wine tour des moines

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Wineries in Des Moines

Swirl. Smell. Sip. Repeat. Find your new favorite vino at a Greater Des Moines winery. Listen to live music, take in the view and enjoy a glass of Caba Moch at Summerset Winery in Indianola. Then make your way to La Vida Loca or Annelise for a wine tasting. Three wineries. Just a few miles apart. Then head back to  Jasper Winery , close to Downtown, where you can end your day with a glass (or bottle) of Chancellor. Unscrew the cork. Raise your glass. And enjoy all the wine Greater Des Moines has to offer.  

Hours & Location

4040 University Ave, Suite A, Des Moines, IA 50311 (515) 777-3416

Monday: 4 pm – 9 pm Tuesday - Thursday: lunch 11-3 | 3pm-4pm Happy Hour menu only | Dinner  4pm-9pm Friday: Lunch 11-3| 3pm-4pm Happy Hour menu only |  Dinner 4pm-10pm Sat urday:  Brunch 10am-3pm | 3pm-4pm Happy Hour menu only |  Dinner 4pm-10pm Sunday: Brunch 10am-3pm | 3pm-4pm Happy Hour menu only |  Dinner 4pm-8:30pm

BRUNCH Saturday & Sunday 10am- 3pm Daily Happy Hour  Monday 4pm-6pm Tuesday - Sunday 3pm-6pm

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Best Wine Tours in Central Iowa

There’s nothing quite like a wine tour to complete your afternoon. If you’re looking for a day of light drinking surrounded by beautiful landscapes and grapes as far as the eye can see, here is a list of wineries in and around the Des Moines area that offers wine tours, tastings, and other events. Travel to one winery for white wine, then another for red, and maybe even another for some of that fortified elixir. Lyft or Uber is your friend for that kind of adventure.

Jasper Winery

  A post shared by Jasper Winery (@jasperwinery) on May 25, 2016 at 10:50am PDT

Located off of Fleur Drive, the Jasper Winery has hosted weddings, tastings, and events for almost ten years and is run by multiple generations of the Groben family. They espouse a unique, local farm philosophy that Iowa-grown grapes should be used in every bottle they produce. They use an innovative process to determine which grape varieties to use during formation and how to age the wine once it’s been barreled. Their dry wines are aged exclusively in French or American Oak casks. The Jasper Winery offers a variety of different events that allow patrons to explore its grounds. Choose the “VIP Tasting Tour” for a 90-minute educational tasting that will teach you how to properly taste wine while you learn about Iowa history ($15), or the “Wine and Chocolate Pairing” session to learn how to best take your chocolate with your wine ($15). The winery also offers a Bachelorette special for bridal parties that include your own table, five bottles of wine, two cheese plates, and chocolates to share for only $100.

Find it: Des Moines, IA

Summerset Winery

  A post shared by Mariah (@bohemedream) on May 17, 2017 at 6:50pm PDT

Find it: Indianola, IA

Tassel Ridge Winery

The Tassel Ridge Winery offers many events aside from your traditional tasting and wine tour. Every week, they host a wine and small plates event, a wood fired pizza day, a wine and pasta night, and a series of other less regular special events. A hosted tour of the winery is free and includes a winemaking process tour as well as a tour of the grounds.

You’ll learn vineyard planting techniques and get a glimpse of the harvesting process, then the processing, fermenting, blending, and bottling of wine. If you’re with a group, you can book a ride on the Vineyard Grapemobile, an aptly named open-air trailer that will take you through the vineyard at the pace of a brisk stroll while you learn about the vineyard’s history and how to harvest grapes in Iowa’s semi-cold climate.

Find it:  Leighton, IA

Fox Ridge Winery

  A post shared by Gwen (@fox_ridge_winery) on Jun 2, 2017 at 2:20pm PDT

If you’re willing to travel about forty-five outside of Des Moines, the Fox Ridge Winery is one local spot you won’t want to miss. Though the Fox Ridge Winery doesn’t offer tours, it’s the perfect place to go to enjoy live music on the lawn while enjoying their robust wine selection. Their wines are made exclusively from grapes from the region, and they encourage patrons to wander the grounds as they please. This is the place to go if you’re looking for a more independently led experience that allows you to choose your own itinerary.

Find it: Traer, IA

La Vida Loca Winery

  A post shared by Lisa (@thescienceoflisa) on May 28, 2017 at 11:22am PDT

The folks at La Vida Loca Winery know how to tell it like it is, and their wines don’t hide behind any pretenses either. They offer four wines, each variety harvested and bottled using the freshest grapes for superior quality. Their La Vida Loca Red variety won a silver medal in the Mid-American wine competition this year.

  A post shared by Stacey Dee (@sdrn07) on May 20, 2017 at 1:00pm PDT

They don’t offer winery tours but hold feature evenings where they serve guests smoked pork loin or smoked St. Louis ribs, paired with the perfect wine of course. Be sure to check out their Murder Mystery Dinner nights, which involve an action-packed dinner theater experience and the opportunity to discover how Loca La Vida truly is.

Beyond that, Des Moines is a great community that thrives on partnership. If you’re going to wine with a group, there are plenty of wine deals in Des Moines too. Check out the Heart of Iowa Wine Trail , whose mission is to “promote awareness and visibility for Iowa’s rapidly growing grape and wine industry.” On their website, download a Passport and stop at each of the eight wines in their collection for a chance to win a $500 grand prize to be drawn on November 26th, 2017.

Download our no corkage fee guide for free!

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Haley kieser.

Haley is originally from Gilbert, Arizona. Among her favorites are Arizona sunsets, Midwest greenery, and craft beers. "There's no time to be bored in a world as beautiful as this."

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Wine tasting Tour

With our professional limo staff we recommend to try this tour out. We have three great wineries on our list and makes for a fun time. Head out to one of these wineries surrounding Des Moines, for a fun time of wine tasting with some complimentary snacks.  Special thanks to Gene at Jasper Winery.

Recommended Route: 3 stops take around 2.5hr-3hr and 4 stops take around 3hr-4hr. Winery's are in order of tasting stops

Jasper Winery, Madison County Winery, 2 Saints Winery, Pen Oach Winery.

Groups of more than 6 require a reservation with winery's

Vines to Wines DM

Come join us for a fun evening of wine making. Get some friends together, go grab something to eat before, or after the wine making, and you’ll have a truly fun, and unique evening.

Welcome to Vines to Wines

Offering a unique experience for wine lovers.

Centrally located in the historic Sherman Hill District of Des Moines, customers go down into the wine cellar of a century old home to make their wine. When the weather permits, we’ll sample the wine we’re going to make that night outside, under the grape covered pergola, before you actually make your wine.

Vines To Wines is a unique winery located right here in central Des Moines. We have regularly scheduled wine making sessions almost every week. (Check out our schedule below. We also take private groups of up to 10 people.) Have fun making really good wines from grapes grown all over the world: grapes from California, Italy, France, Argentina, Chile, and Australia. Whatever your tastes: reds, whites, sweet or dry, you can come make some wonderful wine here at Vines To Wines. Finally, our wines are low in tannins, and have just a fraction of the sulfites that’s in commercial wines. Many of our customers cannot drink store bought wines due to their sensitivities to these chemicals, but they don’t have an issue with our wines.

Wine making events on Tuesday and Thursday evenings.

Our Fine Wine

The most important factor in determining the quality of wine is the quality of the grapes you start with. To make fine wine, we use concentrates using grapes from around the world. This ensures that the grapes used are grown and harvested in perfect conditions to create some really nice wine.

Visit Our Winery!

Get in touch with us for more information and general concerns about our wine-making sessions and other services.

Where Culture and Comfort Meet

Wine, distillery, and brewery tour transportation services.

Need a designated driver for your next tour of local vineyards or breweries? Save yourself the trouble and book our beer and wine trip transportation services today. At CIT Signature Transportation, we help guests enjoy their wine tours to the fullest with comfortable, private vehicles. Give us your itinerary, and we’ll provide the coach or minibus rental for your wine trip.

Whether you’re visiting a new city or you’ve been meaning to try your hometown drafts, we offer transportation services for brewery tours in Des Moines and across the surrounding area. Savor every sip of locally crafted beer, wine, or spirits when you book our brewery, vineyard, or distillery tour transportation in Iowa. Have peace of mind as you spend a day out without the stress of getting yourself around.

Charter Services

If you’re planning a trip with friends and family, a winery tour is an excellent option. A chartered winery tour allows you to travel far from home to other cities or states. Drivers from CIT Signature Transportation will even travel through Canada. If you’re planning a multiple-day winery or brewery tour, consider booking our services. Our knowledgeable drivers will find the best routes and may even offer insight into the local area.

Shuttle Services

You may seek a shorter getaway, like a day trip for a bachelorette party or a company bonding experience. Our local winery shuttle bus services offer the perfect solution. We’ll drive you around town and let you explore the nearby distilleries, breweries, and wineries at your own pace. During the drive, you’ll have comfortable seating and plenty to entertain you.

Brewery, Distillery and Wine Tour Services

When it comes to wine, there are many things to discuss. Whether you want to take a wine tour to expand your palate or to enjoy an evening culinary tasting tour, we are the transportation you’re looking for.

If you’re a bigger fan of beer gardens or distilleries, we’re happy to take you along. Book our transportation services for your next distillery tour or trip around the area’s breweries. We’ll make sure you get to savor every sip as we get you to each location on time.

Have you ever thought of a wine tour for your next vacation? Walking through beautiful vineyards and learning about the varietals they grow can be educational and fun. There are always the tastings that come afterward, too. For your next wine trip, don’t forget to book us to come along for the drive.

Comfort and Convenience

When your group gets on board one of our coaches, we want you to be impressed. We outfit our coaches with power, Wi-Fi, individual reading lamps, and bathrooms to ensure you are comfortable and able to enjoy the ride.

It’s always fun to participate in tastings on a wine tour. If you are going to several vineyards in one day, let us be your designated driver so you can savor each tasting and relax on the drive home.

On a wine tour, it’s not uncommon to purchase some of your favorite vintages at each stop. Bring along a wine cooler and fill it up as you go. Our coaches have ample storage space, ensuring you’ll never be cramped for the return ride home, no matter how much you buy.

Group Travel

Experiencing wine country as a family or with friends makes the whole experience more memorable. Group travel is what we do best. We can transport up to 57 passengers at a time — there’s plenty of room for whoever you want to bring along.

Local Drinks

Want to plan a day trip highlighting the local pubs and eats this area is known for? Get a group of your friends together and let us do the driving while you spend the day in a tasting paradise.

Motorcoach Rentals for Corporate Wine Tours

Among the many transportation options your business might choose, a coach often provides the most benefits. Here are a few reasons companies frequently rent motorcoaches for corporate transportation:

• Flexibility: With a motorcoach, you move according to your schedule. You’re free to explore wineries at your own pace, and the driver is always there when you need to move.
• Amenities: Our vehicles come equipped with everything you need, from a bathroom for long trips to Wi-Fi that keeps riders connected the whole drive.
• Comfort: You’ll have plenty of room for employees and their belongings. Our motorcoaches have high-back reclining seats for a relaxing ride.
• Safety: Buses include seat belts for safety. Beyond that, our drivers have thorough background checks and plenty of behind-the-wheel driving experience.

Select the Ideal Vehicle

Different wine tour buses are available depending on the size of your group. Explore CIT Signature Transportation’s charter bus fleet to discover your options and choose the best fit for your winery tour. Note details like the number of passengers you plan to transport and find vehicles that suit your criteria. Here are a few other features to look for:

• Air conditioning: Cool off after wandering through vineyards with an air-conditioned coach.
• Storage space: Give passengers a place to store their wine, beer, or other purchases during the trip.
• Entertainment: Features like a microphone or Bluetooth music capabilities will make your trip more fun.
• Facilities: Planning an extended trip? Ensure comfort for guests with a restroom on board.

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Start planning your winery tour.

Whether you’re planning a bachelorette party or a company retreat, make your trip a success by noting information like the locations you want to visit and additional stops for things like food. Our drivers can work with you to find the best routes between each destination. Tell us your planned arrival and departure times, and we’ll work with you to establish a more detailed schedule.

You’ll also have a more successful trip if you coordinate with venues. When they know a big group is coming, they can plan for your arrival and ensure a smooth wine-tasting experience.

Once you coordinate with your drivers and winery or distillery destinations, you will have a more detailed itinerary to give to your group so they know what to expect. With proper planning and assistance from an experienced transportation company, you’ll have a smooth plan as a foundation for an excellent experience.

Our Fleet Leads Private Transportation for Wine Trips and Tours

Take a leisurely tour around your area’s best breweries and vineyards with CIT Signature Transportation. Book your next beer or wine trip minibus rental so you can delight in a hassle-free day out. With our professional and reliable team leading the way, you may want to make this tour a yearly tradition.

Treat yourself to a luxurious beer or wine tour with CIT Signature Transportation. We take great pride in our safe, clean coaches and buses. If you want to start your trip planning today, reach out for a quote .

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Beer Wine Distillery Tours

If you’re looking to sample some of the local spirits on a winery, brewery or distillery tour, let Luxxor Limousines take care of the driving for you, so all you’ll have to do is sit back and enjoy the sumptuous interiors of our luxury fleet.

You’ll be able to enjoy all the flavors that Des Moines (and its next-door neighbors) has to offer in supreme luxury when you book your limo rental with Luxxor Limousines. Whether it be a limousine wine tour, brewery tour, or distillery tour we have you covered.

  Beer Breweries

1. Confluence Brewing Company –Launched in October 2012, Confluence proudly boasts its three flagship beers—Farmer John’s Multi-grain Ale, Des Moines IPA and the Capital Gold Lager—and a seemingly endless array of meticulously crafted seasonal and limited brews.

2. Firetrucker Brewery – Newly launched in July 2014 and located just down the road in Ankeny, Firetrucker Brewery offers a delectable selection of smoky porters and stouts, and a monthly lineup of outstanding seasonal beers to perfectly sate your appetite year-round.

3. 515 Brewing Company – Located in Clive, Iowa, 515 Brewing Company opened in March 2013 and its founders have channeled their passion for craft brews into a menu that rewards those looking to expand their pallet. Highlights include the Wired Heifer—stout brewed with coffee from the local Java Joe’s—and D.A.R.T. Dodger—a full-flavored West Coast style IPA.

1. Jasper Winery – Located in the heart of downtown Des Moines, Jasper winery boasts a sublime collection of premium wines using grapes from local Central Iowa vineyards, and they also offer tours of the winery and onsite vineyards.

2. Covered Bridges Winery – As you might expect, Covered Bridges Winery is located in the picturesque Madison County, and what could be better than a relaxing limousine ride through the rolling hills and iconic covered bridges? Covered Bridges Winery embraces traditional winemaking techniques, producing elegant wines of all varieties that implement signature 100% Iowa-grown French-American hybrid grapes.

3. Two Saints Winery – Family-owned and nestled in Warren County’s rolling hills, Two Saints’ winery offers a selection of handcrafted wines that appeal to all sensibilities, implementing Iowa-grown grapes chosen for their ability to withstand Iowa’s extreme weather swings. Not only does Two Saints boast a delicious range of complimentary wines, but they also take great pains to use conservation measures at all turns, demonstrating a dedication to good land stewardship.

4. Tassel Ridge Winery – Just a pleasant drive away, in Leighton, Tassel Ridge offers illuminating tours of the winery, where a qualified guide will walk guests through grape growing practices in Iowa, vineyard planting and harvesting, and all steps in producing the exquisite wine that Tassel Ridge prides itself in.

5. Summerset Winery – Located just south of Des Moines, Summerset Winery is one of the oldest estate wineries in Iowa, having transformed from humble beginnings in the owner’s basement to its current residence in an upscale repurposed barn that houses a cellar, wine-tasting room, event halls, gift shop and grand banquet hall. Summerset offers a rich selection of diverse wines, all of which nicely compliment the sweeping vistas of the beautiful Iowa landscape.

Distilleries

1. Iowa Distilling Company – Dedicated to bringing distilling back to its roots, Iowa Distilling Company proudly highlights the relationship between good local grains and high-quality spirits. Its selection of Steel Drum Rum, double-distilled Prairie Fire cinnamon whiskey, and Country Gal Moonshine, are sure to win you over, and you’re certain to gain some valuable insight into the historic distilling process along the way.

2. Broadbent Distillery – This small Micro Distillery proudly produces Grappa and Corn Whiskey using Iowa-grown fruit and grains, and highlights of the collection include the classic Two Jay’s Iowa Corn Whiskey and the tangy Bella Orangecello. The boys down at Broadbent will win you over with their heart, and they’ll keep you around with the smoothness and quality of their product.

Present your chauffeur with your own itinerary or make your selection from the established favorites—we’ll make sure that you and your fellow aficionados will be escorted in comfort and class to the wineries, breweries and distilleries of your choice. And by the end of the day, we’re confident you’ll see what makes Luxxor Limousines the most upscale and accommodating limo service Des Moines has to offer.

Dial (515) 868-1819 for a free quote and begin planning your tour today!

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50th Players Championship featured superb weather, packed Stadium Course and stars in contention

Scottie scheffler's dramatic victory was the first for a defending champion.

PONTE VEDRA BEACH — What a nifty 50 it was. 

The 50th Players Championship hit all the marks for success, especially on the local level.

Daily tickets sold out for Saturday’s third round and they were nearly so on Friday at the Players Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass. Parking passes sold out for Thursday, Friday and Saturday. The allotment of more than 22,000 tickets set aside for military and retirees sold out before tournament week. And six hospitality venues were sold out before the first shot was struck. 

After two years of adverse weather — resulting in a Monday finish in 2022 — the 2024 Players was a joy, with sunny skies, warm temperatures and moderate to light wind all four competitive round days and the two practice round days. 

“Absolutely fantastic,” said Players executive director Lee Smith, in his first year after taking over for Jared Rice. “It was really exciting, for me, in year one.” 

Leaderboard loaded with top 10 players

Then there was the product on the golf course. Scottie Scheffler became the first to win two Players Championships in a row, following his five-shot victory in 2023 with a rally from five shots off the lead on Sunday. He fired a closing 64 to tie Davis Love III (2003) and Fred Couples (1996) for the lowest final round by a winner, and he overtook major champions Wyndham Clark and Brian Harman and seven-time PGA Tour winner Xander Schauffele.  

The possibility existed for a four-playoff at Nos. 16, 17 and 18. Until Harman, Schauffle and Clark missed birdie-putt attempts at the final hole, Scheffler didn’t know if he had won his eighth PGA Tour title or would have to play at least three more holes. 

It wasn’t over until Clark missed a putt of around 17 feet at No. 18, with the ball spinning around the hole and out. 

After criticism that the PGA Tour’s stars were missing in action Sunday afternoons this season, five of the top eight players on the Players leaderboard are among the top-10 on the latest World Golf Rankings, led by Scheffler at No. 1. Clark is fourth, Schauffele fifth and Harman eighth. 

“An attraction to fans is that they can go see the best players in the world,” Smith said. “It’s a deep field so you never know where the winner is going to come from but this week you had some of the top stars in contention all week and it created drama.” 

Fans are discovering other areas of the course

Players Championship officials have been trying for years to create more interest in other areas of the Stadium Course besides the par-5 16th, the par-3 17th and its iconic Island Green and the finishing hole at No. 18. With the help of creating dining venues at other areas, fans have discovered holes such as those from the fifth through the eighth and the Nos. 11, 12 and 13 corner of the course. 

“Fans are navigating to different places on the golf course and that is certainly intentional on our part,” Smith said. “Our Tito’s Stillhouse Lounge at No. 8, the Wine and Dine on 9, Trucks on 10, the Intracoastal Club there on 12 and 13 ... that turned out to be an exciting venue for us and very popular throughout the week.” 

Despite the sell-out of Saturday daily tickets, military tickets three days of parking passes and the half-dozen venues, Smith said there are no plans to increase the number of tickets available in the future. 

Considerations such as traffic, crowd control, dining and available restrooms all go into the decision on how many tickets are put up for sale. 

“We have an operational threshold, using historical data, that we are very comfortable with,” he said. “Once we exceed that, the fan experience starts to erode, concession stand and bathroom lines get too long. It’s a big property and we can fit in a lot of people. But the fan experience is at the forefront of how we monitor how many people we get on the golf course. 

Players volunteer force shines again

Players chairman Lee Nimnicht, who is in his 48th year with the tournament, said the volunteer force of more than 2,000 had another exceptional year. 

“We’ve got a lot of experience but we still had 800 new volunteers this year,” said Nimnicht, whose mother Anne and Uncle Ed were past Players chairs. “There are always challenges but we keep going. We do what we do.” 

Smith, who was the general manager at Liberty National in New Jersey and helped the PGA Tour run two FedEx Cup events there, said the efficiency of the Players volunteers is well-known beyond the First Coast. 

He has a greater appreciation now that he’s worked with Nimnicht and the volunteers for his first Players, as well as the tournament’s main sponsors (Optum, Morgan Stanley and Comcast Business) and those who purchase corporate hospitality. 

“I’ve never been affiliated with a tournament that has all the stakeholders truly wrap their arms around it and embrace it like it was their own,” he said. “They take ownership ... I’m talking about the volunteers. I’m talking about the business leaders. I’m talking about our staff. It’s amazing to see and second to none.” 

He also said The Players continues to grow as a can’t-miss, from the golf to the social aspects of the week. 

“People feel like if they don’t go, they’re missing out,” he said. 

PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan praised the fans and volunteers for their support of the tournament, which has been on the First Coast since 1977.

"Our gratitude to the fans who have supported this championship for 50 years," Monahan said at the trophy ceremony. "You came out in huge numbers. thank you for your tremendous support. And thanks to our volunteers, the 2,000 people put their heart and soul into this."

NBC, Golf Channel ratings down

Sunday viewership for the final round on NBC – which was competing against Florida vs. Auburn in the SEC basketball championship, Illinois vs. Wisconsin in the Big Ten championship and NASCAR in Bristol, was down 15 percent over the previous year, when Scheffler ran away with the tournament after five birdies in a row between Nos. 8 and 12. 

The Total Audience Delivery, which combines linear and streaming viewership on NBC or Golf Channel, and Peacock, was 3.71 million, compared to 4.14 million in 2023. However, the viewership peaked between 5:45 p.m. to 6 p.m. to 6.3 million viewers the best quarter-hour on The Players since 7.0 million watched Justin Thomas win in 2021. 

The top local market for The Players was Fort Myers-Naples with a 6.82 rating. Jacksonville was second at 4.02.