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Helpful Holiday Hosting Hints
Tips, tricks, and more
 Photo courtesy of goodfoodgoodfriends.com. Find more holiday entertaining tips and recipes here. Chilling, storing, pouring - oh my! Getting the best out of your Missouri wine while hosting a large or small holiday event is easier than it sounds. Just follow these simple steps when sipping and serving, and you'll have the best holiday get-together on the block! Selecting:It's a good idea to choose a red and a white wine for your guests. The trick is picking palate-friendly vinos to serve. A semi-sweet Vignoles and a semi-dry Chardonel are safe bets for your whites. A rich, medium-bodied Chambourcin is a great pick for your red wines. A Missouri Sparkling wine is a good wine to have available as guests arrive and throughout the evening. Offer a non-alcoholic Missouri sparkling juice, too. How Much?Depending on the length of your event, a good estimate is that one bottle of wine will fill five to six glasses. Guests will probably have one glass of wine per person per hour. (Remind your guests to consume responsibly.) Open bottles as you go and remember that unused, unopened bottles make for great last minute gifts.
Snacks:Have a selection of snack items that pair well with each wine you are serving. Seasonal fruits, various cheeses and meats are easy-to-eat finger foods that guests can enjoy throughout the evening. Try a clever serving display like using chalkboard paper to show guests which snack goes with which wine! Click here for more food and wine pairing ideas. Serving:Temperature is important when serving different varietals. Serving wine too warm can cause the alcohol to overpower the characteristics of the wine. Serving it too cold can mask the flavors. If you don't have a wine cellar, chill your white wines in advance for about two hours in the refrigerator (to about 55°F). Red wines (also, ports and sherries) should be served at a cool room temperature of about 65°F. Chill the reds in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to 1 hour. Sparkling wines should be refrigerated for about 3 hours. Keep your bottles chilled with a wine bottle chiller, such as this. Glasses:You don't have to have fancy bar-ware to successfully serve wine. An all-purpose wine glass is completely sufficient. However, if you have basic red and white wine glasses, set them out for use. Red wine glasses have a larger bowl, which allows the wine to open up and enhance the flavors. White wines have a smaller bowl to keep the wine cooler longer. If you're serving sparkling wine, flutes prevent the bubbles from going flat, prolonging the enjoyment of the wine. Keep track of whose wine glass is whose with stemware charms like these, or check out these DIY tips and create your own. Pouring:Fill the wine glass 1/3 to halfway. Leave space for swirling the wine, which allows the sipper to enjoy the aroma of the wine and allows the wine to "open up," which boosts the overall tasting experience. Spills Happen:It's true! Club soda, as well as white wine both work to remove red wine from fabric or carpet. If you've prepared ahead of time, use a spray bottle to soak the spot. If not, slowly pour either liquid straight from the bottle on the problem area. Blot the spot until it comes clean. Click here for more helpful tips on serving and tasting wine! Happy Holiday Hosting! |
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Quick, I need gifts!
Your schedule is packed with work, family, friends, parties, cookie exchanges, holiday concerts and such, leaving little time to shop. Never fear! Missouri wines are near. Grab a case of wine for those last minute, yet thoughtful gifts and cross off 12 people at once. Hosts will love you, Aunt Edna will boast you and neighbors will toast you. One size fits most. |
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It's Time for Warm Wishes and Warm Wines!
During the chilly months of winter, warm your hands with a steaming mug of mulled wine. Mulled wine is a drink typically prepared by combining red wine with sugar and spices, and typically served warm. This beverage is a perfect treat to serve at your holiday get-together. The warm spices of clove and cinnamon create not only a delicious flavor, but a delicious and inviting aroma! Plus, mulled wine recipes are easy to alter, so you can make a big batch ensuring that all of your guests get a sample!
There are many variations of this drink that is traditionally consumed during the winter months and around the Christmas holiday. (Fun fact: The German variation of this beverage dates back to the early 1400s!) Try this modern version of the spicy wine drink (pictured), which uses citrus fruits and yummy spices like cardamom, clove and peppercorn. Many mulled wine recipes, like this one, also use port to enhance the richness of the drink. You can even spruce up your recipes with whole fruits, like this Cranberry Mulled Wine recipe! Use the semi-dry Chambourcin for these recipes, or a sweet red like Concord (and go easy on the added sugar).
Another great beverage to serve at your holiday gathering is a festive wine punch! These recipes can often be prepared ahead of time (letting them sit over night enhances the flavor) and can easily serve a large group of people. Try this Sparkling Pomegranate Punch, use a late harvest Missouri white wine and a Missouri sparkling to really make this punch shine! Or try this Scarlet Wine Punch. Even though it is served warm, it uses a white wine like Chardonel.
Remember that many of these recipes are flexible! Use ingredients that you like, and you're sure to wow your guests!
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New Year, New Wines!
Well, not necessarily new wine, but new to you! Let this year's new years resolution be a fun one: expand your wine palate by sampling Missouri wines that you haven't yet tried.
Missouri isn't necessarily known for its calm climate. The hot summers and sometimes bitter winters require hardy grape varietals that can grow in and withstand this wild weather. Thankfully, these varietals exist right here in the Heartland.
Missouri grapes can produce wine that ranges from sweet, like Concord, to dry, like Norton, and from big and bold, like Chambourcin, to light and fruity, like Vignoles.
This year, we challenge you to expand your Missouri wine tasting experience. Missouri Wines will be featuring specific Missouri varietals throughout 2013 to further educate our wine-loving fans and encourage the sampling of our great grapes. Try something new. You never know what you might find! |
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Passport Program: Last Call!
This is it! The current passport program will end at the end of this month. Current participants have until Monday, Dec. 31, 2012 to acquire stamps and codes and enter them into the online program to receive credit for winery visits. Please note: No entries will be eligible for redemption after Monday, December 31, 2012.
Stay tuned for exciting details on a new passport program, coming soon on missouriwine.org.
Please email teah.hopper@mda.mo.gov with questions.
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Winetinerary
Mississippi River Hills Wine Trail
Missouri is home to eight great wine trails, all of which provide the wonderful experience of tasting great handcrafted wine, taking in beautiful scenery and a relaxing, friendly environment.
In this final installment of our Winetinerary series, the Mississippi River Hills trail is featured, which is the newest wine trail in Missouri. As this series comes to an end, please continue to explore and enjoy everything that Missouri wine country has to offer!
Take in this sun-filled, winter view from Apple Creek Vineyard & Winery's wrap-around porch! Photo courtesy of Hummie's World.
The Mississippi River Hills Wine Trail is located in Southeast Missouri, where rolling hills, lush timber and farm-friendly flatlands come together. There are six wineries on the trail, and while all are family-owned and operated, each winery presents a unique winery experience.
Begin your journey at The Barrens Winery, located right off I-55 in Perryville, Mo. Enjoy lunch and sip wine from one of the Barrens' three balconies or the gazebo. Next, visit Hemman Winery, in Brazeau, Mo. Hemman makes its home in a former general store that dates back approximately 150 years. Sample some of their fruit wines while you take in the quaint town of Brazeau. Head over to the town of Altenburg, Mo., and relax in the country-quiet ambiance of Tower Rock Winery. Check out the gift shop, too!
Apple Creek Vineyard & Winery is your next stop, located in Friedheim, Mo. Sip wine on Apple Creek's 360 degree wrap around deck, or under the trees along the creek bank while enjoying yummy food prepared by the Creek Bank Cafe. Continue your journey south as you head to Jackson, Mo., where you'll visit Rothbrick Vineyard Winery. Nosh on light snacks while you sip wine, or rent a cabin and stay for the evening! Horseback riding is also available by appointment. Hunter Valley Winery, in Cape Girardeau, is your final stop on the Mississippi River Hills Wine Trail. Take in the scenery from Hunter Valley's deck or browse the outdoor sculpture park, which features several pieces of art by numerous local artists.
Before you head out for an afternoon of wine sampling, check winery hours and download the Missouri Wine app. Cheers!
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Winemaker Connection
with Fred Webster from Crane Creek Vineyard
Winemaker Fred Webster, a self-described country boy, used the "trial and error" method in the early days when he was learning the ropes of wine-making. Visit Fred at Crane Creek Vineyard, in Preston, Mo.
How long have you been making wine?
My Dad and I played around with it, before I went into the service in 1972.
How and where did you learn to make wine?
I started off with balloon wine at home, and also while I was in the service. It was the famous trial and error method.
What did you do before becoming a winemaker?
I have been a cook, meat cutter, tree trimmer, done building maintenance, been a machinist and a farmer.
Describe yourself in three words.
Old country boy.
What is your favorite wine to make?
Fruit wines like blackberry.
What is the toughest challenge about winemaking in Missouri?
Getting a crop of fruit and finding time to keep the thing going. But the visitors out here make it all worthwhile.
Is winemaking an art or a science? Or both?
It is both. The science is making the wine and getting it the way I want it. Then the art of it is putting a smile on somebody's face.
What is your favorite food and wine pairing?
A nice steak and cherry wine or a grilled hamburger and strawberry wine or blackberry anytime.
If you didn't make wine, what would you do?
What I do now: Just more hunting, fishing, farming, raising cattle, and playing with my eight grandkids. Just being Fred. |
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Locapair
Sparkling Wine Tis the season for bubbles! Missouri sparkling wines range in color, flavor and price. Whether it be sweet, dry, rosé or white, sip on a sparkling wine as you toast to family and friends this holiday season. Drink this with: Spiced Mixed NutsThis irresistible snack food is great to have out for guests to munch as they arrive to your holiday event. Make your own by following the recipe above. The savory nuts will pair great with a smooth, bubbly sparkling wine! |
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Wine Trail Events
Route du Vin Trail:
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Vino Vocab
Open-up/Opening-up: When some wines are uncorked and first poured, the full flavors do not immediately appear. However, after several minutes in an open glass, the wine develops characteristcs and flavors previously undetected. This process is known as "opening up." |
Award WinnersIt's wine competition season! See which of your favorite Missouri wines have taken home an award by visiting our trophy case.
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