Redbud awards—

Yes, we are proud and brag, but we also want to thank 701Corp.com who took our ideas and the vision we had in our heads and made it work. To our families who had to live with us while we changed, corrected, read out loud, discussed and then changed it again. To the inventor of Post-It –Notes, yep, that is how we organized our content and buttons---everything we wanted we wrote on separate Post Its, then organized them into file folders representing the pull downs (buttons).

Our website is the hub or our social media, where we can refer customers to find everything about us and even where we can check on ourselves. We feel the way we set it up makes it easy to look around and explore from our Bistro menu, to wine terms. Please check it out for yourself at Summersidevineyards.com.

Helping to make tourism in Oklahoma better, and then to put it in a format to be judged can only help us to improve.

Watch out because  in 2013 we, at Summerside are planning a clean sweep of all Redbud Awards, oh yea, a clean sweep. OK, maybe we will not win them all but there are things we know we could be doing better---so, let the games for 2013 begin.

OKLAHOMA TOURISM & RECREATION DEPARTMENT

NEWS RELEASE

May 9, 2012

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Sandy Pantlik

Phone: 405-230-8402 or 405-990-4054 (cell)

Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

(Photos of Redbud award and merit winners are available upon request.)

2012 Redbud Awards Honor Oklahoma's Top Tourism Entities

(Oklahoma City, Okla.) – Oklahoma's top tourism attractions, events, programs and organizations were honored during the annual Redbud Awards held Tuesday, May 8 in Oklahoma City. The awards represent the highest honor given in the Oklahoma tourism industry.

Lt. Gov. Todd Lamb and Discover Oklahoma television show host Jenifer Reynolds presented awards to 32 winners during a special evening gala held at the Oklahoma History Center.

More than 100 Redbud entries in 16 categories were evaluated by a slate of out-of-state tourism industry and marketing professionals. Judging criteria covered customer service and experience, marketing effectiveness, media relations, variety of audiences reached, value, and overall creativity. The Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Department partners with the Oklahoma Travel Industry Association to present the annual Redbud Awards.

The Redbud Awards were held during National Tourism Week (May 5 – 13) which recognizes the importance of tourism to the national and local economies. Direct travel expenditures in Oklahoma generate more than $6.2 billion for the state's economy annually and support jobs for 74,900 residents.

A full list of 2012 Redbud Award winners by category is included below.

2012 Redbud Award Winners

Outstanding Agritourism Attraction

Redbud: Country Cottage Primitives and Lavender Farm, Shawnee

Best Social media Campaign

Redbud (Tie): The American Banjo Museum

The Oklahoma City National Memorial and Museum

Best Brochure or Publication: Trifold or Single Sheet brochure:

Redbud: Ardmore Convention and Visitors Bureau

Best Brochure or Publication: 11 pages or more

Redbud: Frontier Country Marketing Association

Best Overall Marketing Campaign

Redbud: Muskogee Chamber of Commerce and Tourism

Best Website

Redbud: Summerside Vineyards, Winery & Meadery, Vinita

Outstanding Media Coverage: Broadcast

Redbud: Craig Day, KOTV News on 6

Outstanding Media Coverage: Print

Redbud: The Joint at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Tulsa

Best Partnerships

Redbud: Arbuckle Simpson Nature Festival, Tishomingo

Outstanding Attraction

Redbud: Oklahoma City Zoo

Outstanding New Attraction

Redbud (Tie): Cherokee Strip Regional Heritage Center, Enid

Chickasaw Nation, Chickasaw Cultural Center, Sulphur

Outstanding Lodging Property

Redbud: Pine Lodge Resort, Grand Lake

Outstanding Temporary Exhibit

Redbud: Chisholm Trail Heritage Center, Duncan

Outstanding Event

Redbud (Tie): Ponca City Herb Festival

Okie Noodling Tournament, Pauls Valley

Outstanding New Event

Destination Claremore, Claremore Convention & Visitors Bureau

Redbud: Legends Weekend, Stillwater Convention & Visitors Bureau, Stillwater

Tourism Organization of the Year

Redbud: Oklahoma City Convention and Visitors Bureau

ALL WINES AND MEADS PRODUCED AND BOTTLED BY SUMMERSIDE VINEYARDS & WINERY, & MEADERY

WINE

DRY       

2009 Rosé of Chambourcin, “Born to be Wild” Steppenwolf. “Looking for adventure.”                                

2010 Pinot Grigio, “Satisfaction” The Rolling Stones. A little wild but classy.                                                 

2009 Riesling, “That Will Be the Day” Buddy Holly and The Crickets. Lively with a message

Route 66 Red, “Respect” Aretha Franklin. Always strong with great moves.                                                    

2010 Chambourcin, “Aways on My Mind” Willie Nelson (special thanks to Marsha). Bold and strong.

SEMI-DRY

2009 Riesling, “ Dancing in the Streets” Martha and The Vandellas. A party all the time.

2011 Pinot Grigio, “Under the Boardwalk” The Drifters. A total surprise of fun.

2009 Dam Red, “Great Balls of Fire” Jerry Lee Lewis. Robust.                                                                          

SEMI-SWEET

2010 Vignoles, “Do You Think I’m Sexy?” Rod Stewart. This wine even has a little sparkle of sexy.

Route 66 Kicksass, “Bad, Bad Leroy Brown” Jim Croce. No other song even comes close.

Velvet, “When a Man Loves a Woman” Percy Sledge. Just beautiful and smooth.

All American Road, “Born In the USA”Bruce Springsteen. The name of the wine says it all.

SWEET

2010 Riesling, “You’re the One That I Want” Olivia Newton John. Everyone loves this one and everyone wants to sing along with their pretend microphone.

2011 White Cloud, “The Kiss” Faith Hill. Playful, fruity but yet light with a strong message.

Beautiful, “California Girl” Beach Boys. Refreshing and full of surprises

Tantalizing Tana Lou, “I Want to Hold Your Hand” Beatles. Explodes with flavor, but yet a pretty blush color.

Hard Cider, “Don’t Be Cruel” Elvis. Nothing fake, the truth.                                                                                                              

Sunset, “Happy Together” The Turtles (special thanks to Jackie). Smooth and playful.                                  

Blackberry, “Can’t Help Falling in Love” Elvis. What all wish for in our lives.

Raspberry, “Do You Believe in Magic?” The Lovin’ Spoonful. Fun and delightful.

DESSERT        

2004 Vintage Cabernet Franc, “Killing Me Sofly With His Song” Roberta Flack. Rich full-bodied.

Butler’s Choice, “Georgia on My Mind” Ray Charles. Rich, luscious, deep and aged well.

Cream Sherry, “With Or Without You” U2.  Warm and soft.

MEAD

DRY

Holly Honey, “Dancing Queen” ABBA. Building strength and boldness.

SEMI-DRY

Cyser  (honey and apples), “Good Vibrations” The Beach Boys. All American taste of wildflowers and alfalfa with apples, you know every taste in it.

100% Texas Guajillo Honey, “Yellow Rose of Texas”  Traditional Texas Folk Song.

SEMI-SWEET

Pyment  (honey and grapes), “What’s Going On?” Marvin Gaye. Taste the honey and the grapes, now the honey now the grapes…a wonderful blend of flavors you know.

100% Goldenrod Honey, “My Girl” The Temptations. Solid, but yet light and so easy.

Wild Betty Blackberry Mead, “Wild Thing” The Troggs. Our first and a crowd hit. Full of surprises.

SWEET

Orange Blossom Honey, “Canon in D” Pachelbel. Love in a bottle. A touch of sparkel makes it tastes like a wedding.

2000th “Like” on Facebook.

Can you believe it? We are so excited, this was a goal we made, but never dreamed we would make, come on you know you make goals and never dream they will happen (thanks Lisa). 2000 may not sound like much to you but two years ago we didn’t even know how to log onto Facebook (ask my daughter). We also had no idea how much this social media devise could help us learn and promote.

Thanks to you (if you have Liked us) this means we are doing something right. This shows us that people care about Summerside Vineyards, Marsha and Gary (owners), wine knowledge, and yes even Oklahoma liquor laws.

We have tried to post quotes about wine and mead to get you to think; a few wine/mead lessons are sprinkled in along the way to get you to try; posting of events and festivals to get you to do. Even reposting or “Sharing” events to support the great state of Oklahoma, Historic  Rt66 and yes, even other wineries.

Facebook is where we now turn to see what people are saying about us, we have learned things from those that “Like” us---things we are doing good and things that we are doing not so good and need to change.

If you have not checked us out and “Liked” us, I suggest you do it now at http://www.facebook.com/summersidewinery?sk=app_4949752878 .

And as we start this New Year we vow to continue to help educated and to support Oklahoma wines and meads.

Salute’ to you.