Seven Springs Winery and The National Norton Wine Festival

Saturday I spent an enjoyable morning with my Mom in Midwest Wine Country. We visited  Missouri’s newest winery, Seven Springs Winery, just 10 minutes off of Highway 54 between Camdenton and Lake Ozark near Linn Creek in the beautiful Lake of the Ozarks.

 

The winery has beautiful space inside and out, knowledgeable and friendly folks at the tasting bar, and excellent wine. I brought a bottle home to set in front of the Tasting Time with Make Mine Wine tasting panel – and you can read the results in the next issue of the magazine.

 

Seven Springs Winery is one of several Missouri Wineries sponsoring The National Norton Wine Festival this weekend, September 5^th and 6^th. The event is a fund-raiser for the Missouri Historical Society and will be held at The Missouri History Museum in St. Louis.

 

Have you experienced Norton wines? I really appreciate the flavor of an oak-aged, robust, full-bodied Norton.  Have a virtual taste with the description of the one that I tasted – and loved – at Seven Springs Winery: An opaque deep plus color, tobacco, oak. Full bodied, spicy smooth persistent finish. Seven Springs Winery is confident their Norton will do well at the festival.

 

I’ve read that the Norton grape is the oldest American grape still being grown. Norton is the official grape of Missouri and serious wine-tasters note that the floral aromas found in the best Missouri Nortons are unique to the Appellation.

 

Some Iowa wineries are now growing Norton/Cynthiana, and I had a chance to see the heavily-loaded vines, and savor a grape or two in the vineyard yesterday at La Vida Loca Winery, near Indianola. The grapes take longer to ripen, so I’m hoping for a late frost!

 

Other Missouri wineries (and proud producers of Norton wine) sponsoring the festival are: Chandler Hill Winery, Chaumette Vineyards & Winery, Crown Valley Winery, Les Bourgeois Blufftop Winery & Restaurant and Stone Hill Winery, Twin Oaks Winery, Cooper’s Oak Winery, Adam Puchta Winery and Hermannhof Winery.

 

If you will be in St. Louis this weekend, check out the festival. I’ll keep you posted on the results.

 

Cheers!

 

Barbara Rasko

Publisher

Make Mine Wine

www.makeminewinemagazine.com

Have a Grape Experience. Stomp Grapes in Midwest Wine Country!

Join the newbies and experienced grape stompers heading into the vineyards from now through September. Help with the harvest. Meet some fun and friendly folks. Taste wine. And take some photos to send into the Make Mine Wine magazine’s Midwest Wine Country Photo Competition.

 

Make plans to attend one of these upcoming events … or just check with your local winery and see if they have a harvest festival coming up.

 

Park Farm Winery’s 2^nd Annual Grape Stomp is this weekend in Bankston, Iowa, August 30, from 1:00 – 6:00 p.m. Contact rguerrero@parkfarmwinery.com.

 

It’s “No-Pick-y, No Stomp-y” at White Oak Vineyards near Cambridge, Iowa.  They pick and stomp two weekends, so check it out at www.whiteoakvineyards.com.

  

Summerset Winery, Indianola, IA celebrates Fall Harvest every Saturday from Mid-August through September pre-paid reservations required. The fee covers breakfast, lunch, a commemorative T-shirt and wine in the vineyard, with a portion of the proceeds going to Dollars for Scholars. After breakfast and picking, the party begins with grape stomping and more.

 

Prairie Crossing Vineyard & Winery, Treynor, Iowa, will host their Harvest Party on Saturday, September 6, from noon to 9:00 p.m. www.prairiecrossingwine.com.

 

Pre-register for the Grape Picking Festival with John Ernest Vineyard & Winery in Tama, Iowa, by calling 641-484-8048.  The first 100 people can take part each Saturday, September 6^th or September 13^th.

 

Sugar Clay Winery’s 3^rd Annual Grape Stomp & Harvest Festival will be all day September 20^th in Thurman, Iowa. Stop by for live music, kids and adult grape stomps, crafters, food and wine! Check www.sugarclaywinery.com for details.

 

In Lake Lillian, Minnesota you can stomp three days in a row, September 5 – 7, at the Olde Country Winery and Vineyard’s Grape and Harvest Festival. There is a lot going on – including cash prizes, and while there you can see the world’s tallest wine bottle. RV parking is available. www.oldecountrywinery.com.

 

Are you going to be in the Chicago area? It’s a family affair September 27^th and 28^th, in Roselle, Illinois at  Lynfred Winery’s Oktoberfest and Pig Roast with kids’ and adults grape spitting, adult barrel races and grape stomping for kids, adult and couples. http://www.lynfredwinery.com.

 

You can enter the I Love Lucy look-a-like contest Sunday, August 24^th at the Kickapoo Creek Winery Grape Stomp in Central, Illinois. Expect wine, food, music and fun. www.kickapoocreekwinery.com.

 

The Grape Stomp at Superior Coast Winery in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan is held rain or shine on Saturday, September 13 at 11:00. The last two years the same person as won the contest for squeezing the most juice from their grapes – so practice up and go for the gold! www.superiorcoastwinery.com.

 

While I was at the Iowa State Fair, I heard a lot about the Harvest Festival in downtown Clear Lake, Iowa.  I don’t know if it the event is sold out yet, so give them a call or check the website to see if you can still purchase a Harvest Bag. The date is Saturday, October 4^th. www.clearlakeiowa.com/harvestfestival.

 

Don’t miss the fun! And don’t forget to send in your photos by October 1^st! Check our website, www.makeminewinemagazine.com for details.

 

Cheers!

 

Barbara Rasko

Publisher

Make Mine Wine

www.makeminewinemagazine.com

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

Don’t Miss the Tours and the Tales When You Visit the Wineries!

I’ve been on a late summer tour of wineries in Midwest Wine Country and I love it!  Each winery has a story and I’ve found by showing interest and asking a few questions, I can catch the spirit of each winery.

Last week’s wine tours were exceptional. Editor Kent Darr and I toured the 160 year old, hand-dug stone wine cellars at Stone Hill Winery. We heard the story of the “meant-to-be” circumstances that resurrected the winery now called Oak Glenn. Kent saw the old Norton grape vines planted by grape pioneer George Husmann, and now tended by Glenn and Carolyn – and Kent’s wife Sue and I heard how the vines were re-discovered and produced grapes to make many jars of delicious grape jelly the first year. Now of course, they are used to produce that wonderful Norton wine. When you visit Stone Hill Winery or Oak Glenn Winery in Hermann, Missouri, sample the wine and ask to hear the rest of the stories.

We met wonderful people – and heard pride in the voices of the winemakers – and talked to vineyard managers, determined to grow the best possible grapes.

Off the beaten path, we rubbed the shiny nose on Daniel Boone’s monument. Do you know the story? Daniel Boone died and was buried in Missouri, and 25 years later, at the request of the Kentucky Legislature, his body was moved back to and buried in Kentucky.

During the trip we crossed the Katy Trail so many times – the scenery is beautiful, and if you enjoy biking or hiking, you’ll want to give it a try.

Make Mine Wine will be carrying many of the stories about the people and places that we visit – and you’ll be seeing more information on our Web site soon to help you explore Midwest Wine Country. Tomorrow we are off on another trip to gather more information on Central Iowa Wineries for our upcoming issue. If you haven’t subscribed, do it today, so you don’t miss a single tale!

Cheers!

Barbara Rasko, Publisher

Make Mine Wine

Makeminewinemagazine.com

Grape Stomping Time is Near!

Grape harvest is about to begin in Midwest Wine Country and, as you may have guessed, grape harvest leads to grape stomping. Wineries will be stomping grapes from now through September, depending on the grapes they are harvesting, and you can see the current list of grape stomping events at  www.makeminewinemagazine.com.

Send us pictures of the grapes between your toes, and we’ll post the best on our Web site.  

Here’s a grape stomping event you won’t want to miss, whether you’re stomping or observing. Make plans now to be at Stone Hill Winery in Hermann, Missouri on Saturday, August 11^th for grape stomping, brats, live bluegrass music and winery tours and tastings (8:30 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.) You can also make dinner reservations in the restaurant. See http://stonehillwinery.com/locations/hermann/events/GrapeStomp.aspx for all of the details.

Kickapoo Creek Winery in Central Illinois (right off 1-74 (exit 82), about 10 minutes west of Peoria, will host their 2^nd annual grape stomp on Sunday, August 19^th. There will be wine, music and fun … and an I Love Lucy look-a-like contest! I’m not sure if you have to be a natural Lucy look-a-like, or if props are allowed! You can get more information by calling (309)495-WINE.

Cheers!

Barbara Rasko