Wine

Canned wine is perfect for pairing to most any backyard fare from potato salad to burgers on the grill.

Here’s a wine with a great deal of merit and heritage to try: Cieck Winery’s Erbaluce di Caluso from Piedmont, Italy.

Did you know that wine can take on some of the same aromas as some of our favorite tree blossoms?

This slightly sweet bubbly is just the right partner for almost any dark chocolate it meets.

Books

News of the World by Paulette Jiles opens on a rainy evening in Wichita Falls, Texas in 1870. Captain Jefferson Kyle Kidd reads from national and international newspapers to a crowded room. People pay a dime for the chance to listen to stories about the Arctic, India, and Chicago. After the reading, a freight hauler approaches Captain Kidd.

The Vintner Ball, now in its 12th year, will be hosted at the Edina Westin Galleria this month. At the event, you will be able to sip and sample more than 100 different wines hand-selected by the presenting sponsor, Kowalski’s. There will also be a variety of desserts and cheeses from local restaurants, a silent auction, a wine seminar and live music. The proceeds will go to Second Harvest Heartland, which provides nearly 7 million meals to people in the community. Since the start of the Vintner Ball, this event has raised close to $1.8 million.

Edina-based custom builders John Kraemer & Sons create in-home wine storage areas for clients whose design tastes run from light to full-bodied. “The demand is pretty high, with various levels and quality,” John Kraemer, vice president, says. Wine storage areas run the gamut between transforming dead space under a stairway to creating a destination room within a home featuring extensive storage, custom woodwork, specialized lighting and table areas for tastings.

Edina residents Austin and Amanda Wagner have been long-time fans of Beaujos Wine Bar & Bistro. “This is just a place we’ve always loved and been connected to,” says Amanda. The couple fell in love with the restaurant’s cozy atmosphere and small-town vibe, despite its location in the bustling 50th and France area. So when an opportunity arose for the couple to purchase the business, “it just kind of came together,” says Austin.

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