6/24/2007

Nuyaka Creek Winery Closed for One Week

The Nuyaka Creek Winery will be closed for the first week of July 2007.

We hate to close the winery to visitors, but most of the staff will be busy preparing for the 2007 Taos, New Mexico Wine Competition and everyone needs the occasional road trip!

Those folks in Taos were so nice to us in 2006, that we promised we would come back again and give 'em another taste of Sooner State Vino! Keep an eye on our wine blog and we will let you know how our Oklahoma wines fair.

6/21/2007

Winery and Ranch House Estate Sale June 23

Head out to Beggs, Oklahoma on Saturday, June 23, 2007 for a Winery and Ranch House Estate Sale from 8 am thru 2 pm.

All remaining wine is for sale at 25% off list price. In the store all our remaining gift and food items are 50% off list price.

They are having the estate sale inside, so the weather won't stop it this time! Come out and see all the great things you can purchase. Great deals on wine glasses, candle votives, seasonal decorations by the box, picnic tables and chairs, gardening tools, a new Kubota tractor and more!

http://www.naturawinery.com/

Summer Events at Legends Winery in Lindsay

The retail situation for wine in Oklahoma is still stuck in the 50's mode, but thankfully, Oklahoma folks can still buy Oklahoma wines by visiting the wineries. It gives you a chance to 'try it before you buy it' and sometimes you can get in on some cool events.

Legends Winery recently posted a list of summer events on their website:

· JUNE 30. 2007 – Fourth of July Party
· JULY 14, 2007 – Luau Party
· LATE JULY - MID AUGUST – Grape Harvest & Stomp

Stop by the Legends Winery website to learn more about this new Oklahoma winery, if you haven't visited them already. They are even planning a cruise!

The Essential Definition of Corruption


Local Wine Experts Meet
Originally uploaded by FreeWine
Tom Wark is the author of an excllent wine industry blog called Fermentation: the Daily Wine Blog. Rather than simply focusing on his wine tasting opinions, Tom provides a lot of great insider information and wine industry technical details.

In an April post, Tom explained the realities of the Three Tier System Federal Judge Friot recently judged so worthy of protection. Rather than the usual legal double-speak our leaders hide behind, Tom presents a story that illustrates the impact of local trade restrictions and forced monopolies.

Between 2000 and 2006 alcohol wholesalers in America contributed over $40 million to state candidates.

The three tier system is in place in nearly every state in America.

This system was created over 70 years ago and has changed little in that time.

Howard Wolf, a respected businessman in Texas and one who has been a keen observer of the three tier system in America wrote recently:

"When laws become disconnected from the reality of social behavior and commercial activity, the inevitable, even if unintended, result is the use of public authority to advance private, rather than public, goals. The essential definition of corruption in a representative democracy is the usurpation of public authority to the advancement of private interest." - Tom Wark - Full Article.


In addition to the keen quote above, Tom's article decribes the impact the 3 Tier System has on: reducing the quality of local wines, reducing the availability of local wines, increasing the price of local wines and generally screwing up the economy for all.

I hope everyone will visit Tom's blog and read: 'The Story of Chateau Bob'.

Then contact your local congresscritter for an explanation of why they wasted their time declaring the watermelon our state vegetable instead of working toward real industry reform focused on consumers rights and free trade.

http://fermentation.typepad.com/fermentation/2007/04/the_story_of_ch.html

6/20/2007

Oklahoma Gold Celebration in Drumright June 23

Enjoy great live music and wonderful Oklahoma art this Saturday at the Oklahoma Gold! celebration at the Tidal Winery in Drumright!

Time and Date: Saturday, June 23, 2007, 10:00 AM until 6:00 PM
Place: Tidal School Winery.

Live Band: Saturday 12 noon to 2 PM
Live one act performance: Saturday at 3 PM
Live Band: Saturday 4 PM to 6 PM


Great Art Displays Featuring:

Bob Davis, Stillwater, works with watercolors and is widely known for his Oklahoma landscapes including college scenes.

Helen Howerton, award winning artist from Tulsa, is known in Oklahoma and surrounding states for her animal portraits, western and wildlife art.

Jay Park, Elk River Pottery, Checotah, brings his unique style with horse hair pottery as well as hand forged cheese boards made from Tidal School wine bottles!

James Scorse, Pawnee, is a renowned Oklahoma sculptor who has already won three best of show awards this last year!

Ed Spurgeon, Skiatook, is a wood turner with many awards to his credit. Ed does inlaid turquoise and laced edges on many of his pieces and incorporates deer antlers in many of his vases.

Lynne Chambers, Images Etched, Tulsa, does individually hand etched glass pieces of her own unique design. She will be represented by Joyce Benge.

Contact Tidal School Winery at 1-866-258-1903
or visit their website for more information www.tidalschool.com.

6/16/2007

Wine Village Fourth of July Extravaganza

Come to Stroud, Oklahoma and have big fun!

Dates: June 30, 2007 (Sat) AND July 04, 2007 (Wed)
Time: 5 to 8 pm
Cost: $15 per person

Celebrate at The Wine Village this 4th of July in their lovely garden court yard. Enjoy wine tasting, Deep Fork sangria, beer and grilled chilidog with a mouth-watering home-made cookie while listening to the 23rd Street Jazz band. The band leader Michael Fresonke says they are going all out for you!

Admission is $15 with free wine tasting. Food and drinks are extra.

The Wine Village
405 W Main, downtown Stroud, 4 blks east of SH99 on Historical Route 66
Stroud, OK 74079

6/14/2007

Sunset for the Winemakers of Oklahoma?


Sunset Boat Wake
Originally uploaded by FreeWine
Oklahoma wine tourism writer, Elaine Warner, has an excellent local wine industry article in the June 3 edition of the Edmond Sun. In her article, Elaine lays out the covert way our so-called representatives have sold out Oklahoma families to serve their deep pocketed, out-of-state, sugar daddies! Warning: If you believe in free trade, Oklahoma industry or fair play the article linked below may induce vomiting.

...Thanks to three liquor wholesale companies in Oklahoma, wineries may be forced to sell their products through wholesalers who take up to a 22 per cent cut for their minimal efforts. The wholesalers sued the ABLE Commission, saying direct sales were illegal. Seems they’re concerned that large out-of-state producers are going to be crushed by Okie wine sales. Or are they worried that the out-of-staters might be able to bypass them, too? --Elaine Warner Click here for the Full Article


Take the link above and read Elaine’s full article. She suggests a few ways Oklahoma citizens can address this betrayal before the next round of elections for state ‘Representatives’.

We are blessed to have folks like Elaine in our state providing a voice for those who cannot afford to buy the support of the Oklahoma State Congress.

6/13/2007

A Wealth of Summerside Winery Music Events for June

Summerside Winery in Vinita, Oklahoma has posted a wide variety of top notch music events for the month of June. Stop by the winery website and visit their 'Calendar of Fun' to get the details on the following events:

June 15 - 'On-the-Road' at the 2007 Outdoor Mozart Festival at Woolaroc in Bartlesville

June 16 - Father's Day Mediterranean Food and Wine Extravaganza!

June 16 - Concert on the Patio featuring Olivia Duhon and the Tulsa University Jazz Trio

June 16 - 'On-the-Road' at the 2007 Mozart Festival at Price Tower in Bartlesville

July 21 – A Spanish Evening of Food and Wine!

June 23 - Live music from Kenny Babb

June 30 - Live music from Baled Green and Wired Tight

http://www.summersidevineyards.com/events.htm

6/07/2007

Blanc Dinner Soiree June 21, 2007

2nd Annual Blanc Dinner Soiree at Cabin Creek Winery
Sat. June 21, 2007

Enjoy dazzling white decor, foods and music by Susan Herndon in Big Cabin, Oklahoma. Visit www.CabinCreekWine.com for tickets and more info!