Our 1st 2013 Barrel Into Spring event was well attended and all of the guests seemed to enjoy the experience. It was a sold-out event and here are a few photos as a reminder of a fun weekend! Cheers!

We also had requests for the salad recipe, so we are posting it here. Others will be put up as they are received.

Kale and Cabbage Salad with Roasted Nut Vinaigrette  (makes 4 good sized portions)

 ¾ Cup Pure Grape seed Oil/Extra Virgin Olive Oil/Peanut Oil or Flavored Oil of your choice

¼ Cup Rice Wine Vinegar

2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice

1 Tablespoon Honey

2 Teaspoons black pepper

1 Teaspoon salt

1 Tablespoon plus 1 tsp. dry mustard

1 Teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce

2 Tablespoons Soy Sauce

½ Teaspoon Sesame Oil

1 Teaspoon Water

2 Teaspoons Garlic powder

For The Salad:

2-1/2 Cups Curly Kale (not Tuscan or black) stems & ribs cut out, leaves chiffonade chopped finely and then cut into three times really shredded (Kale is tough so you want it really fine small pieces but not confetti)

1-1/2 Cups shredded and fine chopped green cabbage

10 Mint leaves chiffonade chopped

¼ Bunch of fresh cilantro, leaves and stems are fine, finely chopped

¾ Cup finely chopped dry roasted peanuts no salt

½ Cup whole dry roasted peanuts (or almonds if allergic to peanuts)

In a large bowl mix all greens with peanuts and cheese. Add dressing until nice and wet (you probably won’t need all of it) and toss well. Let sit 5 to 10 minutes. Serve in individual bowls or onto a large platter. Enjoy!

The first weekend in April we held our 1st Library Tasting and Open House and Sale of wines from our library. Our Friday night with our Wine Club members was a great success and everyone enjoyed the opportunity to sample and purchase a few of the aged Meritage Reds. The wines paired with some delectable bites made for a great weekend! Thanks to all who came out and shared some time with us.

The Edesia event  held at The Wine Country Inn was a great success, even though it was cold outside, we managed to stay entertained inside by the guests, the Edesia Goddess, and of course our friends from Debeque Canyon Winery!

Food was prepared, wine was served with each course, and then the dancing commenced….the Palisade PeachFest Queen and her attendants were enjoying the festivities also, even caught them dancing (but that photo was too blurry), so this one of them seated will have to do~what a beautiful evening! Thank you Z’s Orchard for being such gracious hosts!

A fabulous dinner was prepared by il Bistro Italiano at Z’s Orchard on Friday, August 17th; attended by 100 people, everyone appeared to enjoy the wine and food pairings. Wine was provided by Grande River Vineyards and Talon Wines. A very fun and festive evening to kick-off the 2012 PeachFest. The evening began with sunny blue skies and beautifully decorated tables with fresh flowers and lights strung through the fruit trees~even the cat got in on the action!

Roice-Hurst Humane Societys’ First Annual Private Label Reception was held on Friday, June 15th to kick-off their private label Merlot. The label was designed by Judy Rogan, a local artist, and her original oil painting was the main slient auction piece. It will be on display in our tasting room, for additional bids, through the end of July to be included in the Imagine-Beatles Tribute concert proceeds. The event was enjoyed by approcimately 125 guests, and a huge success!  Judy Rogan was available to sign purchased bottles, which the guests loved! Check out the new label below (we were too busy selling wine to get many photos) and be sure to stop by our tasting room and purchase your commemerative bottle! $1.00 per bottle sold will be donated to the Roice-Hurst Humane Society.

Friday night Stray Grass was on stage pickin’ bluegrass tunes, and the crowd was barefoot dancing in the grass. Proceeds from ticket sales went to benefit the Roice-Hurst Humane Society. Stray Grass is a locals’ favorite and about 400 tickets to the show were sold! Check out our facebook album for more photos and join us on the lawn for our next concert — Exit 42. Cheers!

The skies were a little dark and cloudy again this year for “Hands That Harvest” at Grande River Vineyards, but there was salsa dancing, music, authentic Mexican food, and of course Grande River Wines enjoyed nonetheless! This annual benefit for Child & Migrant Services in Palisade is a hit among locals and usually draws the largest crowd of the series of benefit concerts. For several years in a row the salsa band out of Boulder, CO called Quemando has been the live entertainment. To see more photos of the event, check out our facebook album.

Friday, July 12 we had a concert that was not like any other in our annual summer concert series. Thank you to Sandstone Concerts for bringing Blues Traveler to perform in pretty Palisade, on our lawn! Normally our concerts are enjoyed from lawn chairs and blankets with picnics, but for this high-energy and well-known jam band, there just wouldn’t be room for much more than dancing and holding a class of GRV wine. With standing room only about 1,100 people, drenched by the summer rain, danced the night away.  Check out our album on Facebook to see more photos!

Before the band did their sound check, keyboard player Ben Wilson, wanted to see the sights of Palisade and go for a hike. He and Hannah hiked the Petroglyph Trail, for the best view of the valley, especially for someone who had never been to Palisade before.