Wining with the 'Chowskis

I read a news article recently (attached below) that said that more Riesling is consumed at Thanksgiving than any other time of the year and it is the #1 choice of wines for Thanksgiving in the U.S. I thought this was interesting since Riesling is a German style wine and most people think France when they think wine. The article turned into a news clip from a local news show that was discussing wine that was produced in Nebraska. In a blind tasting, Nebraska wines did, for the most part, better than some of the Goliaths from Napa... something I chalk up to the fact that Nebraskans seem to enjoy sweeter wines more than tart or dry.

Thanksgiving... well any holiday, come to think of it, with my family revolves around food and alcohol (now that we are all over 21), games and laughter. My sister, Betsy and her husband Walt, had brought a few bottles of wine with them from Denver, slightly dry reds that I think were from... Argentina or somewhere else in South America. They had an interesting bite to them and I would be willing to try them again.

I brought a bottle of Catawba from Miletta Vista to share, but we never got to open it before I had to leave. I told my family to enjoy it without me, but I have to admit, I kind of hope they didn't so I can help them enjoy it.

But the highlight of my visit was when my sister, Wendy, arrived from Nebraska City toting a cooler that held a jug of Arbor Day Farms cherry cider, a 2 liter of sprite, and a bottle of apple wine. I quickly went to work making the sangria we enjoyed during our visit to the vineyards of Nebraska City.

Oh! I've been meaning to share the recipe for that sangria:
2 Bottles Apple Wine (that's a lot, but go big or go home!)
1/2 gallon cherry cider
1 liter sprite
sliced oranges, lemons, and limes

The sangria was a huge hit with the family and glasses were refilled throughout the afternoon and into the evening. When it started running low, I added a bottle of Moscato we had lying around (can't let wine go to waste) and a bit more of the sprite and cherry cider. A recent conversation with my mother reveled that the sangria lasted through the weekend… they just kept adding to it.

I do miss having a few bottles of sparkling cider and grape juice around for the holidays, the treat that my mom got my sisters and I so we could drink something wine-like out of fancy glasses while she and my dad enjoyed a glass of wine with dinner, but I would not give up the fun we have trying new drinks and sharing our favorites as a family.

I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving and I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas and New Years!

Nebraska's Wines Put to the Test