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It's been over a year since the last post - or a decade in the news industry time - Rest assured, though my ambition of hitting the blog world went into hibernate mode, my pallet for sipping the delectable wines offered in the heart of the Midwest has only sprouted.
Most recently I ventured to the quaint Amana Colonies. To say quaint is an understatement. It's like a look back to the turn of the century but with a modern twist full of hummers and blackberries that standout among the many sheds offering crafts, homemade goods, and everything stereotypically Iowan.
But with one added pleasure - wine. Yes, wine. Iowa may be a state where you can indeed get Bush beer dressed in camouflage (seriously), a state where black and gold "fan cans" are a delicacy and one where boxed wine in chugged in a gas station parking at a 6 a.m. tailgate. Low and behold, something classy still exists. .
The Amana Colonies has dozens of wineries in the nearby area, each offering their own signature touch. But don't get excited too yet
While recognizing my own cliché, I would say the juice was worth the squeeze. But with one stint.
Maybe it's snobby to expect more, but I just can't get over into a winery that's as cute as a story tale cottage, and serves it in a small plastic cup - similar to ones found laced with jello shots at a kegger. I know it's a touristy spot, and washing out glasses would be a dreadful task, but its like sitting in the nosebleed section at a game. You weren't really part of the game.
To say the least, the tasting experience was tainted by the residue each wine left for the next. It became impossible to distinguish one from another. It was like the wine samples at your Hy-Vee grocery store. Maybe I just went on the wrong day, but this adventurer was disappointed.
In the end the wines were good, good enough to buy a few bottles, but the experience wasn't as full as hoped. In my other travels to the wine country in Southern Illinois and ever other spots in Iowa, I got the true sampling as wine as the wine gods would have wanted. from dry to sweet, and white to red. All with a story in between. The true tasting experience.
I think many of the wineries in the main Amana Colonies have gotten caught up in offering a cute little tourist experience for those swinging by the area and trying to offer a bit of culture in the middle of a state that only get's on the map for football, hogs, and a unique presidential caucus every four years.
Maybe someday the wineries can really get Iowa on the map.
I'm no wine expert by any means, and I still enjoy my occasional $4.99 bottle. (a $2.99 bottle was a bargain I lost when seeking a good wine that cost less than milk) But I like my wine in a glass.
Till next glass...
Inside Fireside Winery, an array of flavors
awaits any eager taster.Check it out at: www.firesidewinery.com/
Wineries are sprouting up all over Iowa. Or so I heard through the grapevine.
"We're all like one big family," said Rona Wyant, owner of Fireside Winery, when speaking of the nearby wineries.
And that's just how you feel when you walk in.
Wyant, who runs the business with her husband in Marengo, Iowa, said the Midwest is finally catching onto the trend which begun along both coasts, and has since trickled into a new hobby for many.
Including myself.
With 13 choices to spark your taste, anyone could make a day of it.
On a side note, while driving to the winery I still laughed as I drove past the corn fields, just outside the nearby truck stops. An intriguing clash.
Although it was nearing dark when I approached, I could feel the warmth as I stepped inside.
In such a simple place, a rich deep atmosphere of a bold reds which could accompany that hearty holiday meal, or a fun flirty white to flow into an after party.
Each with their distinct flavor, they all deserve their own review. But for now, I can say you don't need to seek wide and far to find that delectable treasure.
I'll let out the secret: They're right in your back yard.
To name a favorite or two, as hard as it is to distinguish, especially after a few glasses in, the "Serenade," stuck out when its first sip brought a slight smile to my face.
Suggested to drink with a circle of friends, this slightly sweet, full-bodied red wine has a intriguing flavor with a crisp dry finish.
Switching sides, the "Storyteller," could speak for itself.
A white white, enriched with fruit flavors mixed with a lush sweetness would keep a group sipping bottles of this long into the night.
Bringing the outdoors inside, another quaint tasting room, which has the ability to host all sorts of parties offers much more than just a delicious drink.
Maybe I not ready to flee my newly found roots to Iowa just yet.
After all, I've gotta see what's next.
With a dozen types of wine to choose from,
Wallace Winery is flowing with a taste for
every pallet.
Check it out for yourself at: http://www.wallacewine.com/
No, it's not the flowing hills of Florence, or even the luscious Napa Valley.
It's Iowa.
Most notably known as "corn country," a less known sweet crop has yielded a new cultural hot spot right in the Midwest.
Good to the last drop, Wallace Winery, just outside the quaint town of West Branch, Iowa sheds a familiar hometown feeling when you step into the adorable tasting room.
As an aroma of sweet wine seeps into the air, bottles of wine eagerly waiting to be uncorked sit against the wall.
A slight pop, and the fun begins.
The perfect compilation of sweet to dry white wines, including my favorite, "Vignoles," which quenched my taste buds with a burst of tropical fruits, hints of pineapple, and honey and lime lingering on.
A sweet sangria came next, which stirred up wonderful memories of a cafe I once spent an afternoon at in Barcelona, Spain.
The rest of the Red wines on the list provided deep rich flavors, giving me a warm rush, almost making me forget it was a cold November day.
To top of the tasting, a delectable "River City Port" dessert wine, complimented with dark chocolate provided as described,
"a rich and fruity finish."
As it tempts the taste buds for more, it fits its reputation perfectly.
While the sun was setting, I looked outside to the vines which grow those simply delicious grapes, and am once again surprised that I'm still in Iowa.
But amidst the chilly winds, and the slight smell of hog farms in the nearby area, this little treasure hidden in the most unexpected place made for an adventure that will garner many more visits from this newcomer to the wine industry.
