Two of the vineyards listed on the wine trails in Oklahoma were Coal Creek in Tuttle, OK (SW of OKC) and Summerside Vineyard in Vinta, OK, which is on Route 66.
We saw Summerside as we went past, but unfortunately it wasn’t open… We didn’t know that it had been purchased by Coal Creek and we could taste the wine in Tuttle. You can learn more about that on Coal Creek’s website.
Coal Creek was a little bit easier to find, as it’s off Hwy 37 in Tuttle, and the facility is lovely.
They were getting ready to host bingo night so all the tables inside were booked up. However, the graciously let us do a tasting of a few wines and then we went and sat on their lovely outdoor patio.
Unfortunately, I didn’t get a good picture of the patio, but their website shows it off quite nicely. They are also adding an outdoor stage for music.
Coal Creek Hwy 37 Red Hill Merlot
Their Notes: Beautifully balanced with flavors of black cherry and plum
My Notes: This is a young merlot. It has a good berry scent, but you can still smell the grape. It’s sweet but not tart despite the acidity on the tongue. The first taste is a bit acidic, so think plum skin not the fruit of the plum. It has a spicy sweet finish with a hint of blackberry. The finish also reminded me of summertime at my grandparents and Welch’s Grape Jelly on toast. [Maybe not the most flattering description – but good wine evokes memories…] This is a great taco Tuesday wine.
Summerside Rt 66 White
Their Notes: Crisp, sweet, fruity Symphony grape with hints of peach & wildflowers
My Notes: It has a Moscato scent and taste. It’s super sweet, and as you can see from the picture a bit bubbly. I got a touch of citrus flavor from the white. I don’t read the tasting notes prior to trying the wine if I can help it – so it surprised me when I saw their description and read my notes – which said: “reminds me of Welch’s White Grape with Peach.” It was perfect for the porch after a long day of trying to find wineries…
As you can see from the photos, they have very generous pours. [Besides, what’s more Southern than wine in a solo cup? Wine in a Red solo cup!] The staff was really friendly and if they hadn’t been trying to get ready for an event, probably would have let us taste everything. They had an awesome set of events listed if you’re local, and I could see if I was closer going for bingo once a month. You can find upcoming events on their Facebook page.
Final Thoughts
We also tried their Blackberry and Raspberry wines. Both are made completely from the fruit of the berries with no grapes. They are true to form, great flavor, but too sweet for me. Although I can see how they’d be really refreshing on a hot summer afternoon.
They also have: Second Bridge Chardonnay, Rabbit Road Riesling, Rock Bottom Rosé, and Zohera’s Dream Moscato which I did not try. Since the white blend was very close to a Moscato for me, I wonder how they compare. They also offer two meads – Orange Blossom and Wild Sunset. Plus a Hard Cider – 100% Apple wine.
None of the offerings are cellar wines. They are meant to be drunk now – or at least within a few months – so Enjoy!
