 One day I was sitting in a restaurant with a friend and the table next to us ordered wine. It must have been a special occasion because the couple seemed unsure about how to pick the wine, they just likely knew it was cool to order wine. The server recommended one of the expensive vintages from the west coast. The diner asked about Iowa wine and the server proclaimed all Iowa wines are too sweet. I wanted to jump up and shout No! Iowa can produce a wide variety of wines and they aren’t all sweet.
The next day I was at the grocery store in the wine section. I overheard 2 women talking about what kind of wine to buy. I usually just buy the one on sale, one woman said. I buy the kind with the cute animal on the label, the other responded. I resisted the urge to butt in and say No! Labels and price are important, but there is so much more to your decision to buy wine. There are many taste, aroma, mouth feel and other nuances between brands, vintages and types of wine. Picking a suitable wine can make the difference in successful pairing with appetizers and meals. And it only takes a willingness to explore (that’s the fun part). Nearwood Winery & Vineyards is now offering a Wine Appreciation & Recognition Program (WARP). We offer wines around the world purchased at our local Hy-Vee store. Mike Van Natta, owner and winemaker of Nearwood Winery & Vineyards, will take us on a tasting tour and show how to judge any wine and develop your tastes. It’s fun, lasts a couple hours on a weekend and best of all it’s free. The only cost is for the wine used in that session which is split between participants. This is an informational class where we sample wine you can buy at the grocery store. We don't sell it. Contact us for more information.
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