My wife, Jill, and I made an impromptu visit to Eagle’s Landing Winery (Marquette, IA) last weekend on our way for a quick camping get-away. As one of the six wineries we’ll be following over the year it was a pleasure to reconnect with the winery owners, Jay & Cindy. Eagles Landing Winery’s winemaker Jay Halvorson was selected as the 2013 Iowa Winemaker of the Year after re-sampling their wines it is clear why he earned this important distinction — consistent delicious wines!
Though we were unannounced and Jay was in the middle of bottling some of his famed “Campfire Hootch,” a blend of several types of fruit wine, he paused and gave us a tasting from one of his new wines, direct from the tank. It’s a red wine made from Iowa Marechal Foch, Frontenac and to round out the flavor profile a little Syrah. Probably one of the very best dry red wines I’ve ever tasted in Iowa…hell, just a great red wine no matter where you are!
After a tour and taste in the cellar he took us out front to the tasting room where he proceeded to give us several delicious samples of wine. Both Jay and Cindy are such incredible hosts and are the kind of people who really take care of their customers. Eagles Landing Winery in Marquette, IA (only blocks from the Mississippi River) — HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
