Friday, May 29, 2015

People are Raving About Seven Springs Winery!

If you're looking for the perfect place to enjoy a glass of wine and relax, look no further than our winery at the Lake of the Ozarks! Seven Springs Winery and Vineyards sits atop 160 acres of rolling Missouri foothills, offering an ideal place to enjoy a glass of wine and admire the view. People are saying nothing but good things about the wine, food and atmosphere. Check out some of the things they're saying below!

TESTIMONIALS


"We absolutely love this winery! The wine, food, entertainment, owners and staff are the best we have ever come across. We make a point to come EVERYTIME we are at the lake." ~ John and Laura Martin 

"Peaceful setting and delicious dishes served with your choice of 7 Springs wine. A romantic stop down the Big Surf exit!!" ~ Carole Harris

"Beautiful scenery, great wine and amazing food!" ~ Lori D Humble

"My wife and I loved your winery. We both ordered paninis and sat outside for our dinner. The view was spectacular, the weather perfect and the food was unbelievable. I was worried that a sandwich and pasta salad wouldn't fill me, but it was more than enough. Thanks for helping to make my honeymoon memorable. 5 Stars!" ~ Jason Junek

"Another fantastic annual girls trip to the lake... Thank you to the Seven Springs staff & Sax On The Beach. The atmosphere and wine is always awesome!!!!!" ~ Andrea Christian

"Worth the trip, beautiful place, good food, wine & nice folks. They've only been around a few years, but I see a long & bright future for them. The "Spring Fling" is very good!" ~ Jim Drewery

"This is such a great place to be. Awesome Atmosphere." ~ Mike Lynn

"This is such a nice wine tasting experience. The Winery is nice, our Hostess very informative and friendly, and the wine and appetizers are Wonderful. I will be returning to 7 Springs Winery again." ~ Pat Zumwalt

"This is our second Level 5 trip and it has been the best winery experience. With the hostess explanation of the various wines and the best appetizers. We drove 3 hours to visit the winery and it was worth the trip." ~ Mary Jo Edgar

"Thank you for a wonderful time at Seven Springs Winery. The wines were great, the service terrific and the band was a lot of fun. My sister-in-law will remember her 60th birthday party for a long time to come. We will be recommending you to all of our friends." ~ Gail Boeckman

"I would like to say that our group had a wonderful time at Seven Springs. I heard nothing but compliments about the food and the establishment. Please let the ladies know their service was great." ~ Wally

Stop in and see for yourself what everyone is talking about! Our Lake of the Ozarks winery serves Missouri wines, sangrias and a few micro-brews for those with an alternative pallet. We offer wine tastings daily and a light menu consisting of soups, sandwiches, cheese trays and more! Located between Camdenton and Osage Beach, Seven Springs Winery is just a 10 minute drive from either location.

Come for the wine...Stay for the atmosphere...Remember the view! 

Seven Springs is the finest Winery at the Lake of the Ozarks with a full service facility perfect for outdoor weddings, receptions, rehearsal dinners, corporate events and parties.  Call us today to make reservations for your special event!

Seven Springs Winery
573.317.0100
846 Winery Hills Estates
Linn Creek, MO 65052

Friday, May 22, 2015

Test Your Knowledge with Our Memorial Day Trivia!

Memorial Day Weekend is finally here! This weekend marks the begining of the summer season at Lake of the Ozarks. It's time to sit back, relax and enjoy the freedom that our forefathers fought for. In honor of this special holiday, our Lake of Ozarks winery brings you some Memorial Day Trivia!

Memorial Day Trivia


1. The Memorial Day holiday was originally known as what? 


A. Heroes Day
B. Decoration Day
C. Honor Day
D. Military Remembrance Day

2. On Memorial Day, small American flags are placed at the head of each gravestone at what well-known cemetery? 


A. Arlington National Cemetery
B. Flander's Field Cemetery
C. Carbondale Cemetery
D. Federal Military Cemetery

3. What city is known as the official birthplace of Memorial Day? 


A. Richmond, Virginia
B. Charleston, South Carolina
C. Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania
D. Waterloo, New York

4. Memorial Day was originally observed on what date? 


A. The Last Monday of May
B. May 25
C. May 30
D. May 26

5. Which army general was credited for starting this national holiday? 


A. John Logan
B. Robert E. Lee
C. Stonewall Jackson
D. Ulysess S. Grant

6. Memorial Day began as a way to honor those who died in which war? 


A. World War I
B. Civil War
C. World War II
D. The Revolutionary War

7. In 2000, Congress established a National Moment of Remembrance that occurs at what time on Memorial Day? 


A. Noon
B. 1 PM
C. 2 PM
D. 3 PM

8. What flower is traditionally worn on Memorial Day as a sign of remembrance? 


A. Red Poppy
B. Blue Morning Glory
C. White Rose
D. Red Carnation

9. What city hosts the oldest Memorial Day parade? 


A. Doylestown, Pennsylvania
B. Douglaston, New York
C. Ironton, Ohio
D. Portsmouth, Virginia

10. Which major sporting event takes place on Memorial Day Weekend each year? 


A. Belmont Stakes
B. US Open Tennis Championships
C. NBA Finals
D. Indianapolis 500



***ANSWERS***


1. B - Decoration Day
2. A - Arlington National Cemetery
3. D - Waterloo, New York
4. C - May 30
5. A - John Logan
6. B - Civil War
7. D - 3 PM
8. A - Red Poppy
9. A - Doylestown, Pennsylvania
10. D - Indianapolis 500

Join us at Seven Springs Winery this Memorial Day Weekend! Sax on the Beach will be playing Saturday and Sunday. Come enjoy a glass of wine and the best live music at the Lake of the Ozarks! Our winery is conveniently located between Osage Beach and Camdenton at the Lake!

Come for the wine...Stay for the atmosphere...Remember the view! 

Seven Springs is the finest Winery at the Lake of the Ozarks with a full service facility perfect for outdoor weddings, receptions, rehearsal dinners, corporate events and parties.  Call us today to make reservations for your special event!

Seven Springs Winery
573.317.0100
846 Winery Hills Estates
Linn Creek, MO 65052

Friday, May 15, 2015

7 Easy and Creative Ways to Re-Use Wine Bottles

If drinking wine is a talent of yours, then chances are you have plenty of empty wine bottles lying around. You've been saving them, either because you are too lazy to take them to recycling or you think you'll find a use for them someday. Well that day is today! Rather than just throwing your old Lake of the Ozarks wine bottles in with the rest of the recycling,  try one of these easy, creative ways to re-use them!

1. Flower Vase.


Rather than going out and buying an expensive vase, why not use what you already have? Old wine bottles make the perfect vase for either fresh or artificial flowers. You can decorate them however you like with paint and other embellishements to match your style.

2. Infused Oils or Simply Syrup.


Glass containers can be used to hold just about anything, so why would wine bottles be any different. You can easily refill them with infused oils for cooking or use it to hold simple syrup for your tea. This idea would even make a great gift idea for someone who loves to be in the kitchen.

3. Lamp.


Since wine bottles are clear, even the ones with a darker tint, light shines through them! Take some christmas lights and string them through the bottle to create a nice lamp. You can even decorate the bottle to match the style of the room you're going to put it in. Consider decorating them as a sports team or with a christmas theme. These would also make great gifts.

4. Soap Dispenser.


Instead of that boring plastic bottle or spending money on a fancy soap dispenser, use your old wine bottles instead. You can purchase a wine bottle pour spout and attach it to the top of the bottle. Then it's as simple as filling up the bottle with your favorite type of soap. Now you just buy the big bottles and refill your new soap dispenser as needed.

5. Candle Holder.


Many stick candles will fit right in the top of a wine bottle, but if you're feeling extra creative you can cut the bottle to where it will hold a votive or tea light. Either way a recycled wine bottle creates a unique way to display your candes.

6. Tiki Torch.


Summer is here and more time will be spent outside. Use your old wine bottles to make some cool tiki torches to light up your yard and keep the insects away. While this project may take a little more effort than the ones above, the outcome in pretty cool. Get instructions here: http://www.designsponge.com/2009/08/diy-project-eriks-recycled-wine-bottle-torch.html

7. Decoration.


While the above ideas can also be used as decorations around your house, you don't have to actually use the wine bottle for anything more than a nice art piece in your house. You can paint the bottles, tie ribbon or rope around it, fill it with pebbles or stones. Write inspirational sayings or funny jokes on them as a creative alternative to a poster or sign. The possibilities are endless and you can design it to match any room in the house.

So come on in to our Lake of the Ozarks winery and get yourself some more bottles to re-use! These are just a few ways you can re-use wine bottles, but the options are limitless. Just visit the Seven Springs Winery Pinterest page for more ideas. If you're brave enough to try cutting the glass, you'll find some other really cool ideas!

Come for the wine...Stay for the atmosphere...Remember the view! 

Seven Springs is the finest Winery at the Lake of the Ozarks with a full service facility perfect for outdoor weddings, receptions, rehearsal dinners, corporate events and parties.  Call us today to make reservations for your special event!

Seven Springs Winery
573.317.0100
846 Winery Hills Estates
Linn Creek, MO 65052

Friday, May 8, 2015

How is Cork Harvested for Wine Stoppers?

While cork has many different uses, our favorite use is creating stoppers for our wine bottles! How exactly does the cork get from the tree to your favorite bottle of wine at our Lake of the Ozarks winery? Below we explain the process.

Cork Extraction


Contrary to popular belief, cork extraction is one of the most environmentally-friendly harvesting processes in the world. Not a single tree is cut down to get the cork. Since cork comes from the bark and not the trunk of the tree, harvesting cork does not destroy the tree. The vegetable tissue is stripped off the tree in late spring, early summer. In order to protect itself, the tree quickly forms new layers of cork. The tree is valuable for 170 years or more, even though it could have been stripped 16 times, once every 9 years.

How to Harvest Cork


Retrieving cork from trees is a skill handed down from generation to generation. A special hatchet is used to cut cork from the thick rugged oak tree. However, this cannot be done until after the first 20 years of growth. The outer bark is carefully peeled away as to leave the inner bark completely intact. For manufacturing purposes, the cork is then dried, boiled and dried again before use.

Cork for Wine Stoppers


It appears that the Greeks were the first to seal wine jugs with cork. Following them is the Romans, who used cork for fishing floats and shoes as well as wine stoppers. Dom Perignon, who discovered champagne in 1668 was the first to realize the full potential of cork as a bottle stopper. Before cork, wooden plugs were used. We continue to use cork for wine stoppers today, but other materials are also becoming more popular.

There's nothing better than the sound a wine bottle makes when you pop the cork! Come on by the best winery at the Lake of the Ozarks and grab a bottle for yourself. From a nice muscato sparkling to a pinot noir, Seven Springs Winery has something for every oenophile out there!


Come for the wine...Stay for the atmosphere...Remember the view! 

Seven Springs is the finest Winery at the Lake of the Ozarks with a full service facility perfect for outdoor weddings, receptions, rehearsal dinners, corporate events and parties.  Call us today to make reservations for your special event!

Seven Springs Winery
573.317.0100
846 Winery Hills Estates
Linn Creek, MO 65052

Friday, May 1, 2015

The Fermentation Process of Wine

Everyone knows that wine comes from grapes, but how exactly do you turn fruit into alcohol? Our Lake of the Ozarks winery is here to help you understand the fermentation process. The production of high quality wines requires careful control throughout the process of alcohol fermentation. Below we explain what is actually taking place when you're producing a fermentation.

What is Fermentation? 


When you think of fermentation, you probably think more about the result than you do the process. Fermentation is the conversion of sugar, by the interaction of yeasts into alcohol with a by-product of carbon dioxide (CO2) gas. Since wines get their flavor from the grape skin, most red wines are fermented with natural yeasts that grow on the grape skins. the crushed grapes ferment or soak with their skins, often at varying temperatures, until the yeasts have converted the sugar to alcohol.  

Important Considerations


Requirements for proper fermentation process includes suppression of the growth of undesirable microorganisms, presence of adequate numbers of desirable yeasts, proper nutrition for yeast growth, temperature control for prevention of excessive heat and prevention of oxidation. 
  1. Temperature - Temperature plays an extremely vital role in the fermentation process. The optimum temperature for a fermentation is 72 degrees, but anywhere from 70-75 degrees will do just fine. If the temperature is too cool, the yeast may not be invigorated enough to ferment. Whereas if the temperature is too warm, the yeast may ferment fine, but the flavor of the wine will usually suffer. This is due to the increased production of unwanted enzymes by the yeast and the possible growth of micro-organisms that thrive in warmer temperatures.
  2. Prevention of Oxidation - Contact with air must be restricted to prevent oxidation during fermentation. In very large containers, the volume of carbon dioxide given off is suffient to prevent air entry. However, with smaller fermentations, traps are inserted to prevent entry of air while still allowing the carbon dioxide to exit. Following fermentation, small amounts of sulfur dioxide are added to help prevent oxidation. 

Fermentation Stages


Wine fermentation has two distinct stages: primary and secondary, which are sometimes described as aerobic and anaerobic fermentations:
  1. Primary Fermentation - This stage will typically last 3-5 days. On average, 70% of the fermentation process will occur during this stage. In most cases, you will notice considerable foaming during this time of rapid fermentation. The primary stage is also known as aerobic fermentation because the fermentation vessel is allowed to be opened to the air. This air plays an important roll in the multiplication of yeast cells. This is why it is important that you do not use an air-lock during these first few days of fermentation. While alcohol is being produced, a significant portion of the yeast's energy is devoted to reproducing itself. 
  2. Secondary Fermentation - This stage is when the remaining 30% of fermentation activity will occur and usually lasts anywhere from 1-2 weeks depending on the amount of nutrient and sugars still available. The secondary fermentation gets slower and slower each day with less activity occurring at any given time. This stage is also known as anaerobic fermentation, which means that the air exposure is to be kept to a minimum. This can easily be accomplished by attaching an air-lock to the fermentation vessel. It is the reduction in air exposure that entices the yeast to forget about multiplying and start using all of its energy to making alcohol.     

Now that you understand how the fermentation process works, it's time to enjoy a glass of your favorite wine. Maybe you're not ready to start making wine on your own, but that's what Seven Springs Winery is here for. Stop by the best winery at the Lake of the Ozarks and grab yourself a glass of our Missouri wine today!

Come for the wine...Stay for the atmosphere...Remember the view! 

Seven Springs is the finest Winery at the Lake of the Ozarks with a full service facility perfect for outdoor weddings, receptions, rehearsal dinners, corporate events and parties.  Call us today to make reservations for your special event!

Seven Springs Winery
573.317.0100
846 Winery Hills Estates
Linn Creek, MO 65052