Are you newly engaged?  Below are my ten tips for newly engaged couples.  This year will mark just eight years of marriage for me and my husband.  I do not claim to be an expert on marriage nor am I a marriage professional.  Our is a blended family and my husband and I run a business together and are raising two teenagers; we have endured our share of stress and have overcome much in the last decade together.  Drawing from my own experience, below is my advice for couples who are considering marriage or may be newly engaged. 
1. Choose your partner wisely
This is number one because it is the foundation for everything I am about to say.  Marriage is a lifelong commitment that should not be entered into with an escape plan.  If you are in a relationship with some that you are planning to marry and already thinking of what you will have to do if you need to leave, you may want to rethink your decision.  Look at the character of your partner.  Is this someone you are excited to raise children with?  Do you feel that you wholeheartedly trust your partner?  Are you and your partner on the same page when it comes to finances, sex, and religion? Do not rush into marriage for the sake of having a wedding or being married.  Choose your partner wisely because know that when you do, inevitably there will be rough seas ahead that the two of you will need to face together. 
2. Throw away all expectations
Expectations are nails in a coffin for a relationship.  Did you expect that he would automatically take out the garbage or that she would want to cook dinner every night of the week?  When we have expectations of what our partner will do and it doesn’t line up with the reality of what our partner actually does, we can be left feeling cheated somehow.  Your partner will not be the perfect person you dreamed about, because no such person exists.  There is not a magical soul mate out there waiting for you somewhere and no one’s love story is perfect.  Every marriage endures trials and couples that have been married for 10, 20, 30 or more years can tell you there were times they thought about divorce.  We are human, when a situation is uncomfortable, we want to get ourselves out of it.  Marriage requires learning how to stay in the situation and make it better.  Discard expectations and work on communicating on what you need and listen to what your spouse needs. 
3. Forgive, and forgive again
Arguments can quickly get out of hand with hurtful words spoken that are hard to forget.   A heaping amount of grace is needed in marriage.  Have you ever had words of apology playing through your mind, but you don’t speak them aloud?  Pride has no place in marriage, we all make mistakes and must be quick to apologize and learn to work on ourselves to change our future behavior.  If you were on the receiving end of hurtful words, and are in the position of offering forgiveness, give it wholly.  When you forgive your partner, make the effort to forgive and forget and not bring up past hurts.  Do not hold onto slights in your emotional suitcase ready to unload them on your partner in the next argument.  Partners need to show grace toward one another.   
4. Take care of yourself
I believe as much as possible, you should not trouble your spouse with what you can do for yourself.  No one wants to have to carry someone else.  When you were dreaming of your future spouse, were you thinking of someone who would take care of you, fix your financial troubles, mow your lawn, clean your house, and cook your meals?  Stop dreaming.  Your spouse is not your caretaker, housekeeper, landscaper and cook.  Have you ever stopped to think about what you can provide to someone else?  As much as possible, you should be thinking of what you can do to make things easier for your spouse.  In a marriage, you should be working hard to take care of yourself just as you would have to if you were single.  A spouse is not meant to be a caretaker.  
5.  Think the best of your partner
As I mentioned above, grace is a necessary ingredient in a marriage and when our partner fumbles at something, grace is needed.  This means when you partner leaves dirty laundry on the floor or perhaps loses their job it doesn’t become the latest gossip you share with your friends or co-workers.  In a relationship, we get to know the best and the worst of each other.  Grace is choosing to focus on the best and not reliving the worst.  The good feels we have when we begin dating someone are largely because we only see the best in the other person.  That point of view in the beginning of the relationship came naturally, but over time is a skill that requires work and care.  Our partners need our love, our kind words, and our thoughtful acts.  When we take the time to pour love into our partner, they will begin to shine and show their best side.  If we push, nag, and degrade our partner, they will react accordingly.  Be aware of how your actions, your words and your thoughts contribute to the “temperature” in your relationship and household.  
6. Choose your friends wisely
Maybe you are newly married, and your closest friends are not.  You and your husband had an argument over something small and now you’re with your friends embellishing your side of the story and of course, they side with you.  This is a slippery slope.  If you paint your spouse in a poor light to your friends, they will view your spouse negatively.  The best of friends will listen, support you and support your marriage because after all, this is the person you chose to commit your life to.  If you are beginning to have doubts regarding your marriage, you should seek professional couples counseling together.
7. Avoid being easily offended
If you find yourself getting irritated by the tone in your partner’s voice or heated because the dishes aren’t done, it could be you are too easily offended.  Do you feel like your spouse is trying to push your buttons?  You may need to work on removing some buttons.  We cannot control other’s actions, but we can control our response to situations we are in.  Maybe your spouse was having a bad day and the curt response wasn’t necessarily a dig at you, but was an expression of their own frustration.  Put away paranoia and pull out your grace for others.  We are evolving works in progress and that doesn’t change when we say, “I do”.  As we face increasingly difficult and stressful situations with our spouse, children, or work, it is important to see things from the other’s point of view and show as much understanding as possible.  Being easily offended and brusque with those you love will push them away and cause others to feel a need to walk on eggshells in your presence.  Dig deep within yourself to understand what is causing you to be easily offended and work on the root of the problem.
8. Continue dating each other
Dating is fun.  Keep fun in your marriage and make time to spend time with one another doing new things, learning, and laughing together.  Plan small weekend getaways that give you both something to look forward.  Be intentional with your conversation; stay away from hot topics such as bills, children, or the list of repairs you would like to see done around the house.  Keep dating and getaways light and fun, avoiding heavy conversations!
9. Don’t keep score
It is very human to keep score and track of what you have done and compare it to what others have done.  When we compare ourselves to others it gives us a sense of where we stand.  Did I complete the task quicker? Was I better?  These are traits we pick up as children; competing with one another to see where we rank among the group.  It is hard to shake this learned behavior and we carry it over into our relationships.  We tend to keep score of what we do and keep a tally of what our partner hasn’t done.  It is damaging behavior that will lead to future conflict.  Put away the scorecard and do what needs to be done around the house, or for the kids without tracking how much you are doing compared to your spouse.  You are one unit; you have to view your marriage as such.  
10. Choose love and choose your marriage
Protect your marriage.  It is the single most important relationship with another human being you will ever have.  Honor your marriage and remember the importance that it holds.  Do not allow others to wiggle their way into cracks in your relationship and break it apart.  Once you enter a union with another person, the two of you become a family and you begin building your life together.  You must protect your marriage and fight for it always because in the end your marriage is worth it.   :) 

In the tasting room, we often hear customers say, "I don't know anything about wine!" and our response is simply, "you know what you like".  The world of wine can be overly complicated and seem somewhat pretentious for those who do not live and breathe wine.  My thoughts are that most people have a specialty, vast knowledge on a specific subject; they are experts in their own field.  One's skills can range from customer service to chemistry, or from mapmaking to mortgage lending.  However, I have found that there is a certain aura surrounding the wine industry and it is often viewed as prestigious career path and product.  Now, don't misunderstand, there is a tremendous amount of work that goes into farming the grapes and when the growing season doesn't provide us with the ideal climate, which it rarely does, the expertise of a skilled winemaker is needed to basically right the wrongs in the grape crop.  Combating high acid levels, low sugars, faults and flaws, a winemaker with a large portfolio of wines is pulled in many different directions as they strive to bring out the best in every varietal while ensuring the wines are ready for bottling and stable for long-term aging. 

Back to the initial post topic: "What wines should I serve with my Holiday meal?".   I absolutely love food and wine pairing and because I am an expert on Deer Run wines (so says me) I am going to help you choose the very best Deer Run wines for your upcoming gathering.  I recommend you have a variety of wines on hand to satisfy a range of palates! Some people love sweet wine, some prefer dry reds, others won't touch a red wine and will only drink white. Some don't care what their served as long as their glass is filled!  

Follow the flowcharts below to find my recommendations of the Deer Run wines that should grace your Holiday table depending on the main course served and who is coming over for dinner!

I hope these recommendations help you take the guesswork out of food and wine pairing.  It all comes down to what you and what your guests like. Happy holidays to you from all of us here at Deer Run Winery.  May your family be blessed, your bellies be full and your wine glass never go empty!  

This Halloween we have a treats of the adult variety in store for you all weekend!  Saturday October 30th and Sunday October 31st from 12 pm - 6 pm, we will offer Halloween Candy & Wine Flights while supplies last for those looking to adventure out to Livingston County's Conesus Lake.  Our Halloween Candy & Wine flights will include four wine samples complimented by four sweet treats comprised of:

Dry Rosé paired with a white chocolate covered strawberry 
Runway Red paired with a Snickers bar 
Max Black paired with a Reese's peanut butter pumpkin 
Pebble Beach Blush paired with a Kit Kat bar 

Stock up for the season with our Sweet Wine Sale offering mix and match cases (12 bottles) of the following sweet wines for just $99 plus tax:

Max Black, a Niagara based wine with a sweet, grape forward finish
Pebble Beach Blush, a sweet blush with notes of white grape & peach
Moscato, a sweet well-balanced wine with a floral bouquet and ripe nectarine finish

Don't miss this opportunity to refill your wine rack with your favorite wines and satisfy your sweet tooth!  
The Sweet Wine Sale is available in-store only during business hours 12 pm - 6 pm.  

​Mrs. Austyn Morss started working for Deer Run Winery as the Event Coordinator in 2020.  At  the time she was Miss Austyn Simmons, engaged with plans to marry in May 2021 after her 2020 wedding had been postponed due to the shutdown.  During the pandemic her venue went through a change of ownership.  The new owners assured Austyn and her fiancé, Patrick, they would honor the deposit paid to the previous owner and the couple looked forward to holding their wedding in May of 2021.  Unfortunately, due to legal issues with the venue, Austyn and Patrick were informed their venue was unable to host their wedding as scheduled in May 2021.  This left Austyn, an event coordinator who had planned and assisted hundreds of brides over the years, extremely frustrated; again, she was being told she needed to postpone her wedding another year.  Feeling that she and her fiancé were ready to get married, even if it was a small gathering, they decided to hold a small wedding in the vineyard at Deer Run Winery. 

So, what does it look like when an event coordinator gets married? For this gal and her groom, their open-air ceremony followed by cocktail reception in the vineyard was nothing short of magical. Her wedding day began at home where she was met by her make-up artist/hairstylist and photographer.  The bride wore a gorgeous Allure strapless damask bridal gown with a sweep train, and she arrived at Deer Run Winery in style in her father’s convertible BMW.  Austyn carried a bouquet of white calla lilies as we assisted her into the golf cart before Scott drove her into the vineyard out of sight of the guests. 

Once Austyn was in place, in a row of Traminette vines on the arm of her father, instrumental music began to play and the maid of honor, her childhood best friend, walked out from the row of vines and took her place to the left of the arbor.  The sun shone brightly in the sky that Sunday afternoon and it became Austyn’s moment; it was finally her turn to be the bride walking down the aisle.   A breeze lifted her veil as she emerged from the vines to see the familiar faces of her closest friends and family and there waiting for her was Patrick, the man she fell in love with, the man whom she was dedicating her future to.  Patrick stood straight and tall, a brawny man of more than 6 feet; he wore his grandfather’s vintage custom tuxedo made in 1919.  The two exchanged vows and celebrations ensued in the vineyard immediately following the ceremony. 

Tables topped with white hydrangeas and draped with white linen that flowed in the breeze dotted the vineyard’s headlands.  The buffet tables were filled with a spread of finger foods and charcuterie.  A portable bar was set up to serve the guests and while the couple celebrated their toast with a bottle of Dom Perignon, the guests toasted with a specialty lemonade lavender brandy cocktail topped off with a scoop of lemon sorbet.  The dessert table, set against the backdrop of the vineyard, showcased glistening mini fruit tartlets and a modestly garnished almond cake with raspberry filling.  The two-tier wedding cake was decorated in pristine white, crowned with white roses and a custom cake topper prominently displaying the newlywed’s name.  After an hour or so of mingling, the couple and their family took photos in the vineyard and by the pond.  They continued celebrations that evening at Patrick’s family’s country estate with fireworks, an enormous bonfire, and more food and drink. 

Sometimes when the original plan doesn’t work out, the alternative can be even greater.  The couple is hopeful that by 2022 the legal issues with their original venue will be cleared up and they plan to celebrate with their full guest list next year.  In Austyn’s case, for having assisted so many brides in her career, she deserves two weddings!  Her vineyard wedding at Deer Run Winery was intimate and “rustic-chic”.  Now, in true Event Coordinator fashion, she can get to work planning next year’s wedding!
 
Florals: Genesee Valley Florist
Wedding Cake: Sweet Solutions
Wedding Gown: Heart to Heart Bride
Venue: Deer Run Winery
Hair Stylist / Make up Artist: Danielle Willardson
Photographer: LeNovel Photography 
Caterer: Simply Crepes & Wegmans

Every three months, Deer Run Winery holds a wine release for our Wine of the Month Club members.  Wine Club members receive three bottles of pre-selected wines each quarter.  Our Summer 2021 Wine Release will be taking place on June 12th 1pm-4pm under our new pavilion at Deer Run Winery and will feature the following wines:
June's Wine of the Month: Dry Rosé 
July's Wine of the Month: Pebble Beach Blush 
August's Wine of the Month: Moscato​

Savings are just one perk members enjoy; the conversations and friendships made are  additional benefits you will also take away with you.  If you are looking for a fun, relaxed club to be a part of filled with great people and delicious wine to enjoy, you need to look no further!   We look forward to seeing our members again soon for the upcoming 2021 Summer Wine Release which will be held under our pavilion as we enjoy wine, summer and sunshine! 

Deer Run Winery submitted four wines to be scored by the Beverage Testing Institute (BTI) and each of the wines entered, 2018 Riesling, 2019 Marquette, Conesus White, and Runway Red, garnered a Silver Medal and received the distinction of being "Highly Recommended" and rated a "Best Buy".  BTI is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois and has a panel of professional judges who rate spirits, wine and beer.  Blind tastings are performed in a manner of randomly selected flights and judges sample no more than 30 beverages in a climate controlled setting over a  2 to 3 hour period.  The reviews published below are those given by the professional panel of judges at the Beverage Testing Institute covering the 2021 New York Wine Classic:
Deer Run Winery 2018 Riesling - 87 Points, Silver, Highly Recommended, Best Buy
"Straw color. Aromas and flavors of fallen apples and lemons, floral honeycomb, exotic tropical fruits, and radish with a silky, bright, fruity light-to-medium body and a smooth, compelling, medium-long finish displaying suggestions of honeyed dried peach, starfruit, hint of herbs, and minerals with no oak flavor. An intriguingly earthy and uniquely flavorful Riesling that delightfully dances to its own beat."
Deer Run Winery 2019 Marquette - 87 Points, Silver, Highly Recommended, Best Buy
"Ruby black color. Interesting aromas and flavors of honeyed black raspberries, nettles, mace and cinnamon bark, blood and ink, and vanilla extract with a supple, bright, dryish medium body and a tingling, interesting, medium-long finish conveying accents of marinated beets and olives, pomegranate, grilled carrots, and turnip greens and stems with light oak flavor. A dry, super savory red that will excel with game."
Deer Run Winery Conesus White - 88 points, Silver, Highly Recommended, Best Buy
"White gold color. Sweet aromas of white grapes, pineapple slices, watermelon candies, and quince with a supple, vibrant, dry light body and a polished, interesting, medium-length tangy citrus relish and pressed flowers finish with no oak flavor. A outgoingly fruity yet bone dry white that offers crowd-pleasing flavor to all."
Deer Run Winery Runway Red  - 87 Points, Silver, Highly Recommended, Best Buy
"Burnt sienna color. Roasted aromas of melted toffee, caramel macchiato, bubbly berry pie crust, and brown butter with a round, lively, fruity medium body and a tingling, interesting, medium-long artisan pickles, roasted berry and citrus, and spiced nuts finish with crunchy, chewy tannins and light oak flavor. A lively and mouth watering red that will invigorate at the table."

Each of these wines are available for purchase at Deer Run Winery and some may be found in your local liquor store. 

A "Best Buy Four Pack"  which includes each of the wines rated above is available for purchase from Deer Run Winery and may be purchased here.  

January's Wine of the Month is Dry Riesling at Deer Run Winery.  Our 2018 Dry Riesling has notes of Meyer lemon and pickled ginger with a crisp, dry finish.  This versatile white wine can be paired with a myriad of dishes, notably Asian, BBQ, fish, pork and so much more! As owners George and Joan traveled South earlier this month to over-winter, I wanted to prepare a special meal for them the night before they left.  Many of my meals start with the wine and then I work backwards to see what I can make that would pair well and highlight the notes in the wine.  I realize most people pair wine with their already chosen food, but thus is the life of a family who lives, breathes, and sells wine! 

I wanted to focus on our Dry Riesling's citrus notes and decided on lemon-thyme chicken with homemade gnocchi.  I had never made gnocchi before, but read some food blogs and it seemed simple enough.  I also have a potato ricer in my repertoire of kitchen gadgets, so I decided to give it a try! 

The gnocchi recipe I used called for boiling whole potatoes and peeling them afterwards so they avoid becoming waterlogged. I decided to do this step in the morning to break up the amount of work needed to be done in preparation of our dinner.  After peeling the potato, using a knife while holding the potato on the end of a fork, I left the whole potatoes on the counter to cool until the afternoon.  That was a mistake on my part.  It was much more difficult to rice the potato once it had cooled down.  Note that the potato should be pressed through the potato ricer while it is still hot.  Anyhow, I brought the dough together with flour, salt, egg, and potato and rolled out strips as instructed, cut in to small pillows and rounded those over fork tines and, voila, I had homemade gnocchi!  I was quite proud of myself at this point, but I had piled my little pillows on the counter, which was another no-no.  When it came time to throw them in the boiling water, many of the pillows stuck together and I had to tear them apart.  Next time, I will lay them out on a parchment lined sheet pan or on a floured surface. 

For the chicken, I heated a cast iron skillet and browned the chicken thighs on both sides which had been sprinkled with sea salt and cracked black pepper.  I removed the chicken from the pan then added butter, chopped garlic, thyme, lemon peel zest and the juice from one lemon and stirred that up to bubbling.  I deglazed the pan with Dry Riesling (about 1/4 cup) and let it simmer to cook out the alcohol.  I then added flour to soak up all the butter and liquid in the pan and whisked in chicken stock and bit of half and half to make a cream sauce.  I added the chicken to the pan and set it aside.  After quickly cooking the gnocchi in boiling water ( it takes less than 1 minute to cook), I combined the gnocchi with the chicken and lemon-thyme cream sauce.  Dinner was ready! The 2018 Dry Riesling paired incredibly well with this dish and I had Joan ooh-ing and aah-ing at the table so much that George had to tell her to quiet down! 

I share this with the hope that you carve out a night of cooking a new dish with a friend or a loved one.  When you are indulging on the "fruits" of your labor we hope you pair it with the fruit of ours!  Cheers and Enjoy! 

Find the Lemon-Thyme Chicken Recipe I loosely followed here.
Find the Gnocchi recipe I used here.  
Purchase Deer Run's 2018 Dry Riesling or semi-dry Riesling here! 

 As we are approaching Valentine's Day, a popular day for proposals, we wanted to highlight some of the very best reasons that make Deer Run Winery such a wonderful place to hold a wedding!  If you are dreaming of your future wedding, then this post is for you! 

1. Beautiful Grounds – There is no need to find a separate location for stunning wedding photos. Our wedding couples have access to our picturesque vineyard all day, so your photographer can capture the moments you will want to cherish forever! Deer Run Winery also has beautifully maintained gardens and a pond, making for a gorgeous, natural setting.
 
After your vineyard ceremony, guests will make their way to our outdoor pavilion for the reception, combing the ambience of a tent with a barn-like style. Beautiful woodwork, stone flooring, and romantic bistro lighting bring the term “Country-Chic” to a whole new level!
 
2. Convenient & Unique Location- It is no secret that Deer Run Winery is the oldest operating winery on beautiful Conesus Lake.  We offer a country-style wedding venue, located minutes from the beautiful historic village of Geneseo, NY.  Deer Run winery is conveniently located near 390, making it easy for guests to travel in from Rochester and Buffalo! There are plenty of excursions nearby that your guests can enjoy while in town visiting, such as Letchworth State Park. We also offer shuttle and hotel recommendations should you be looking to house guests traveling in for your special day!
 
3. Delicious Award-winning Wines – With the local beverage industry booming, give your guests a taste of what New York State has to offer! Deer Run Winery offers bar packages solely showcasing NYS craft items. Start your bar off with 6 of our best-selling Deer Run wines, then expand to add in special select craft beer & spirits! While many wedding venues are limited to mainstream, bulk sold items, we give our couples the opportunity to be creative and customize their bar package.
 
4. Flexibility to Choose your Own Caterer –The food is a particularly important part of a wedding. We want to make sure our couples choose what works best for them and for their guests! After all, you know your guests better than we do! While we do supply a recommended list of caterers, we allow you to select one of your choosing. Feel free to select a caterer that provides the cuisine you enjoy most and what works best within your budget! Served, buffet, stations, and food trucks…we have had it all! Let our Deer Run Event Team act as the liaison between you and your caterer. We will work with them to ensure your dining experience is flawless with no stress on your end!
 
5. Experienced Event Team – Hospitality is our passion! With combined experience totaling nearly 40 years, our team has perfected the planning process and execution of weddings & events. We will guide you through the planning process step by step, from start to finish to ensure no detail is missed! We will meet with our couples throughout the planning period and coordinate the “run of show” day of!  We will assist with setting out décor, ensure we are keeping to a timeline, and maintain open communication with your vendors throughout the day. Our mission is to make your dream wedding come to life!

If you are interested in scheduling a tour of Deer Run Winery, please email sales@deerrunwinery.com; we would love to meet you!