you may have noticed

We’ve been adding people to our team! The latest job opening we have is for a regional wine taster.

So. What is a regional wine taster?

let’s start with the region

We are looking for someone in the central Iowa area– someone who can easily get to Des Moines & Ames, and may even be located in either of those towns! Ankeny is also a great location to service Des Moines & Ames.

what does a wine taster do?

We have our delicious Soldier Creek wine available in many locations around Iowa. Some of those locations are in Des Moines & Ames, which is where the Regional Wine Taster comes in handy. Our wines may have been there for a year or so, but the customers aren’t always familiar with our wines.

So, the wine taster will call those locations to set up tastings on a Thursday, Friday, or Saturday. They can be there for 2-3 hours (usually 5-7 or 5-8 on a Th/F, 11-1 or 11-2 on a Sa) offering samples of the wines that are available at that location. This (and marketing) is how we get our wines noticed in new areas around Iowa! So, a regional wine taster is a very important job indeed!

During a tasting, the wine taster offers samples and descriptions of the wine. They know the prices of the wines at that location and they know what they like about that wine. Obviously, the goal is to sell the wine at that location, and the wine taster’s goal is that.

what are the perks?

So. Many!

• YOU make your schedule, the only requirement is that you go to each location at least once in a 2 month span. More often if you want!
• After a 3 day span of tastings (assuming you’ve scheduled a tasting for Th, F, AND Sa), if there is wine leftover, you get it!
• You get to offer samples of something that is palatable and not hard to sell. This is a definite perk, guys.
• You get PAID to do this!
• At most, you would do tastings for 9 hours a week.
• You get to meet new people!
• Wine tasters get discounts. And bonuses for selling wine!

well. what are you waiting for?

Apply here!

with midbest love

Meg

You know, I’m just going to go there. Everyone makes the “Top 10” lists and they always make the rounds. In fact, we’ve made a few of those lists. Well, here’s my list of 10 Things to do in Fort Dodge– it’s not necessarily a “Top 10”, it’s more of a general list of things you could do on any given weekend in the nicer months! Enjoy!

1. Visit soldier creek winery

Okay, obviously I was going to start there. But, here’s my reasoning:

• Any Friday night is a great night to be at the winery for live music from 6-8PM because we have free, live music year round. Dinner is always served by Infinity Restaurant Group for $5 and we have all of our wines available for purchase, as well as a good assortment of beers– including a few on tap from the local brewery, Shiny Top Brewing!
• You can sample any of our 12 wines Friday through Sunday for free, and then decide which glass/bottle of wine you would like!
• You can’t really beat a glass of wine on our patio overlooking the Junior Vineyard and the NE countryside of Fort Dodge.
• Through the summer, we also offer free, live music from 3-5PM on Sunday afternoons!
• There’s always some event going on. Be it Craft Night with Annie, Vinyasa in the Vineyard, Market on Central, or our 2nd Annual Good ‘Vine’brations Harvest Fest!

So, definitely make this a stop when you’re visiting Fort Dodge, here are directions.

2. Shiny top brewing

This place. Guys. This place. After having some handmade Iowa wine, make a stop at a local Iowa brewery! We are so happy to have a local brewery, and these guys do it well! Here’s why you should stop:

• The name is a bit tongue-in-cheek: the owners, Nate & Todd, are both bald…shiny tops…get it?! We love this.
• The Investor Club: Get your own Shiny Top Brewing glass to leave at the brewery for when you visit– your name and a number go on the glass, so no one else uses it.
  • Legend: A 20 oz glass for $100, you pay the 16 oz price for the rest of your life with that glass.
  • Legacy: A 22 oz glass for $250, you pay the 16 oz price for the rest of your life and you get to pass this glass on to an heir. I’ll repeat: you get to pass this glass onto your heir!!! Is this not amazing?
• The beer, obviously! You can enjoy a beer Tuesday through Saturday. They always have something new coming up, they’re always delicious, and the names are clever! For example: Overdue Ale was a beer made to raise money for the Fort Dodge Public Library. These are gentlemen brewers, I tell you!
• Every Thursday night is live music at the brewery– from 7-10:30PM you can listen to great bands and enjoy your favorite Shiny Top beer (or hard cider, soda, water). And if you’re hungry, order a pizza! They offer that, too! What’s better than beer and pizza?
• July 1st, 2017 is an exciting day for Shiny Top: they will be opening their new patio- complete with a pallet wall, and they will be able to carry Soldier Creek Wine (thanks Iowa legislators!).

Need some directions? Find them here.

3. the dariette

The Dariette is a staple during the nicer months of the year and a Fort Dodge past-time. Their soft-serve and custom desserts are hands-down the best treats in town during the summer months! Here are a couple of my faves:

• Peanut Butter Whip (like a Blizzard from Dairy Queen, but better): If you’ve never tried peanut butter in vanilla soft serve you aren’t living.
• Orbit Bars (like a Dilly Bar from Dairy Queen, but better): So much NOM and in so many flavors!
• Any fruity soft-serve flavor, in a cone: (dip it if you’re feeling adventurous) From Black Raspberry to Lemon, you can’t go wrong with their fruity soft-serve flavors!
• Malt: This is a classic, and you won’t regret it.

You can find the Dariette right off of Central Ave, here.

4. studio fusion

Make unique glass and clay creations with your friends or by yourself at Studio Fusion! Or, buy some of their pre-made glass and clay art. From glass necklace pendants to clay coffee mugs, you could make pretty much anything here!

Stop by Wednesday through Saturday, or make an evening appointment (515-570-4442) with your friends!

5. blanden art museum

The Blanden Art Museum is a gem in Fort Dodge, for sure. Located in the Historic Oak Hill District of Fort Dodge, the Blanden Art Museum is a neo-classical public building constructed on private land and financed by Charles Granger Blanden. The grounds and building are beautiful to behold, but beyond that they have great permanent and temporary collections! Recently, they featured a temporary quilt art exhibit alongside their permanent exhibit of:  the Ann R. Smeltzer Modernist collection of European and American painting and sculpture, the Harold D. Peterson collection of European and American prints, American photography, contemporary American art, Iowa artists, and Japanese screens and prints.

The Blanden Art Museum also features musical events, events for children, and the Blanden Arts Festival! Art enthusiasts and appreciators, alike, can find enjoyment at the Blanden Art Museum. Visit the museum Tuesday through Saturday, 11am-5pm.

6. fort frenzy

If you are looking for a place to do, this is definitely it! Fort Frenzy is more than just a family entertainment center, it’s an events center, and a place to grab lunch or dinner. From the moment you pull into the parking lot of Fort Frenzy, you know you’re in for a great time. They offer many exciting activities, including:

• An arcade
• Bumper Boats (during the summer months)
• Go Carts (during the summer months)
• Laser Tag
• Mini Bowling
• Mini Golf (during the summer months)
• Skating
• Spin Zone Bumper Cars
• Water Wars (during the summer months)

When you take the kids, you can enjoy a pizza or food from the cafe and soda, beer, or Soldier Creek Wine!

In addition to all of that you could also be planning your next event in their events center: the Cardiff Events Center. The Cardiff Events Center is a great place for birthday parties, meetings, or weddings– I mean, this place has it all! It’s definitely worth a trip, find them here.

7. Community orchard

Community Orchard is a Fort Dodge family tradition in the fall and early winter months (August 1-December 23). They offer so much in the way of family memories and aroma memories (OMG the Scarecrow Soup and homemade Apple Pie!!), you really can’t go wrong putting this on your list of to-do’s in Fort Dodge. Located just North of Fort Dodge (and the airport), this is a must for anyone in the area during the fall and early winter months!

I’ll make a list of what you should definitely do while you’re there:

• Peruse their many shaped pumpkins and gourds in the fall for your home decor and jack-o-lanterns
• Sit in their giant rocking chair for a photo opp!
• Walk through their old-style food shop: complete with unusual canned goods!
• Try their desserts: a slice of apple pie, an apple dumpling, a caramel apple, an apple turnover, an apple muffin, or an apple with caramel drizzle (try one of each!).
• Grab lunch, NOM!
• Go to the Apple Attic for beautiful treasures for yourself or your home, it changes with the season so more than one trip is usually required!
• Take the kids (or yourself) to The Back 40 for lots of kid and adult fun! From goats to The Corn Box (a sand box with corn!), there is so much fun to be had in The Back 40.
• Get lost in the Corn Maze (in the early fall months)
• Visit Community Orchard during their annual Apple Fest– if you think they have a lot of things to do during their normal hours, just wait until you see all of their events for Apple Fest! (check their Facebook page for event information)
• Sample and take home some Midwest-grown apples, they’re always delicious!
• Send a gift box to someone special for the holidays– they make beautiful, shipped gift boxes

8. kennedy park

If you’re the outdoors-y type, find some peace and quiet at Kennedy Park. The 53 acres surrounding Badger Lake provides many activities for the outdoor enthusiast (and the rest of us!):

• Water sports: fishing, canoeing, kayaking, paddle-boarding, etc.
• Bird-watching, wildlife watching
• Running/walking/hiking trails
• Camping (tents or RVs)
• Picnicking
• Golfing
• Sledding (in the winter months)
• Ice-fishing (in the winter months)
• Snowshoeing and cross-country skiing (in the winter months)

Kennedy Park is located just north of Fort Dodge on Airport Road and is open year-round.

9. the fort dodge trails system

Again, for the outdoors enthusiast: bring your bikes, running shoes, or walking shoes and explore Fort Dodge via the Fort Dodge Trails System!

Recently expanded, the Fort Dodge Trails System connects large parts of Fort Dodge, from parks North of Fort Dodge to parks in and around the city! There are many, beautiful miles to explore and trailhead signs to read, so definitely put this on your list of things to do in Fort Dodge!

10. the fort museum and frontier village

Step into the past when you visit The Fort Museum and Frontier Village. With a collection of original and replica buildings ranging from an 1855 log home, small town jail, one room school house, land office, print shop, blacksmith shop, general store, chapel, livery stable and drug store. Each building is furnished with an extensive collection of original fixtures and artifacts. You may also tour the pre-Civil War era replica fort and original cabins!

During the month of June, you can also be a part of Frontier Days! Join the ‘Buckskinners’ for a trip to the past, watch the parade, listen to live music, join in the kids’ events, grab some food, or peruse the craft vendors. With so much going on, it’s no wonder so many people travel to Fort Dodge for the Frontier Days event!

Find more information here for Frontier Days, and here for the Fort Museum and Frontier Village.

and there you have it folks

My official list of “10 Things to do in Fort Dodge”! This is my list, and it’s not necessarily everything you should do in Fort Dodge. BUT, it’s definitely a good start! So, if you’re new to Fort Dodge, just visiting, or a Fort Dodge native– find something on this list and go and do!

with midbest love,

Meg

We nabbed some medals, guys!

it’s not easy being the ‘best’

Goldenrod had to beat out some pretty notable ‘White Hybrid Blends’ in order to get the Best of Class. There were 80 wines submitted to this category and of that 80, 10 received double golds. The double golds were then judged against each other for the ‘Best of Class’. After receiving ‘Best of Class’, Goldenrod went on against many other BOC white wines to be judged for ‘Best White Wine’– 5 of the 50 judges actually selected our Goldenrod as the ‘Best White Wine’! We didn’t receive the honor, but it is great to know that Anne’s Goldenrod was so highly thought of amongst her peers!

Now that you know…

…which of our wines are the award winners….oh, wait! It’s all of them! This certainly doesn’t make the decision easier when you’re shopping for a case of discounted wine at our Semi-Annual Case Sale (July 7-9), but you know you can’t go wrong with any of our award-winning wines!

If you need a refresher on what our wines taste like, come out during our normal hours for free sampling of all of our award-winning wines! Then grab a glass or a bottle (or a slushie!) and stick around for free, live music on Friday nights and Sunday afternoons.

See you there!

with midbest love,

Meg

Spring is here! spring is here!

And the frost chances have passed, so the vineyard rejoiced! I mean, look at all this celebrating!

We are so happy the frost chances are passed and the vineyard can really grow. This, in my opinion, is the most beautiful season. The heat is mild, the breezes are lovely (unless it’s some sort of spring storm brewing…then that’s too much!), and there’s finally some green.

so what are we doing in the vineyard?

Well, we finally finished the short pruning: every plant is pruned to the right amount of buds for the season. Now, we can go through and pluck all the new bud growth off of the trunks of the vines. We will generally monitor the vines as they grow too, including:

• cleaning off the trunks (we don’t want that growth for next year)
• straighten the vines on the wire
• somewhat comb the vines as they get longer, to allow for sunlight into the canopy where the grapes are developing all of that delicious flavor
• leaf thin to allow for sunlight into the canopy for the grapes
• train new cordons (see photo below) across the top wire
• tighten or untighten green ties on the plant as they grow and get girthier

So, there’s still work to be done, but for the most part we just get to sit back and watch the vines go!

winery update: after the storm

As some of you will know, Iowa had a flurry of strong storms sweep through the state. Fort Dodge was hit pretty hard, and 2 days later we are all still cleaning up. The vineyard was unaffected, but the winery got a bit of damage. Luckily, we are able-bodied humans who can clean up a mess and repair for now (until the insurance takes care of some proper repairs).

As it turns out, #amateurroofing is fun (say all of the amateur roofers)! The morning after the storm, everyone got up on the roof and fixed the damage so the show could go on. Aside from some very minor leaking, we haven’t noticed any long-lasting permanent damage, so we are thankful!

those are all the updates for now!

All of our events will go on, as regularly scheduled! So, get out here and relax after working hard to clean up that storm mess all week 🙂

with midbest love,

Meg

Surprise! may is nearly here and that means…

Mother’s Day is upon us! Sunday, May 14th, to be exact. Sons, daughters, that’s only 18 days away! Our mom’s are so important right?! I mean, without them we wouldn’t be here. (Well, we need the dads too, but their day isn’t until June.)

Hey! Calm down! Here are 5 things you can do for your momma 🙂

1. get mom a membership to the paragon wine club

Who doesn’t want a membership to a wine club? Aside from non-wine drinkers. I mean, I want one. (Could someone please sign me up for one? I would accept this as a baby shower gift! New moms need wine right? 😀 Teeehehehe!)

So. I know your mom isn’t new at this “Mom-gig”– but if she likes wine, she could probably use this. You could even have the wine shipped! Talk about convenience.

But, seriously, here are the details all laid out in a handy infographic (click the photo to go to our Paragon Wine Club sign up page!):

A few more specifics:

• That 15% discount applies to the quarterly pick-up/shipment– so YOU save too!
• If you don’t want to pick the specific bottles for your mom, you can simply put “sweet” “dry” or “sweet/dry mix” and we will pick for you! (pssst, we are pretty good at picking wine!)
• The average quarterly price is in the $60-70 range– that’s only $20-23 per month! And you only get charged 4 times a year: January, April, July, & October. I mean, talk about a great gift!
• Feel free to call this a “Mother’s Day/Birthday/Christmas/Holiday” gift, we would too!
• The email newsletters and notification of when your card will be charged come via MailChimp– so look for us in your “Promos” or “Spam” box. If you don’t want to miss those important notifications, you can simply move the email from the Promo box to the Inbox or mark our email as “not spam”. Easy!

2. send mom a bottle or two of her favorite

Maybe you’re on point and know exactly which Soldier Creek wine momma likes. Good job you! In that case, all you have to do is click the photo below and pick her favorite(s)!

3. find mom’s favorite wine at a local retailer near you!

You’re going to be the favorite child, aren’t you? Make a special trip to Mom just to see her for Mother’s Day? Well, in that case, you better secure your place as the favorite by bringing a bottle (or three) with you from your local Soldier Creek Winery retailer!

Don’t know where those retailers are? Find them here.

4. sign mom up for craft night with annie!

Is mom a super crafter? A non-crafter? Doesn’t matter! Annie helps everyone through her crafts– and anyone can craft with Annie! Plus, the sign-up fee for craft night includes 2 glasses of wine (that you don’t have to choose, leave it up to mom!). The sign-up fee is always $35. So, you could sign her up for May’s craft: an outdoor tic-tac-toe set with stones!

Or, if you prefer, you can sign her up for any craft night that she chooses! Simply go here, and while you’re checking out write in the “note to the merchant” section that you are paying for any craft night and that your mom will pick at a later date! Even though it says it’s for May’s craft, you can still make that note and we will hold on to the reservation for you.

5. yoga mom? we do that, too.

Every month we offer Vinyasa in the Vineyard! Liz & Andrea are certified yoga professionals that guide everyone through an hour of relaxing and strengthening yoga. The fee for this event includes: one hour of yoga, one glass of wine, and a light snack.

Again, this is a monthly event– so if you want to sign mom up for May’s Vinyasa in the Vineyard, you can! Or you can make a note in the “note to merchant” section that you want your mom to choose the date she attends! Click the photo below to get mom signed up:

now, wasn’t that easy?

You’re set! I did all the hard work for you– now you just have to pick!

You’re welcome 🙂

with midbest love,

Meg