May 2024 Newsletter
Resolute
| We have a storm drain on either side of our driveway. Drainage from the winery vineyard plus the crushpad washdowns during harvest all flow through these channels. Recently, I stepped out of the car and looked down to see this beautiful little grapevine bravely poking its leaves up through the heavy steel grating. The plant grew from seeds of our vines. It is either Cabernet Sauvignon, Tempranillo, or Merlot. It is not Riesling as those leaves are easy to identify. Like so many things we take for granted, here was an example of unexpected life in an unexpected place staring at me, proclaiming the grand plan of things. Life goes on. Life will flourish in the desert. Life will grow where we least expect it. Life will prevail until this planet is no more. This week we will remove the steel grating and we will attempt to transplant this “own-rooted” specimen. We will name it “Resolute” because it is. Come visit this plant and give thanks for some good news. There is so much death, destruction, and terrible news these days, I’ll settle for anything uplifting. Maybe we should set up a betting pool for which of the three grapes it is. Proceeds donated to a local charity, Kid’s Space. We won’t see fruit from this plant for another one to two years. Come raise a glass of wine with us and toast to life in all its tenacity. Here’s to life. Bob Wickizer, Winemaker Resolute has been planted in the vineyard alongside other Cabernet Sauvignon vines. You can come see how it is doing. It is “own root,” so it may succumb to Phylloxera or other North American indigenous grape diseases. We’ll see how long it can hang in there. |
| Recent Bottling Did you know that Pecan Creek Winery produces mead and cider? We put the cider in kegs for event sales. Mead is bottled under our own label and for a local Renaissance festival in bottles and kegs. We produce nearly 1,000 gallons of cider and mead every year. Our honey and apples are not local but we do make it and bottle it at the winery. |
| Wine Education Corner Roses – You often see roses planted at the end of vineyard rows. What is the reason for that? In the 18th century it was believed that certain types of diseases that affect grapevines would infect and be visible on the roses first. Some of these might include, powdery mildew, black rot, Botrytis cinerera, and others. By the 20th century, scientists debunked this claim and showed that roses in the vineyard do not give any kind of “early warning” like a canary in the coal mine warning of dangerous CO and CO2 buildup. But then, there are other reasons for planting roses. They look good. It is now just traditional to put roses at the ends of rows. Some traditions are worth keeping.  |
| Events You Should Attend Celtic Music Concert with Rick Ewing – Saturday, May 25, 7:00-9:00 pm, Winery Cellar. No charge. Rose Soiree – Saturday, June 8, 2:00-4:00 pm, Winery Cellar. Learn how rosé is made. Taste different types of rosé. Develop your wine-tasting and aroma detection senses. Have a great time learning and enjoying different wines. $35. Includes wine and small-bite food pairing. Send email to: info@pecancreekwinery.com Father’s Day Picnic – Sunday, June 16, 3:00 – 6:00 pm. Winery Cellar and lawn. Come enjoy our best barbecue recipes along with wine pairing and sides. We will have lawn games available, outside tables and tents set up. Beer is also available. BBQ with wine, $35. Children, $15 Murder Mystery Dinner – Saturday, June 22, 6-9 pm. Enjoy a terrific meal and fun entertainment from our thespian winery staff in figuring out whodunit. $60 pp Check EventBrite for details. No refunds within 48 hours of the event. |
| Outside Winery Events Saturday Farmers Market; Muskogee and Tahlequah |
| Wine Dinners and Public Tastings We have done many wine dinners around the state of Oklahoma. We are the only winery in the state that can make four or five wine pairings from our wines that were not only “Made in Oklahoma” but grown here as well. We love to do wine dinners. Ask your favorite restaurant to give us a call at 918 683.1087 or info@pecancreekwinery.com. We do fun and sometimes educational events. Everyone has a great time. We also do public tastings at liquor stores. If your favorite retail store does not carry Pecan Creek wines, just ask them. Tell them that we can do a public tasting and zero in on the labels they want to carry. Our winery customers tend to be our best promoters. Thank you for your help |
| Buzzwords A lot of wineries are trying to convince the public that “organic,” “biodynamic,” and “low carbon footprint” should be important considerations for the consumer. They are, but they can also be very misleading promoting one positive thing while ignoring the negatives. Only one of those terms (organic) has a meaning that is defined in government regulations, and even that has some important gotchas. At Pecan Creek Winery, we are not perfect in all these respects, but we are practical, and we want to keep our customers safe. Come talk to our winemaker about these issues if you want to be a better-informed consumer. |
| Staying at the Winery The winery has provided space for up to four RVs with 50-amp hookups and water (no sanitary facilities). We have recently purchased the five acres and building immediately to the north of the winery, so now we have room for more RVs that do not need electric hookups or water. These are called “BoonDocker” sites. These locations also offer privacy and a great view of the vineyard. This summer, we will open the house adjacent to the winery as an Air BnB facility. With a full kitchen and beds for up to eight guests, this will provide another opportunity for folks who want to visit the winery and spend the night in total peace and quiet. Stay tuned for our opening date. |
WE SHIP TO 38 STATES!
Wine makes a GREAT gift! did you know that we ship to 38 states, making it an easy gift to send to your loved ones? Ordering is easy on our website!
We ship to the following states: AK, AZ, CO, DC, FL, GA, HI, IA, ID, IL, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD, ME, MN, MO, NC, ND, NE, NH, NM, NY, OH, OK, OR, PA, SC, TN, TX, VA, VT, WA, WI, WV, WY