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St. James Spiced Apple: Cinnamon-Kissed Sweetness for Harvest Evenings

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The kind of evening that calls for cozy socks and twinkle lights also called us to the sweet wine lineup at St. James. The seasonal crowd was buzzing, the air smelled faintly of apples, and we had one mission: lean into the sweetness and see where it takes us. Enter St. James Spiced Apple—a cheerful little pour that fit the mood like a knit scarf. The Basics - Name: Spiced Apple - Producer: St. James - Region: St. James - Type/Style: Spiced Apple (fruit wine) - Vintage: Non-vintage (seasonal release) - Price: Seasonal/tasting-room offering; check the winery for current pricing The Tasting Journey In the glass, this one shines a friendly, apple-juice gold—like sunshine in a tumbler. The nose is straightforward and inviting: fresh apple through and through. On the palate, it’s sweet (it’s a sweet wine tasting, after all), with that just-picked apple flavor leading the way. Think market-fresh apple slices rather than baked pie—bright, juicy, and uncomplicated. There’s a gentle lift of...
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St. James Bubbly Cherry Moscato: Picnic-Perfect Sparkle, Cherry-Kissed Finish

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It was one of those easygoing afternoons that melts into evening without anyone noticing — the kind where laughter drifts across a tasting room and time slows in the best way. At our wine tasting at St. James, a chilled flute of Bubbly Cherry Moscato winked at us from the lineup, and honestly, who can resist something that sparkles and sounds like dessert? Wine basics - Name: Bubbly Cherry Moscato - Producer: St. James - Region: St. James - Type: Bubbly Moscato - Vintage: NV (not listed) - Price: We tasted at the winery; check the tasting room or local shop for current pricing Tasting journey In the glass, this bubbly blushes a cheerful, light ruby — like a bowl of cherries catching late-afternoon sun. The bubbles are lively but friendly, sending up a swirl of aromas that say “come closer.” First up: cherry, of course, but it’s not syrupy or heavy. Think fresh cherries with a little red berry lift, plus a whisper of white flowers and peach — that classic Moscato perfume peeking thr...
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Juicy Weeknight Sparkle: Bubbly Blackberry Sparkling Fruit Wine, St. James, Missouri

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Some nights call for curiosity over corkscrews. We wandered into our neighborhood grocery store with exactly zero plans and a tiny craving for something playful. On the shelf, a cheerful label winked back: Bubbly Blackberry by St. James Winery. A sparkling fruit wine from Missouri? Toss it in the cart. Sometimes the best adventures come with a grocery receipt. The basics - Name: Bubbly Blackberry - Producer: St. James Winery - Type: Sparkling Fruit Wine - Region: St. James, Missouri, USA - Vintage: NV (no vintage listed) - Price: Grocery‑store friendly; varies by retailer - Would we buy it again? Yes - Scores: Jeremy’s Glasses Score: 5, Diana’s Glasses Score: 5, How Many Glasses Score: 5 Tasting the moment In the glass, Bubbly Blackberry pours a deep, jewel-toned purple with a lively bead of bubbles racing to the surface—like a blackberry soda all grown up. The aromas jump right out: fresh-picked blackberries, a hint of bramble, and a little whiff of wild violets. It’s bright, invi...
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Alfalfa Mead, Walnut Grove Missouri: Sunlit Sips and Friendly Disagreement

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A sun-drenched Saturday, a gravel road curling through the countryside, and that unmistakable hum of bees and summer. We found ourselves at 7C’s Winery in Walnut Grove, Missouri—one of those sweet little spots where the porch feels like a hug and time slows just enough to taste it. Diana and I split a flight, and when the Alfalfa Mead landed in my glass, well… I couldn’t put it down. Diana? Not her jam this time—but that’s half the fun of tasting together. Wine (Mead) Basics - Name: Alfalfa Mead - Producer: 7C’s Winery - Region: Walnut Grove, Missouri, USA - Type: Mead (honey wine made from alfalfa blossom honey) - Vintage: Non-vintage (not listed) - Price: Purchased at the tasting room; check 7C’s for current pricing The Tasting Journey - Appearance: Pale, sunlit gold—the color of late afternoon through a mason jar. - Aroma: Fresh-cut hay and wildflower honey right up front, with a soft waft of clover blossoms and beeswax. It’s meadow-y in the best way. - Flavor: Pure honey charac...
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Zelda 1986 Cabernet Sauvignon: Hyrule Forest Elegance in a Glass

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Some nights call for fireworks; others whisper for a quiet wander. Ours was the latter—a stroll through Hyrule Forest, the canopy turning the late light to green velvet, and a cherished bottle tucked in the backpack. When we found a lookout over the Woodland Region, the cork of a 1986 Zelda from Grand Win D'Hyrule gave a soft sigh, the kind that says: yes, you’re exactly where you need to be. The Basics - Wine: Zelda, Cabernet Sauvignon - Vintage: 1986 - Producer: Grand Win D'Hyrule - Region: Hyrule Valley - Price: Not listed; availability may be limited for this vintage The Tasting Journey In the glass, Zelda 1986 shows a graceful garnet core with a faint brick-orange rim—like sunset glinting through leaves. The nose is a lovely bridge between youth and age: lifted cassis and redcurrant, a little dried rose, cedar shavings, and that forest-after-rain feeling that somehow makes everything smell sweeter. There’s a gentle thread of cocoa and dried herbs, too. On the palate, ...
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