Tassel Ridge Winery–January 2009
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Announcing Tassel Ridge Winery 
American Chardonnay
The new American Chardonnay from Tassel Ridge Winery will be featured at our release party all weekend January 16 – 18, 2009. Because the quantity is very limited, this wine will be available only at the Winery and in select restaurants but not through retail outlets.
American Chardonnay offers citrus on the nose and a delicious blend of citrus and green apple on the palate. The finish has a hint of vanilla and oak. This wine is very crisp and pairs well with fish and chicken dishes. It stands on its own and will work very well as an elegant aperitif.
Tassel Ridge Winery’s American Chardonnay was made from Chardonnay grapes grown in Lake County California and harvested in 2007. Approximately 30% of this wine was barrel-aged for about six months in Eastern European oak coopered in France.
We will pair the American Chardonnay this weekend with hors d’oeuvres designed to give you the opportunity to see how well it pairs with light foods.
American Chardonnay is priced at $14.00 for a 750 ml bottle plus tax.
Prairie Snow Is a Big Hit
Prairie Snow is a big hit at Tassel Ridge Winery. This very sweet,
fruity wine
was produced using a process called cryo-extraction in which we picked the 
fruit at its peak of perfection and then froze it. We crushed the grapes while they were still frozen. This yielded only about 30% of the juice we’d normally expect but WOW, is it intense, concentrated, and fruity.
Prairie Snow makes a great wine for sipping after a meal. It will also pair well with fruit desserts like apple pie. And, it makes a special hostess gift.
Prairie Snow will soon be available through retailers. If your favorite retailer does not carry Prairie Snow, ask them to order it for you.
Prairie Snow is priced at $29.00 for a 375 ml bottle plus tax.
Oskyfizzante Red and White Are
Great Wines for Celebrations
Oskyfizzante Red and White are great fizzy wines for football celebrations. And, they are both made right here in Iowa.
Oskyfizzante Red appears to be the sweeter of the two wines. It is very fruity and will work well with pizza and other football weekend food.
It is made from a blend of Zinfandel and Muscat grapes grown in California.
Oskyfizzante White is a great white bubbly wine that will pair well with hors d’oeuvres and it will stand on its own as an aperitif.
Oskyfizzante Red is priced at $14.00 for a 750 ml bottle plus tax
Oskyfizzante White is priced at $14.00 for a 750 ml bottle plus tax
2009 Heart of Iowa Wine Trail Passport Is Your Ticket to Iowa Winery Experiences
A 2009 Heart of Iowa Passport makes a perfect gift for people interested in wine or simply interested in learning about wineries located around Des Moines. The Heart of Iowa Wine Trail includes fifteen wineries located within about 60 miles of Des Moines. Each winery offers a different experience, different wines, and a different and very interesting story. The Passport recipient presents his/her passport at each of the member wineries and it is stamped with that winery’s special stamp. A full passport earns the passport owner a set of two engraved Heart of Iowa Wine Trail wine glasses. Get prepared to enjoy the pleasures of the Heart of Iowa Wine Trail wineries.
2009 Heart of Iowa Wine Trail Passport - $25.00 plus tax
Forget the Cold Winter at the Heart of Iowa Wine Trail Tropical Wine Festival, February 6
Join us at the Des Moines Botanical center at 909 Robert D. Ray Drive in Des Moines on Friday evening, February 6 from 6-9 p.m. for an evening of wine tasting featuring the wines of all fifteen Heart of Iowa Wineries. Hors d’oeuvres will be served. Wear your favorite tropical shirt and get in a “tropical mood!” All wines offered for tasting will also be available for purchase that evening.
Tickets for the event are $25 per person and may be purchased at Tassel Ridge Winery.
Tassel Ridge Winery Harvest Club
We are pleased to announce the formation of the Tassel Ridge Winery Harvest Club. Members receive four shipments of Tassel Ridge Wine each year in March, May, September, and November. We have picked those months because they are usually temperate enough that we can ship wine without excessive heat or cold to damage it. Each shipment contains two bottles of wine which are priced at retail plus shipping unless club members pick up their shipments at the Winery. In that case, there is no shipping charge. The average price of each shipment including shipping is $45.
We offer two wine preferences:
- Dry wines for pairing with food
- Sipping wines that are generally sweeter
Re-orders of full case quantities of the Harvest Club selections are always priced at retail less 20% when orders are placed within 60 days of the original shipment.
Harvest Club members have the first opportunity to purchase limited edition wines before they are offered to the public. They are also offered special tasting opportunities when they visit the Winery. In the future, we plan to have Harvest Club Members only wine and food pairing dinners, special tastings with the wine maker, and opportunities to see how wine is made. All of this is designed to make the experience of consuming Tassel Ridge Wines especially enjoyable.
The Tassel Ridge Harvest Club is open to people 21 years of age and older. Shipments are paid for with a credit card that is kept on file.
This is a great way to stay up-to-date on our new wines. Because some of our wines are never sold through retailers, you may not see some of these wines unless you visit the Winery regularly or are a Harvest Club Member.
Consider a Tassel Ridge Harvest Club membership as the perfect gift for a person who enjoys wine. Call 641/672-WINE (9463) for more information.
Interested in Pairing Specific Foods With Tassel Ridge Wines?
Are you interested in suggestions of foods that pair well with specific Tassel Ridge wines? We’ve put some suggestions on our web site under Recipes and Food Pairing Suggestions. You can link directly to this page at www.tasselridge.com/recipes.htm.
Last Call on Wines About to Run Out
We are nearly sold out of the following four wines:
- Fruit Stand Raspberry Fruit Wine
- Fruit Stand Cranberry Fruit Wine
- American Dry Riesling
- 2008 Iowa Nouveau
We have small quantities of each of these wines available at the Winery on a first come, first served basis. Case discounts of 10% on twelve bottles of any of our wines apply.
Our Hours:
In January 2009, we are open seven days a week for tours, tasting, wine, and gift shop during the following hours:
- Monday, 9 a.m. – 6 p.m.
- Tuesday, 9 a.m. – 6 p.m.
- Wednesday, 9 a.m. – 6 p.m.
- Thursday, 9 a.m. – 6 p.m.
- Friday, 9 a.m. – 6 p.m.
- Saturday, 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
- Sunday, 12 p.m. – 6 p.m.
Our Location:
Tassel Ridge Winery is easy to find. It is just south of State Highway 163 on 220th Street in Leighton. From Ottumwa and Oskaloosa, drive northwest on 163 to 220th Street and turn left toward Leighton. From Des Moines and Pella, drive southeast and turn right at 220th Street. Drive west on 220th about 0.7 miles from the Highway and right into the Tassel Ridge Winery parking lot. view maps
—Bob Wersen, President
Email Jody Brockway at info@tasselridge.com to sign up a friend for our e-newsletter.