.273.6336 to purchase a ticket at a Patron level.

 

Ready for one more great Spring Fever suggestion? It’s a good one!

 

The Western Iowa Wine Trail wineries present their annual Spring Fling, May 3^rd and 4^th. Again, this is a wonderful opportunity to sample Iowa wines, and enjoy the wineries and their fine hospitality. Participating wineries are: Breezy Hills Vineyard, Minden, Loess Hills Vineyard & Winery, Crescent, Sugar Clay Winery & Vineyards, Thurman, Danish Countryside Vines & Wines, Exira, King’s Crossing Vineyard & Winery, Glenwood, Whispering Hills Vineyard & Winery, Carson and Prairie Crossing Vineyard & Winery, Treynor. To purchase a passport and print a map of a trail, visit the Web site at www.westerniowawinetrail.com/.

 

Cheers!

Barbara Rasko, Publisher

Make Mine Wine

www.MakeMineWinemagazine.com

 

Celebrate Mardi Gras on the Western Iowa Wine Trail

Who knew Carnival was being celebrated in Western Iowa?  You’ll find Mardi Gras on the Western Iowa Wine Trail this Saturday, February 2nd, from 10:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m. You can tour six Iowa wineries, taste wine, and enjoy tasty Cajun dishes at each stop. The cost is just $18.00 per person and you can buy your ticket at the first winery you visit. Don your beards and hit the trail: Breezy Hills Vineyard, Minden; Whispering Hills Vineyard & Winery, Carson; Loess Hills Vineyard & Winery, Crescent; King’s Crossing Vineyard & Winery, Glenwood; Prairie Crossing Vineyard & Winery, Treynor; and Sugar Clay Winery & Vineyards, Thurman.  Learn more about each winery at www.westerniowawinetrail.com, or in the Summer 2007 issue of Make Mine Wine (www.makeminewinemagazine.com). The Western Iowa Wine Trail is the newest in a long history of trails in that part of the state.  On my last trip out West, I stopped by the Western Historic Trails Center at Council Bluffs. This interactive center lets you explore the historic Western Trails: The Lewis and Clark Trail, Mormon Trail, The Oregon Trail and The California Trail.

 Head west this weekend … a great time awaits!

Cheers!

Barbara Rasko, Publisher

Make Mine Wine

Third Annual Summer Grillin’ with Iowa Wine is this Weekend!

That’s right. It’s time to head to Western Iowa for a great weekend of touring Midwest Wine Country and tasting some mighty fine wine. A variety of grilled entrees will be paired with select wines at each of the seven wineries on the Western Iowa Wine Trail.

This special event takes place from 10am to 6pm on Saturday July 14th and Sunday July 15^th. You can purchase your passport and start anywhere along the trail — Danish Countryside Vines & Wines in Elkhorn, Breezy Hills Vineyard in Minden, Loess Hills Vineyard & Winery in Crescent, Sugar Clay Winery & Vineyards at Thurman, King’s Crossing Vineyard & Winery in Glenwood, Whispering Hills Vineyard & Winery in Carson or Prairie Crossing Vineyard & Winery in Treynor.

You’ll love the wine and the hospitality. If you really hustle you can do the entire wine trail in one day, but I recommend you take your time and appreciate the uniqueness of each winery, and enjoy the scenery, the people and the fun. For more information on the event, including pricing and dining and lodging options, visit www.westerniowawinetrail.com. You also might want to check out www.traveliowa.org which carries a complete guide to western Iowa attractions.

The Summer issue of Make Mine Wine has a seven page feature on the Western Iowa Wine Trail. Our editor, Kent Darr, along with his wife Sue, hit the trail a few weeks ago and the article is a wonderful recap of their trip, along with recommendations on their favorite wine at each of the wineries.

You can order the magazine at www.makeminewinemagazine.com – and I’m guessing you can also pick up a copy this weekend if you are on the trail in Western Iowa.

Enjoy your travels in Midwest Wine Country.

Cheers!

Barbara Rasko