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    Massbach Ridge Winery

    4.4 (28 reviews)
    ModerateWineries
    Closed 11:00 am - 5:00 pm

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    Miranda L.

    We were not originally planning to stop at Massbach Ridge Winery but saw a billboard along the main road and decided to stop. Glad we did! Sarah helped us and did the best job explaining the wines, where the grapes came from, her personal wine experiences, and made recommendations for local restaurants and upcoming events. We did (2) wine tastings and their prices were by far the best value in the area! Most of the wines fell on the sweeter side but were very tasty! They have (2) locations: the vineyard as well as a wine shop downtown Galena. I highly recommend making the stop to visit the vineyard; the views were so peaceful and beautiful! Wines Tasted: Staccato White, Windsong White, St Pepin, Seyvol, Massbach Reserve, Träumen, Massbach Stomp, Sunrise Rosé Favorites: Staccato White, St Pepin, Massbach Reserve Tip: Check in with Yelp! They had a free tasting and tour offer to redeem.

    the front of the winery
    Jenni R.

    ORGANIZED!! Loved the fact that they had four wines put in categories. Easy pick. Bummer was that after I made the original choice and started looking at the list of wines, I realized there was one I really wanted to try. Bonus was when I went to buy the bottle I liked, the employee let me sample the one I came in for. SCORE!! Nice views and good wine!!

    Wine tasting.  5 for $3
    Karen K.

    We arrived at Massbach winery/vineyard, and I decided to "checkin" on Yelp, as usual, and lo and behold, a coupon popped up!! One free tasting session and a free tour! Score!!!! It would have only cost me $3.00 for 5 samples. But still...free is best!!! Before we entered, we were admiring how they had grapevines hanging along the porch awning, with actual grapes growing on them. The woman outside told us to go ahead and pick a grape. It was sweet and delicious. Upon entry, I immediately smelled yeast. It was very strong. But I figured that was normal since the fermenting was going on through the doors behind the tasting area. Our server was so warm and nice. She ended up giving me 7 tastings because after my last sample, which I didn't like, she thought I might like the Dafodil flavor, which ended up being my favorite! And then she gave me one other sample just to see if I'd like it. I loved the generous, non-stuffy feel of this place. After the tasting, a very knowledgeable woman took us back to where the wine was made, and explained in detail the chemistry behind the fermenting. Apparently, IL soil is too acidic to make good wine, but they habe a special yeast that makes them all come out just fine. The Dafodil wine is the closest they have to moscato, so it is light and sweet. Ironically, this wine was created by accident. It is a mixture of two other flavors they had at the time. And it just worked! When we were done browsing the store, we went out to the vineyard to walk through the rows of grapes. They said we could taste some, as we couldn't possibly have enough that would be noticeable. OMG, the huge concord grapes smelled soooo good. I kept shoving my face into the bunches hanging there and sniffing. We still didn't buy any wine, but I figured if I wanted one later, I could get it from their tasting room in dowtown Galena. Massbach is more low key and laid back, and I truly enjoyed my experience. I recommend stopping in!

    Massbach Ridge vines.
    Kat W.

    We stopped into Massbach Ridge Winery during the Cabin Fever event in February. There was live music, appetizers and snacks, and of course, wine! We had five tastings; I usually taste all the dry reds. My favorite wine was the Traumen. While this wasn't a typical weekend at Massbach Ridge, it was an enjoyable time. I'd love to go back and check it out on a normal weekend!

    a classic car parked in a driveway
    Mimi P.

    Great place! Made a visit for the wine tasting (taste 5 for 3$) on a Saturday afternoon. Living in Chicago, you never see vineyards, and Massbach offers this picturesque stretch of 5' tall vines (many types of grapes!) and a view that you've probably only seen in "A Walk In the Clouds" (LOL). The store offers many-many wine racks that can hang from the wall or ceiling or even the typical kinds that sit on the floor. Also, while I was there they offered a kid their homemade apple cider! In love with Blackhawk Red and Cool Breeze!

    Vineyard

    Massbach was the second stop on our wine tours with Countryside Tours. While it was not as pretty as the first stop, Rocky Waters, the wines were better. The building is smaller than most wineries but we were able to get up and close in the vineyards. Another qualm is that at this location the wine is given in the same glass over and over again which again is not ideal for wine tasting. Also no palette cleansers which was dissappointing but you can bring your own snacks on the tour. And most importantly there were no directions on how to properly taste their wines. Definitely has room for improvement.

    Sample of the concord and a view of the beautiful vineyard!

    I'm a local/grew up in the area and just visited the vineyard for the first time last week and I was highly impressed. The views are beautiful, the wines are tasty and the staff is also very attentive and friendly. My spouse and I stayed here for quite some time because we were having such a pleasant experience. Get the cheese and crackers tray too because that was also amazing! Will definitely be back soon!

    a glass of white wine

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    6 years ago

    Great service. Peggy was very attentive and educated us on all the wine. Loved the St Peppin.

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    11 years ago

    Very friendly staff. Inviting environment, delightful wines and variety to choose from.

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    Ask the Community - Massbach Ridge Winery

    Review Highlights - Massbach Ridge Winery

    Pepin, Blackhark Red, Traumen, and Daffodil.

    Mentioned in 3 reviews

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    Fergedaboudit Vineyard & Winery - Flight of wines.

    Fergedaboudit Vineyard & Winery

    4.4(50 reviews)
    9.8 mi
    $$

    This winery offers wines made from grapes growing in Illinois, California and Chile…read more Located on a dirt road outside of Galena,the setting is georgous. You can sit outside on the patio overlooking the vineyard or even sit in the vineyard. You order your wine selection in the gift shop that also offers small plates. They have many different wine varieties and Andy who worked there gave us a detailed description of each one. Unfortunately he was also a sale person wanting you to spend money which was a turnoff. We each elected to do a tasting of 3 different wines - all reds .Unfortunately the beautiful setting was better than any of the wines we tasted. We walked away disappointed as we really wanted to buy a bottle to support a local business but we just didn't care for any of the 6 we tried. If you are in the area and want to relax and enjoy the beautiful landscape of Galena Territory,give them a try and maybe you will find a wine that you will like.

    You have to take a dirt road to get here but this winery has the most beautiful views and ambiance…read more Our hopes were high for the wine but unfortunately none of the reds we tasted were to our liking. In fact the flavor was so offensive to my pallet that I didn't finish any of the three varieties recommended. I really enjoy dry wines and stayed clear of the sweet so maybe that was the issue. The sales pressure was a real turnoff. I felt it was overpriced as well. Go for the views and the lovely garden patio but for dry red wine lovers I would fergedaboudit!

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    Fergedaboudit Vineyard & Winery
    Fergedaboudit Vineyard & Winery
    Fergedaboudit Vineyard & Winery

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    Rocky Waters Vineyard and Winery - Outside

    Rocky Waters Vineyard and Winery

    3.3(44 reviews)
    6.9 mi
    $$

    I wanted to love Rocky Waters Vineyard but our experience unfortunately fell short from start to…read morefinish. When driving up, none of the wine vines are visible as most are along the hillside that was covered by overgrown foliage. The main building has a residential log cabin feel that was turned into a main floor winery. When walking in, we were nicely greeted by a female staff member and an adorable pup! One orders food, tastings, or glasses at the counter and staff will bring it to you. We originally wanted to sit outside but quickly realized how buggy it was. We transitioned back inside just in time for our wines to be ready. The wine tasting came as (7) 1oz selections. The presentation was lack luster seeing they all came in a throw away plastic shot glass. They were kind to include a complimentary sample of their (2) slushie drinks of the day. Most of the wines had an odd bite or unique finishing note. Our favorite was the Tower Red Wine! The slushies weren't bad but they are made from a bag they also sell. Additionally, we ordered the Italian Dipping Oil. We saw them go to the back to make it fresh. It was the perfect sharing size but was definitely overpriced. Rocky Waters has so much potential but also has some room for growth to elevate the experience offered.

    Very watery vinegar tasting wines. No body to them at all. Slushes were good. We pass in this one.read more

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    Rocky Waters Vineyard and Winery - Ordering Counter

    Ordering Counter

    Rocky Waters Vineyard and Winery - Inside Seating

    Inside Seating

    Rocky Waters Vineyard and Winery - Sitting area

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    Sitting area

    Blaum Bros Distilling - $10 glass. Really?

    Blaum Bros Distilling

    4.5(182 reviews)
    18.6 mi
    $$$

    It's going to sound weird, but the star here is not the drinks (though those are good) or the…read moreambiance (super homy), but it's the staff and service. The folks here are incredibly helpful and super knowledgeable about their products and similar spirits out there. There is no food, but I think there might be some snacks. The drinks are quite excellent. Check out their menu, but if you want something more standard, they can make that as well. The quality is very good, though the prices are slightly on the higher side especially for being in a pretty rural area. The distillery is beautiful, with super comfy plush chairs, games, TVs and everything you could want while you sip your tasty cocktail. They also have a nice gift shop for you to check out. Swing by when you're in the area!!

    Another wonderful visit to Blaum Bros. Distilling! We had…read morevarious drinks, as you do... But this time, we took home some of their Bourbon Apple Pie cocktail-to-go options for ourselves and friends. And... the BYOB - check the photo. We grabbed a couple of the premium bottles, and it was definitely a cool experience. We had a guide the entire time assisting with the labeling, where you put them, how to line them up, and how it's poured from the barrels. This was something I've never done before, and I appreciated the guidance and the fun time I had going through the process of a bottling experience. We need to make it back - this stuff is liquid gold, and it tastes even better than it reads. So dark on the pour... you know it has spent its time in the barrel getting all that flavor. I tasted it with friends and family, and it is beyond what I expected for the complex flavor profile and how it hits you at different times. Without water, with water, different amounts. It has been so fun unlocking the different tastes this bottle has to offer. We have all enjoyed every sip - I'm so glad we were around for this release!

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    Blaum Bros Distilling
    Blaum Bros Distilling - Old Fashioned

    Old Fashioned

    Blaum Bros Distilling - Richard leading the distillery tour.

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    Richard leading the distillery tour.

    Massbach Ridge Winery - wineries - Updated May 2026

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