Lubben Vineyards & Wines celebrates opening of new winery

The town of Anamosa is Grant Wood country, and the rolling hills made famous by his paintings can now be enjoyed with homemade pizza and a glass of wine (or two!) On a sunny day Sept. 12, Lubben Vineyards & Wines celebrated the opening of their new winery at 3504 Hwy 151 in Anamosa with a ribbon cutting. “We're both excited,” said Dan Lubben. “I think for me personally, I'm ready to get through this first stage. I know there's going to be a learning curve for us, but it's like the first game of the season, in that you really don't know what to expect until you jump in and get that first first quarter out of the way.” The Lubbens began their foray into wine making in 2014, when their son encouraged them to try a winemaking kit. This led to winemaking and vineyard management courses at Kirkwood Community College, and the passion was sparked from there. When they began to outgrow their production facility in Marion, they decided to hunt for a space in Anamosa, their hometown and the location of some of their vineyards. Their 4,500 square foot wine tasting and event center can accommodate just under 100 people, and visitors can enjoy the wrap-around deck with panoramic views of the rolling countryside. “What we've hoped for is a place where (people) can come and sit and relax, have a nice glass of wine, carry on a nice conversation with somebody, and just relax, enjoy the view,” said Mr. Lubben. Ambassadors from the Marion Chamber of Commerce came out to officiate the ribbon-cutting, saying that they enjoyed observing the Lubben’s progress over the years, visiting them at the farmer's market and the Marion production location. Lubben Vineyards & Wines will feature live music on Sundays, and visitors will be able to see the harvest in action once vines are planted at the new location. Future activities, including wine education classes, winemaking workshops, and charcuterie board creation are in the works. “Everybody’s just having fun,” said Judy Lubben, of her new staff. “They’re a good group.” Aside from the new wine tasting and event center in Anamosa, you can find Lubben wines at the Marion Chocolate Shop, NewBo City Market, Cultivate Hope Corner Store, Cedar Rapids New Pioneer Food Co-op, Boondocks Emporium, Pizza World and The Wijn House in Pella.