Winter is wine season.
With the holidays upon us and the temperatures nose-diving below freezing, it’s the perfect time to curl up by the fire and uncork your favorite bottle of red or white.
To help Johnson County wine-lovers find the right bottles for their holiday festivities, Mallow Run Winery in Bargersville will host its annual open house from noon to 6 p.m. both Saturday and Sunday. Taste-test different styles, enjoy complementary treats and listen to live music, all in Mallow Run’s rustic restored barn-turned-tasting room at 6964 W. Whiteland Road.
The hope is to not only stock customers up for Christmas and beyond, but to thank people for their loyalty, said Sarah Shadday, marketing and wholesale coordinator for the winery.
“It’s just a way to say thank you to our customers for another wonderful year,” she said. “It’s the season of thanksgiving and counting your blessings, showing what you’re thankful for, and this is our way to do it.”
Here are five things to know in advance of the open house:
Holiday releases
Mallow Run will have its full selection of wines available, but likely the most popular sales will be of the winery’s special seasonal wines, Shadday said. Reindeer Red is a smooth, lighter-bodied red with cherry flavors, while Winter White has subtle tropical aromas and a fresh grape flavor.
Sounds of the season
“We’ll have music both days, Christmas carols and holiday music. Our patio is enclosed and heated, so we’ll have that open,” Shadday said.
Special sales
The open house will also feature Mallow Run’s annual sale on cases of wine. For people who need 12 bottles, either of the same type or a mix-and-match, they can get a deeper discount, Shadday said.
Santa’s helpers
For people who are newer to wine and aren’t exactly sure what they’re looking for, “Our staff is always willing to make suggestions with whatever the person is looking for. We have a lot of fun things, and we’re always here to help people pick out the right gift for the wine lovers in their life,” Shadday said.
Perfect gifts
“We do gift baskets that are already done up so people can just grab those. We have themed baskets, like a wine-and-cheese basket that has cheeses paired with some of our drier wines, or a ‘sweet tooth’ basket with desserts and some of our sweeter wines,” Shadday said. “If somebody wants to do something more customized, we love helping people put together their own custom gift baskets.”
