Hidden gem!! We…read morefound something online called the "back road winery tour" so we had to do it! La Vida Loca is the first place we stopped and my oh my was it fun!! We received the friendliest welcome and sampled delicious wine, including a CORN COB WINE, you know, 'cuz Iowa. Then we sipped wine on the deck with the most gorgeous view. The owner even came outside to talk and hang out with us - such a cool experience!

Years of wine tasting around the US being in a touring band finally brought us to center Iowa. To…read moremy surprise, we ran into the best we have encountered in thousands of miles. House grown grapes, and simply the best sweet selection you can imagine was only topped off by a killer port and the last minute suggestion by the man of the hour Ron, "Do you like spice and flavor?" To which my friend and I responded "Does a grape love to be smashed??". The piece de resistance was an entourage of cooking wines (Which were awesomely drinkable) including Garlic, Rosemary, and Onion among others. Don't leave without trying them all. Of all the places we have been, there wasn't a bad one in the house (and we sampled over 12). Left with a case (+3) and will fly back soon (from Chicago). Did I mention they were the nicest knowledgeable people we have ever encountered in out travels?

We spent a beautiful afternoon at the winery. The staff is not only helpful but very friendly. The…read morewines were delicious. The views perfect. It will be a summer repeat again and again.

Madison County Winery is located in - you guessed it - Madison County. My mom and I participated in…read morethe Madison County Fall Crawl and ventured here. There is much to do in this area and MCW is not an exception. It is worth noting this area is absolutely beautiful, especially in the fall. I really like Madison County Winery's setup - the vineyards are abundant, visible, and accessible (perfect for that Instagram moment you are dreaming of). They have a large patio area with traditional outdoor tables and limited indoor seating. OUtside, they also have an offset pergola and firepit area with their own patio furniture, which would be fun for a small group. I had the wine slush which melted really fast and was very sweet, but who am I kidding I still enjoyed! My mom had the PINK wine (semi-sweet Rose) and liked it so much that she bought a bottle to take home. Down the steps from their patio, they also have a tent with personal pan fire grilled pizza - would also recommend. What is honestly better than wine, pizza, and beautiful fall day. It was such a great Sunday afternoon, I can't wait to take friends back soon!

Loved these wines. The staff were very friendly and clearly enjoyed their jobs. Loved discussing…read morethe history of the winery and wines with them. The wines run slightly on the sweeter side, but the dry wines were in fact dry (and yummy). Loved the atmosphere too- options for being inside and outside (on a deck overlooking vineyards). They do have light fare food options though I didn't try any of it. Love that their grapes are all estate grown. And it's the oldest winery in Iowa!

What a gem! Yesterday I enjoyed a great afternoon of music and sunshine on the grounds of the…read morewinery. This was my first visit, but it will not be my last. Between Memorial Day and Labor Day, the winery hosts an outdoor concert. The cover charge is only $5 a head and is worth every penny. I must admit I didn't partake of any wine yesterday, but maybe next time.

We had a great time visiting this beautiful winery while in Iowa. It's right down the road from my…read moresons house and what a treasure it is. We brought our own chairs, glasses, etc. and sat outside for hours in the spacious yard. We listened to a 60s-70s band while watching the sunset. They had wine by the bottle for sale and a variety of beers so for the 4 of us each one of us was covered for drinks. They had facilities to use and strict guidelines were followed... we felt very safe. We will definitely come back again.

Penoach is a pretty good winery. Came here on a Saturday afternoon. They have a free tasting for…read more5 samples. Really enjoyed their Picket Fence White, wasn't sweet like a lot of Iowa wines. They also have an apple wine that tastes like apple pie. You have to buy a bottle of wine to have a glass here. They have a nice area outside to enjoy it. The people working here were very nice.

I attended the Jasper Winery wine and Cider fest because I had a number of friends that were going…read moreto be there. I had a great time but I am giving this a 3 star sole because the value for my money was not there. With the Event Brite fees it was $55. Sure, we could have unlimited samples of wine and cider over the course of three hours, but all those samples wear to entice people to make additional purchases. Music, tours, cheese samples and tasting glass were included in the price. Anyway, I had a lovely time with friends I just can't get past spending so much to attend.

Summer Concert Series is a must if you're in the Des Moines area!! Pricing for wine, beer, and…read moreciders are similar to most other places but the atmosphere is pretty special! Once you're nestled behind their grape vines you forget that you're so close to downtown Des Moines. As for the concert, it was AMAZING! So much fun, so much space for people to spread out and enjoy the music, drinks, and food! You can also bring your own food if you'd like but the food options they have amongst the food trucks and vendors was really well balanced. Jasper staff was friendly and they had a nice selection of wines. Well done Jasper Winery! We'll be back for sure!

I was able to attend a small event recently at Speckled Hen Farm encompassing Speckled Hen and a…read morecouple of businesses they closely partner with including Covered Bridges Winery. Kevin from Covered Bridges Winery was an excellent host and let us know about their business in the same way as our hosts from Speckled Hen Farm and Lone Oaks Farms did. Where they started, where they are now, and what they have coming up. He offered tasting of 8-10 different wines from sweet to dry of his different blends. I tried the St. Croix (dry red), Frontenac Gris (dry red), LaCrescent (dry white), Marquette (dry white), Petite Rose (dry rose), and Rattlesnake Red (semi-sweet red). I'm not a huge wine drinker...some over the years...and I know my taste leans to dry and not overly sweet. I enjoyed all the samples I tried; both red and white! Ask Kevin about how the name rattlesnake red came to be...! Since we were on the Speckled Hen property we didn't get the full winery experience, but Kevin had the same enthusiasm as Kris (our host from Speckled Hen Farm) and Luann (our host from Lone Oaks Farms). You can tell why they all partner together so well! Winterset is just a 30ish min drive from where I live in Clive. A trip to the Northern part of Ankeny or to the South side can take me just as long...so it's really not far away at all and it's a nice drive. If you're like me and you enjoy a little bit of a day trip to find new things... It's worth the short drive from the metro! Check out upcoming events at Covered Bridges Winery on their Facebook page and site (as well as those for Speckled hen Farm and Lone Oaks Farms on their respective pages). https://coveredbridgeswinery.com/ https://www.facebook.com/CoveredBridgesWinery

Good wine, great service and nice location…read more I stopped here with Harvest Hosts for an overnight stay. It was packed when i got there with live music and a packed house. One of the owners saw me trying to find a place to park and pointed me to the best area to park, said after the band was over people would think out and I could park anywhere i wanted on the grounds. After getting setup i came in and grabbed a bottle of red wine and a charcuterie plate. The owners and staff were wonderful, the wine was great and the music was fantastic!! I had a great time staying with them and if i lived in the area i know i wold be there often.

Sugar Grove Winery is a diamond in the rough, a hidden gem in the midst of the rolling hills,…read morevineyards and farms of Jasper County. Enjoy a breathtaking view of the countryside as you experience the beauty of a picnic, gathering or wedding at the winery. I personally preside over 50-60 weddings each year and this is one of my absolute favorite venues to create memories that last a lifetime.

What a great relaxing place to visit. We stopped in late afternoon and enjoyed the Iowa State Fair…read moreAward Winners Wine Flight. What a deal! 5 wines, a baguette with dipping sauce and great Gouda cheese from a near by dairy. What a great deal! They have a great variety of wines so everyone can find something to enjoy. Additionally, they have great wine related gifts at reasonable prices.

$15 for 5 glass of wine to try, bread, cheese, and oil. I'd say it was money, and time, well spent…read more My favorite wine is the red white a blue, but from the samplings I was able to find 3 more I really like. We went right before Christmas and were the only ones in there besides people coming in just to buy bottles of wine, assuming for Christmas. Big, nice, and clean establishment. I want to go back in the summer now to see it in peak beauty.

Great Wine! Good Food! Amazing friendly service! I try to stop passing thru Iowa every chance I get.read more

A beautiful setting with nice trees for lovely days outside. Plenty of friendly faces to help while…read moreyou're there. It would be good if they had more organization to help speed the process of sampling and ordering. There are many wine choices especially if you prefer sweeter varieties. Hopefully they get more dry and less sweet varieties.