From Fireworks to Fine Wine

Life at the winery has a funny way of keeping us on our toes—no two weeks ever look the same.

This past week was a perfect example.

Like many of you, we took a little time to celebrate the Fourth of July. We enjoyed participating in the Monticello Fourth of July Parade, spent time with family and friends, and even managed to squeeze in a much-needed day to recharge before another busy week began.

Of course, the break didn't last long! Sunday brought a full winery once again, with guests enjoying beautiful weather, great wine, and another afternoon of live music. Seeing the winery buzzing with conversation, laughter, and familiar faces is always the perfect way to wrap up a holiday weekend.

The weekdays often look a little different. This past week was filled with staff meetings, planning for upcoming events, coordinating details behind the scenes, spending time working in the office for Lubben Accounting, and checking in on the vineyards. While those tasks may not be the most glamorous part of owning and operating family businesses, they're what help keep everything running smoothly and make weekends like this one possible.

All of that planning led into one of our busiest weekends of the summer.

Taste Iowa was everything we hoped it would be—a wonderful day celebrating Iowa wine alongside eight other wineries from across the state. It was so much fun seeing guests discover new favorite wines, visit with the winemakers, enjoy Joey V's live music, and spend the afternoon celebrating everything Iowa has to offer.

The weekend didn't slow down from there. We celebrated a surprise birthday party, welcomed a 40th high school reunion back to the winery, hosted a bridal shower on Sunday, and wrapped up the weekend with live music from Beauty and the Beat.

Weeks like this remind me that the winery has become so much more than a place to enjoy a glass of wine. It's where birthdays are celebrated, old classmates reconnect, families gather, and new friendships begin. Every event tells its own story, and we're grateful to play a small part in so many of life's special moments.

As we catch our breath and look ahead to what's next, we're simply thankful—for our staff, our family, our friends, and everyone who continues to make Lubben Vineyards such a special place to gather. We can't wait to see what the next week brings.

Cheers,

Judy