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W.I.N.O.S. tickets to go on sale February 5th
Due to popular demand, we'll be releasing tickets for sale for our Girls Night Out series, W.I.N.O.S. (Women In Need Of Shopping) early this year! Beginning February 5th, you can order tickets for any of the event dates online. We will be hosting two W.I.N.O.S. a month this summer, with dates scheduled for May 11, May 25, June 8, June 22, July 13, July 27, August 10, and August 24. Gather your friends and plan to join us for a great night out! Click the link below for more information and to order your tickets.
W.I.N.O.S. 2012 tickets |
Coming Soon Corot Noir, 2010
Almost Gone
Vidal Blanc Ice Wine, 2010
DeChaunac, 2010 |
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Quote of the Month
"The secret to a long life is to stay busy, get plenty of exercise and don't drink too much. Then again, don't drink too little."
~ Hermann Smith-Johannson, 103-year-old cross-country skier |
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Inclement Weather
With winter weather upon us, please check our Facebook page or website for weather-related delays and closings for the winery before you head out to visit us. We update our site via Twitter, so information will be most current there. |
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Greetings!
This is the time of year where we all seem to feel the effect of cabin fever here in the Midwest. February, although a shorter month, seems long due to the relentless winter weather and perma-gray skies. Ok, we've got the Superbowl to look forward to this weekend, and maybe even Valentine's Day in a couple of weeks, but still... you've got to plan something to get you through the winter. I advocate getting a group of friends together and hosting a home wine-tasting party.
 I've done several of these types of parties, all with great success. Whether experienced or novice, your guests always seem to get something out of it. There are many categories of wine-tasting parties: "blind tasting", where bottles are masked with brown bags and guests are asked to evaluate the wines without any prior information; "horizontal tastings", where the same variety of wine is evaluated based on examples from a number of different wineries; regional wines; wine & cheese pairings; and even budget wine-tasting, where you taste wines in say, an under-$15 range. Think 6 to 10 wines, depending on the number of guests, as a good quantity for planning purposes. It is common and appropriate to assign a bottle to each guest to bring, so you aren't footing the bill for all the wine.
My favorite party was a simple tasting that ranged the gamut from dry to off-dry to sweet to dessert wines. Our guests weren't necessarily experienced wine drinkers, and this enabled them to come away with a broad familiarity of the wine spectrum, and a better understanding of the types of wines that appealed to them. One great revelation that I learned from it, that I still embrace today, is that no two wine drinkers were alike in their tastes. Every one of us had different comments and takes on the wines. And even if we didn't like every wine we tasted, we had such a fun time socializing, and took away a new appreciation of the wines we tried.
Of course, Satek Winery is open every day if you don't feel like putting together your own party. But we can be of assistance in selecting wines if you do decide to host a get-together. Whether it's in the name of wine appreciation or just getting through the winter, a wine-tasting party is always in good taste!
Sláinte!
-Christina |
The way you store your wine really does matter
 We are frequently asked by our customers for advice on how to store their wines. If you plan to consume your wine immediately or within a few days of purchase, room temperature is fine for reds, and the refrigerator is fine for whites and fruit wines. Just don't leave your wine out in your car in the summer for a few hours-you will likely kick-start oxidation, which isn't so tasty. And if you put a bottle in the freezer to rapid-chill your wine, and accidentally leave it there the cork will explode out if the wine is left too long. Don't ask me how I know this. But if you plan to keep your wine around for a few weeks or months, or even age them a few years, how you store them really does matter. Since most of us aren't fortunate enough to have our own custom-built wine cellar, following these guidelines will help ensure that your wine quality is preserved and that the natural chemical reactions that contribute to the proper aging are not impeded.
There are really 6 factors you want to control when storing wine:
1) Storage angle. Keep your bottle horizontal, or even tilted downwards. The idea is to keep the cork moist. If the cork dries out, air can enter the bottle and cause oxidation.
2) Light level. Many wine bottles are made of colored glass, which does help to minimize light exposure. Ultraviolet light degrades the organic compounds in wine, so wine stored in a dark environment is best.
3) Humidity. Too dry of an environment will cause the cork to become brittle, and air can, again, enter the bottle. Ideally, 60-70% relative humidity is best.
4) Vibration. Do you have your wine rack on the top of your fridge? Even the vibration from the motor is enough to stir up sediment and interfere with aging. Find a location with minimal to no vibration.
5) Ventilation. Natural corks are porous, and cooking aromas and cleaning product fumes can seep into the bottle via the cork. Store wine away from areas where it would be exposed to strong odors.
6) Temperature stability. The consensus among wine experts seems to be 50-55 degrees F for long-term red wine storage temperature (45-50 degrees for whites). More importantly, though, is keeping your wine at a consistent temperature. Fluctuations can trigger chemical reactions in the wine resulting in undesirable flavors and bouquet.
With all that being said, remember that your sweet wines and fruit wines--101 Lakes Red and White, Steuben, Blackberry, Autumn Classic, Mango Mania, Raspberry-- ideally should be consumed within a year of purchase. Dry whites can age well 2-5 years, and most dry reds mellow well aged 3-10 years. Ports can age the longest--even decades--if stored properly. |
Call for artists for Satek's summer Art Shows
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Pottery by artist Steve Smith |
Satek Winery will be again hosting two outdoor Art Shows this summer, featuring regional artists in a variety of mediums, open to the public with free admission. As in past years, they are held the third Saturday in June and August-- June 16 and August 18 this year. We are beginning to accept applications for artists who wish to participate in exhibiting and selling their work at one or both of the shows. The cost is $35 per show for a 10' x 10' space. For more information or to download an application, click on the link below to be taken to our website for all the details.
Art Show information and application for artists |
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