Free Wine Sample!

Bring in any unused hotel toiletries and place them in the big yellow bin. Items will be donated to local hospitals. By donating you earn one free wine sample!

We also have a paperback book exchange! Free of charge. Drop off and find books in the upper level of the gift shop. Grab a book, a glass of wine and enjoy the beautiful outdoors on one of our lovely patios!

Business as Usual

As you may know, we applied for a new zoning permit this morning. We are happy to announce that the permit was passed through to the county board. We are able to continue business as usual, with live music and tastings until 8pm. Come out and celebrate with us!

2009 Schedule

Thursdays at Trade River Winery will be Ladies Day starting June 11! This includes:
*1/2 Price Wine Tastings
*Featured Wine of the Day for $10
*Chair massages $1 per minute or by donation
*Each week will have a different feature in addition to those already listed. Some features include: Makeup Lessons, Recipe Exchange, Manicures, Gardening Tips, Wellness Tips and Wine Education. If you have an idea for Ladies Day, just let us know!
Winery is open from 2p.m. - 6p.m. on Thursdays

Friday nights are "Tapas" Nights (small plates). Food is for purchase and prepared by local caterers and chefs. Optional wine pairings are available. The theme schedule is:
June 26 - Italian
July 3 - Greek
July 10 - Argentine
July 17 - Spanish
July 24 - Specialty Cheeses
July 31 - Portugese
August 7 - Greek
August 14 - Italian
August 21 - Spanish
August 28 - Specialty Cheeses
Winery is open from 2p.m. - 8p.m. on Fridays

Saturdays at the winery we host several low-key music groups for our Music on the Patio series. Our schedule is:
June 27 from 4 - 7p.m. is BT & Suz
July 4 from 1 - 3p.m. is Bright Knights Barber Shop Quartet
July 11 from 4 - 7p.m. is City Vibe
July 18 from 4 - 7p.m. is BT & Suz
July 25 from 4 - 7p.m. is Bo Billy
August 1 from 4 - 7p.m. is New Roots Duo
August 8 from 4 - 7p.m. is Bo Billy
September 5 from 4 - 7p.m. is Rex Cactus
September 19 from 4 - 7p.m. is City Vibe
September 26 is German Fest featuring the Elk River Band.
Winery is open from Noon - 8p.m. on Saturdays

*Also open Wednesdays from 2-6p.m. and Sundays 1-5p.m.

To receive weekly update emails regarding our Ladies Day, Tapas and Music please contact info@traderiverwinery.com.

Don't forget to become our friend on Facebook and follow us on Twitter (boutiquewines)!

Laurel Supper Club Wine Dinner

This week on Wednesday at 6:30 pm, Lisa will be at Laurel Supper Club in New Richmond, WI presenting at a wine dinner. To make a reservation, please call 715.246.5121. The menu features:

Assorted Cheese platter paired with Wooden Valley Riesling.

Carrot & ginger soup paired with Manzanilla Sherry.

Poppyseed salad paired with Salvano Roero Arneis.

Filet of sole with scallop, shrimp, & clam sauce with potato and mixed vegetables paired with Malat Steinbuel Riesling.

Pineapple Cheesecake paired with Moscato d'Asti.

Memorial Day Weekend

Jens is out cleaning the tables, chairs and umbrellas for the patios; Patty is making up the seasonal work schedule; Marge and John are taking one last vacation (well, not a very relaxing vacation as they are cleaning Louie and Jeanie's winter home in Florida) - so you know what this means!! We're open on the patio starting this weekend!

The tasting chalet will be open, pouring unique wines from around the world. $5 for 5 wine samples (includes 10% off your wine purchase in the gift shop).

Memorial Day weekend hours:
Saturday Noon - 8pm
Sunday 1-5pm
Special Holiday Hours: Monday Noon-6pm

Next week begins our extended hours schedule:
Wednesdays 2-6pm
Thursdays 2-6pm
Fridays 2-8pm
Saturdays Noon-8pm
Sundays 1-5pm

Check back for more information regarding our Ladies Day, Tapas Night and Music schedule.

Wine Pairing Lunch

This post is a little past due, but I wanted to share a wonderful 5 course wine and food pairing lunch I hosted for my mother-in-law on Mother's Day. It turned out to be a wonderful lunch with excellent pairings.

1. Stilton Cheese with Vista Allegre Tawny Port

2. Salad greens with basil pesto, sun-dried tomatoes, pine nuts and fresh mozzarella with Salvano Gavi Cortese

3. Butternut Squash Risotto paired with Cavas de Chacras Viognier

4. Lamb chops, sweet potato puree, summer ratatouille paired with Pontval Syrah

5. Affogatto (chocolate gelato with espresso) paired with Tezza Recioto. This is the only pairing I would have changed. The Recioto's raisin flavors didn't match very well with the milk chocolate in the gelato. I might have tried the Cantine Mothia sweet Marsala from Sicily as that might have been good with the coffee flavors.

10 Things You Should Know About Sulfites in Wine

One of the wineries we visited with in Idaho last summer was Indian Creek Winery. They just posted this to their blog at indiancreekwinery.blogspot.com and we wanted to share it with you!

1. Sulfites are naturally occurring in all wines, this is because they are a natural by-product of fermentation. Very rarely, if ever, is a wine made that is truly sulfite free.

2. By adding sulfites, the natural flavors of the wine are allowed to shine through. This is because sulfites are primarily used for their anti-oxidant and anti-microbial properties.

3. Sulfites are not related to the headaches some people get from red wine. Many scientists believe that it is actually the natural histamines that are found in red wines.

4. Many dried fruits contain a lot more sulfites than wine. For instance, a 2 oz. serving of dried apricots contains more than ten times the amount of sulfites than is in normal glass of wine.

5. In the USA, all wines that have more than 10ppm (parts per million) must show "CONTAINS SULFITES" on the label, whether the sulfites are natural or added.

6. Sulfites are not bad for you. In fact, the human body produces about one gram of sulfites everyday. This is nearly 100 times the amount in one glass of wine.

7. Wines without added sulfites spoil very quickly. This is due to the lack of oxidant and microbial control that the sulfites provide.

8. Sulfites were first used in winemaking by the ancient Greeks, Romans, and Egyptians to sterilize their wine vessels and have been added directly to the wine since the 17th century.

9. Despite popular belief, sulfites are not just used by American wineries. In fact, most wineries around the globe use sulfites...yes even the French.

10. Less than 0.25% of the population is allergic to sulfites and many scientists believe that it is somewhat correlated with those who suffer from asthma.

Amateur Photo Contest!

How it works:
1. Take photos of or at Trade River Winery.
2. Upload pictures to: www.flickr.com/groups/trw
3. Upload by the end of the day on July 18, 2009.
4. Possibly WIN a $100 Gift Certificate to Trade River Winery

Photos containing recognizable people must be accompanied by a signed permission form which needs to be submitted to Trade River Winery. Photographers retain the copyright to their photographs. By entering the contest, photographers agree to grant Trade River Winery irrevocable license to use their photograph(s) at any time, in any manner and in any medium without any fee or other form of compensation.

Wine Tasting Friday & Sale

Lisa will be sampling our Trade River Winery wines at Oak Park Wines and Spirits in Stillwater, MN. Begins at 3:00 p.m.
5805 Neal Ave N
Stillwater, MN 55082
(651) 439-2184

Our blowout sale ended this past weekend on select wines and T-shirts. However, we have another sale going on! Pick up a 1.5L bottle of Trade River Winery wine for only $14.

New Wine Club

We restructured our wine club so that it's one set price, taking the guesswork out of what you'll be billed - and the best part, it includes FREE shipping!

For only $39.95 per month you can receive 2 bottles of unique wine from around the world (Argentina, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Greece, Germany, Austria, California).

Choose between the Insider's Club (receive 2 bottles of wine every-other-month and charged only in the months you receive wine) or the Ethusiast's Club (receive 2 bottles of wine every month and charged each month).

You can even request to have red wines only; white wines only; or a mix.

Each shipment contains wine tasting notes. As a wine club member, you receive some pretty great benefits which include:

*Invitation to Members-Only events such as "Meet the Winemaker"
*Exclusive 15% off discount on all purchases in-store and online
*Complimentary VIP tasting pass for you and a guest which includes two keepsake glasses
*Refer a friend and earn a free bottle of wine
*Newsletter with updates on wines and events
*Advance notice of new arrivals and sales

Contact us to receive an application or if you have questions:
715.327.4193
info@traderiverwinery.com

Offering samples!

This week is jammed full of events we'll be at offering samples to our fine guests! Check us out at:

Warren G's in Baron, WI on Thursday, April 30 from 3-6pm

Friday is the Taste of St. Croix Valley just north of St. Croix Falls at Chateau St. Croix from 5:30 - 9pm $20 gets you in to try lots of delicious food and beverages from area restaurants, breweries, wineries, etc.

Saturday, Cadeaux Gifts in downtown Eau Claire is celebrating their 1 year anniversary - tastings from Noon -3 - wines paired with delicious appetizers served by Laurel Robertson of Dinner's On.

Women's Expo is Saturday at the Hog Wild in Luck, WI with wine tastings from 12-3.

Gift shop at the winery is open from Noon - 5pm on Saturday! Last weekend for our blowout sale prices on select wines and t-shirts!

Spread the word!!

Gearing up for summer!

March is around the corner and marks a very exciting month in the wine business. Marge is scheduling musicians for Music on the Patio which will be every Saturday from 4-7pm. We've all been busy brainstorming ideas for Ladies Day which will be Thursdays, and finding recipes/caterers for Tapas night on Fridays. We also changed up the gift shop a little bit by building a new checkout counter and tasting bar. We will be adding some chalkboards to advertise events and are updating our wine club information (one set price). It's a pretty exciting time at the winery as we look forward to our fourth summer open!

On the wholesale side, we are gearing up for tastings! Restaurants typically search for wines for their spring/summer wine lists in March. So letters are being sent out to prospects, meetings set up with current and potential customers, and the 2009 wine portfolio was just printed! It's an exciting time, but a stressful time. If we sit back and watch the month pass by we could potentially be out of the game until August.

Lisa and I attended the UP Show (Upper Midwest Foodservice and Lodging Show) on Monday. We made some good connections, so hopefully we get some business! It's always good to just get our name out there. The event was held in Minneapolis and 3 other distributors and 3 wineries were sampling their juice as well. There are about 50 wine distributors in the Metro area, so there's a lot of competition. What sets us apart? We are a family business; we are the importer and distributor (cut out the middleman); we personally visit the vineyards and hand select the wines we want to import; many of the wines are small production and hand harvested making for high quality; and we treat our customers like family.

How to Throw a Wine Tasting Party

Determine your guest list and send invites at least two weeks before your tasting.

What you'll need: corkscrew, water, non-transparent cup (for spitting), at least one wine glass per person, tasting cards, pen/pencil; bread or flavorless crackers for palate cleansing; appetizers, cheese or other niblets; and of course, wine!

Consider an overall theme for the tasting. Maybe several different wines all from Napa, for instance. Or one each of the same varietal (grape) from Napa, Sonoma, Mendocino, etc. Or try several different varietals -- Cabernet, Pinot Noir, Zinfandel for reds, or Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Viognier for whites. Or set up a "Italy vs California shootout." The possibilities are endless, but in each case, the idea is to learn something by comparing similar-only-different wines to see if you can pick up consistent differences among them.

Design a tasting card that specifies the type of wine, the producing vineyard, the year and a brief description of the wine (usually found on the wine’s label). Make sure that each guest has their own tasting card to record the wine’s distinct appearance, aroma and flavor.

Traditionally, white wine is served in glasses that are a little smaller than those for red. Smaller glasses keep white wines chilled, while the larger bowls of red-wine glasses give fuller-bodied reds more room to breathe.

Before serving, chill the white wines for 30 minutes to an hour, to a temperature of 45 degrees to 50 degrees; if they're too cold, the taste of the wine will be dulled. Red wine is served at room temperature, but if a house is particularly warm, the wine may need to be chilled slightly. Red wine should be served at a temperature of 50 degrees to 65 degrees (serve lighter wines at the lower end of that range, full-bodied wines at the higher end).

Typically, when tasting wines, you will want to work from dry wines to sweet wines; light to full-bodied; young to aged; and white to red. Have your guests sample each wine by itself, assessing the wine’s unique color, smells and flavors. If pairing with food, note if the pairing worked well. If there are multiple components to the dish, try the wine with each separate component and then all together.

To make your event a bit more challenging, offer a “blind tasting” experience. In this case, you still provide your guests with their individual tasting cards; however, you pour each wine without identifying the label, allowing them to incorporate all of their senses to identify the respective wines based on the labels’ descriptions. The guest that is able to identify the most wines correctly wins a prized bottle of wine or perhaps a book on the art of wine tasting.

Love the Wines? Join the Club!

There are two options for becoming a wine club member at Trade River Winery:

Insider's Club
The Insider's Club is ideal for those who dabble in wine. Members receive two (2) bottles every other month (12 bottles per year). Insider's Club members enjoy unique and limited production wines from around the world. In addition to all club benefits, members enjoy an exclusive 10% discount on all other wine and non-wine purchases. Average shipment: $35-$45 per month plus shipping.

Enthusiast's Club
The Enthusiast's Club is for lovers of the best quality wines. Enjoy two (2) bottles shipped monthly (24 bottles per year). In addition, members receive an exclusive 15% discount on all other wine and non-wine purchases. Average shipment: $45-90 per month plus shipping.

Sign up today and discover your new favorite wines: nicki@scdtrading.com.

Dining Out

So you're deciding where to go out to eat and you know you want to drink our wines, so where do you go? Well, here is a list of where you can find our one-of-a-kind wines. Not sure which are our wines? Just ask your server which ones came from either Trade River Winery or the Wandering Epicurean.

Minnesota:
Tournament Players Club - Blaine
Eichtens - Center City
Mt. Royal Bottle Shop - Duluth
Nokomis on the Lake - Duluth
The Lake House - Forest Lake
Levee - Hastings
Buon Giorno/I Nonni - Lilydale
Black Forest Inn - Minneapolis
Cafe Agri - Minneapolis
Ecopolitan - Minneapolis
First Course - Minneapolis
Gardens of Salonica - Minneapolis
Oar D' Oeuvre - Red Wing
West End Liquor - Red Wing
Twigs - Rochester
301st - Rochester
Chardonnay - Rochester
Prescott's - Rochester
Ordway - St. Paul
Pazzaluna - St. Paul
Gasthaus Bavarian Hunter - Stillwater
Savories - Stillwater
Tangled Up In Blue - Taylors Falls
River Boat Lane - Wabasha
Vinifera - Wabasha

Wisconsin:
Eau Claire Golf and Country - Altoona (Eau Claire)
Coffee Grounds - Eau Claire
B&G Liquor - Chippewa Falls
Duncan Creek Wine Bar - Chippewa Falls
Warren G's - Barron
Bistro 63 - Barronett
Bayfield Inn - Bayfield
Wild Rice - Bayfield
Canoe Bay - Chetek
KJ's - St. Croix Falls
Bella Curella Cheese Store - Rice Lake
Island Wines - Cumberland
Laurel Supper Club - Deer Park
Trollhaugen Ski & Convention Center, Dresser
Frederic Golf Course - Frederic
Trade Lake Valley Store - Grantsburg
Woodlands Grill & Pub - Grantsburg
Ross's Teal Lake Lodge - Hayward
Timberidge Road House - Hertel
The Nova Wine Bar - Hudson
Bottle Shop - Luck
Cafe Wren - Luck
Hog Wild - Luck
Luck-E - Luck
Bellarietta Bistro - New Richmond
St Croix River Inn - Osceola
Valley Spirits - Osceola
Fireside Supper Club - Rhinelander
Holiday Acres - Rhinelander
Pizza Haven - Rhinelander
Adventures - Siren
Pour House - Siren
Skol Haus - Siren
Yourchuck's - Siren
Jackpine Trading - Siren
Bristol Ridge Golf Course - Somerset
Red Brick Grill - St. Croix Falls
Grecco's on the St Croix - St. Croix Falls
Palate - Stockholm
Le Bistro - Superior
Stage North - Washburn
Chula Vista Resort - Wisconsin Dells