I went to the vineyard with a group of my girlfriends and we had the best time! We did a wine tasting at the counter and then each ordered a glass and went to sit outside by the vineyard. I'm not personally into wine, but this was a fun experience. My favorite wine was the wedding cake! Our bartender carefully planned the order of our tasting so it would flow nicely. read more

Galena Cellars Vineyard & Winery - Wedding Cake - Wineries Near Me - Galena, Illinois

We spent a lovely afternoon at Galena, Cellars Vineyard in Galena, Illinois. Large variety of wine to choose from. A good selection of both dry whites, roses and reds. We ordered our wines and wanted a charcuterie plate. Unfortunately, they do not offer that. There is a cooler with some cheese and spread offerings. It would've been lovely to have a charcuterie board premade. The view is beautiful as is the vineyard. We chose to sit at a table facing the vineyard and just admire the view. We also walked around the vines and the old barn. Lovely place. Highly suggest if you're in the area. They also have a brick and mortar store on Main Street in the town of Galena as well . read more

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Stopped by Galena Cellars' Vineyard for a wine flight. My partner and I decided to share (1) flight that geared toward whites and (1) toward reds. We stopped in 45 minutes before closing and there was an end of the day rush. Staff members were very friendly but a bit frazzled. It took some time before someone poured us the wines to take to a table. The wines were tasty but the whites were a bit too cold to pick up on the flavor notes right away. The inside offered quite a bit of seating, displayed wines & awards associated, and had some simple snacks for purchase to pair with wines. Overall, this was a nice winery to stop at while in the Galena area. Wines Tasted: 2021 Brut Rosé, Britt White, General's Reserve White, 2021 Malbec, 2021 Cabernet Franc, 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Favorites: 2021 Brut Rosé & 2021 Malbec read more

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Did you know you can stay ON the premises here? Yes it's a vineyard and tasting room AND there are 2 options for overnight stay! Much like Napa Valley, there are the 'downtown' tasting rooms in addition to the vineyard location further away. The location is perfect for a mini getaway to Galena: easy parking, your own private deck, fully functional kitchen. The decor is questionable- like you're stepping into someone's lake house. It doesn't scream "winery" which I thought would be the base line since we're on a winery. There's golf statues in the living room, a giant wooden fish over the fire place, framed wine posters, antique chiller lamps and mallards. It reminds me of a Wisconsin lake house - a collection of things that make no sense, but you don't care because you're only there for a short while. There is a familiar feeling of comfort here despite the scrambled decor choices. There's gotta be a story here on those weird golfer statues;) My favorite part is the guest book FULL of stories of other people who have stayed here- what were they celebrating? Where did they eat? What season did they stay? We'll continue our tradition of coming here every year. read more

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One of the reasons for visiting Galena was a visit to a winery. We are so happy we chose Galena Cellars & Vineyard. The property is set off the main highway on a smaller curvy road. It is a beautiful drive to get to the cellar. Once we arrived, we saw the large footprint with the vineyards, equipment area for processing, large tasting room and vintage home with a lovely front porch. The tasting room is rustic with warm earth tone colors. The tasting bar is huge. There are several seating areas for wine flights. There are retail options and a food case. The ladies who assisted us were fantastic. Angela curated the tasting choices perfectly. The other ladies were just as kind and helpful. They made our experience even better. We enjoyed a tasting at the bar and then bought cheese and crackers to go with our wine flights. The flights come in a carrying rack so we took our snacks and wine to the front porch. It was perfect weather for a lovely experience. We sipped at our leisure and could not have been happier. They offer a ton of wine choices so we purchased a few bottles at great prices for home. I will definitely return on my next visit out west from Downtown Chicago. read more

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I have been a wine club member for maybe 3 years now, and finally made it to the vineyard. Galena is a beautiful city, and place to go period. The first time I went was for my birthday, in November. Vineyard was obviously closed and not in season. Family owned for maybe over 50 years. They had a paella party, which was pretty cool. I love the wine club, and the people there. One wine person lady was not the most friendly (tattoos can't think of her name) who knows maybe had a bad day gave me the kindergarten teacher finger when I asked for help. Mary Jo? Or an older lady with glasses Jean possibly helped us with our wine tasting and she was incredible! Dog friendly, kid friendly, baby friendly people friendly. Many spaces for seating outdoor, the tasting was in a separate barn (not the one pictured), and my sister and I e joyed ourselves. 25 min from downtown galena. read more

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We have been coming to Galena Cellars Vineyard for years and have loved every visit. It has basically become (at least) a yearly pilgrimage for us to get away from the city for some R&R. However, back in October, we actually stayed at the one-bedroom farmhouse for the first-time and we are hooked! Now not only can we make our pilgrimage, drink the delicious wine, chat with the friendly staff, and meander the vineyard, but we can stay on-site at the gorgeous and cozy farmhouse! Game changer! We loved our first stay so much we immediately planned a return for Valentine's Day. While we loved the hustle and bustle of the warmer months - being able to run down to the tasting room to grab a glass of wine and sit out on our private farmhouse residence balcony and watch all the visitors enjoying their time - we really enjoyed our secluded winter visit. The tasting room will not reopen until March, so we had the whole compound to ourselves...meandering the snow covered grounds in the peaceful silence of a winter wonderland! Plus we just snagged some yummy foods from town (and some bottles of wine from the new Main Street Galena Cellars location) to make in the farmhouse kitchen and enjoy by the delightfully warm fireplace. Also: there is a jacuzzi! So cozy, indeed! Plus, as Galena Cellars members (which you all should be if you aren't already), we were able to get a 20% discount on our stay! What an epic deal that will keep us coming back! Finally, we have enjoyed all of our interactions with the staff/owners at Galena Cellars. They go out of their way to answer our questions, get to know us, and make sure everything is all set to go. We feel like a part of the Galena Cellars family as members and that is something that money can't buy! Thanks for the amazing experiences and memories, Galena Cellars! We look forward to many more memories to be made in the days yet to come read more

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Loved this winery. They have great flight options, and the staff are very knowledgeable about the types of wines. The inside has a rustic, barn feel and is a fun spot for a big group. We went for part of a bachelorette party and had a great time. read more

Large place with lots of wines to try! Friendly staff, outdoor seating with live music (we were there on a Saturday). It appeared that they don't offer food, but there was some cheese and sausage for sale in the cooler. You could probably bring your own for a picnic??? We took home a great assortment of wine, and hopefully will return another time. read more

Beautiful property with porch views and entertainment the day we visited. Unique wines like jalapeño. The staff like most places were overwhelmed.Understandable. Bees were horrible. Bring netting with you. Bring g a picnic lunch since charcuterie trays were eliminated because of COVID. Great wine and view! read more

Galena Cellars Vineyard & Winery - Unique flavors Jalapeño wine had quite the kick! - Wineries Near Me - Galena, Illinois

Susan was super nice and helpful! It was our first time and she was very helpful. The wine was super delicious! I loved that there was a variety of wines! We were able to sit and enjoy the beautiful views after hours and enjoy our wine. We felt very relaxed and really enjoyed ourselves. Overall we would definitely recommend! read more

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Great service, cute wrap around porch to enjoy wine if you want to sit outside, and the wine was wonderful! read more

Galena Cellars Vineyard & Winery - Wineries Near Me - Galena, Illinois

Love coming to Galena and the Vineyard is a must when visiting. They have a huge tasting room. When the weather is nice you can sit outside and sometimes they have live music. The attendants seem low staffed but very attentive and friendly. Service overall is great. Definitely a must try when visiting Galena! read more

Love this winery! The space is open and expansive. Lots of space to walk around. The wine was delicious. We tried a few and loved them all. Overall just a great atmosphere and we will definitely be back next time we are in Galena. read more

I'm not really sure what's going on here... We walked into their tasting room, and was greeted by a huge line for the one cash register. We went to the bar and asked what do we do, and they said to order beverages here and if we want food to just get it out of the fridge and then wait in the line to pay for all of this. The woman who poured our wine had absolutely no idea what the winds were or could help us figuring out what we wanted to order. The food on the website looked really good, but when we got here... Not so much. We got a bag of crunchy breadsticks for eight dollars, drank a glass of wine, waited in line for 20 minutes to pay, and then we left. We were pretty disappointed because we left another winery to come here, but we would've just stayed at the first one! I think the organization definitely needs to get better and staff needs to all get on the same page. Not sure if we would return. read more

Oh this place was just the stinkin' cutest!!! We stopped by while on a weekend getaway to Galena and everything was so delicious. THOSE WINE SLUSHIES!!! To die for! And definitely bought a couple of bottles to bring back home with us! If I ever find myself in the Galena area again.. I will definitely stop by again! read more

Galena Cellars Vineyard & Winery - enjoying flights of wine! - Wineries Near Me - Galena, Illinois

Beautiful locale. Bought a bottle, friendly folks in the glass/bottle room. Enjoyed music. Lots of brides to be. Problem with flies outside,got a bit pesky so we left. PS red wine from grapes brought In from California. Worked for me, some folks may object. read more

If you are in Galena you have to come here. The ambiance is great especially when the weather is nice. We started off in the wine tasting room where we got a flight of 3 wines. It was easier to do the flight since we had our baby with us and we wanted to sit rather than standing by the bar area. The wine was very good and they had a few fall inspired flavors which really gets you into the season. Outside, they had live music with plenty of seating and very pretty views. Very family friendly if you have some kids with you as there were a few kids running around outside and my daughter was able to toddle around. After my flight, I opted for the slushy peach sangria and it was a delight. It was super sweet, if you like that (which I do). It was cool and refreshing. The service was quick and prompt, but since we just ordered and sat down there wasn't too much interaction. We loved the ambiance and wine so we will definitely be back the next time we visit. read more

Came here with a group of 7 to take their public tour and tasting. The tour was relatively quick. I would say 15 minutes max. I can't complain because I think it was a decent time slot for the topic. Our guide explained details about the process and would ask for any questions afterwards. The tasting at the end was longer since we got to taste 5 different wines. That was obviously my favorite part. The vineyard itself is very pretty and is located in a scenic area. We had a lot of fun sipping wine slushies on their patio area while watching the sun set. I would recommend visiting if you're ever in the area! read more

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Wow! Every selection I sampled in the tasting was great! I have a taste for wines of the sweeter variety and they delivered. The woman, Mary, who helped us with the tasting was not only friendly but knowledgeable, she deserves a raise. I will definitely be back. We ended up buying a white sangria and had about 5 more we wanted to purchase. read more

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Love stopping here every time we visit Galena. We came Saturday afternoon to enjoy some wine and listen to some live music. Love sitting outside near the grapes. The tables are very spaced out so very easy to social distance. They allow outside food so bring some snacks to enjoy with your favorite wine. I also highly recommend you try their adult slushies. So good! read more

Galena Cellars Vineyard & Winery - Wineries Near Me - Galena, Illinois

Galena Cellars Vineyard and Winery was our final stop on our winery tour by Countryside Tours. It's not the prettiest winery but it's the best Galena has to offer. It also served wine the best, in separate wine glasses. They also had a nice inside and outside area to enjoy the wines at your leisure. Definitely make this your last stop because you always save the best for last. We left with a whole box of our favorite wine. Would love to see this company evolve and maybe build a more appealing winery which would really add to the experience of visiting a winery. read more

Galena Cellars Vineyard & Winery - Wineries Near Me - Galena, Illinois

Went here for the tour and tasting $10. Good price! The tour was just OK. Very laid back, I didn't hear too much new that I haven't heard on other wine tours. Friendly service, fantastic patio and outdoor seating area. I like that you get to choose from all their wines for the tasting. You get 6 samples. My favorite wine was the Niagara (a sweet grape wine). Worth going but the tour might not be necessary. It took an hour for the tour and 45 minutes for the tasting. read more

I'm giving this vineyard 4 stars (when it was really a 3 for us) because it seemed that it could have been a great place if only we'd gotten there earlier! There wasn't enough space at the tasting bar for me to squeeze my little self in. My husband doesn't drink wine, and so he followed me around the room, trying not to bump into anyone or knock anything over. That was a feat for a 6'2" and 248 lb man! The room was surrounded by shelves of wine bottles for purchase, so if you wanted to stay inside, you really had to stand within one of the shelve rows. One of the wine tour drivers had told us that you normally have to get there early because stays that crowded up until dinnertime. Since we couldn't find a place to stand inside without getting in someone's way, we walked out the back door onto a super cute, white porch with a bunch of umbrella tables spread all over. All of the tables were completely full (mostly ladies) enjoying a glass of wine with friends. We did find a small table out in the grass, close to the actual vineyard, and sat down for a bit to take in the scenery. The weather was beautiful - perfect for sitting outside. I believe they had a brick fireplace outside, which gave it a cozy Autumn feeling. Everyone seemed to be having a great time. The vineyard workers were working, and I am not sure if you could go in the different buildings to see how it all worked. I was too tired from 2 other winery visits that day, so I was happy just sitting at a table. We liked that they had haystacks on each side of the vineyard entrance, so you could take photos before walking through the rows of grapes. Unfortunately, the good grapes were covered in netting so you couldn't sneak a bite. ;) All in all, we had a good time, but it could have been better. If I head back to Galena, I will definitely try to drop by again, and squeeze myself in for a tasting. read more

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Nice small vineyard in the countryside of Galena, IL. It was early in the season so we had a private tour since no one else signed up. Great views of the barrel room, bottling barn and area being remodeled for events. It's nice to top it off with a wine tasting. We bought some wine that we liked. Can't wait to go back when it's nice outside so we can enjoy the outside space, it was cold and windy when we were there. Thanks for the tour and great conversation over wine. The only thing I would add, would be to offer a glass of wine to drink while walking on the tour. read more

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Rating: More like 3.5 stars I came for the tour and tasting on a Saturday afternoon with a group of friends. The vineyard is about 15 minutes away from downtown Galena, and easy to find with GPS. The tour and tasting only costs $10, so it's a pretty affordable activity to do while visiting the Galena area. The tour was okay, but I got the impression that our tour guide didn't know a lot about the wine making process. I've been on other wine, brewery, and distillery tours and this one was the least detailed. On a positive note, our tour guide was nice and had an easy going personality. During the tasting, there weren't too many wines that I fell in love with. My taste buds favor dry wines vs. the fruit/sweeter wines, and the fruit/sweeter wines appear to be their specialty. The Frontenac and Chardonnay were the two main ones that I liked. Chardonnay's are always useful to have on hand at home, so I did purchase a bottle of it. I doubt I would come back to the vineyard again, but it was a nice place to check out on a nice afternoon. read more

I really liked this place. I'm from California and very familiar with Napa Valley/Sonoma and the beautiful vineyards, so I wanted to see what the Midwest had to offer. I visited Galena Cellars Vineyard with an open mind and didn't try to compare them to the highly established California vineyards. To that end, I was impressed with the charm of this vineyard. It's a small operation which produces about 50,000 gallons a year. Because of its size we were able to see a lot of the inner workings of the wine making process. Our tour guide Paige was very friendly and answered our questions. I suggest paying the $10.00 for the tour and tasting. As for the wine, it wasn't bad. The Daffodil one is a good and basic wine for those not into wine and Eric the Red was good, dry and balanced for a red. Wasn't impressed with their version of Sangria, thought it was too citrus-y. read more

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I had recently paid a visit to the Galena Cellars shop in Geneva, IL and when I ended up in Galena to celebrate my 2-year anniversary I knew I had to make a stop to one of my favorite wine producer's locale. The Galena Cellars Vineyard is among the random Illini lush hills hidden by a dirt driveway. Don't worry, it's easy to find from downtown Galena. Just follow the blue tourist attraction signs. The winery is only made up of about 4 barns, yet produces some awesome local wine. Other than a short hour-long tour, you mustn't miss out on the Wine Tasting that costs only $3 for 6 tastings!! Can't beat that!! (Psst...The tasting is cheaper at the actual vineyard than any of their shops) The wine conessuir was super sweet and knew everything about each of the wines. She also was sure not be bad company by leaving us to drink by ourselves and took sips of her own while chewing on Wisconsin cheese curds. There are fridges too to pick out any fresh cheeses, meats, chocolates or other accompaniments for your picnic in the vineyard's backyard. (They ask that you do not bring items from outside sources). Be sure to try their newly released Red & White Sangria. Galena Cellars Vineyard is a MUST VISIT in Jo Daviess County! read more

Galena Cellars Vineyard & Winery - Galena Cellar's Vineyard - Wineries Near Me - Galena, Illinois

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Casual. Great wine. Bought some meet/cheese/crackers to snack on. Dog friendly.

We ended up here doing the tour based on some recommendations. They did a private tour for the group of us (10) which was really nice. The woman conducting the tour was super informative and answered our questions easily. The grounds are just lovely. It's a great place to come, do the tour, buy a bottle (or two... or three...) of wine and sit on the deck and enjoy. Due to my bun in the oven, I didn't do the wine tasting with the rest of the group but they all said it was a great deal for $3 and pretty much everyone ended up walking away with a bottle or two (or 6!) of wine. My only complaint... and it's not a big one... is that the tour is $5 each and includes wine... but I didn't get to drink it! haha. They gave us non-drinkers glasses of their sparkling grape juice which was a small consolation but a nice touch. I'd definitely recommend! read more

Hands down one of our favorite wineries to-date. I have been here more than once and I love the service, the flights are served beautiful, they possess some of my absolute favorite dry reds. Tip: Get the Illinois Marquette before it sells out. Seriously, stock up. It went down as one of my absolute favorite wines...ever. Proprietor's Reserve. Amazing. We love this place and the vineyard is absolutely gorgeous. We had a gorgeous and romantic day running around in the vineyard toting our little heartshaped flight carriers. Bought cheese, crackers, and a chips. The weather was perfect and we truly enjoyed everything about being here. The tasting room is lovely and intimate and the tours are fun, too! We were more than pleased with the service and the staff was extremely knowledgeable and pleasant. Will return, for certain - worth the visit if you're anywhere even close to Galena. read more

This was our rendezvous point for our family reunion (says a lot about our family) and it was an excellent springboard into the experience that is Galena. I don't think I've ever been so relaxed during a family gathering before.... We did not do the official tour, but we poked around a bit. I would like to take the tour next time for sure. We found the tasting room quite easily and we each selected 6 wines from the list which was awesome because they cater to peoples' unique pallates. The only down side is that not everyone has the same tasting experience so you need to rely on the taster's description. I'm sure you could purchase another taste but I was the driver so I had to behave. I ended up purchasing a bottle of their award winning General's Reserve which is one of their popular offerings and one of my favorites. After our tasting, led by a very knowledgable volunteer pourer (I learned where the term 'port' comes from), we sat on the deck which overlooked the vineyard and the farm across the street, and we ate the finger foods we packed and drank local, delicious wine. Note to self: buy a vineyard and enjoy it. I have been to tastings and vineyards/wineries in the past but Galena Wine Cellars was my most enjoyable experience to date. I'm anxious to return because it seems like a lot of fun can take place there, they have lawn games and fire pits and grills and more wine. I can't really argue with that. I couldn't give 5 stars due to the fact that we didn't do the tour, so hopefully I can update my review in the future and slap that last guy up there. Enjoy! read more

Galena Cellars Vineyard & Winery - Salut - Wineries Near Me - Galena, Illinois

We visited the vineyard on a Sunday for a tasting and a picnic to follow in the outdoor area. It was an amazing experience. Our tasting guide Linda made it even more fun, she was truly amazing. I'd recommend doing a tasting, buying a few bottles and enjoy with a picnic near the vines. read more

Wonderful place to stop for some delicious wine. Nice variety I prefer drier wines and my daughter on the lighter side. We were both happy with the choices. Lovely big wrap around porch to sit and enjoy the flights and glasses of wine. Friendly knowledgeable staff A relaxing atmosphere and good wines. A must stop on your trip to Galena. read more

Started with the yoga class...unique and fun! Then enjoyed the wine and music on the porch. Was a relaxing afternoon with my girlfriends. We'll be back. read more

A great place to drink wine with friends! Went up to the vineyard this weekend, which I guess is normally closed this time of year, but they opened up for Wine Lover's Weekend. We got there on Sunday just before 2pm, we were the only ones there for a while but about 12 more people showed up for their tour. We decided to skip the tour and try the tasting. You get to taste 6 wines for $3! They have a great selection of tasting wines to choose from. We also got some colby jack cheese to munch on while we were tasting, the cheese was $5. The wine was yummy. My favorites were the bubbly blanc, the cracklin' apple, the cabernet, and the chocolate port. It was a little chilly outside, but after the tasting we bought some glasses of wine (they range from $4-$6/glass) and sat outside and enjoyed the view, which was pretty, but I can imagine is gorgeous when there's leaves on the trees. The staff was very friendly and knowledgeable. They not only recommended great wines to try, but they gave us some info about other things to do while we were in town. They also put some tunes on for us when we moved inside to drink wine. They also let you keep an open tab here, and have more than two glasses, more than Lynfred will let you. I will say this place had a bit of a creep factor when we pulled up. It's in the middle of nowhere, and you drive past some pretty dilapidated shacks getting there. When we pulled up, it seemed kind of deserted, and they make you walk to a separate building to go to the bathroom, which was a little nerve wrecking to do alone. There were also three women standing by a back building holding three yellow balloons. I don't know what they were doing, and they never came into the main building..but that added to the creep factor. I'm sure this place is much busier when it's open in the warmer months, and the creep factor goes away. read more

I've been to better wine tastings, though I have no legitimate "complaints" about this place. We opted to visit the vineyard over the tasting room for the experience. We passed on the tour because if you've been on one winery tour...you've seen them all - bottling, labeling, etc. they are pretty much the same thing. We did, however do the tasting. I felt a bit rushed through it and the pours were a little on the small side. We were a group of four, there were two other groups of two doing tastings as well. We weren't asked which we liked, or ANY pressure to buy...I felt like just walking out after our tasting but I really liked a winter wine that I tried, and figured since I won't be back before winter I'd pick it up. The wine is good though, and there are many to choose from. I also liked the back patio overlooking the vineyard where you could enjoy a wine slushy :) I doubt I'll be back to this location...if I'm in the Galena area again maybe I'll stop by the tasting room because there are some tasty wines to be had at this place. read more

Love this place !!! I am a Galena local and this is one of my favorite place. Perfect place to relax and enjoy a great wine. The staff are super friendly and make you feel like home .. So if you are in galena and you like a good wine ,this is your place !!! read more

Let' s just put it like this--ever since my girlfriend and I discovered the Galena Cellars Vineyards/store/tasting room just on the outskirts of Galena, there has not been a single time we've left Galena without picking up a case full of delicious wines from their Ford Rd location. All of their wines are absolutely delightful and are priced very reasonably. If you're going to be buying wine--why get it from a grocery store?!? Head here to find just about anything you're looking for, and be sure to do a tasting. 6 wines for $3--you just can't beat it. In addition to the delicious wines, beautiful scenic location, and affordable wide selection, the staff here are top-notch. I always learn something new and interesting about the wines I'm enjoying, and then usually walk out with a full bottle to enjoy later. They also offer tours and wines-by-the-glass, so if you have a spare afternoon, be sure to sit out on their porch and enjoy a delicious glass of wine and let the time pass you by! read more

What a great way to experience the art of wine-making! For $5, you get a tour of the vineyard and a very clear explanation of the process of making wine from start to finish - from someone who actually participates in the process. The best part is the glass of wine at the end of tour, accompanied with a tutorial on how to successfully taste wine. I found the whole experience to be very educational and the knowledge of our tour guide was invaluable. $5 is a very small price to pay for such great information. Galena Cellars Vineyard is a must-see on your trip to Galena. read more