TLDR: history weirdo gives bonus star for old flavor wines and hopes they update their website. I'm the survivor of a late 1980s childhood transplant to Texas. Over the last few years when my parents have visited Iowa family they habitually hit the Amanas for themselves and have picked up wine for me. Ackerman is one of the now-familiar labels they have kindly brought back multiple times. At home in Tx, it's usually Pinot Grigio or Texas viognier/drier local mead by my plate or on the porch. I can do the sweets like port or moscato, and the Ackerman bottles I've gotten tend to hit closer to that spot. Not as bad as my friend S's dad's homemade fruit wine with sugar crust sealing the lid, but make no mistake. *Sweet* I usually ask my parents to find something unusual (their mango would qualify here, definitely not an endemic Iowa flavor) or local/historic like the dandelion wine I discovered probably two decades ago when I stopped at the Ox Yoke for lunch. Part of my heart belongs to throwback flavors like dandelion; not that long ago we as a nation were eating the greens in salads and the blossoms went into wines or jellies. This wine is great with friends or a book, I think the only thing I paired with it at any point was a handful of salted almonds. The only thing harder to find than dandelion in any form is rhubarb. PLAIN rhubarb, not half cut with strawberry. And my goodness, this rhubarb wine was the surprise gift because it was not as sweet as expected. Or perhaps misremembered or from another label. This rhubarb was comparatively pert and I loved it. The blueberry was lovely, an amazing deep garnet and as sweet as a moscato. Again, nice for dessert or sitting in the sunshine. Not really to pair with any sandwich or pasta but you do you--I started enjoying wine much more when I threw the pairing wheel away. The online site isn't navigable, frankly, and I hope they get someone to update it because they're missing sales. I didn't have the patience to call the listed phone number to see if I could even order for shipment (cross fingers, Tx has bent a lot of -OH rules already for the shutdown). I'll just say to Iowans who drive outside their state that 1. stashing a bottle or two for your weird foodie friends will probably prove rewarding for them, and 2. thanks very much for sharing. read more

Ackerman Winery - Nice sweet dessert wine. Beautiful ruby color, I enjoyed sipping it near open windows through these last days of spring temperatures. - Wineries Near Me - Amana, Iowa

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Ackerman has a nice little tasting room serving kind of the first stop for many who visit the Amana Colonies. They offer a wide variety of wines that are characteristic of the region. They don't hide much and try to be creative. Hardy grapes are exemplified here such as Le Crescent, Marquette, and Edelweiss. They can be characterized by an overly sweet profile and may seem like dessert wines. Some folks may even think they are producing late harvest or ice wines. Unfortunately, the use of little plastic cups for sampling was far from the norm and I couldn't take the free tasting seriously. Maybe they'll mature to using wine glasses soon. read more

Ackerman Winery - Ackerman lineup - Wineries Near Me - Amana, Iowa

I went in with my mother to do some pre-Christmas shopping and it was obvious to us that the sales rep just found us irritating. They didnt ask if they could help find anything or make any recommendations. When we asked for a sample we were treated to a scoff and told we only got one otherwise we had to pay for them. That would have been fine but the way it was said made it obvious that she only thought that we were there for free wine, which we weren't. We did by a bottle of wine, I may have purchased more if not for the help. I probably wont be back. read more

Ackerman Winery - the entrance to the winery - Wineries Near Me - Amana, Iowa

Ackerman winery sits on the right side of the street about a block into the main drag of the Amana colonies and it has become a place we stop every time we're in town. The wine they sell here is similar to that sold elsewhere in the town, but the one-up they have here is the Winery tour! It's not a huge tour, but you can walk to the back of the place and watch where the magic happens! They have won over 400 awards for their wines including 100 golds - I'm not completely sure what it means, but it seems like a good thing and I'd give some of their stuff gold medals if I was in such a position! They have a 20+ varieties of wines there ranging from rhubarb to dandelion to red raspberry as well as more traditional varieties like merlot and chardonnay. The prices are excellent for what you're getting - average 750 ml bottle price is less than $10, and 375 ml bottles are $6.95. They give discounts for 3, 6 and 12 bottle purchases and you often get a free wine class with a 12 bottle purchase! For those not interested in wine, but rather the accessories, they have plenty of glasses, wine racks, and wine trinkets! A great spot to kill some time and always a crowd favorite as they give out free samples of any winese they carry. Many of the wines they have are really sweet so even if you're usually not a wine fan, you'll probably find something you like here. The staff is always very helpful and friendly as well. Worth stopping by to check out be it a quick drive up or an afternoon where you stop at every shop! read more

Ackerman Winery - Wineries Near Me - Amana, Iowa

Location: Ackerman Winery is located in the middle of the city of Amana. Since the signs start advertising for the winery and its attractions all the way 20 miles out on the interstate, you basically will just want to find your way into Amana, and you'll find it there. Parking is right out back, so you don't have to worry about finding a parking spot. Tons of available parking spots when I was there as well. Short Version: Great little winery with a lot of character and items to buy. If it has to do with wine, they probably sell it. Great wine selection, friendly service, and honestly, one of the best wine establishments that I've seen before. Long Version: This isn't just a little winery. It's actually relatively large on the inside, and as far as retail establishments go, they actually have a decent amount of stuff to offer you - probably at least an hours worth of entertainment if you stop and enjoy all of the various aspects. The building also offers men's and women's restrooms (as a note). Tastings: Ackerman Winery wants you to enjoy their wines and pick a good one for you! They offer complimentary tastings of their wines in small, little cups at their counter. They offer up to six free-of-charge, so you can try out a whole bunch of the various wines that Ackerman Winery offers. It's an informal tasting, so there's no structure or anything to it; you just ask to try a taste! Store: The store is really the fascinating part about Ackerman Winery & Gifts. This ISN'T just a winery! They have a large store in here that sells pretty much anything you could think of for wine-related accessories - and it isn't just boring stuff either. A lot of this is accessories and fun and playful items that I never would have thought about. They have neat stuff like wine bottle holders, wine bottle accessories, wine glasses, wine wall art, wine glass stands, wine purses, corkscrews, shirts, and much, much, more. It's like a little wine emporium store. Tour: Ackerman Winery offers a little self-guided tour of the wine-making process. It's pretty bare bones, but it gives you a light look into the world of making wine. I don't think they actually make their wine at this location anymore, but you can see the equipment and whatnot. The tour shows you the awards they've won and lets you look at some of their wine-making equipment and tells you some of the history of Ackerman Winery. It's about three-rooms in size. I would have loved to see a lot more thorough details about the process and whatnot, though, but it's a cute tour into the background and history of Ackerman Winery. The employee who was working there (Jane) was super friendly. She was really talkative and not-at-all judgmental about wine. She was happy to make recommendations, and when I was checking out the bottles of Dandelion wines on the shelf, she offered me a small tasting cup full of it to try. (If you go, seriously give it a taste. I never would have thought of making wine from dandelions!) Great, friendly staff, and it was clear that she knew what she was doing. Fantastic little winery, though. If this is any indication of the quality of the rest of the wineries in Amana that the city is known for, I think it's time that I make an actual, longer trip to here. read more

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For starters, I'm not a big fan of the old school Amana wines. Way too sweet and fruity for me. The place is pretty dated compared to some of the other shops. If you like sweetbwines, you'd like it though read more

When exploring Amana, Ackerman Winery is a must-stop! Of the half-dozen times I've strolled through Amana now, Ackerman is my go-to for free wine tastings and fun window shopping. They always have new wine gadgets and kitschy decor pieces - perfect for gift shopping! They are undergoing some changes right now, as the room where you used to peer upon the wine making in action is now empty. Upon asking the woman at the wine tasting table, I learned that they've moved the fermentation barrels to a different facility down the road and are now converting the space into a room for entertaining. As it turns out, the owner of Ackerman has now retired and sold his winery. I believe it's now owned by the neighboring business, Heritage Haus. If you like sweet wine, these varieties are right up your alley. The wines are lined up on their tasting table in order of dryness with each award-winning wine adorning it's victory medal. Although none of these midwest wines are quite as dry as I prefer, I still appreciate the decadent flavors of their cold-climate blends. read more

This is a Amana original. Rhubarb is a sweet favorite that I like to make spritzers or wine slushees with. Great customer service here.

Great spot great staff fun place to chill and have a Wine-a- Rita! If it gets busy not a lot of room but make it work. read more

Ackerman Winery - Wineries Near Me - Amana, Iowa

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We happen to stop in on a Friday evening as we were window shopping. The ladies browsed the wine and I had my eye on the taste test table that was still sitting. The bar in the back was hopping but we batted our eyes at the lady and she came over and let us sample the liquor that was sitting out. Yum! If we had more time we would have stayed longer but enjoyed the time we were in there and cant wait to drink the bottle that we bought. read more

This is a cute little winery located at the Amana Colonies. My husband and I use Iowa wines for cooking because they generally give us a headache. This weekend Ackerman's was celebrating a rhubarb festival, spotlighting their rhubarb wine. I've sampled wines here in the past and know the rhubarb wine is actually quite sweet, almost cloying. For their rhubarb festival, they used it in a rhubarb wine slush with this recipe the wine had a tartness that you would expect from rhubarb which was pretty good. Ackerman's is really good about offering samples of their various wines which is nice that way you know what you're getting into with a purchase. This store has other merchandise that they sell, most of which is in some way related to wine but very little that has a "German" connection. The customer service is good and the staff is generally welcoming and knowledgeable. read more

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Wonderful Wine, Wonderful People, Much nicer then the Winery down the road from them! Wonderful Selection Of Wine items and gifts! Would go back all the time for there wine even with living 1hour and 30 mins away! read more

Ackerman Winery - Love everything about this place :) - Wineries Near Me - Amana, Iowa

Great location, great wine, great people. The ladies made great suggestions and let us sample every wine we were interested in. We stop in every time we are in town, definitely our favorite Amana winery. If you like fruit wines I highly recommend Ackerman. read more

I've been to Ackerman Winery and Gifts a couple of times. I've been impressed each time; not only with the wine and the ability to sample them, but also all of the other goodies they sell in the store. Décor, snacks, collectibles, etc. Definitely a must-see if you're touring the area. Something for everyone. read more

Brought some Red Raspberry wine back to my California wine friends to try and it was a major big hit! Best as a dessert type wine for me but so delicious. Summer in a bottle! read more

Gotta get off I-80 and enjoy the town, the ladies are wonderful as they inform you of all their great wines. What a good time, great rheisling! read more

Great winery with plenty of parking to start your Amana tour. The Ackerman Winery, and nearby Heritage are owned by the same 5th generation winemakers, and the commitment to great wine is evident. The staff is really nice and don't make you feel like an idiot for not knowing anything about the "mystic" of wine. Both are based out of historical Amana building and the Winery is where the production takes place. Take the time to walk to the back of the building and go on the walking tour which shows pictures of the Ackerman family making wine through the ages as well as the tanks, barrels, and bottling line. If you luck out (as we did on our trip) you can see the owners in action! In an age where everything you seem to buy is from somewhere else, it is cool to see what you are consuming is being made by the owners in the same building they sell it. My wife is a wine snob and she really enjoyed the whites (chardonnay, zinfandel and riesling). I didn't think I was much for wine, but they had a lot of great sweet wines of varying sweetness and ended up buying a 12 pack. They have a dandelion variety, and somehow it is both great tasting and actually taste like you think a dandelion might. read more

Loved their wine and would have bought some, but the staff would not give my girlfriend and I the time of day. Others would walk in while we were trying to taste the wine and their attention for us was GONE! Kinda how it went. The older lady was "helping" us, she left us to stock boxes. We waited a minute, in comes another couple she comes over greets them starts providing them samples. Looks at us and says did you still need something? Said yes we wanted to finish our tasting. She went back to the new couple. My girlfriend and I left. read more

Serves fruit wine which is usually ok to me. This stuff had a gross aftertaste and it wasn't just one or two, we tried the majority and it was like the wines and absorbed the flavors of whatever container they were made in. Not my thing. read more