spiritsofnorwayviney

The Best Holiday Wine Pairings

Wed, 16 Nov 2022 08:03:40 GMT

Spirits of Norway Vineyard Holiday Wine Pairing Guide

TURKEY PAIRINGS

Here in the U. S. turkey has practically become synonymous with Holiday feasts, mainly focused around Thanksgiving, Christmas, Passover, and Easter celebrations. Being such a staple in so many homes during the holiday’s means that it should be one that most people should be able to pair wine with. Luckily there is a wide range of wine styles that pair well with turkey. Our first selection is our Chardonel . This off-dry medium bodied wine displays its alluring and unique aromas and flavors of apples, fresh ripe pears, hints of toasty oak with a light crisp citrus finish.

Our second suggestion is a new release called Julie Anne which is made from the esteemed Gewurztraminer grape. This spirited variety has delicate floral aromatics reminiscent of rose petals. This off-dry favorite is perfectly balanced between acidity and a gentle touch of sweetness.

HAM PAIRINGS

Many homes will find ham on their table for either Christmas or Easter. Often salty and sweet, pairing ham with a medium-bodied red is one direction to take. We suggest our Old Vine Zinfandel that is produced from vines ranging in age from 60 to 80 years old. Those old vines produce an intense and flavorful wine with tasting notes of raspberries, peppercorn, dried herbs and vanilla followed by a soft spice finish.

A blend we call The Trio could work very well here. This upscale blend Features Australian Grenache and Shiraz combined with California Tannat creating this plush, charismatic blend. This gorgeous garnet-colored, medium-bodied red, layers delicious dark fruit and red berries with complex notes of vanilla.

ROASTED BEEF PAIRINGS

There are several cuts of beef that different cultures will serve for the holidays like a prime rib or a slow roasted brisket. Here is where bigger red wines are going to shine at the dinner table. Wind of Change is our two thumbs up choice. Made from the Nebbiolo grapes that hail from northern Italy’s Piedmont region, this full-bodied big red has striking notes of cherry, coffee, anise and primordial earth tones.

Batting second in this big juicy meat category is our Noble Reserva . Made from the Tempranillo grapes which happen to be the sixth noblest grapes of the world. This deep, dark red boasts a smooth lingering finish offering up more fruit, jammy flavors like blackcurrants, cherry and expect to taste notes of cedar, tobacco, and cloves on the finish.

SEAFOOD PAIRINGS

Popular seafood options for your holiday feast include surf & turf, baked cod, seared scallops, jumbo shrimp scampi, and grilled salmon. What type of seafood and how it is prepared are going to be the driving forces behind what kind of wine you would want to pair with it. Our safest suggestion that will appeal to the masses is our award winning Pure Prairie . Made from the American Seyval Blanc grapes, this semi-dry to off-sweet is a great choice. Refresh your palate with aromas of prairie grass and flavors of ripe pear, crisp citrus, green apple, hay, honeydew melon and a hint of honey will wrap this wine around your seafood offering.

Domaine du Chateau is also an awesome seafood pairing wine. This elegant, off-dry white wine features a delectable harmony of citrus, apple, and fresh ripe pear. Domaine du Chateau earned a prestigious Double Gold Medal in the 2021 Jefferson Cup Invitational Wine Competition.

My Big Red Blog… The weather outside is frightful

Mon, 10 Jan 2022 08:00:45 GMT

The weather outside is frightful…snow is blowing sideways, the wind-chill is -1 degree…

This is the time to enjoy a big, bold red wine in the warm cozy comfort of the indoors. Spirits of Norway has a fabulous line up of luscious, elegant red wines to choose from. So get comfy, cuddle up on the sofa and start enjoying a glass of red wine.

I am going to showcase just a few of our delicious reds starting with our Chilean Malbec - Rhythm of Love . We source our grapes from South America to offer a full bodied, jammy red wine with earthy tones and a smooth, silky mouth feel. Malbec pairs best with big bold flavors and juicy red meats. A good companion to pair with big bold flavors such as sweet and spicy sauces and juicy meats.

Carmenere is another Chilean beauty. Carmenere grapes are grown outside Santiago and were once thought to be extinct in the 1800’s. Luckily, the grapes were rediscovered in the 1990’s. Carmenere is often referred to as “Merlot on steroids” with a very distinctive flavor. Carmenere tends to be medium bodied with smoky, spicy and earthy aromas. Matches well with smoked, grilled or roasted meats, chicken, port lamb, beef and veal. This wine is a must try.

Autumn Red - Our Italian Barbera wine grape variety that was the third most planted grape variety in Italy. Gorgeous deep red in color, jammy fruit notes and mild tannins. A perfect table wine to pair with a special dinner. Pair with rich dark meats, mushrooms, herbaceous cheeses and root vegetables.

Red & Ready – We source our grapes from Italy to make our Valpolicella . One of the most, if not THE most prestigious wine from the Veneto region in Italy. Medium bodied, this off dry red surprises the senses with notes of cherry, coffee, almonds and leather. Red & Ready is the perfect wine to enjoy with Italian dishes such as lasagna, spaghetti, and ravioli. Add a fresh green salad and garlic bread to round out the meal and bring the best out in both the wine and the Italian dishes.

These are just a few of our big, bold red wines in our red wine inventory. We have many more for you to enjoy. Don’t be afraid to branch out and try a wine you’ve never tasted before. There’s always a possibility you may discover a new favorite. So sit back, relax and enjoy the warmth and sensuous experience of that perfect glass of red wine.

Remember to escalate your wine experience with Spirits of Norway new delicious signature cheeses.

Cabernet White Cheddar

Citrus Ginger Gouda

Both cheeses are perfect to enjoy with any of our wines, and especially delicious with a nice red wine! CHEERS!

Let's talk about how to gift wine!

Wed, 08 Dec 2021 07:57:34 GMT

Wine makes a wonderful gift for the holidays. The wine choice can be a thoughtful gesture that pairs to the gift recipients liking or it can be a reserve bottle on the ready for those unexpected visitors.

Here are few simple ideas of how to turn your bottle of wine into a gift:

Wrap it in a kitchen towel or tea towel , roll is up and put a bow around the bottle neck.
Put an "ugly" sweater on the wine bottle and top it off with a Santa hat.
Here's an easy one - hang an ornament on the bottle.

If you are feeling crafty, you can make your wine bottle into a gnome . You can get a pair of socks that have the fuzzy material on the inside, grab some faux fur and a round wooden ball or a small round ornament. Put the sock on the top of the bottle and hot glue the faux fur under the sock and glue the ball or ornament as a nose. So festive to display and delicious to drink.

If you are not feeling crafty, head to the gift basket section on SpiritsofNorwayVineyard.com and look for our lovely gift boxes and wine merchandise . Let us do the creative work for you and purchase one of our Wisconsin Local Gift Boxes where everything in it is locally made and comes in a hand-crafted cheese box. Our Local Gift Boxes are a one-of-a-kind gift that everyone will love. The lid turns into a decorative tray. Perfect for serving our signature Cabernet cheddar cheese with crackers!

With over 80 different wines in the Spirits of Norway Vineyard’s comprehensive portfolio there are so many wonderful options for giving and the online store makes shopping easy and stress free.

Happy Holidays!

Jen

Holiday Gatherings...Once More

Wed, 17 Nov 2021 07:55:07 GMT

Earlier this month we held a very successful Holiday Craft Fair & Wine Tasting at the Tichigan Lake Lion’s Civic Center and it certainly got us into the spirit of the holiday season.

Can you believe we are days away from Thanksgiving? At Spirits of Norway Vineyard we want to express our sincere gratitude to our customers and hope that you have a wonderful time with friends and family enjoying each other’s company, maybe an extra slice of pie, and of course lots of WINE!

Selecting the right wines for Thanksgiving dinner can be overwhelming so let us take some of that stress off your plate and offer some suggestions that will compliment your bountiful holiday feast perfectly. You might find that lighter, fruit-forward, easy-drinking wines will best suit the meal. They also might help reduce that sleepy effect from the turkey! Spirits of Norway Vineyard has several options in our portfolio to match your needs.

When guests arrive greet them with a reception wine to kick-start their appetite and compliment the tasty nibbles you might offer. Our suggestions would be: our very likeable semi-sweet, GOLD MEDAL winner Brianna ; a true crowd pleaser or Spirits of Norway Vineyard’s newest release, Honeymoon a sweeter style mead with hints of honey, apricot & golden raisins.

Earning DOUBLE GOLD MEDALS at the prestigious 2021 Jefferson Invitational Wine Competition , Domaine du Chateau is the right caliber wine to match the effort you put into your main course preparation. This is an elegant off-dry white wine with a delectable harmony of citrus, apple and pear. A special wine for your very special occasion.

A lighter red wine with moderate acidity to cut through the richness will best compliment a holiday meal. We have just the right wine to do the trick! Ruby a delightful blend of St Pepin, a semi-sweet white and Frontenac, a smooth red wine happens to have a bonus cranberry note finish which pairs perfectly with all the Thanksgiving fixings!

Do you have room for pie? You must try a glass of our limited edition Pumpkin Spice wine! We think you will ‘Fall’ in love with this classic. Served chilled or warmed up with a cinnamon stick, Pumpkin Spice pairs perfectly with a slice of your favorite dessert. The decorative appeal of this bottle of wine also makes it a wonderful gift for your holiday host.

If you’re feeling sleepy after all the effort you made and the effects of the turkey have kicked in then we have a prescription to remedy that with our after dinner wine Mocha Vino . Mocha Vino is the wine of your dreams; perfectly blending flavors of coffee, chocolate and wine into one glass. Sit back, relax and enjoy some time with family and friends. You deserve it!

There really are no rules carved in stone when it comes to the wines you serve with your Thanksgiving meal. The best wines are truly the one’s that you enjoy drinking. We hope that you will choose to invite Spirits of Norway Vineyard to your table and have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

CHEERS!!

Spirits of Norway Vineyard

P.S. Don’t forget that with Christmas around the corner, locally grown and made wine gifts are an easy way to knock out holiday shopping for those loved ones on your ‘nice’ list while supporting our local business. We have several holiday gift basket options available on our online web store , including an exclusive hand-decorated Wisconsin local gift basket with Tabal chocolate, local honey, and our signature cheese. The lid of the gift box converts to a decorative serving tray.

October Update from Justin, The Winemaker

Thu, 21 Oct 2021 07:50:32 GMT

With harvest come and gone, October brings unique challenges and opportunities to Spirits of Norway Vineyard. It is a time not only for reflection on the growing season but also for a winemaker to “read between the vines” as the team work to craft our award-winning wine.

One of the most critical challenges winemakers face is managing grape chemistry. Quality wine starts with quality grapes.

As a winemaker, starting with the best hand-picked grapes is a great place to start. The 2021 growing season in Racine County was exceptionally dry and warm. As a result, our grapes have high sugar levels and higher ripeness when harvested.

Our 2021 vintage will feature some exceptional wines with enhanced varietal expression. At this point in the winery, these 2021 vintage wines will age in tank over the winter months while we are working to bottle the 2020 wines as soon as they are ready.

Be sure to look out for new releases and follow us on Facebook for more information!

2021 FALL HARVEST

Tue, 28 Sep 2021 07:47:04 GMT

Greetings Friends,

A personal “THANK YOU” to all our volunteer harvest friends who helped us process a record crop of 33,320 pounds of grapes this year. Some of our harvesters come back year after year, while the majority signed up to harvest during their Tour N Taste Experience. The one comment echoed by many, “I have a whole new appreciation for my bottle of wine after seeing the entire process”.

We say “WE GROW WINE” and that statement is very true. It all starts in the vineyard. If you grow a robust crop of hybrid wine grapes, that will produce award winning wine. We take extra measures to ensure a quality crop. Such as covering the grape vines with bird/insect netting. It’s the bee’s and wasp’s that can cause fruit damage when they puncture the skin of the grapes. Our vineyard is dry-farmed, no irrigation. Our grapes enjoyed a hot dry summer this year. Grapes like to be stressed out and work for water. Lastly, we hand harvest our vineyard one cluster at a time. Handcrafted in our boutique style winery creates wines that are pure, artisanal and deliciously clean.

Take time to enjoy a bottle of locally made wine from locally grown grapes with friends & family.

CHEERS!

Randy Larson

Did You Know? Wisconsin Is A HOTBED For Growing Cold-Climate, Hybrid Wine Grapes!

Mon, 03 Aug 2020 07:44:31 GMT

Wine grape breeding took a great leap forward when Elmer Swenson, A Wisconsin native, worked with the University of Minnesota to develop a new cold-hardy, hybrid wine breeding program in 1985. The grapes that were released from these breeding efforts are the backbone of today’s growing Wisconsin viticulture and wine industry.

Naturally Grown Grapes Create Pure Artisan Wines

Spirits of Norway Vineyard grows the highest quality hybrid wine grapes for their healthy and delicious wines. Studies suggest that grapes are a heart-healthy benefit source of abundant plant antioxidants. Handcrafting in their boutique-style winery creates wines that are pure, artisanal and deliciously clean.

Mid-Season Vineyard Report

Sat, 01 Jul 2017 07:43:33 GMT

I am happy to report a larger than normal volume of fruit this year. By all indications the vineyard is on target for a record harvest. The grapes are maturing nicely with larger clusters of grapes. We started our spray program in mid-April and have made seven applications by mid-season. There are no indications of insect damage or fungus throughout the vineyard only four bird’s nests. The Brianna grapes are already nearly two centimeters in size which is greater than mid-season last year. All the Marquette vines are also producing well. I’ve noticed the Petite Pearl like to grow under a canopy of leave foliage to provide shade. The most noticeable standout as I walk the vineyard rows is Frontenac Blanc. As I would say, Mucho Gusto!

Regards, Randy & Sandy