Celebrate July 4th at a Winery

Taste wine!

Listen to live music!

Dance!

Share a bottle of your favorite wine!

Enjoy delicious food!

Play lawn games!

Entertain your out-of-state … or local friends!

Ooh and aah over the fireworks!

Hang out with people who want to have a good time!

Here are a few of the lively 4th of July events at local wineries:

July 4 Summerset Winery, Indianola,Iowa, 2:00 – 8:00 p;.m., Live Music, good food, great wine, awesome time!

July 4th. Celebrate with Red, White, & Blue, BBQ & Lawn Games at Tassel Ridge Winery, Leighton, Iowa. Lawn games: 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m . Lunch: 12–1p $15+ tax. Grilled steak sandwiches, crunchy coleslaw, cookies.  Reserv req by Thurs, July 2.

Plans for the 4th? Iowa’s 6 wine trails beckon. Stop during vacation or plan a special getaway. Locations here: http://tinyurl.com/ledoka

July 4th, Grape Escape Winery, Pleasantville, Iowa. Smoked Ribs, Potluck (7 pm), Wind Talkers/Nicolas Cage (movie on the barn), The movie is inspired by the true story of the Navajo soldiers whose courage and sacrifices helped win the war in the Pacific. Fireworks following the movie! Bring covered dish to share, lawn chairs.

July 4th, Southern Hills Winery, Osceola, Iowa. BBQ Sandwiches, wine tasting, Music by Katdaddy55, 6:30-9:30p. Fireworks at dusk.

Cedar Valley Winery, Batavia, Iowa. Grand Opening, Sat. July 4th 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. and Sun. July 5th 12 p.m. – 5 p.m. Six different wines and food.

Loess Hills Winery, Crescent, Iowa. Live Music with Chris Saub 6:00 – 9:00 p.m. July 4th. Details: http://www.loesshillsvineyardandwinery.com

July 4th Ribs on the River Fest at Winneshiek Wildberry Winery, Decorah, Iowa. Details at http://www.wwwinery.com.

Dale Valley Vineyard & Winery, Stuart, Iowa. July 4th, Live music by Brother Tucker – 1:00 – 4:30 p.m. Details at http://www.dalevalleyvineyard.com.

Check the website for your favorite winery — some will be closed on the 4th of July — and many have live music on Friday or Sunday.

Remember: leave your pets at home — and do not bring acoholic beverages. Buy a bottle of wine to share at the event and purchase  a bottle or case of your favorite wine to take home! Remember, too, you can order many favorite wines and have them shipped to your home, or as a gift to friends, from http://www.buyiowawines.com – run by our good friend Matt Wiskus at Muddy River Wine Company at Coralville!

Cheers!

Barbara Rasko, Publisher

Explore Midwest Wine Country when you follow @makeminewine on Twitter, http://www.twitter.com

Explore Iowa’s Wine Trails

Over 50 wineries are scattered along Iowa’s Wine Trails and a visit to any of one of them is a mini-vacation from the everyday world. Treat yourself to stops at several wineries along one of Iowa’s 6 wine trails and experience for a great weekend getaway. There is so much to do in Iowa Wine Country. For starters, you can:

Taste award-winning wines

Tour a winery

Stroll through the vineyard

Meet the winemaker

Take pictures for the Make Mine Wine Midwest Wine Country photo contest (scenic, people, still-life, black and white — deadline October 1, 2009 to makeminewine@mchsi.com )

Develop your wine-tasting palate

Pick up some delicious recipes and wine and food pairing suggestions

Relax on the balcony or porch and soak in the scenery

Sign up to harvest grapes — and then do some stomping

Hang out with friends and

Listen to live music.

Hop on a trail while on vacation or schedule a special getaway. For more information on Iowa’s wine trails, click on the links below.

Amana Colonies Wine Trail — 5 wineries in the Amanas —www.amanacolonies.org

Great River Road Wine Trail — 9 wineries in iowa, Minnesota and Wisconsin — www.greatriverroadwinetrail.org

Heart of Iowa Wine Trail — 16 wineries in central Iowa —  www. heartofiowawinetrail.com

The Iowa Wine Trail — 8 wineries in northeast Iowa — www.iowawinetrail.com

Scenic Rivers Wine Trail — 15 wineries in southeast Iowa, Illinois and Missouri — www.scenicriverswine.com

Western Iowa Wine Trail – 7 wineries in western Iowa — www.westerniowawinetrail.com

Cheers!

Barbara Rasko

Make Mine Wine

Find Weekend Inspiration (With Wine!) Here

Are you out there having fun? Your local wineries look forward to seeing you. There’s no end to the fun you can have!

Heart of Iowa Wine Trail Receive 2 Heart of Iowa Wine Trail wine glasses when you complete your passport ($25 each) with stamps from each of the wineries on the trail. Sample wine, find your favorites and take some home to enjoy. Between now and October 1st you may participate in the Heart of Iowa Culinary Celebration – purchase an apron ($40 each) and receive a free culinary item from each winery (15 in all). For more info see www.heartofiowawinetrail.com.

Purchase tickets now for one of the upcoming Wine & Prime Dinners at the Iowa State Fair. Prime rib and the fixings, along with your favorite Iowa wine from the Iowa Wine & Cheese Garden is a first-rate fine dining experience at the Iowa State Fair, August 13 – 23). Call 515/262-8323 for more information.

Scenic Rivers Grape & Wine, Summer Romance in the Vineyards, takes place this weekend, June 27 & 28 from 11:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. through Iowa, Illinois and Missouri. Download a map with the 15 wineries and check for details at www.scenicriverswine.com

Saturday, June 27th, downtown Adel is the scene for the Raccoon Valley Wine Festival. Groove with Tony Valdez sample and buy wine, explore the food vendor booths. 5:00 – 9:00 p.m.

It’s Music in the Barn, Sunday, June 28th,  with Dave Moore at Wallace Winery. 2:00 – 4:30, West Branch Iowa.

Tassel Ridge Winery’s 2nd Annual Croquet Tournament is this Saturday, June 27th, in Leighton, Iowa. Stop by for wine and BBQ. Enjoy the artist’s work on display. Relax and have fun!

There are plenty of opportunities to hear the live music at Snus Hill Winery, Madrid, Iowa. Front Porch Fridays are from 5:30 – 8:30 p.m. and Snus Sundays are 2:00 – 5:00 p.m. Sip wine and relax!  www.snushillwine.com

Rumor Has It will be on the big outdoor screen (10′ x 20′ on the side of the barn) at Grape Escape Winery, Pleasantville, Iowa, this Saturday night, June 27th. Free popcorn during the movie – bring a chair and, if you like, snacks. Purchase wine from Grape Escape and have fun!  Movie begins at dark — around 8:45/9:00. (Must be 21 and no pets.)

Dale Valley Vineyard at Stuart, Iowa, features live music every other Saturday from 1:00 – 4:30 p.m. – check the website for dates and bands at www.dalevalleyvineyard.com.

John Ernest Vineyard & Winery, Tama, Iowa, invites you to join them for live music and wine. Their outdoor entertainment schedule is posted at www.johnernestvineyard.com  Coming up is Major Day on Sunday, June 28th from 3:00 – 6:00 and Route 66 on Friday, July 3rd from 7:00 – 10:00 p.m.

Friday night, June 26th,  One Night Stand will be performing R&B and Jazz at Prairie Moon Winery, Ames, Iowa.

Jasper Winery, Des Moines, Iowa, has Thursday night music events, 6:00 – 9:00 p.m.. This week you can hear Tony Valdez, play lawn games and purchase wine, burgers, brats, etc.

Friday Night Wine Downs at White Oak Vineyards, Cambridge, Iowa, feature live music from 7:00 – 10:00 p.m. Details at www.whiteoakvineyards.com

Sunset in the Vineyard at Penoach Winery, Adel, Iowa, is a great place to listen to live music on Friday nights. This week it is Louderbox in Concert, 7:00 – 9:00 p.m. Details at www.penoach.com

Fireside Winery, Marengo, Iowa, hosts their Summer music series from 7 pm – 10 every Friday night.

Sunday, June 28th, Brich & Killion will be at Sugar Clay Winery, Thurman, Iowa, 2:00 – 5:00 p.m.

SEMBA Bluegrass Jam takes place at Winneshiek Wildberry Winery, Decorah, Iowa, on Sunday, June 28. Details at www.wwwinery.com.

Park Farm Winery’s Toast and Jam gets underway every Sunday from 5:00 – 8:00 p.m. It’s a end-of-the-weekend wind-down in Bankston, Iowa.

There are plenty of choices for fun at wineries – all good!

Mark your calendars for next weekends 4th of July Celebration at Summerset Winery, Indianola, Iowa. Be there between 2:00 – 8:00 p.m. for live music, good food, great wine and fun people. www.summersetwine.com

 Of course, you can catch Sunday Tunes at Summerset Winery, Indianola, Iowa, every Sunday, year round from 3:00 – 6:00 p.m.

Did you know, not far from Summerset Winery at  Carlisle, Iowa, (just off the Highway 5 by-pass) has an old-fashioned 4th of July Parade (9:30 a.m.) and a day of activities in the park. Have some fun in Carlisle, then head to Summerset Winery. That night, the spectacular Fireworks display in Carlisle will put a big exclamation mark on a wonderful day!

Cheers!

Barbara Rasko Publisher, Make Mine Wine www.makeminewinemagazine.com

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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