Stop #14: 5 Trails Winery
We stayed in North Platte at Katherine's parents' house. Although I've never met her dad because he's always on the rails when we stop by, Katherine's mom is a great lady and is fun to be around. We had originally planned on this being a mother/daughter day, but my mom was recovering from knee surgery and wasn't up to going. Katherine's mom was free, so she was still able to come along.
5 Trails Winery in Paxton was our first stop of the day. After much discussion about whether Mountain Time began before or after Paxton (I was right, it was just before), we took of towards the west. We arrived pretty early, so we went past our destination to Ogallala, where we drove by Lake McConaughy because Jenna had never been there.
If only my shower had this kind of pressure.
After our scenic detour, we drove back to Paxton and went to 5 Trails. The tasting room is located on the main street in Paxton, so we found it easily. We were greeted by Pat and Lori Gamet, two of the winery's owners. As soon as we walked in, Pat knew what he was in for. "Here comes trouble," he said, grinning.
Between the four of us, we managed to taste all seven of the wines that were currently available - some wouldn't be ready for a few more weeks. I wasn't a fan of their Edelweiss, which is something I never thought I would say since it's usually my favorite. I did greatly enjoy two of their reds, though, so I'll be adding a few more reds to my list of favorites.
5 Trails Winery in Paxton
I once bought a bottle of 5 Trails wine when it was on sale at Boogarts. I had never tried their wine before, so I jumped at the chance. The wine itself was good, although I can't remember which one it was, but the cork that came with it is probably the handiest thing ever. It's plastic, and the shape of it makes it perfect to use on any bottle of wine I open. When I told Lori about how I guard my 5 Trails cork, she laughed, and informed me that corks like that are called "zorks."
New favorite word? Yes, I think so...
When we had finished our tastings, we walked across the street to one of the most renowned restaurants in Nebraska - Ole's Steakhouse. Ole's is pretty much your average steakhouse - except for the decor. In 1938, Ole bagged a deer and decided to mount it in his steakhouse. The buck was just the beginning. An avid hunter, Ole traveled to every continent over 35 years, and the bar is now the final resting spot for over 200 different mounts, including moose, big cats, a polar bear...
And a jackalope.
I pointed the jackelope out to Jenna, and Katherine and I teamed up to convince her that although rare, jackalopes roam about the sandhills. We almost had her going, until Katherine mentioned that they fraternize with snipes, and I couldn't keep a straight face anymore.
Still laughing, we said our farewells to the polar bear and headed back to North Platte.
Favorites: Passenger and Frontenac Blush
5 Trails Winery's Website
