Wilson Creek Blog
Events, News, Recipes & more!

Dear Somm, how is a Rosé wine made? I see so many and their colors are so different. Why?  – C. Watkins, Royal Oak, Michigan

This past summer, and now this fall, are times to experience the beauty of a good Rosé wine!

Firstly, a Rosé can be made from most any red grape. I have tasted Rosés from Nebbiolo, Syrah, Pinot Noir, Sangiovese, Tempranillo, Merlot, etc. This last summer we released a Cabernet Rosé that was tasty. It’s all about the skin contact. The color in a red or Rosé wine come from the anthocyanin pigment in the red grape skins. The more skin contact with the juice results in more pigment. One method of Rosé winemaking is maceration which is the time of skin contact with the juice. The longer the maceration, the more color will be in the skins. With a red wine, during fermentation the maceration can be from 5-15 days. With Rosé wines the maceration can occur prior to fermentation called a cold soak. The skins stay in contact for 6-12 hours in a chilled tank so any native yeast does not kick-start fermentation. The pink juice is then pumped away from the skins and then fermented in another tank. A Rosé wine is typically fermented cooler (at 42-48 degrees) vs. red wines ferment hotter at 80-100 degrees. A cooler fermentation retains the delicate flavors in a white or Rosé wine. This method is popular in Provence and Languedoc-Roussillon regions. The other method is called Saigneé (Sawn-yay) which is based on the French word for “bleeding”. The winemaker will bleed off about 10% of the juice from the red skins during fermentation. The remaining 90% creates a more intense red wine. The 10% of the bled wine is fermented separately into a Rosé wine. Typically, this method will produce a Rosé wine that is darker pink than the maceration method. We do both methods at Wilson Creek. Maceration will yield a lighter wine with more perfumed aromatics and delicate flavors. Saigneé will produce wines that are richer and darker in color. 

Mick Wilson 
Mick Wilson is a Certified Sommelier with the Court of Master Sommeliers as well as a Certified Specialist of Wine with the Society of Wine Educators.

Drink Pink for Breast Cancer Awareness Month

As you may know, October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Each of us knows a friend, sister, aunt, mother, daughter, or grandmother that has been affected by breast cancer. Wilson Creek Winery is joining the fight by donating a portion of the proceeds of each bottle of Rosé of Cabernet or Custom Labeled Rosé Sparkling Wine to an organization close to our hearts, Michelle’s Place Cancer Resource Center. 

Michelle’s Place Cancer Resource Center was created as a dying wish of Michelle Watson. Michelle was a 26-year-old victim of breast cancer. As a Temecula resident, Michelle was frustrated with the lack of local resources available to her while facing the challenges of cancer treatment. Sadly, Michelle succumbed to her disease on July 23, 2000. In the wake of Michelle’s passing came a mission of service to make it easier for others touched by this unrelenting disease. Family, friends, and the community have come together and created a mission to serve the local community. 

PURCHASE HERE AND HELP JOIN THE FIGHT

If you are a frequent guest to Wilson Creek Winery, you have probably had an entertaining wine tasting with servers Massie or Chris! Their energetic personalities and knowledge of wine guarantee any returning or new guest an educational, but fun wine tasting. They know know how to read a guests’ palate and will recommend a perfect wine whether you prefer sweet, dry or bold. Along with sampling the excellent selection of Wilson Creek Wines, they have probably thrown a few wine mixes in there! Wilson Creek is well known for our selection of Sparkling Wines, our most popular being our Almond Champagne! Our Sparkling Wines now consist of Watermelon, Yuzu Lemon, Peach Bellini, Coconut, Sangria, Rosé, and even an Orange Mimosa! All these flavors gave our Tasting Room Servers the idea to create some fun wine mixes. They have become very popular over the years with more and more guests coming to the winery and requesting their favorite mix or even making them at home! 

We thought it would fun to get our two master wine mixers together, Massie and Chris, to go LIVE for a Virtual Mixology Session and show you how they create some of their favorite wine mixes! After you watched the session on Tuesday, 9/22 at 5:30pm on Facebook and Instagram LIVE, below are the wine recipes used in the live and also a link to view even more wine mixes created here at  Wilson Creek. 

SPARKLING WINE RECIPES BELOW: 

PEACH + SANGRIA

COCONUT + MOSCATO

PEACH + ORANGE + CAB/ZIN

THE UNICORN:  PEACH + ALMOND + WHITE CAB

SANGRIA + DECADENCIA 

Are you ready to make these wine mixes at home for your friends and family?!

Take advantage of our Mixology Online Sale

Purchase 12 or more bottles of any Sparkling Wine and receive FREE SHIPPING through Friday, September 25^th!   

USE PROMO CODE: MIXOLOGY

Excludes celebration and giving back labeled wines. Not available to ship to LA, AK and HI.

More Wilson Creek Winery Recipes….

We love a good summer dessert, especially in the Temecula heat! This mouthwatering Peach Cobbler is such a fun, easy dessert and so delicious. Top with our whiskey whipped cream and this will be your go-to summer dessert from now on! 

Pairs well with our 2019 Wilson Creek Riesling

Ingredients

• 4 cups peeled sliced peaches
• 2 cups sugar, divided
• ½ cup water
• 8 tablespoons butter
• 1 ½ cups self-rising flour
• 1 ½ cups milk

for the whipped cream

• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 4 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon Whiskey

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Combine the peaches, 1 cup sugar, and water in a saucepan and mix well
3.  Bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes
4. Remove from the heat
5. Put the butter in a 3 quart baking dish and place in oven to melt
6. Mix remaining 1 cup sugar, flour, and milk slowly to prevent clumping
7. Pour mixture over melted butter
8. Do not stir
9. Spoon fruit on top, gently pouring in syrup
10. Batter will rise to top during baking
11. Bake for 30-45 minutes

for the whipped cream

1. Using a stand or hand mixer whip cream and sugar together until soft peaks form.
2. Add whiskey and vanilla mix until combined.

Enjoy! 

Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with our Wilson Creek Irish Moscow Mule cocktail! It’s a fun twist on an old favorite, easy to make and fun to drink!

The fun twist here from the classic Moscow Mule is the substitution of Jameson Whiskey instead of Tito’s Vodka and of course our beloved Brut Sparkling, which you are sure to enjoy this St. Paddy’s Day!

Serves:1 glass

INGREDIENTS

• 2 oz Jameson Whiskey
• 3 oz Ginger Beer
• 3 oz Brut Sparkling
• 1 Lime (cut in half)
• Ice
• Fresh Mint Sprigs

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Fill a glass or copper mug (if you have them these work best) almost full with ice.
2. Pour in your Jameson, Brut, and Ginger Beer
3. Squeeze 1/2 your fresh Lime Juice
4. Add your Mint Springs
5. Use the other half of the Lime to Garnish

Valentine’s Day may be over, but even after the holiday, keep your love flourishing with those small gestures! Showing how much you care about your significant other is key to keeping your relationship strong! Our very own Rosie and Gerry Wilson are a perfect example, being married for 66 Years! As Rosie would say, “Marriage isn’t 50/50, it’s 80/80,” and that is what she always tells our brides!

Rosie and Gerry being the foundation of Wilson Creek, and building upon their legacy, is what makes our Winery so special. If you have had the pleasure of meeting them, you know what wonderful people they are. You can just see the love that they have for each other and that love spreads to everyone around them.

Some words of advice from Rosie & Gerry after 66 years-

1. If something is bugging you, put it on the table and deal with it in an adult manner. Don’t let the little things become big things! An example, your dirty clothes belong in the hamper.
2. Never criticize your spouse in front of other people. Discuss these items in private.
3. Do not discuss finances or big problems just before bed.
4. Choose your battles. Most are not worth fighting over – it should be a win-win situation.
5. Part of maturity is being able to admit that you were mistaken. “I screwed up!”
6. Don’t expect your partner to be perfect…. YOU AREN’T!
7. Be supportive of each other – be your partner’s biggest fan.
8. Communication is very important. Always make decisions together.
9. Remember to always say I Love You.
10. Continue to date each other, and be spontaneous!

Marriage isn’t easy or perfect, what’s important is that you two have chosen to get to love each other for the rest of your lives, and together you will navigate through whatever comes your way.

Cheers to you- Rosie + Gerry