Mid-summer … the Iowa wine is good, the wineries are fun and the living is easy when you gather your friends and spend some time at one of these events.
You can also stop in almost any day (wineries are often closed on Mondays) to sample wines, talk to the winemakers, tour the wineries, purchase wine and shop for gifts and wine-related goodies. Many wineries also offer local products, cheese and meats.
All Summer
Heart of Iowa Wine Trail, www.heartofiowawinetrail.com
Summer Culinary Celebration
Collect culinary pieces at all 15 Heart of Iowa Wine Trail wineries.
Thursday, July 9
Jasper Winery, Des Moines, Iowa www.jasperwinery.com
Pianopalooza (Dueling Pianos) 6:00 – 9:00 p.m., food, fun. Free admission.
Friday, July 10
Wide River Winery, Clinton, Iowa www.wideriverwinery.com
Lt. Patty Judge’s Vacation Iowa Tour starting at 3:30 pm. www.traveliowa.blogspot.com
White Oak Vineyards, Cambridge, www.whiteoakvineyards.com
One Night Stand performs at Friday Night Wine Down
7:00 – 10:00 p.m.
Fireside Winery, Marengo, www.firesidewinery.com
Live music, 7:00 – 10:00 p.m.
Snus Hill Winery, Madrid, www.snushillwine.com
Tony Valdez, Live music, 6:30 – 9:30 p.m.
Saturday, July 11
Sugar Clay Winery, Thurman, Iowa www.sugarclaywinery.com
Sugar Clay Winery welcomes back Arizona’s singer & songwriter, Eddie Elliott, co-hosted by some serious fans from Whip’s Steakhouse! Music starts at 7pm…tickets $10…appetizers/dinner/dessert available for purchase, starting at 6:30 p.m.. Sugar Clay wine & Nebraska Brewing Co beer available. Check out Eddie and his music here www.myspace.com/eddieelliott
Penoach Vineyards, Adel, www.penoach.com
Concert in the Vineyards, The Other Side,
Grape Escape Winery, Pleasantville, IA www.grapeescapewineryia.com
Wine-In-Movies, Taken, dusk
John Ernest Vineyards & Winery, Tama, Iowa www.johnernestvineyards.com
Dogs on Skis, live music, 7:00 – 10:00 p.m.
Amateur Wine Competition, Lee County Fair Wine Expo, Donnellson, IA www.leecountyfairiowa.com/
July 11, 2009 3:00 – 6:00 p.;m.
The amateur wine competition is open to anyone 21 years of age.
Saturday & Sunday, July 11 & 12
Grillin’ with Iowa Wines
10:00-6:00pm Saturday,
11:00-5:00pm Sunday
Plan your summer road trip on the Western Iowa Wine Trail’s signature event!
Each of the 7 wineries will greet you with delicious grilled foods paired with the right Iowa-made wines that compliment the flavor! To make your road trip even more fun,
be sure to visit each winery along the trail to collect a piece of the 7-piece gift set, available to the first 225 passport purchasers.
Although you can complete the trail in 1 day, many of our repeat wine trail participants have found that it is much more relaxing over 2 days. Travel safe!
To reserve your passports with a credit card, please call the winery where you will start your journey. Passports: $60 per couple $35 for a single.
Sunday, July 12
Tabor Home Vineyards & Winery, Baldwin, Iowa www.taborhomewine.com
13th Anniversary Celebration with Music in the Vineyards
3:00 – 6:00 p.m. Bryce Jayne
Snus Hill Winery, Madrid, www.snushillwine.com
One Night Stand, Live music, 2:00 – 5:00 p.m.
Park Farm Winery, Bankston, Iowa www.parkfarmwinery.com
Toast & Jam, live music, 5:00 – 8:00 p.m.
Tassel Ridge Winery, Leighton, Iowa www.tasselridgewinery.com
Artist’s Display with Mary Beth Heikes, 12:00 – 4:00 p.m. Watercolors
Prairie Moon Winery, Ames, Iowa www.prairiemoonwinery.com
Erick Hovey Band, Blues, 3:00 – 6:00 pm.
Summerset Winery, Indianola, Iowa www.summersetwine.com
Tony Valdez and The Large Band, 3:00 – 6:00 p.m.
Celebrate Tony’s Birthday!
John Ernest Vineyards & Winery, Tama, Iowa www.johnernestvineyards.com
Barefoot Becky, live music, 3:00 – 6:00 p.m.
Wallace Winery, West Branch, Iowa www.wallacewine.com
Blues in the Barn
Kevin “B.F.” Burt, 1:30-4:30 p.m. Wine by the glass or bottle and appetizers will be available.
Whispering Pines Winery, Keosauqua, Iowa www.whisperingpineswinery.biz
Two Pony Blues Band, 1:00 – 5:00 p.m. Blues from the 1920s to today.
Tony Blew on guitar and harmonica and Kurt Mielke on slide guitar combine forces to recreate the sounds of the Delta Blues tradition.
1st Annual Calhoun County Amateur Home Wine Making Competition, Rockwell City, Iowa
Sponsored by the Northwest Iowa Grape Growers Association and Calhoun County Expo Board, Calhoun County Expo. For more information: 515-351-9601 or e-mail bcbush@wccta.net by Thursday, July 9th.
Thursday, July 16
Jasper Winery, Des Moines, Iowa www.jasperwinery.com
Brian Congdon and Brad Seidenfeld 6:00 – 9:00 p.m., various bands, food, fun. Free admission.
Southern Hills Winery, Osceola, Iowa www.shwinery.com
Lt. Governor Patty Judge will be visiting at 1 p.m. as part of the Vacation Iowa Tour. www.traveliowa.blogspot.com
Friday, July 17
Fireside Winery, Marengo, www.firesidewinery.com
Live music, 7:00 – 10:00 p.m.
White Oak Vineyards, Cambridge, www.whiteoakvineyards.com
Tony Valdez & Don Jacques perform at Friday Night Wine Down
7:00 – 10:00 p.m.
Fireside Winery, Marengo, www.firesidewinery.com
Live music, 7:00 – 10:00 p.m.
Snus Hill Winery, Madrid, www.snushillwine.com
Bill Martin Group, Live music, 6:30 – 9:30 p.m.
Southern Hills Winery at Jordan Creek Mall, West Des Moines www.shwinery.com
Vino Rita & Wine Festival, Live music and art, food and other exhibits. $5 admission. Purchase a bottle of Southern Hills Winery wine and then take a Horse-Drawn Carriage ride around Jordan Creek Town Center. Friday nights from 6:00 –9:00 p.m. Red Wine Carriage Ride for two $46. White Wine Carriage Ride for two $44. $15 for each additional person.
Saturday, July 18
Sugar Clay Winery, Thurman, Iowa www.sugarclaywinery.com
Live Music with Matt Cox 8-11pm $5 cover/
Free to case club members.
Loess Hills Vineyard & Winery, Crescent, Iowa www.loesshillsvineyardandwinery.com
Live Music with Enigma 6:00 – 9:00 p.m
The Iowa Wine Trail sponsors The Eastern Iowa Wine Festival
Black Horse Inn, Sherrill, IA www.easterniowawinefestival.com
This is an “All Iowa” event featuring Iowa wines from across eastern Iowa, food and bakery products from the local area as well as Iowa musicians, music groups and Iowa artists. Festival Entrance is $10 and includes a Souvenir Wine Glass and program.
Tasting Tickets Available for Sale, Wine by the Glass Available by Sale. Bottles are also available for sale to take home or you are welcome to open the bottle and enjoy with some food from the festival.
Events at the festival include:
Live Music Performance by the Americana Polka Band and the Free-4-the-Haulin Band, Amateur Wine Making Competition and Award Ceremony, Artisan Products available for sale
Grape Escape Winery, Pleasantville, IA www.grapeescapewineryia.com
Wine-In-Movies, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, dusk
Dale Valley Vineyard, Stuart, Iowa, www.dalevalleyvineyard.com
WINESTOCK
Wine, Music and Fun! Six bands from Noon – 9:00 p.m.
Eagles Landing Winery, Marquette, Iowa www.eagleslandingwinery.com
Good Ol’ Summertime Wine-A-Rita Weekend 10:00 a.m.
Emma Big Bears 140th Birthday, samples of Wine-A-Ritas. Try a sample of the summer drink everyone is talking about!
Also, Live music, Sunday, noon – 3:00 p.m.
Sunday, July 19
Tassel Ridge Winery, Leighton, Iowa www.tasselridge.com
Asian Fusion Wine & Food Pairing Dinner
Wine Tasting: 6:00 p.m.
Dinner Seating: 6:30 p.m.
Price: $55 per person, plus tax
Join us for an Asian-inspired dinner beginning with Chef Hang’s special spring rolls and Vietnamese steam balls followed by spicy sour chicken soup, Asian grilled pork tenderloin with hoisin sauce, jasmine rice, grilled bok choi, and sticky rice with mango. This 5-course dinner will be paired with select Tassel Ridge wines. Call the Winery at 641.672.WINE (9463), advance reservations required by Wednesday, July 15.
Summerset Winery, Indianola, Iowa www.summersetwine.com
Listen to the Bob Pace Band with Barb Miller from 3:00 – 6:00 p.m. at the winery. Over the years Bob has performed nearly every genre of music–from hard hitting Rock n’ Roll to soothing acoustic solos; from down home Country songs to sensitive ballads, but its playing the blues that is his real passion. www.bobpaceband.com
$3 cover per person or $10 a car. Case Club members get in free.
Snus Hill Winery, Madrid, www.snushillwine.com
Ashanti, Live music, 2:00 – 5:00 p.m.
Park Farm Winery, Bankston, Iowa www.parkfarmwinery.com
Toast & Jam, live music, 5:00 – 8:00 p.m.
Prairie Moon Winery, Ames, Iowa www.prairiemoonwinery.com
Amy and Adams, Folk, 3:00 – 6:00 pm.
Tassel Ridge Winery, Leighton, Iowa www.tasselridgewinery.com
See new mechanical grape harvestor, 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
John Ernest Vineyards & Winery, Tama, Iowa www.johnernestvineyards.com
Holiday Road, live , music, 3:00 – 6:00 p.m.
Wednesday, July 22
Entries due for Eastern Iowa Wine Club Amateur Wine Competition, Benton County Fair, Vinton, Iowa
Contact Martin Blind at 319-551-2075 for more information.
Have fun in Midwest Wine Country! Find a bottle or two that you really enjoy and buy a case to take home. It’s the way to support your local wineries.
Cheers!
Barbara Rasko
Publisher
Make Mine Wine
www.makeminewinemagazine.com
