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by Marian Rein
With fuel prices through the roof, many people have elected to forego an out-of-town vacation for summer activities a little closer to home. Here’s a suggestion for something a little different — not right around the corner, but a scenic drive and excellent food and wine.
Set in the beautiful countryside of the Missouri Ozark region is Phoenix Winery and Vineyard, roughly 80 miles from St. Louis on Highway 50 in Owensville, Missouri. Pamela Wickard and I recently spent a lovely evening there. Tasting wine? Absolutely. The wine is superb. But there’s more. We were served one of the best meals I’ve had in a long time, and Pamela concurs.
Born and raised in Germany, Guenther Heeb, winemaker and owner of Phoenix, has a talent that parallels his wine making — German cooking. While Phoenix is not exactly a “restaurant,” Heeb created what he calls, The Edelweiss Dining Club, where members gather for home-style meals, wine and conversation.
For just a few dollars to join, members can make a reservation for groups of up to 15, and Heeb will prepare a traditional German meal with menu items that include wiener schnitzel, jaeger schnitzel, sauerbraten and homemake bratwurst and sauerkraut. Also on the menu are pork chops, steaks, beef roulades and country fried chicken. All entrees include soup or salad, choice of potatoes and a choice of vegetable. Other than the steaks, the most expensive meal on the menu is $9.50 — sort of makes the cost of fuel to get there a mute issue.
We began with wine. Pamela had the Valiant, a semi-dry red table wine, and I had the Chateau Noir, a sweeter red wine. I thoroughly enjoyed both, and bought two bottles of the Valiant to take home to friends.
Our salad was prepared with fresh greens, right from Heeb’s garden, dressed in a homemade light, creamy dressing with a hint of dill. It was so good that I would have been content to dine on salad and wine . . . that is until the rest of the meal arrived.
Heeb prepared the wiener schnitzel using pork rather than veal. It was tender and perfectly prepared. Our sides included cauliflower in a cheese sauce, red cabbage and country fried potatoes. I would recommend each of these dishes. They were perfect complements to the wiener schnitzel. For dessert, Heeb served Pistachio Pudding. Light and a very nice ending to a wonderful meal.
I would recommend inviting several friends to Phoenix for a long, relaxing summer evening. Fall would also be a perfect time to make the trek to Phoenix.
Dinner is served in an old farm house located on the property. So if you’re flexible enough to appreciate a casual atmosphere and down-home style and enjoy out-of-the-ordinary experiences, Phoenix is highly recommended by the girls of Java Journal. Heeb requires that you make a reservation at least a couple of days in advance.
Phoenix Winery and Vineyard
1840 Highway 50
Owensville, MO 65066
(573) 437-6278
www.phoenixwinery.net
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