Growing Grapes and Winery Escapes

Oklahoma events and family travel blog. Resources for wine tasting, RV sites, Oklahoma outdoors, river camping, grape growing, winery tours and promotional events in Oklahoma.

Tuesday, April 27, 2004

Oklahoma Wine Festivals Saturday May 1, 2004

This weekend should be a blockbuster for Oklahoma wine lovers. Saturday from Noon until 7pm will be the Nuyaka Creek Winery Spring Wine Festival. You can taste Oklahoma's widest selection of locally made wines just for buying the $5 souvenir wine glass. The winery only holds two festivals a year and the spring festival is my favorite!

Dress casual for this fun outdoor event, you may even want to buy some wine grape vines. This year's festival will feature:

  • Merlot wine grape vines for sale

  • Heirloom garden plants from Nuyaka Farms

  • 30 Oklahoma wines for tasting, just buy your glass

  • Live music on the lawn

  • Free admission and parking

  • Two other Oklahoma wineries within easy driving range


If that's not enough wine tasting action for you there is Le Tour De Vin at 7pm in Norman.

Place: Kerr McGee Stadium Club
Date: Sat. May 22nd @ 7:00 p.m.
Cost: $50.00
Contact: 405.205.6979
More Info from LocalWineEvents.com

Those of you who attended our past Spring wine festivals can expect some changes this year at Nuyaka Creek. In addition to more music acts, more garden plants for sale and more wines to taste, there we will be gourmet cheese. Rebecca Bryant proprietor of Council Creek Cheese and Cuisine will be presenting her exquisite menu of specialty cheeses, quality gourmet foods, and cheese and wine gifts.

Rebecca founded Slow Food Tulsa and her company provides cheese and wine tasting events, seminars and education throughout Oklahoma. you can really learn a great deal about gourmet cheeses from her.

Annual Spring Wine Festival May 1, 2004 Nuyaka Creek Winery

Sunday, April 25, 2004

WineFest Saturday, May 1st at Nuyaka Creek Winery

It's almost here, Nuyaka Creek Winery's Spring Wine Festival! This year there will be grape plants, spring garden goodies and lots of crafts, music, food and more.

I will have some handy dandy wine glass holders for sale. Now you can keep track of that lovely keepsake without worrying about breaking the glass or spilling your wine. The wine glass rests safely around your neck so you can eat, drink, and hold the hand of the one you love. If you are interested in participating in the event you need to hurry, the deadline for vendors is Tuesday, April 27th.

I get excited before every festival, I enjoy pouring wine and meeting you all! I hope you take the time to say hello while your there, I will be happily pouring wine in the tent by the pond (life is good!).

Stop by, check out some local bands, have some wine, make new friends and take home some grape plants. I hope to see you all there!

Dianne M. Jones
VineByDesign.com
Promoting Oklahoma Wines & Specialty Items


Nuyaka Creek Winery Map

Wednesday, April 21, 2004

Benefit Silent Auction and Wine-tasting June 12

A Vintage Murder
6/12/2004
Deep Fork Community Action Foundation presents, "A Vintage Murder," a night of fun for all, with suspects around every corner and a meal "to die for," a silent auction and wine-tasting. The event will be held on June 12 at 7pm the Natura Vineyards & Winery, located 4 miles east of Beggs on SH 16.

Proceeds benefit the working poor and needy families of Okmulgee County. Tickets are $25/person or $40/couple. Tickets go on sale May 1. For more information, call (918) 756-2826.

Tuesday, April 20, 2004

Historic Tidal School Opens its Doors

Built in the 1920's during Oklahoma's original oil boom, the Tidal School building was originally constructed to serve the educational needs of Rockefeller's local workforce.

On April 22nd, the tasting room, banquet facility, vineyard, decks, and grounds will open for people to enjoy.

Tour their historic facility located in the newly restored Tidal School building and take a moment to savor their award-winning wines. Tidal School Vineyards and Winery is easy to find...right off highway 16, just 2 miles south of Drumright Oklahoma!

For maps and more information visit their website
Tidal School Vineyards

Monday, April 19, 2004

Spring Sales on Vineyard Grape vines for Planting

If you have been thinking about starting a personal home vineyard, now is the time to buy the grapes. To check out some great sale prices on premium wine grapes, head over to VineByDesign.com for our Spring Wine Grape sale. Whatever kind of grapes you are looking for, it pays to check our site first.

Oklahoma Wine Grapes

Saturday, April 17, 2004

Low Carb Quiznos Subs, At Last!

Oklahoma Carb Counter News just posted this happy news: Quiznos Has Announced 20 Subs with 10 Net Carbohydrates or Less
Anybody tasted the new Quiznos flatbread sandwiches yet?

Wednesday, April 14, 2004

Start a Kitchen Vineyard with Bonsai Wine Grapes

A company called GotFruit is now offering the coolest little wine grape bonsai plants. I think these little kitchen vineyards would make excellent gifts for any wine lover!

Bearing tiny edible grapes, these Wine Grape Bonsai Trees have been cultivated, pruned and shaped for more than 10 years. It includes a ceramic bonsai container, plus easy-care instructions (thank goodness!).

This product can not be shipped to the state of Oregon, but what a great way for folks dreaming of an Oklahoma vineyard to learn about viticulture. Probably a great source for cuttings, as well.


Wine Grape Bonsai Plant for the Home

Labels:

Tuesday, April 13, 2004

BookCrossing - Home - FREE YOUR BOOKS!

Do you like to read? Would you like to give to your community and get free books in the process? If you think that sounds nice, then Bookcrossing.com is the site for you.

You probably have lots of old books locked away in a dusty box or under your bed; I know I did. Instead of keeping them hidden away, you can release them into the wild and give them a second chance at a new life! Its fun and you don't just release them, but you hunt them too! It's like a global treasure hunt, complete with release notes and journal entries.

For the less adventurous, Bookcrossing also has book clubs via mail and local meeting places for book trading.

It is free, it is fun and it encourages people to read...just try it!

BookCrossing - Home - FREE YOUR BOOKS!

Friday, April 09, 2004

U.S. to Create National Center for Studying Grapevine Genetics

More national leaders see the benefit of developing our domestic wine industry.

The United States may soon have its first national center for research on grape genetics, moving the country to the forefront of viticultural science.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture is developing the new Grape Genetics Research Center, which will work on unlocking the grape genome. Ultimately, such research could prove useful in helping scientists to improve wine grape quality; develop vines that are resistant to disease, pests, salt and cold; and improve the health benefits of wine.

Wine Spectator Online - U.S. to Create National Center for Studying Grapevine Genetics

Tuesday, April 06, 2004

Eufaula Council Seeks Compromise on Liquor License Restriction

Finding a restaurant that offers wine with meals can be tough in Oklahoma's small towns. Finding one that offers Oklahoma wine...almost impossible. Oklahoma's consumers constantly face prohibition era blue laws restricting a wide variety of types of liquor sales. Now, in some communites, Okies are fighting for change.

An amended Eufaula city ordinance would apparently clear the way for a proposed Italian restaurant on Broad Street to apply for a license to serve alcohol. Even though First Baptist Church is around the corner and on a different street than the proposed restaurant, current law prevents building owner Rich Daniels from applying for a liquor license, because the northwest corner of the church building is within 300 feet of the rear of Daniels' building.

The amended ordinance introduced at Monday's meeting is far more restrictive than an amendment council first planned to consider. The initial amendment would have removed the provision for the 300-foot buffer entirely in the downtown business district. That proposal met opposition from a group of ministers who attended a city council work session to air their concerns and later bought a full page ad in The Tribune opposing any change in the current law.

The Eufaula City Council heard the "first reading" of the amended ordinance Monday. They are expected to vote on it at the next regularly scheduled meeting Monday, April 19, at 5:15 PM.

Eufaula Tribune - Council Airs Restaurant Compromise

Thursday, April 01, 2004

Oklahoma Wine Tasting Events Resource

Regularly updated listing of Oklahoma wine tasting events at Oklahoma Wine News.