Beautiful and Classy New Release: Summer Issue of Make Mine Wine!

Weekend inspiration for the Wine and Finer Things Lifestyle pops from cover to cover in the summer issue of Make Mine Wine!

Summer Wine recommendations from Abbe Hendricks of Gateway Market fame, grape stomping opportunities from Iowa to Oregon, an invitation to create homemade wine, and a Spanish wine tale are motivators for breaking your normal routine.

Readers are introduced to five fine wineries and a new wine trail: Stone Cliff Winery, Grape Escape Winery, OakGlenn Winery, Park Farm Winery and Blue Stem Winery and the Scenic Rivers Wine Trail.

This issue is your source for upcoming enology and viticulture classes at universities and community colleges across the state … and in some cases you can take the classes online.

I am especially excited for readers to make our memorable summer meal — Mushroom Tapenade Salad paired with Grape Escape Winery’s Simply White or La Vida Loca Winery’s Edelweiss;  Baked Fish Encrusted with Caramelized Onion Polenta paired with Prairie Moon Winery’s Seyval Blanc; and Baked Asparagus Custard paired with Tassel Ridge Winery’s Finale Premier Red Dessert Wine or Stone Hill Winery’s Cream Sherry.  The make-ahead recipes, developed by Staff Chef Tom White, are flavorful and delightful.

Invite some friends, pick one of our stylish summer table suggestions, and serve our WOW meal to create a relaxing summer event for you and your guests.

Make Mine Wine subscribers will be receiving this beautiful issue over the next few days. I’ll be looking forward to hearing from you — I believe you’ll enjoy it as much as Editor Staci Scheurenbrand, Designer Barbara Scott and I do!

If you are not yet a subscriber, call subscribe today and we’ll get one in the mail to you — www.makeminewinemagazine.com.

Make Mine WIne is your best guide for exploring Midwest Wine Country! While you’re exploring, take some pictures and send them in. You may be a winner in the Midwest Wine Country Photo Contest!

I guarantee you, one look at our spectacular cover, shot by Dean Tanner from Primary Image, LTD., will put you in the mood to grab a glass of your favorite wine and kick-back on the deck. The wine is Pink from Summerset Winery … and it’s a good one.

Cheers!

Barbara Rasko, Publisher

makeminewinemagazine.com

All work and no play … you know what they say … so head out to a winery and have some fun!

Spring in Midwest Wine Country can be stressful with the relentless threat of thunderstorms, floods and tornadoes. Neighbors help neighbors and a strong sense of caring starts the healing process. My home state of Iowa has been hit particularly hard this year, and our thoughts and prayers are with those who have lost loved ones, had homes damaged or destroyed or seen recently-planted fields turn into lakes.

 

If there is an upside to the fierce weather, it is the lush green landscape!

 

If you need an escape this weekend, or next, I recommend you get out and enjoy your close-to-home Midwest Wine Country events.  Check out www.makeminewinemagazine.com for a more complete list of all of the events. Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays are hopping at the wineries!

 

Here are some suggestions for the weekend of June 20^th – 22^nd:

 

Imagine a beautiful lake, rimmed with white tents, live jazz, gourmet pork creations and Iowa wine. What is it? The not-to-be-missed, Second Annual SWINE Festival at the Ankeny Campus of Des Moines Area Community College, Saturday, June 21^st from 4:00 p.m. -9:00 p.m.

 

You can sample 10 gourmet pork dishes created by area Chefs and Iowa wine samplings from Cedar Ridge Winery (Cedar Rapids), Eagle City Winery (Iowa Falls), Grape Escape Winery (Pleasantville), Jasper Winery (Newton), Madison County Winery (St. Charles, IA), Park Farm Winery (Bankston), Santa Maria Winery (Willey), Snus Hill Winery (Madrid), Southern Hills Winery (Osceola), Summerset Winery (Indianola), Sutliff Cider Company (Lisbon), Tabor Home Winery (Baldwin), Tassel Ridge Winery (Leighton), and White Oak Vineyards (Cambridge).

 

Janey Hooper will entertain with her mix of jazz, blues and rhythm and blues. For $35 you can taste, sample and listen – and receive 1 free bottle of wine (your choice). Advance tickets are $30 at iowatix.com. The event will take place rain or shine.

 

The Heart of Iowa Wine Trail event, Picnic Time in the Vines, continues through July 31^st, at 15 Central Iowa wineries. For more information, check out heartofiowawinetrail.com.

 

Tassel Ridge Winery at Leighton invites you to a Wine and Food Pairing Dinner, Sunday, June 22^nd. It is a great opportunity to try Caribbean flavors paired with wine. Reserve by June 19^th. www.tasselridge.com

 

Enjoy live music with your wine on Sunday, June 22^nd. It’s The Bar Gators at Southern Hills Winery near Osceola, www.shwinery.com. Mike and Amy Finders Band will entertain (Bluegrass) in Ames at Prairie Moon Winery, www.prairiemoonwinery.com. You can listen to Latin jazz with Tony Valdez at Snus Hill Vineyards and Winery, Madrid, www.snushillwine.com. Head out to Summerset Winery in Indianola to hear Perry Weber & the Devilles. The Southeast Minnesota Bluegrass Association will hold at Jam session at Winneshiek Wildberry Winery, www.wwwwinery.com, in Decorah. Tabor Homes Vineyards at Baldwin (www.Taborwines.com) will feature live music by Bryce Janey. On Solid Ground will play in Thurman at Sugar Clay Winery, www.sugarclarywinery.com.

 

If you’re going to be in Michigan, don’t miss Diva’s Uncorked – an evening devoted to women and wine, presented by the Old Mission Wine Trail. See the details at www.wineriesofoldmission.com.

 

 

Cheers!

Barbara

Make Mine Wine

www.MakeMineWinemagazine.com

Winter Offers Fun and Award-Winning Wine in Door County

It’s snowing again through much of the Midwest. The tendency for many is to complain about the cold and the snow, as if it is unexpected. The better response to nature’s winter gift is to get out and enjoy it, either close to home or on a weekend getaway.

My friend Tom Benson of Benson Communications in Eden Prairie, MN (and founding publisher of Midwest Living magazine) recommends a weekend getaway in Door County, Wisconsin. There are plenty of ways to play in the snow! Currently there are 250 miles of freshly groomed snowmobile trails open, and 100 miles of trails perfect for skiing or snowshoeing. You might prefer to sled on Hill 17 at Peninsula State Park … or ice skate. Choose an outdoor activity and have fun! 

Many winter weekends Door County celebrates with special events, like the Fire and Ice Festival on February 16^th in Sturgeon Bay. During the day, you can watch ice carvers turn massive blocks of ice into works of art. Or dart into the unique shops and galleries downtown. I would drive out to see the lighthouses or visit the Door County Maritime Museum to hand stamp maritime-themed cards or learn about shipwrecks, iron men or commercial fishing during the speaker’s series. At day’s end, enjoy dinner and dancing at Stone Harbor Resort, or dine in one of the other fine restaurants. For all things Door County, go to www.DoorCounty.com or call 1-800-52 RELAX (73529)  

Of course, you don’t want to miss the wineries and the wine! Let me recommend two.

Red Oak Winery in Sturgeon Bay captured gold with Captain Nick’s Port at the First-ever Mid-American Wine Competition this summer. Named after Captain Nick Wagener, the youngest Captain on the Great Lakes at the time, this port has a smooth and silky finish, with notes of caramel, coffee and vanilla, and a subtle hint of spice.  

Door County is home to outstanding cherry orchards, and Red Oak Winery’s Ruby Cherry took silver at the competition. Their Pinot Noir 2004 received bronze.  

The historical Carlsville schoolhouse is the home of Door Peninsula Winery. They took awards at the Mid-American Wine Competition with their Cabernet and Sweet Cherry Wines.

Whether you travel to Door County for a weekend or a week, indulge in one of the wonderfully winter romance packages (www.doorcounty.com/deals/seasonal-promotions/nature-romance.aspx). Think meticulous, cozy lodge, scrumptious food, delicious local wine and your loved one!  

Let me know about your trip to Door County! When everyone else is complaining about the weather, you’ll have that secret smile and know what they are missing in Midwest Wine Country!

Barbara Rasko, Publisher

Make Mine Wine magazine

MakeMineWinemagazine.com

Expect a Great Event!

If you’ve seen the striking, fun advertising for SWine or their Web site www.swinefestival.com, you’re probably looking forward to the event as much as I am.  This Saturday, July 14^th, cork meets pork at the First-ever Iowa Premiere Pork and Wine Event. You’ll experience gourmet pork creations from some of Central Iowa’s finest chefs and restaurants, assisted by the Iowa Culinary Institute at Des Moines Area Community College. You’ll also have the opportunity to taste, and purchase bottles of, delicious Iowa wines. The event is accompanied by music by Taste of Revival. 

Stop by the Make Mine Wine Booth and pick up a copy of the gorgeous summer issue … and say hi. I would love to meet you. Our editor, Kent Darr, will be around with his camera — SMILE!

 The event is paired with the First-ever Mid-American Wine Competition and you’ll have an opportunity to meet the events world-renowned judges at SWine. Tickets are $25 at the event and are all-inclusive for the wine samples and the food. You can also purchase tickets in advance from iowatix.com for $20.00. Children under 5 are free. Designated drivers and folks 6 – 20 pay $20 to get in.  If you enjoy our regional wine, you’ll be glad to know the proceeds from SWine will benefit the new Viticulture and Enology program at DMACC. You may have read about that in the Spring 2007 issue of Make Mine Wine. This is a fabulous program under the direction of Paul Gospodarczyk, instructor of enology, and Randall Voss, viticulture instructor, with great support from the DMACC administration. They are organizers of the Mid-American Wine Competition, and have been unpacking and organizing the hundreds of wine bottles for the judges! Take a look at http://www.dmacc.edu/ici/winecompphotos.asp SWine will be held under big tents to protect from sun (or rain) from 4:00 – 9:00 p.m. at the DMACC campus (next to the lake), 2006 South Ankeny Blvd in Ankeny.  See you there! Cheers!
Barbara Rasko