This is Not Work

Labor Day.  The unofficial end of summer is this weekend.  It seems to take forever to get through winter and spring is so iffy.  Summer is really the only season you can count on.  The days are wonderfully long, which is my favorite part.  As Summer has waned, I have mourned the shortness of the days as August passed.  Soon enough we will enter Daylight Savings Time and well, that will be that.  Dark at 4:00 in the afternoon and the only thing to warm the heart, besides a good fire and/or furnace...a lovely glass of wine.  Well, enough of that.  It's not over yet and the days are still lingering, so let's look at what we have going on here in our own Vin-backyard. 

Three of Dubuque's local wineries are offering celebrations to mark the end of our summer.  Park Farm Winery hosts, Grape Stomp this Saturday and Sunday, September 3rd and 4th.  The fun starts at 1:00 p.m. and lasts through 8:00 p.m.  Festivities include a wine stomp competition, tie dye station for T-shirts, live bands, shrimp and corn boil and of course, wine.  This is the third year Park Farm Winery has hosted this event and it has attracted larger crowds every year.  Tabor Home Winery offers Music in the Vineyard on September 4th and 5th.   From 3:00 p.m to 6:00 p.m. patrons can enjoy wine, locally made Iowa cheeses, BBQ pulled pork and free lemonade.  (No alcohol may be brought on premises.)  If the menu doesn't work for you, picnics may be brought.  There is no charge for admission, so come and enjoy.  If you miss this weekend, September 18 is a last gasp of summer, although not the last event of the year. Lastly,  Galena Cellars celebrates Sangria Sunday on September 4th.  The vineyard opens at 11:00 a.m, $3.00 Sangrias and live music in the Barrel Room from 2-6 p.m.  Don't feel like you are limited to Sangria, Galena Cellars has some wonderful wines to try, one of my favorites, The General's Reserve Red was a double gold medal winner in 2008!  Time to stock up again. 

Wherever you end up during this final celebration of summer 2011, stay safe, designate a driver if you sippa and start looking forward to the best season of all, Autumn.

I personally plan to visit at least two of these wineries this weekend, though not on the same day! 

Bon Voyage

A french term, meaning, good journey, or have a good trip.  My base from which all wine excursions flow is Dubuque, IA, which was founded by a Frenchman, Julian Dubuque. Therefore, Bon Voyage seemed an apt term for my inaugural Winery excursion into the Upper Mississippi Valley Wine Region.  The research for my first trip was made extremely easy by accessing The Iowa Wine Trail.  Living in Dubuque, I thought it would be fitting to begin my explorations in Iowa and to do so by visiting the wineries closest to home.  The Wine Trail Map  lays it all out, along with links to all the featured wineries and seasonal events.  You can be sure I will be participating in the November Wine and Food Weekend too. 

Visiting all nine vineyards of The Iowa Wine Trail in one day-trip is probably too ambitious, so I will be breaking the trip in two.  My first voyage will encompass The Park Farm Winery, Eagles Landing Winery, Winneshiek Wildberry Winery, and Engelbrecht Family Winery. 

OK, I've always been known for stating the obvious and so why should I stop now?  As I plan each junket into Mississippi wine country, I will also tie the review back to the original post title, for instance the review when posted will be titled Bon Voyage, The Review. 

By the way, if you are reading this and you are interested in accompanying me on these jaunts, I am looking for a designated driver!  Drop me a line or leave me a comment and maybe we can put it together.