Wine Tours

This is a continuation of the previous article that discusses the wineries in the state of South Dakota.  This piece of the article discusses some unique wineries as well as wine in the Black Hills region of South Dakota.  Read on for the rest of the article, and discover 2 uniquely South Dakotan wineries.

Wine In The Black Hills

Rapid City isn't large, with a population just over 60,000. And yet, this area welcomes over 3 million visitors per year as a launching pad for all the area's attractions. Simply put, Rapid City and its environs are beautiful. The air is fresh and clean - paradise for an outdoor enthusiast.

Two Unique Wineries

After a visit to majestic Mt. Rushmore, we enjoyed the hospitality at the two wineries here in western South Dakota. Both are well known for using South Dakota grapes and fruits to produce their products. Let's first explore Prairie Berry Winery, in nearby Hill City, about 20 miles from Rapid City.

At Prairie Berry, owner Sandi Vijta oversees the production of 30+ traditional and fruit wines, carrying on a family wine making tradition since 1876. You can eat lunch at their bistro, or sample their many award winning offerings. Their Frontenac and Frontenac Gris have won gold medals from the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition.

Prairie Berry specializes in making regional wines from domestic and wild fruit of the prairie, including chokecherries, buffalo berries, rhubarb, currants and locally raised honey. They also make wines from new grape hybrids, specifically developed to grow in South Dakota's colder, drier climate. Be sure to try the citrusy Cascade Falls, a semi dry white made from a blend of Chardonnay and Seyval Blanc grapes.

Venturing over to fruit wines, we ended up buying several bottles of Gold Digger, made with local handpicked pears. Pleasant and mildly sweet, it is perfect for happy hour or with grilled fish. If it's available, try the very popular Brianna, a fruity white wine made with South Dakota grapes. We had a lot of fun reading testimonials from wine lovers who favorably compared the wines to California offerings, and lauded the friendly, relaxed service. Just a short drive west from Rapid City on Interstate 90 is the town of Spearfish, near the Wyoming border. Spearfish is the home of Black Hills Winery, which offers a full range of fruit wines and an appealing Gewurztraminer.

This was truly an enjoyable journey. South Dakota is a beautiful, clean state with numerous natural attractions and friendly small cities. And as we continue to learn, good wine is everywhere, and quite a lot of fun to find!

Are you interested in learning about wine travel destinations and unique small wineries? We invite you to explore this and many other largely undiscovered wine trails by visiting Wine Trails USA, a fun and informative site devoted to wine travel and wine tours.

More on South Dakota wines and wineries:

Dakota Thyme » Winners of the Best South Dakota Food Survey

Western Buffalo will receive a free listing in the 2010 South Dakota Dining, Food, and Wine Guide. The Individual Winner will be announced later this week. Read individual comments about our Dakota Food and Wine Finds and enjoy Dakota ...

Publish Date: 03/01/2010