Would you like fries with that… wine? Yes, please! French fries are a guilty pleasure for many of us, a nice salty treat that just hits the spot like nothing else can. While you might not immediately think of a glass of wine when you think of French fries, they are a remarkably delicious pair. Next time you have the hankering for some fries, add a glass of local, award-winning wine to the mix. These French fry match ups are sure to please:

French Fries + Sparkling Wine –The crispy, salty goodness of classic fries pairs perfectly with the acidity and effervescence of sparkling wine. You know what they say… opposites attract!

French Fries with Ketchup + Rosé – Whether a sweeter rose like Catawba is your preference or you lean toward a drier Chambourcin based rosé, the light body and freshness will match well with French fries and ketchup.

Seasoned Fries with Ranch Dressing + Chardonel – Full flavor fries call for a fuller bodied white wine like Chardonel that will hold its own and complement the garlic and onion flavors.

Sweet Potato Fries with Aioli + Traminette – Sweet potato fries may not be traditional, but they certainly are tasty. Ideal with the slight sweetness of these fries and the garlicy goodness of aioli is a glass of Traminette.

Chili Cheese Fries + Norton – Missouri’s state grape makes bold, full-bodied red wine that is great with the heartiness of chili and the bite of cheddar cheese on a plate of savory chili cheese fries.

If you’d like to take your French fry and wine game to the next level, try this recipe for red wine French fries that calls for the potatoes to actually be par-cooked in wine before they are fried. Or check out this recipe for rhubarb ketchup made with Port and red wine vinegar. Missouri wine pairs well with French fries!

Halloween is just around the corner, and it would be truly scary if you ran out of Missouri wine at your spooky soiree. You can simply pick up your favorite local wines and serve them with fun, thematic names like Witch’s Brew, Bat Wing Juice, Spider Venom, etc. (free printables from TheElliBlog.com here).  Or try one of these Hallowine cocktail recipes:

• Blood Red Sangria made with Missouri Chambourcin is a great, big-batch cocktail you can make ahead of time.
• The Red Witch cocktails couldn’t be simpler with only two ingredients. An award-winning Missouri sparkling wine for one, cherry vodka for the other. Rim the serving glasses with red or black sugar crystals to add even more Halloween flare.
• Mulled wine is a classic and a great option for any Halloween or harvest gathering, and is particularly good when made with Missouri Chambourcin.
• Blood Letter Trinidad Sour is a great Halloween cocktail for those who are looking for something not-too-sweet. Perfect with a high-tannin red like Missouri Norton.
• A Ghostly White Wine Spritzer is a light and crisp cocktail made with tonic ice cubes. Red wine usually dominates Halloween beverages because of its color, but a local Vidal Blanc is a great choice for this out-of-the-norm white wine cocktail.
• A Bloody Bitter cocktail made with red wine (an oaky Norton is a good choice here), rye whiskey and bitters will be a hit with your guests. Make it even more fun by garnishing the serving glass with a marshmallow ghost.

View the report here!

Wine Float Recipe

Serves 4

Ingredients-

1 pint ice cream

1 bottle (750mL) Missouri wine

16 oz of club soda

1 cup fruit

Directions-

You can use any glassware you’d like as long as it is can accommodate 16 ounces or so; mason jars work for a fun presentation. To assemble the wine floats, scoop approximately ½ cup of ice cream (this is usually about 2 scoops) into each of the glasses. Pour 4-6 oz. of wine and 3-4 oz of club soda into each of the glasses, alternating a couple of times. This helps mix the float without melting the ice cream too fast. Top your dessert cocktail with fruit and serve with a straw and a spoon. Enjoy!

Wine Milkshakes are almost as easy as wine floats, the biggest difference being the blender. You’ll need ice cream and wine. Fruit, whip cream and other mix-ins are an optional addition.

Wine Milkshake Recipe

Serves 2-4 (depending on how thick you like your milkshakes)

Ingredients

1 pint ice cream

1-2 cups Missouri Wine (Chilled!)

1 cup fruit or other mix-ins (Optional)

Directions:

Scoop ice cream into the blender and add wine 1/2 cup at a time until it reaches the desired consistency. Pour into glassware of your choice. Top with whip cream and a cherry (optional), and serve with a straw. Enjoy!

*Pro-Tip: Put your glasses or mason jars in the freezer ahead of time. This will keep your frozen treat cold longer.

Flavor Combinations we recommend:

• Chocolate Ice Cream + Chambourcin Wine + Strawberries
• Mango Sorbet + Vignoles Wine + Pineapple
• Vanilla Ice Cream + Concord Wine + Raspberries or Black Grapes
• Vanilla Ice Cream + Vidal Blanc Wine + Melon
• Dark Chocolate Ice Cream Wine + Norton + Cherries
• Vanilla Ice Cream + Sweet Sparkling Wine + Raspberries (If you use this combo for a float, you can skip the club soda and replace it with additional sparkling wine.)

Missouri wine pairs well with ice cream floats and milkshakes!

How can you make ice cream even better? Add wine. Yes, we’re serious. Wine floats and wine-spiked milkshakes are the dessert/beverage of the future. They are completely customizable to your favorite flavor combinations, decadent and delicious, and will be a hit with pretty much everyone you know. Try these recipes for wine floats and milkshakes next time you’re looking for a unique dessert/cocktail.

So, how do you go about making a wine float? It is surprisingly simple. All you need is ice cream (or sorbet), wine, club soda, and fruit. However, the fun really comes in with the combinations.

Wine Float Recipe

Serves 4

Ingredients-

1 pint ice cream

1 bottle (750mL) Missouri wine

16 oz of club soda

1 cup fruit

Directions-

You can use any glassware you’d like as long as it is can accommodate 16 ounces or so; mason jars work for a fun presentation. To assemble the wine floats, scoop approximately ½ cup of ice cream (this is usually about 2 scoops) into each of the glasses. Pour 4-6 oz. of wine and 3-4 oz of club soda into each of the glasses, alternating a couple of times. This helps mix the float without melting the ice cream too fast. Top your dessert cocktail with fruit and serve with a straw and a spoon. Enjoy!

Wine Milkshakes are almost as easy as wine floats, the biggest difference being the blender. You’ll need ice cream and wine. Fruit, whip cream and other mix-ins are an optional addition.

Wine Milkshake Recipe

Serves 2-4 (depending on how thick you like your milkshakes)

Ingredients

1 pint ice cream

1-2 cups Missouri Wine (Chilled!)

1 cup fruit or other mix-ins (Optional)

Directions:

Scoop ice cream into the blender and add wine 1/2 cup at a time until it reaches the desired consistency. Pour into glassware of your choice. Top with whip cream and a cherry (optional), and serve with a straw. Enjoy!

*Pro-Tip: Put your glasses or mason jars in the freezer ahead of time. This will keep your frozen treat cold longer.

Flavor Combinations we recommend:

• Chocolate Ice Cream + Chambourcin Wine + Strawberries
• Mango Sorbet + Vignoles Wine + Pineapple
• Vanilla Ice Cream + Concord Wine + Raspberries or Black Grapes
• Vanilla Ice Cream + Vidal Blanc Wine + Melon
• Dark Chocolate Ice Cream Wine + Norton + Cherries
• Vanilla Ice Cream + Sweet Sparkling Wine + Raspberries (If you use this combo for a float, you can skip the club soda and replace it with additional sparkling wine.)

Missouri wine pairs well with ice cream floats and milkshakes!

The Fourth of July is such a lively holiday full of festivity. What could be more festive than fireworks, after all? No matter how you plan to spend your Independence Day, Missouri wines want to help you celebrate!

Traditional Fourth of July foods and the wines that go with them:

• Hamburgers and Chambourcin
• Hot dogs and Traminette or Rosé
• Barbecue chicken and Catawba
• Salads and Vidal Blanc
• Fresh Fruit and Vignoles

Pair all your favorite summer foods with delicious, locally made Missouri wine!

Create your own festive cocktail with this red, white and blue sangria, the flavors of the berries and pineapple perfectly matched with Missouri Vignoles. Or, build your own sangria perfectly customized to your preferences.

If you want to kick back and let someone else do all the preparation, Missouri wine country has you covered. There are tons of special events and celebrations going on at most of the 120+ wineries in the state. Grab some friends and head out to a winery nearby for a stress-free holiday celebration.

Missouri wine pairs well with the Fourth of July!

If you're like many people, the label of a wine affects which wine you buy to some extent. Wine labels can tell you a lot about the wine inside and where it comes from if you know what to look for.

Vidal Blanc is a French-American Hybrid white wine grape that we grow quite a bit of here in Missouri. Why does it get its own month? Because it’s just so versatile! It’s made into wines of every style from sparkling, to dry white, to dessert wines. And on top of all that versatility in the wine-making arena, it holds its own in the realm of food and wine pairings as well. There are so many delicious ways to pair this versatile varietal with your favorite foods.

Sparkling wines made from Vidal Blanc are dry and refreshing. They pair perfectly with:

• Brunch- on its own in a flute or made into a delicious sparkling wine cocktail
• Fried Chicken- No kidding! The bubbles are perfection with this greasy, juicy comfort food.
• Oysters- talk about true decadence
• Fresh Berries- for a light and lovely starter or dessert

Vidal Blanc table wines range from dry to semi-sweet and their crisp flavors of apple and citrus are ideally matched with:

• Herbed goat cheese- spread on a cracker or crumbled on a fresh salad
• Pesto- the fresh herbs, the olive oil, the pine nuts… they all work very well with Vidal Blanc
• Green veggies- from broccoli, to asparagus, to romaine
• Seafood- everything from sushi, to ceviche, to crab cakes
• Chicken- light chicken and poultry dishes are a great match

Decadently sweet dessert wines made from Vidal Blanc, whether Late Harvest or Ice Wines, are superb when served alongside:

• Roquefort cheese
• Spicy nuts
• Crème brûlée
• Apple tarts
• Panna cotta

Whichever style of Vidal Blanc is your favorite, grab a glass, pair it with some delicious food, and enjoy!

Vidal Blanc pairs well with… too many things to count!

June 18^th is National Picnic Day and that inspired us to put together tips and ideas for planning the perfect picnic. The truth is a picnic can be just about anything you’d like it to be, but these tips and tricks may make your next outdoor dining adventure a little easier.

Location, location, location!

It is vitally important to keep in mind the location when you are planning for a picnic. Where you will be often dictates what you need to pack. For example, if there are tables and seating available, you won’t need to pack a blanket or chairs. If you’re planning to picnic at a Missouri winery, be sure to call ahead and confirm they allow outside food. Many do, but not all.

 Packing tips:

• It’s usually best to plan for two primary containers… a basket/bag/backpack to hold your tableware (plates, utensils, napkins, glasses/cups, etc.) and nonperishable items, and a cooler to hold your cold foods and beverages.
• Pack in reverse. Setting up your picnic will be a breeze if you pack in order of what you’ll need first. (i.e. Your blanket should be the last thing you pack since it is the first thing you’ll need to set up.)
  • While we’re on the topic of blankets, keep in mind there are lots of options in addition to blankets for seating. Lightweight jute rugs, vinyl tablecloths, and large beach towels all work just as well as the traditional blanket or quilt.
• Picnics usually take place a substantial distance from home, making it particularly inconvenient if you forget something. When making your packing list, check every item off the list as it is packed to ensure you have everything you need for a lovely time.
• Don’t forget the corkscrew, bottle opener, and a sharp knife. These are tools that simply cannot be replaced by plastic cutlery. While you are at it, it’s not a bad idea to include a small cutting board.
• Pack a few plastic bags. These come in handy for dirty dishes and more when you are cleaning up after your picnic.
• A tip for saving space while packing your cooler is to freeze bottles of water or lemonade. They will thaw and can be enjoyed during your picnic, but will help keep your food cold in the meantime.

Choosing the food and beverages:

• Mayonnaise can spoil rather quickly and become unsafe to eat. If you’re packing sandwiches consider some alternatives. Maybe ditch the mayo for mustard, pesto or hummus. This sandwich and wine pairing guide will help you select the best wines to accompany your meal.
• An assortment of cheeses, fruits, spreads, and crackers or breads are great for a picnic. Be sure to keep the cheeses cold in your cooler and try to closely estimate how much food you’ll need. Leftovers aren’t likely to be a good idea due to their perishable nature. This cheese and wine guide will help you pick the perfect wines.
• Salads and fresh fruits and vegetables are ideal to accompany most picnic foods. This food and wine guide is a great place to start matching up your menu with wine. Keep in mind, what grows together, goes together!
• Pack some frozen grapes to add to your glass of chilled wine to keep it cool throughout your picnic without watering down your vino.

We hope these tips for planning the perfect picnic come in handy soon.

Missouri wine pairs well with picnics!

The Official State Grape of Missouri might be red, but there are several truly exceptional white grape varietals being grown in the Show-Me state. White wine grapes account for nearly forty percent of the grapes grown in the state, and they are being used to make some delicious, award-winning wines in a large variety of styles perfect for the warmer weather of Spring and Summer.

The most popular white grapes in Missouri are Vignoles, Vidal Blanc, Chardonel, Traminette, Seyval Blanc and Cayuga. How many of these varietals have you tried?

Vignoles (pronounced veen-yole) is the most popular white grape in the state and is used to make everything from Late Harvest dessert wines, to refreshing, fruity dry whites. Most frequently, you’ll find semi-sweet to semi-dry Vignoles wines with wonderfully fruity aromas and flavors. No wonder it’s so popular! Vignoles is exceptional when paired with spicy foods like Mexican cuisine or spicy Asian dishes.

Vidal Blanc is an incredibly versatile grape and you’ll find wines made from it in the dessert, sparkling, semi-dry, and crisp, refreshing dry wine categories. It’s delicious and award-winning in many of its styles. Search them out and find your favorite!

Chardonel is a hybrid grape and wines made from it are often aged on oak, producing wines similar in style and flavor to one of its parent grapes, Chardonnay. You can also find unoaked Chardonel wines at some Missouri wineries, letting more of the apple and citrus notes of the grape shine through.

Traminette is also a hybrid grape and it gets fantastic floral aromas from its parent, Gewürztraminer. This grape is made into white wines ranging from semi-sweet to dry and is delicious on its own or paired with Thai and Indian food.

We could go on and on about how delicious and fantastic Missouri white wines are, but it’s way more fun for you to get out to Missouri wine country and try them for yourself.

Missouri white wines pair well with warm weather!