Tassel Ridge Winery–April 2009
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Friday through Sunday, April 3–5—
Iowa White Blossom New Wine
Release Weekend
Iowa White Blossom is back! This popular dry white wine is made entirely from grapes grown in our Mahaska County vineyards. It is very aromatic! First impressions are of tropical fruits including pineapple and citrus. Pineapple, nectarine, and white peach dominate the palate. The finish is slightly astringent with hints of green apple. Serve chilled and pair with fish and chicken. Actually, the flavors in this wine might make it a natural for use in Asian stir-fries with flavors of cilantro and lemon juice.
We first made Iowa White Blossom in 2006 with part of our first small harvest of Edelweiss that year. Because it was a dry wine, it sold slowly at first but it gradually developed a real following. Our Edelweiss harvest in 2007 was again pretty small so we did not make it that year. We ran out of Iowa White Blossom, and then we started hearing from people who really liked it. Our 2008 Edelweiss was bountiful so we now have enough fruit to make Iowa White Blossom again. Here is your first chance at trying and buying this wine.
Price: $14.00 per 750 ml bottle
Available at retailers beginning April 17, 2009.
Saturday, April 11, 12–4 p.m— Tamiko Van Zante, Display of Water Color Paintings
Tamiko Van Zante works primarily in watercolor and is a signatured member of the Iowa Watercolor Society. She was born in Japan and attended Central College. She now lives in Marion County. Tamiko will be in the visitors’ gallery at Tassel Ridge Winery from 12–4 p.m.
Saturday, April 18—Girls’ Day Out
for Vines and Wine
10:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m.
Cost: $20 per person, plus tax
Join us at Tassel Ridge Winery for our 1st annual grapevine wreath workshop. Make your own wreath out of the vines at Tassel Ridge Winery. Enjoy a picnic lunch with a wine-a-rita in a Tassel Ridge Winery souvenir glass on our beautiful terrace. Advance reservations are required by Wednesday, April 15.
Sunday, April 19—A Taste of Iowa
Wine & Food Pairing Dinner
Wine Tasting: 6:00 p.m.; Dinner Seating: 6:30 p.m.
Cost: $55 per person, plus tax
Experience a Taste of Iowa at Tassel Ridge Winery where you will enjoy Iowa grown chevron, pork, and apples paired with award-winning Tassel Ridge wines. This dinner will feature Hawaiian chevron mini-kebabs, stuffed pork tenderloin with bacon and apples in Tassel Ridge American Dry Riesling sauce, and seasonal vegetables paired with select Tassel Ridge wines. For dessert, a luscious apple cake will be served with Tassel Ridge Prairie Snow. Advance reservations are required by Wednesday, April 15.
Did You Receive Your Spring 2009 Events Program in the Mail?
If not, it means that we don’t have your postal address. Please go to our website at www.tasselridge.com. In the lower left of the splash page, you will see the link to our e-mail list. Please sign up again, but this time, please include your postal address and we will take care to see that you receive the Events Program quarterly in the future.
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
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 value 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 value 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.
New Retailers Make Purchasing Tassel Ridge Wine Easier
Tassel Ridge Winery continues to add more new retailers and restaurants in order to make it easier for you to find and purchase our wines. The list of new retailers appointed in March follows. You can view our complete list of retailers at www.tasselridge.com/retail.htm.
Ankeny • Fareway Store North
Brooklyn • Seatons Flag Foods
Des Moines • The Black Cat Café
Des Moines • Des Moines Social Club
Des Moines • B&B Restaurant and Bar
Grinnell • Fareway Store
Knoxville • Fareway Store
Knoxville • Kline’s Quick Time
Newton • Rolling Acres RV Park
Oskaloosa • Fareway Store
Pella • Fareway Store
West Des Moines • Heart of Iowa Market Place (Valley Junction)
West Des Moines • The Wine Experience (Younkers Entrance to Jordan Creek Mall)
Last Call on Wines About to Run Out
We are nearly sold out of the following three wines:
- Fruit Stand Raspberry Fruit Wine
- Fruit Stand Cranberry Fruit Wine
- American Dry Riesling
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 April 2009, we are open seven days a week
for tours, tastings, 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.