A recent version of the Wall Street Journal’s Wine Events column drew attention to one of South Dakota’s wineries, Prairie Berry Winery.
In a piece titled "All Aboard for Trains and Wine," the Journal included some brief information about the Prairie Berry Wine Express:
The “Wine Express” includes a train ride on the 1880 Train to Keystone, S.D., Wild West entertainment, a full lunch and four pours of Prairie Berry’s wines. The wine sorbet and chocolate truffles served with lunch are made with the winery’s wines. Representatives from Prairie Berry will pour and talk about the wines on board. The ride is part of a weekend of activities for Hill City’s Western heritage festival. (A more social and spooky “Fright Train” runs on Halloween night; $45.) Call 1-866-FOR-1880 to RSVP; prairieberry.com.
WHEN Sept. 19, 1:30 p.m. and 5:15 p.m., and Sept. 20, 1:30 p.m.
WHERE Hill City Depot, 222 Railroad Ave. Hill City, S.D.
HOW MUCH $62
My wife and I love Prairie Berry wine. It’s sold at one of the grocery stores where we live, and we’re frequent purchasers. The wines are uniquely South Dakotan, because many of them are made from native berries and fruits (e.g., Red A– Rhubarb, Chokecherry Medley, Raspbery Honeywine and Buffaloberry Fusion). They also have really sharp, simply designed labels, and in the wine business it’s the label as much as anything that helps sell the wine.
Prairie Berry’s winery in Hill City is open to the public and is a great place to visit. You can sample wines there and have a great meal.
Surprisingly, there are many other wineries in the state — enough that you could do a South Dakota wine tour:
- Belle Joli Winery, Belle Fourche
- Birdsong Vineyards, Beresford
- Chateau Sylvania Vineyard & Winery, Toronto (S.D.)
- ChrisaMari Estates Vineyard & Winery, Pierre
- Dakota Falls Winery, Brandon
- Hahn Creek Winery, Crooks
- Pete’s Creek Winery, Burke
- Schade Vineyard, Volga
- Strawbale Winery, Renner
- Valiant Vineyards Winery at Buffalo Run Resort, Vermillion
- Wide Sky Wines, Bushnell
- Wilde Prairie Winery, Brandon
