We took a weekend adventure to Pella and looked for nearby wineries while in the area. To our…read moredelight, we found Van Wijk which looked beautiful from the outside. We were excited as it was 5pm and they were open until 10 (typically on Saturday wineries are only open until 6). So, we went in, hoping to do a wine tasting and share a bottle on the patio. We were told we couldn't do a tasting since there was a wedding going on. Okay. So we tried 2-3 samples so we could order a glass we liked. The very few we tried were ok. We were at least able to pick one. Then we went to the patio. Photos of the view are attached. Beautiful view of an alley and someone's house and some cars. The best part is over our speaker we heard this couples entire wedding ceremony. We could see it through the patio doors too. Talk about uncomfortable. I'm thinking the winery should close to the public when they have a wedding ceremony going on - since we couldn't get the same service and had to listen to someone's wedding. What a strange experience. Good thing we never come through Sully, Iowa! Seemed like it could've been a cute place...if it closed for weddings.

Who would a thought??? Love this place!!! We were clueless upon walking in and the owners…read moregreeted us right away. They walked us through the tasting and gave us several options for next steps. We decided to purchase flights of various wines. The owners gave excellent recommendations and encouraged us to taste new things. Then we went to the deck to enjoy our choices. It was a beautiful atmosphere with preferred seating both inside and out . Prices are extremely reasonable and we bought some wine to go. A fabulous time!!

I just absolutely love this place. I don't live in Pella but whenever I visit my mother here I…read morealways try to make it by the Wijn House. The ladies are always so nice and it's just lovely to have a nice stop and chat. Last weekend there was a free wine tasting and I was so surprised by what I ended up liking! I wish I had a place like the Wijn House where I live!

Excellent service and we really enjoyed the selection of reserve wines. You choose 4 for $7. So…read moreworth it! Loved the cheese and grapes as well as the flatbread with prosciutto and feta. Yum.

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.

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!

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!

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.

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?

Thunder Creek Winery is truly a hidden gem! The owners are some of the kindest people you'll ever…read moremeet, they actually opened up for us on a Sunday since we were visiting from out of town (talk about going above and beyond!). I'm very picky when it comes to wine, but I walked out with 12 bottles because everything was that good. Both sangrias are absolutely amazing, and their wine selection is top-notch. If you're anywhere nearby, do yourself a favor and stop in. Between the quality of the wine and the warm hospitality, Thunder Creek Winery is a must-visit.

Beautiful location. They did a really great job hosting…read morethis event I was at. I didn't try the wine but everyone seemed to love it. The owner and staff were so sweet to me answering all my questions. This would be a rad place to host an event, or wedding! The staff is great, the wine is as fresh as you can get and it has both indoor and outdoor places to hang! A fun night indeed!

Great experience! Was able to taste 3 different wines before deciding which one to order a glass…read moreof. Staff was very helpful accommodating my tastes and suggesting which wines to try. Prices are very good here. The view of the vines is wonderful and the patio is nice to sit and drink on. I am already thinking of coming back here!