On a cool April day, we departed from the east side of Evansville and set out for a day of wine and cheese. Our first stop was Winzerwald Winery, where they welcomed us to a tasting of wine and cheese. The staff had selected 2 wines as suggested pairings with each of the 5 cheeses and then we were invited to choose from the list for other tastings as we wished. The Merlot cheese was my favorite, but the chocolate cheese from Wisconsin had an unusual mild sweetness.
Scout Mountain Winery offered a delicious lunch featuring Margaret’s signature pesto pasta salad and raspberry wine cupcakes. Always the most gracious hosts, they also provided us with a private tasting and a wide variety of cheeses.
Our next stop was Turtle Run Winery. We were greeted by owner and wine maker, Jim Pfeiffer, who took us into the back, where they had set up a special wine and cheese tasting for our group. Jim gave a brief, but very interesting talk about the history of wine and wine making, then we proceeded to taste a selection of wines and cheese.
Best Vineyards offers amazing views of the vineyards and surrounding countryside, as well as a tasting of delicious wines and cheeses. The new elderberry wine, which is not even on the market yet, was a favorite with many. We found the Blueberry goat cheese to be a departure from the norm among the tasty selection of cheese available.
The final winery on our schedule was Monkey Hollow. We were the first ever to be welcomed into the production area of the winery for a private tasting of wine and cheese. Wine-Oh! Tours had arranged with Monkey Hollow owner, Faye, to have a selection of sandwiches and fruit platter for their guests as well. The wine-maker was there to offer additional information about the wines and his wine making process.
We left Monkey Hollow and headed back to Evansville. After the last door prize was given away, everyone had a lot of laughs as they shared stories and found personal connections that bring together people who share a common interest.