Start a Family Tradition: Join Us for our Christmas Weekends

img_3027If you happened to join us last year for our Christmas weekends, you know it’s purely magical; kind of like walking into a Norman Rockwell painting! If you’ve yet to experience a country Christmas “Vino-style”, you must check it out for yourself… And bring the whole family!

We’ve put the sides down on the pavilion for the festivities and our heaters keep things nice and warm. Enjoy sleigh or wagon rides around the vineyard, visit with Santa (Saturdays and Sundays from 1-4pm), or sit by the fire! We will be serving up our famous brick oven Pizzas and Italian Nachos. Oh, and how can we forget the wine? Yes, the wine will be flowing (as will the hot cocoa for the kids). And the kiddos will also have to check out our “Cookie Decoration Station”!

Adjacent to Vino in the Valley you’ll see our Rush River Tree Farm. Add to your holiday memories and enjoyment with a beautiful and lush fresh Christmas tree. ‘Choose & Cut’ your own tree or make a selection from our inventory of fresh cut trees. Varieties include Balsam, Fraser Fir, Canaan, and White Pine (long needle) with sizes varying from 5′ to 10′. Prices start at just $30 and include shake, bale, and drilling for stands. We also offer beautiful fresh wreaths and swags and spruce tips for holiday decorating at your home or business.

Visit our gift shop where you can pick up a few bottles (or a case) of your favorite Vino in the Valley wines for hostess gifts and your personal holiday enjoyment. And don’t forget to bring your gift list and get a few presents handled. The gift shop is fully stocked with merchandise and you can never go wrong with a Vino Gift Certificate.

Plan your Christmas outing with family and friends this December for Christmas at Vino in the Valley!ChristmasSlide6

Open weekends November 26 – December 18: Saturdays and Sundays 11am-6pm

Additional hours on Black Friday –  Friday, November 25, open from 11am-6pm! Join us for our Black Friday Specials at Vino…
• Order a large 14″ pizza and get a bottle of wine for 1/2 off!
• 20% everything in the Gift Shop! All wine, clothing, jewelry, and more!

 

Horse Drawn Vineyard Tours Again This Weekend!

14691248_10211380596660708_1523820959027576373_oWell folks, the last weekend for our 2016 regular season is upon us. But it’s going to be a great one! The Star Belgians will be making another rare fall appearance at Vino in the Valley this weekend – October 29-30!

The mother and daughter team of Dahkota & Avalon will be taking our guests on a beautiful fall tour of our vineyard, along the Rush River and throughout our grounds, all at no charge.

Plus, be sure to enjoy everything else Vino has to offer! We have a great line-up of entertainment; Don & Doreen on Saturday and Tommy Bentz on Sunday. We’ll be serving up our full menu on Saturday and our famous buffet on Sunday (brick-oven specialties – pizzas and nachos – also available on Sunday).

 

Horse-Drawn Vineyard Tours
Saturday: 3:30-6:30pm
Sunday: 1:00-4:00pm

Vino in the Valley Hours
Saturday: 12-10pm
Sunday: 12-6pm

Bring the entire family and plan to spend a beautiful fall day of fun in the valley!

Horse Drawn Vineyard Tours this Weekend!

belgians-3-2The Star Belgians will be making a rare fall weekend appearance at Vino in the Valley this weekend – October 22-23!

The mother and daughter team of Dahkota & Avalon will be taking our guests on a beautiful fall tour of our vineyard, along the Rush River and throughout our grounds, all at no charge.

Plus, be sure to enjoy everything else Vino has to offer! We have a great line-up of entertainment; Stacie, Russ, and Steve on Saturday and Mare Lennon on Sunday. We’ll be serving up our full menu on Saturday and our famous buffet on Sunday (brick-oven specialties – pizzas and nachos – also available on Sunday).

Horse-Drawn Vineyard Tours
Saturday: 3:30-6:30pm
Sunday: 1:00-4:00pm

Vino in the Valley Hours
Saturday: 12-10pm
Sunday: 12-6pm

Bring the entire family and plan to spend a beautiful fall day of fun in the valley!

Sip, Swirl, Savor: Join us for our Annual Fall Festival

We would like to extend a formal invitation to you and your friends to join us for our upcoming customer appreciation day! Join us Saturday, October 8, for Fall Festival: Swirl, Sip, Savor! We’ve planned a big event for you this year, full of activities, food, artisan vendors, and giveaways! And best of all, it’s dedicated to you – our customers.

Be sure you’re following our Facebook page; we’ll be sharing updates about the event as the day draws near! We look forward to seeing and celebrating you!

fall-festival-flyer-2016

Living Social Reminder

LS_Logo_Color_CMYKWe just wanted to remind those who have yet to use this year’s Living Social offer that the expiration date is quickly approaching. Our Living Social offer expires on Sunday, October 30 (although, after that date we will still honor your certificate for the amount paid).

As you might expect, with an offer this good, there were a few strings attached… Remember, as stated in the rules on your certificate, only one offer per table per visit (sorry folks, this will be strictly enforced).

Announcing our New WeatherBug Special

01-01All this crazy rainy weather has had Larry glued to WeatherBug checking the latest forecast. As they say, you win some, you lose some… we’ve had some gorgeous days this season, and some downpours, too (thank goodness for those new motion vinyls!).

Well, if you can’t beat ’em then we’ll join ’em. We’re not going to let the weather keep us down, especially on Thursdays!

Introducing… Our WeatherBug Special!

Each Thursday afternoon at 3pm Larry will refer to his trusty WeatherBug. The chance of rain for 6pm that evening will become the discount off a house bottle of wine with the purchase of an entrée.

For example…
30% chance of rain = 30% off
60% chance of rain = 60% off
100% chance of rain = yep, that bottle of wine is free!

If we’re not going to be blessed with sunshine, we might as well drink wine, right? Keep your eye to our Facebook page this Thursday when we announce the evening’s discount!

(Only 1 discount per bottle per table. Ask for the “WeatherBug Special” when placing your order.)

Storm Damage Causes Detour

directions_signWow, that was some storm that blew through the Rush River Valley and surrounding areas last night. We’ve sustained some minor damage here on our grounds, but clean-up is underway and we’ll have things looking beautiful again for our guests when we open for the weekend tomorrow night.

However, we did experience one major loss due to flash flooding. The bridge on 400th Street, Vino in the Valley’s access from Highway 10, has been washed out, and it’s unknown how long it will be before the bridge can be replaced.

Needless to say, 400th Street is closed and this closure will affect our visitors coming on Highway 10 from destinations west. But never fear; there’s more than one way to get to Vino in the Valley…

Feel free to download our handy map by following the link below. We’ve outlined a few of our favorite alternate routes (including a few short-cuts only the locals know!). You’ll find that none of them take you very far out of your way; and you may even find a shorter and more beautiful road that will become your preferred trek!

Please keep in mind that these routes are on narrow, local roads with several houses and farms along the way; many of which are homes to small children.  As you get off the main highways, please reduce your speed and be aware of children playing, folks walking or riding bikes, farm equipment, etc. We want to be sure everyone stays safe.

Download map here.

Map 2016

We will be receiving an update in the coming days as to the status of the bridge replacement and road closure. We’ll be sure to keep you posted each step of the way! Please be sure to “like” our page on Facebook so that you will see updates come across your news feed. If you’re not on Facebook, then the next best way is to be sure your email address is included in our email database (sign up here).

It’s times like this that we’re especially grateful for you. Most businesses would be more than a little bit concerned when the main road to their business is closed unexpectedly. I’ll admit; we were in shock (and a little panicked) when we first heard the news. But as they say, it could be worse. We’re grateful and know our customers won’t let this stand in the way of their Vino visit!

We look forward to seeing you all real soon!

Larry and the Vino in the Valley Team

Red, White, and Blues at Vino in the Valley

Great wine, delicious food, and awesome music… Commemorate the Independence Day holiday by joining us for Red, White and Blues on Sunday, July 3, featuring the music of Trevor Marty and the Tommy Bentz Band with our famous fireworks show at dusk.

Grab family and friends for a fun afternoon and evening in the valley. Take a tractor tour around the vineyard, enjoy a glass of wine or a beer on the patio, listen to blues music over a pasta dinner… Then grab your lawn chairs or blanket and settle in for the fireworks show after dusk!

It’s a patriotic evening in the valley you won’t want to miss!

The last seating of the night will be at 9pm (our staff want to take in the fireworks, too!). There’s no admission charge. Sorry, no carry-on allowed on the grounds.

Check out this entertainment line-up!

3:30pm – 5:30pm Trevor Marty

Singer-songwriter guitarist Trevor Marty plays in a classic style drawing on Blues, Folk and Americana. Trevor performs regularly around the Midwest with his base in Rochester, MN. He’s a 4th generation gigging musician; for the last 80 years someone in his family has been entertaining the masses and it’s Trevor’s turn at bat. Whether he’s playing a resonator or his flattop guitar, his joy for playing is palpable and addictive!

6:00pm – 9:00pm Tommy Bentz Band

The Tommy Bentz Band is a trio that often gets described as Van Morrison meets the Allman Brothers. Led by singer-songwriter Tommy Bentz, one hears strong soulful vocals with tasty slide and lead guitar, a rock-solid rhythm section with tight vocal harmonies that often makes the listener think that as many as 5-6 people are on stage. The band tours around the Midwest and yearly to the UK, for their annual fall tour, playing 2 blues-rock festivals in Ireland and Scotland this September. Enjoy blues and blues rock classics from artists like Clapton, Allman Brothers, SRV, The Band, Freddie King, as well as songs from their 4 original albums.

Red White and Blues Flyer 06-16

Vino in the Valley hosts 7th Annual “Taste of Tuscany” Event

Tuscany 2016Once again we’re thrilled to be hosting the Ellsworth Community School District Foundation’s annual fundraising event, “Taste of Tuscany”. The event, which will be held at Vino in the Valley on Friday, June 3, 2016, supports the Foundation in their mission to enhance educational opportunities within our community using private revenues. In a time of ever-tightening budgets, supporting this great cause has become more important than ever.

Social Hour begins at 4:30pm with the event officially kicking off at 5:00pm. Attendees will enjoy the music of Colleen Raye, a wine tasting, silent auction, and of course, great wine and a delicious dinner buffet. Tickets are $35 and available at Vino in the Valley, Ellsworth School District Office, Nilssen’s Foods, and from Foundation board members. Download an official event flyer here.

Some amazing items on the silent auction again this year!
– Hot Air Balloon Flight w / dinner at Vino and bottle of wine certificate
– $50 Gift Certificate for Victory Fireworks
– Mn TWINS Tickets – 4 pack
– Dinner For Four w/ 2 bottles Wine @ Vino in the Valley
– Green Bay Packers Football
– Flat Pennies Ice Cream for a year
– Chanhassen Dinner Theatre – Dinner & Show for 2
– Four (4) Golf Passes to White Eagle Golf Course
And much more!

We not only wish to encourage you to purchase your tickets and attend this worthwhile event, but also want to be sure all our guests are aware that due to this event, general seating for the public will not begin until 7:30pm on Friday, June 3. Our outdoor bar, Bella Sera, will be open beginning at 5:00pm if guests would like to come down to enjoy some wine until seating begins; although you’re always welcome to purchase a ticket to the event on the spot and join us! Your help in spreading the word to your friends and neighbors is always appreciated. Thank you and we look forward to seeing you.

3rd Annual Rush River Folk Festival

RushRiverFolkFestival02-16 CCThe 3-day Memorial Day weekend generally marks the unofficial start of summer. Once again this year we’ll be kicking off the season in a big way, with the 3rd Annual Rush River Folk Festival!

Thanks to music promoter, David Jones, of Davey J & the Jones Tones fame, and his many musical contacts, we were able to pull together six established music acts that will bring a tasty mix of original and vintage folk music to our valley.

On Saturday, May 28, 2016, starting at 1 pm in the afternoon and continuing until sunset, you can enjoy a full day of live performances by established musicians offering a grand mix of sounds and styles of folk music.

This year, a nationally touring contemporary folk duo joins the Rush River Folk Festival from Massachusetts: The Sea The Sea. Chuck e. Costa and Mira Stanley are the members of The Sea The Sea, and their songwriting, vocal performances, and guitar work is guaranteed to touch your heart. Their music has been described in the Huffington Post as “two of the loveliest voices you might ever hear this year or any year.” Their first album, Love We Are We Love, produced a single “Watertreader,” that was featured on National Public Radio on its segment “Heavy Rotation: 10 Songs Public Radio Can’t Stop Playing.” Currently they are touring the East Coast and will make a special appearance in Wisconsin to bring their beautiful, expressive music to the Rush River Folk Festival.

Adding to the musical experience, several established regional folk musicians will bring their distinctive sounds to the outdoor stage at Vino in the Valley. Leading off at the festival is Larry Past, a regional favorite bringing crowd-pleasing acoustic favorites to the Rush River stage. Blues, folk, and string band artist Yata will return to the festival as well, bringing four decades of musical experiences can be heard. Yata’s trio, YSO, features a collaboration with highly accomplished jazz saxophonist Sue Orfield and bassist Randy Sinz. Their trio will perform at the festival for the first time.

Also featured at the festival are Davey J (David Jones) and his current musical collaborator Jen Hazen. The founder and organizer of the Rush River Folk Festival, Davey J brings a unique, foot-tapping mix of original roots music, blues, folk, and Americana to the musical stage. Together with Jen Hazen on vocals and percussion, Davey J will perform several tunes from his 2015 CD Chippewa Love, a musical tribute to the cultural vibe and natural beauty of the Chippewa Valley. At any Davey J performance, one will hear passionate vocals, songwriting from the heart, and a unique rhythmic style of amplified acoustic guitar. Having performed for more than 25 years in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, and beyond, Davey J is a prolific recording artist and a featured performer on stages large and small across the region. Joining Davey J in a duo performance is Jen Hazen, bandleader for Jenny and the Jets (a live band karoke combo) and Davey J’s partner in their rock and roots combos, Jenny and the Lost Boys and Davey J and Friends. Their mix of vocal styles bring a classic folk-rock vibe to the stage.

Yes, a full eight hours of live outdoor music will be the perfect way to start the long Memorial Day weekend. Bring your lawn chairs or blanket and settle in for an afternoon of music, wine and food. There’s no admission charge; just come and savor the amazing sounds and a glass of wine or a beer on the edge of the beautiful Rush River. If the mood strikes, stay for an Italian dinner under the Pavilion, or order a brick oven pizza to-go and enjoy it on the grounds. Heck, make a weekend of it; you’ll find we have some amazing lodging options in the area!

As always, the latest in event updates and announcements can be found on our Facebook page.