Heaven Boutique Winery in Fayette produces about 3,000 bottles per year

Is this Heaven? Well, yes!

Heaven Boutique Winery is built on a farm in Fayette County where co-owner Lisa Goodwin’s mother, Connie Rohde Halvorson, lived while she was in school.

“She met my father Roger Halvorson while he was attending Upper Iowa University, “ said Goodwin. “My parents bought the farm in 1980, planted the vineyard here in 1999 and opened Eagles Landing Winery in Marquette in 2000. My brother Jay took over when my father passed in 2014 and planted a vineyard near Marquette. Since he no longer needed the grapes here, we (Goodwin and her husband Carlton) decided to take over the vineyard and make some of our own wines.” They opened the winery in 2019.

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And Heaven? “We camped here when our daughters were young,” said Goodwin. “It was such a gorgeous spot, quiet but lots to keep everyone busy. We often said it was our little piece of Heaven. Plus, the Is ‘This Heaven/Iowa’ connection made the name fit, too.”

Heaven is what’s known as a “boutique” winery. Goodwin explained, “We produce different varieties of wine in small quantities each year. Additionally, we have a great selection of Iowa-made art and gifts. These are displayed throughout the tasting room, which makes it feel like a boutique gift shop, so I guess it has a double meaning.”

She added, “We are unique in that we sell other Iowa wineries’ wine in addition to our own. We wanted to showcase all Iowa wines, especially those that are not available in our area. There are talented winemakers in Iowa, creating fantastic wines, and we wanted to give folks in the area a chance to taste them.”

Right now, they have three different wines released. Currently they are able to produce 600 gallons a year, which translates into about 3,000 bottles.

“Fishing Widow (semi-sweet red made with Marquette and Concord grapes from our vineyard), Mothers Little Helper (a sweet Niagara grape wine), and Love is Love (a sweet 100% Concord wine we’ll release annually in June for Pride Month.),” Goodwin said. “We’ve just bottled our first dry red wine called Amortentia (Any Harry Potter fans out there?) This red blend will be available in September.”

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Since opening, Heaven Boutique Winery has added lodging and food options to heighten guests’ experiences. Two lodging options are available. The Chicken Coop is a 340-square-foot tiny house that was originally located on the part of the farm that is now Frog Hollow Lake. "It has a queen-size Murphy bed, full kitchen and large bathroom with a 3x5 ceramic tile shower. The private patio has a fire pit, Adirondack chairs and a gas grill. "It is a very comfortable space which we lived in for several months while our house was being built. Our house is attached to the winery – best commute ever,” said Goodwin.

“The Grain Bin came to us from the farm across Ivy Road in 2020,” Goodwin said. “It has a loft with two full-size beds and a vaulted ceiling. The living space has plenty of seating with a large sofa and four chairs. The bathroom includes a 3x5 shower. There’s also a kitchenette with a sink, mini fridge, microwave, and coffee maker. Outdoor space includes a fire pit surrounded by Adirondack chairs, a locally made picnic table (complete with tractor seats!) and a gas BBQ grill.”

Booking can be made through airbnb.com and can be booked up to three months in advance. Rental season runs April through Thanksgiving.

Goodwin said, “Heaven is the perfect place to get away from it all and enjoy a quiet, relaxing weekend. Our unique lodging offers guests the chance to sip wine on the patio, play cornhole and other yard games, dance to live music on a Friday night and sleep in on Saturday before heading out to marvel at the beauty of the Driftless area. You can grill out for dinner and then chill out around the fire pit. The wide-open sky is meant for stargazing, and the quiet is remarkable.”

Address: 10408 Ivy Road, Fayette

Phone: (563) 362-2240

Website: heavenwinery.com

Distance from Downtown Des Moines: 185 miles

Hours: 12-8:30 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday, 12-5 p.m. Sunday.

Food: The Goodwins renovated an existing grain bin on the farm and added two bathrooms and a pizza kitchen, called Stoned Pizza Pizzeria. “We make Neapolitan-style pizza each Saturday and Sunday from May through October. Our dough is handmade daily, which is really the key to its deliciousness,” said Goodwin. “We’re proud to offer gluten-free, vegetarian and vegan pizza options.” They also serve Bavarian pretzels, charcuterie, or cheese boards with warm ciabatta bread.

Local Talent: Heaven Boutique Winery is all about showcasing local talent of all types. “Our Friday Night Live Music series runs from May to September. We have live music and a different regional food truck at Heaven each Friday from 5-8 p.m. It’s a chance for our guests to enjoy food that isn’t always available in our area while listening to great music in a beautiful setting,” said Goodwin. They have also had Sunday Sip & Stretch yoga teaming up with Fayette’s Yoga Genesis several times and offer fun classes throughout the year, such as their “Famous Artist” series of painting wine glasses. “All of our art and gifts are made by Iowa artists,” said Goodwin. “We have wooden items, both decorative and functional, beautiful stained glass windchimes and suncatchers, wine bottle lights, handpainted glassware, jewelry and apparel.”

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Awards: Heaven Boutique was named the “Hidden Gem” of Fayette County this year from Travel Iowa. “We received the Outstanding Industry Partner award from the Iowa Wine Growers Association in 2022,” said Goodwin. “Our wines have received medals from the Iowa Wine Growers Association and the Great American International competition.”

While You’re There: Goodwin said, “The natural beauty of the Driftless area is a big draw. We are adjacent to the Volga River State Recreation Area. This park has more than 20 miles of multi-use trails groomed for equestrian riders, and popular for mountain bikers, snowmobilers and cross-country skiers in different seasons. There are also two campgrounds (one for equestrian camping), and a 138-acre no-wake lake that is great for fishing, boating, canoeing and kayaking. This area is known for excellent trout fishing. We are surrounded by small towns with cute little shops, boutiques and places to eat."

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Fayette's boutique winery is a little bit of Heaven