New winery coming to Anamosa

One mile northeast of Anamosa on Highway 151, among the iconic rolling hills frequently depicted in Grant Wood’s paintings, an old barn looms above the highway like a sentinel. Beyond it, new construction lies adjacent to a creek running through cornfields. It’s the site of a new winery coming this summer – Lubben Vineyards & Wines, at 13504 Highway 151 – owned by Judy and Dan Lubben, Marion residents with Anamosa roots.

The Lubbens are constructing a 4,500 square foot wine tasting and event center with connected living quarters to expand their current operations, which consists of a production facility on the outskirts of Marion. Previously, the Lubbens had neither a formal retail space nor space for customers to relax and enjoy wine, and they’re looking forward to bringing everything under one umbrella. Thinking about building a brand-new facility made them “more than a little nervous,” said Ms. Lubben, but their dream of owning and operating a winery was long overdue.

Wine class led to business venture

On a whim eight years ago, Ms. Lubben took a wine and vineyard management class through Kirkwood Community College with her son, Dalton. “It was fun,” she said, and the ball started rolling from there. Around the same time, local viticulturist Ron Waite, of Wapsi Valley Vineyard, took them under his wing and showed them how to tend vineyards, and they eventually assumed his operation, officially launching their own brand in 2018. The following year the Lubbens added a one acre vineyard between Springville and Mt. Vernon, quickly outgrowing the garage they were operating out of. Kirkwood shuttered its wine and vineyard course, and the Lubbens bought its wine production equipment and that of the former Daly Creek Winery & Bistro. Currently, much of their equipment is stored in different locations. When asked what they were most looking forward to with the new facility, the quick and unanimous answer was “everything being in one spot.”

Incentive to visit Anamosa

The wraparound porch of the wine tasting and event center, reminiscent of Iowa farmhouses, will have several sets of tables and chairs for visitors to enjoy the fresh air and quiet countryside. The porch extends to the back of the center as an open deck overlooking the rolling fields, the site of a future vineyard.

Inside is a catering kitchen and pizza oven, an expansive seating area, bar, and production area on the lower level, where the Lubbens would like to host wine making and vineyard management classes, as well as wine tasting clubs. Adjacent to the wine tasting and event center is a 50x60 square foot machine shed which will store farm and production equipment, and nearby is an ancient barn built into the side of a hill, which Mr. Lubben would like to restore as a place to exhibit relics from Anamosa’s past. Anamosa holds a soft spot for the Lubbens – they grew up in the town and were high school sweethearts, and Mr. Lubben’s family owned a farm two miles from the winery. Several of their friends have opened shops in the town, and the Lubbens hope the winery will encourage more people to visit. “It’s getting up and going,” said Ms. Lubben, of Anamosa.

Tentative open date this summer

The Lubbens bought the 20 acre property in May 2023, and will tentatively open this July. For now, their wine can be found at 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. To learn more and stay updated on their progress, visit https://www.facebook.com/lubbenvineyards.