STROUD, OK. — If you are traveling on historic Route 66 in Oklahoma anytime soon, you might want to consider making a wine stop in Stroud at StableRidge Vineyards.
I made a stop at the modest winery that offers a tasting room in the town's original Catholic church.
The building was started in 1898, using materials milled from local farms and ranches and was completed in 1902 and dedicated to those who died in the Civil War.
Another interesting fact about the vineyard listed on their website, is that the business exists because of tornados.
In 1999, tornados ripped through Oklahoma leaving a path of destruction in several towns including Stroud.
According to the vineyard's website, the Stroud tornado hit the home of Don and Annetta Neal, the owners of StableRidge Vineyards.
Because of the damage, the Neals were able to purchase neighboring property for development. They then began planting grapes in 2000.
In 2003 tornados returned to the sooner state and again parts of Stroud were ripped through. This storm destroyed the couple's downtown warehouse. The replacement is now the winery located to the east of the tasting room.
When I first entered the winery I was a little disappointed with what I saw because the winery I usually visit is larger and offers elderberry fudge. I was hoping this one would offer the sweet treat as well. But instead I found a vineyard rich in history and award winning wine. I was offered a sample of Jeremiah's Red which was described as a sweet wine that goes well with chocolate or cheesecake. My thought was anything that goes well with chocolate has to be good.
The employee said the wine is made of a blend of full bodied red wines and Blackberry. One taste and the bottle was sold. She explained that some have been known to soak a roast in the wine before cooking. I have not tried this yet, but it is on my list of things to do.
Still suffering from disappointment because of the lack of elderberry fudge, I searched for some sort of food to sample and found Starr Ridge Hors D'Oeuvre Crackers and smokey mozzarella bread spread. She explained that neither product is made at the winery but the combination mixed with a glass of wine makes for a tasty experience. An interesting service the winery offers is personalized wine labels. The consumer can design a label in celebration of an event or any other reason and the winery will place it on their choice of wine. Another feature is a conference cottage located next to the tasting room. It can be reserved for meetings, weddings and other celebrations.
In celebration of Oklahoma's Centennial, the winery offered Centennial Red, a blend of Zinfandel, Shiraz, and Sangiovese grapes all grown in Oklahoma Vineyards.
To commemorate the stop on Historic Route 66, visitors are encouraged to pick up a wine glass featuring the 66 logo and vineyards logo. Despite the fact I was not able to sample elderberry fudge, I found the experience positive and I discovered another tasty wine to enjoy.
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