by Holli Edwards

With the holidays quickly approaching you may be thinking that it’s too late to bring the “WOW” factor to your party - not the case.  It’s the little things that people remember, so don’t resign yourself to a ho-hum get together just yet!

Some easy tips:

• A few spruce twigs and cranberries go a long way.  Fill wine glasses or vases with fresh cranberries and add a votive candle.  Fill a vase with water and add cranberries and floating greens.  Utilize an assortment of different containers, it makes things more interesting!

• Ask the deli staff at your local grocer or winery for gourmet cheese suggestions.  Pairing cheese with cranberry jelly, compotes, honey and other garnishes are a great way to introduce guests to something new.

• Serve your desert(s) in a wine glass and if using whipped cream, add a little nutmeg and cinnamon for a more festive look.

• Don’t be afraid to ask your local liquor store or winery for beverage ideas.  Let them know what you will be serving to get pairing suggestions - that’s what they are there for!

• A great party needs a big “surprise,” such as a signature drink that will have everyone talking.  At our recent holiday gatherings we featured the Red Assarita, a very festive red, white and green holiday drink that’s easy to pull off.  Have these displayed in wine glasses when guests arrive and the party will soon be hopping!  More signature drink ideas are provided in the link following, or come up with your own (it’s fun to perfect the recipe!) http://www.prairieberry.com/wine-know/index.php?id=20

• Be creative and have fun in the preparation.  Most importantly, be sure to “test out” the wine offerings and signature drink before guests arrive.  And, you’ve just added a little “jingle” to the mingling…Cheers!

by Michele Slott

I got the pleasure of visiting Lewis & Clark Vineyard near Yankton this past weekend to shoot photos and video. Greg Stach was a proud papa, showing off the grapes he raises.

The nets cover all of the grapevines that still have maturing fruit. As Greg explained to me, small birds like robins, can be a real problem, making one little peck in each berry of the grape cluster, which can ruin the fruit for wine. Measures must be taken… Thus the nets. Turkeys for the most part, are a blessing — keeping the grasshopper population down. Although, true to their name, they can be “turkeys,” working together to get under the nets and get at any grapes hanging low enough to jump up, reach and eat. They eat the whole berry, though, without damaging what remains behind.

The nets are difficult to move, and come harvest time, Greg is ready to do some uncomfortable, if not necessarily heavy lifting, for HOURS at a time — as he lifts nets to allow picking of the grapes underneath.

“I do yoga and lots of stretching,” he says, to keep in shape for harvest.

The folks doing the picking tell him to “go faster” as he works his way down the row with his arms above his head holding the nets on either side.

A shot of a Frontenac grape cluster at Lewis & Clark Vineyard.

Not quite ready for wine yet, these Frontenac grapes get a closer look from Greg.

by Michele Slott

For many of us, beer is the beverage of choice for the Independence Day picnic. My husband and I are especially fond of Samuel Adams Summer Ale on hot days… But for those of you who are choosing to drink wine over the holiday weekend, take some notes as you enjoy, then take a moment and share with us: What did you pick up at the store or is it something you’ve saved from a trip to a winery? How did you like it overall? What did you drink it with? How did it pair with the fried chicken vs the potato salad or coleslaw?

Also, are there any wine tasting events this weekend that people should know about? We hear that several area restaurants and liquor stores have wine dinners or tastings from time to time, or even weekly. Please post them here with a comment!