The Iowa Wine Trail welcomed the Engelbrecht Family Winery of Fredericksburg as its newest member.
    “We are the newest member of the Iowa Wine Trail. We join eight other Eastern Iowa wineries that will be hosting approximately 200 people on the Iowa Wine Trail on Saturday and Sunday, April 25-26,” said Dianna Engelbrecht.
    During the “Spring into Iowa’s Local Foods” event, each winery will serve samples of local Iowa foods paired with excellent Iowa-made wines of the Upper Mississippi River Valley (online to newhamptontribune.com to see a complete list of wineries).  The “Spring into Iowa’s Local Foods” weekend runs from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days.
    “We also entered two wines in the Appellation America competition and both won Gold medals. We were both surprised and delighted. The two wines are Farm House Hombre and Farm House Bella,” said Engelbrecht.
    Along with wine specialties, each winery will offer to ticketholders unique family recipes paired with equally unique, locally made wines.
    Engelbrecht Family Winery will offer samples of poached pears, buffalo blue cheese burgers, chicken casserole, and éclairs. (Go online to newhamptontribune.com for a complete menu from each of the other wineries on the trail).   
    Tickets for the weekend event may be purchased in advance for $25 each or for $35 each on the day of the event. Single-day tickets are also available for $20 each in advance, and $30 the day of the event. Visitors who attend all nine wineries during the weekend will be included in a drawing for special door prizes.
    The Engelbrecht Family Winery is part of the Farm House Shop and Gathering Room and the Farm House B&B. To learn more about Engelbrecht Family Winery at 2866 270th St., Fredericksburg, call 563-237-5969, or go to www.thefarmhousebb.comany. To purchase tickets, visit the Iowa Wine Trail wineries, at 563-557-3727 or go to www.iowawinetrail.com.
    Adventurous wine tasters will be able to spend the weekend collecting various ways to complement their summer gatherings. These could include a new favorite Iowa-made wine, an heirloom recipe to add to their own family traditions or simply stories from their weekend exploring the Iowa Wine Trail. 
    The Iowa Wine Trail is a cooperative group of wineries of the Upper Mississippi River Valley wine region, which is currently being considered for American Viticultural Area designation. The Iowa wineries of the Upper Mississippi River Valley region developed the Iowa Wine Trail to creatively market the area as a travel destination for wine enthusiasts. Creative efforts from this cooperative include a map of the trail, so that travelers can experience independent tours of this particular Iowa wine area as well as annual seasonal events. These events occur the first weekend in November and the last weekend in April.
    For additional information, contact the Iowa Wine Trail at 563-652-5014.

Iowa Wine Trail member wineries

Wallace Winery
5305 Herbert Hoover Hwy NE, West Branch, 319-643-3000, www.wallacewine.com

Daly Creek Winery & Bistro
106 North Ford St., Anamosa, 319-462-2525, www.dalycreekwinery.com

Sutliff Cider Company
382 Sutliff Road, Lisbon, 319-455-4093,  www.sutliffcider.com

Tabor Home Vineyards & Winery
3570 67th St., Baldwin, 563-673-3131,   www.taborhomewinery.com

Park Farm Winery
15159 Thielen Road, Bankston, 563-557-3727, www.parkfarmwinery.com
 
Eagles Landing Winery
127 North St., Marquette, 563-873-2509, www.eagleslandingwinery.com

Winneshiek Wildberry Winery
1966 337th St., Decorah, 563-735-5809,  www.wwwinery.com
 
Wide River Winery
1776 E. Deer Creek Road, Clinton, 563-340-5678, www.wideriverwinery.com
 
Engelbrecht Family Winery
2866 270th St., Fredericksburg, 563-237-5969, www.thefarmhousebb.com

Some of the winery treats
    Some of the treats to look forward to will be Daly Creek Winery Iowa Bacon, Asparagus and Fromage Blanc Crisp, Iowa raised marinated Elk medallions wrapped in Iowa bacon, and Iowa bacon and milk chocolate tart.
    Wallace Winery of West Branch will serve herbed goat cheese, pear and bleu cheese puffs, and spicy Indian lamb pockets.
    Tabor Home Vineyards & Winery will have State Fair Iowa sweet potatoes/Iowa beef sausage on a stick, Iowa asparagus quiche made with Iowa cheeses, and Iowa Catawba wine cake.
    Eagles Landing Winery menu will included assorted smoked fish from the Mississippi River, beef sausage/veggie kabobs from local farmers and lockers, goat cheeses made at the local Milking Goat Farm along with cheese curds made from local dairy farms, and honey icebox and maple black walnut chocolate chip cookies.
    Engelbrecht Family Winery will offer samples of poached pears, buffalo blue cheese burgers, chicken casserole, and éclairs.
    At Wide River Winery you will be sampling heartburns (melted cheese/onions on toasted bread), chicken puttanesca and rice, and chocolate torte.