Over the past 10 years, residents in Luverne and southwest Minnesota have been learning about wine, one sip at a time.
The Blue Mound Liquor Store hosted its first wine tasting in 1999. That event, staged in the Coffey Haus, attracted 19 people.
Since then, the annual event has grown to include more than 130 interested wine tasters.
Rich DeSchepper and Christy Hess of the Blue Mound Liquor store hosted a 10th anniversary wine tasting Thursday night, Nov. 19, in the Blue Mound Banquet and Meeting Center in Luverne.
“I’m so honored we have everyone here tonight to join us for our 10th anniversary,” Hess told the crowd.
She recognized a few charter members, such as Luverne’s Brenda Johnson, who now helps with the event, when needed.
Dave Evenson and Scott Faust of Johnson Brothers Liquor Company, St. Paul, have been supplying wine for the local club since it started.
Faust led a toast to DeSchepper and Hess for 10 years of successful wine club organization.
“A toast to you guys for making this one of the most successful wine clubs in southern Minnesota,” he said.
Evenson toasted the local wine club members as well.
“You guys are truly interested in wine,” he said. “You show up and ask good questions. You truly have an interest in wine.”
Dr. Paul and Jan Rud are among the faithful sippers. When asked why he comes every year, Paul points across the table at his wife and says, “Because she drags me along.”
He laughs, though, and admits he enjoys the night out with friends.
Jan was a bit more specific. “We love to try new wines, and we’ve learned so much,” she said. “We didn’t know anything about wines when we started coming.”
Now, she said, they’ve narrowed their favorites to a few white wines and some Malbecs.
The Ruds, like many other local wine club members, also come for the experience and to meet with other wine club regulars.
“They do it so nicely,” Jan said about the wine tasting events in Luverne. “We’ve talked to people in the Twin Cities about this, and they can’t believe how big it is.”
Paul said, “It’s amazing to look around the room tonight and see all the people.”
DeSchepper said wine tasting in Luverne started after he’d been to a Minnesota Municipal Beverages Association Meeting in Montevideo in 1999.
He said a liquor store manager from Herman had shared that a wine tasting event there had been good for business.
“When I got back, I said to Christy, ‘I’m going to send you on a road trip so you can see what they did there.’ And when she came back, she organized it, and we hosted our first wine tasting here,” DeSchepper said.
“She’s done a wonderful job spearheading this.”
Thursday’s wine selection included Turning Leaf Riesling, which was on the list 10 years ago for the first wine tasting in Luverne.
The wine is served with meat, cheese, crackers, bread and grapes.
The event wrapped up with a Madria sangria, a dessert wine that was paired with fruit tart squares, topped with fresh fruit and drizzled with chocolate.
Victoria Stearns, Luverne, prepares the food and desserts for the Blue Mound Liquor Store’s wine tasting events.
The Blue Mound Liquor Store will offer Winterfest wine sampling from 4 to 8 p.m. Dec. 4 and 5, this year featuring wines from Italy.
The next Wine Club meeting in Luverne will be Dec. 10.
“Wine has become a very large thing in Luverne,” DeSchepper said following Thursday’s event. “We’re very happy with the success we’ve seen.”
