Cranberries

19 bins of cranberries

The cranberries we got in Wisconsin are still fermenting, well, some of them anyway. Cranberry is one of the hardest wines I make, but it is fastly becoming one of our most popular wines. I recently brought in all the bins of cranberries to warm them up, and you can see in the middle of each bin I added more yeast, 71B, which is supposed to be more acid tolerant. I think 5 bins are actually fermenting, hoping to get the rest of them fermenting soon, and then add some yeast nutrient.

A Light Dusting

One of the first snows of the season, it barely flurried this morning, just enough to take a much anticipated picture or two (or three.) The first two pictures are indivual snowflakes on our old Concord vines, and the third picture is of the floor mat right outside the door.

Hope your holidays are going well, and you can delight in the season and the "icing" that winter can put on the familiar.

Same Building, Different View

I like this one too, also not taken by me. I like the white-ness of the porch and the sky.

Open Daily

This picture was taken this fall and emailed to me, and for whatever reason I thought it was a fresh take on a building I've seen a zillion times. I like the angle, and the shadows, and the way the flag is blowing. Come by this winter for some authentic radiator heat, and of course, oodles of great wines to taste. We're open until the end of the year from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., closed early at 3 p.m. New Year's Eve, closed all day New Year's Day and then start with our new hours of being open from noon to 4 p.m. Sunday through Friday, and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays from January through March.

Muffin Top

Some people think this is a muffin top, and it is.
some might consider this a different version of a muffin top

this is a winemaker's muffin top

These are pictures of my fermenting apple juice in a variable capacity tank. The first day or two it just rose high like a yeast bread and the surface bubbled just a tiny bit. Now it has large clear bubbles covering the surface and extending far and wide across the tank, and smells divine. Mmmmmmmmm.

Chicken with Rosemary Butter Sauce

This recipe was recommended by Sara and I tried it last night with our Seyval Blanc, and am having it again for lunch today and all I can say is, "wowsa!" I'm a very big fan of dishes with such full flavor and so little ingredients. It came from Taste of Home so you know it's going to be a winner.

Ingredients:
4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (4 oz. each)
4 tblsp. butter (divided)
1/2 cup Sainte Genevieve Winery Seyval Blanc wine
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1 tbsp. minced fresh rosemary

In skillet over med. heat, cook chicken in 1 tbsp. butter (4-5 min. each side, til juices run clear). Remove from pan and keep warm.

Add wine to pan; cook over med-low heat, stirring to loosen browned bits from pan. Add cream and bring to boil. Reduce heat; cook and stir until slightly thickened. Stir in rosemary and remaining butter until blended. Serve sauce over chicken.