Family winery near Grays Lake in Des Moines with free bar tastings of up to five wines and free Thursday-night concerts from May to early August.
Stops within about 40 miles of Jasper Winery. Collect a Lavender Passport stamp at each one.
Jasper Winery grew out of a garden hobby. Jean and Paul Groben planted their first grapevines in 2000 and opened a small winery in a renovated warehouse near downtown Newton. Their son Mason came home in 2003 with a viticulture and enology degree from UC Davis, and by 2007 the business had outgrown Newton. The family built a larger winery near Grays Lake in Des Moines, which opened in summer 2009 and is now where all of the wine is made.
The list runs from bottled and canned wines to bourbon barrel-aged wines and craft cider. At the bar you can taste up to five wines at no charge, or stay for a flight, a glass or a bottle; beer, sangria, mimosas and non-alcoholic drinks are poured too. Windows look into the production area and barrel room, cheese boards are sold on site, and there is a large outdoor patio. Groups of eight or more are asked to contact the winery before arriving.
Summer is the busy season. The free Summer Concert Series runs Thursdays from 6 to 9 pm, and in 2026 it ran from May 7 to August 6. Kids are welcome, food trucks serve burgers, brats and wood-fired pizza, and you may bring your own food and non-alcoholic drinks, but all alcohol must be bought on site under Iowa law. Dogs are not allowed at the concerts. The winery also holds a Wine and Cider Festival and hosts weddings and private events.
Iowa Lavender, a family farm near Ames that opens its fields a handful of days each summer, is about 40 minutes north on I-35, so one of its open days can end with a Thursday concert here.
Iowa Lavender · about 40 minutes away
Iowa Lavender near Ames is about 40 minutes north, so check its summer open days and plan a Thursday concert here the same day.
Tastings at the bar are complimentary for up to five wines, as posted in 2026.
Yes. Kids are welcome, and the winery asks parents to keep an eye on them.
Yes, you can bring food and non-alcoholic drinks, but alcohol must be bought at the winery.
No. The winery describes the concerts as a people-only event.
Checked in October 2026 against the business’s own website and local tourism pages. Hours and seasons change, so check with them before you go. How we check listings · Is this your business? Claim it free
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