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fredb498
OK. If you go to a winery, you expect to taste a sample of all the wines on the list (not just the ones that are open) especially for $8, but you get to keep the glass! On the other hand, after tasting the wines, we didn't really want to taste anymore. The hostess was superb and told us how each of the wines paired with the food. For that, it was worth the $8. There might have been a couple of wines that merited purchasing, but decided my $16 (two of us) contribution was enough. If I came back, I would just get a glass of wine and sit on one of the benches. That would only cost me $5.
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972matthewa
We really enjoy going to wineries so we know what we are buying. This is a very nice place and is also a gallery for local art, these artists are also featured on the wine bottles. There was a tasting in progress when we arrived so we spoke with Doug at the front and enjoyed the art while we waited. The tasting was 6 wines that they already have picked 3 whites and 3 reds which didn't bother us like it did other reviewers. It is nice to be able to pick what you want but it's also not a big deal to have 6 tastes for $5 (or $8 if you choose the larger glass). The lady doing the tasting was very friendly and informative and we enjoyed several of the wines. A few of them reminded us of wines we've had in Missouri. Overall a great, enjoyable time.
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Sunshine0959
We (4) visited this winery on Oct. 18th and were given a sheet of the wines as we are accustomed. However, upon receipt of such we were told we would not be choosing any wines from the list that we would be given the wines from the "bottles that were open". Isn't the whole point of attending a winery to taste from your palate and then determine if you would like to purchase? We never got to chose any of the ones that we would have liked to have tasted and even upon asking if I could taste one of the port wines, since that is what I had thought I would buy we were told that the owner did not want to "waste the wine tastings with the port". My jaw fell upon that comment. He was rude, condenscending without any provication on our part to aggravate him. Visited many winerys over the years and this one is the worst. Do not waste your time or theirs since their behavior makes you feel like you are not worth the time. The owner should reevaluate his employees. I'm sure we are not the first to experience this. ES should open some competition and send this one packing.
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Thomandjane
We taste several dry and semi-dry wines, the lady that poured new their wines and explained each wine. We ended up buying a bottle of semi-sweet wine called Embarrassed, this could have been a mistake in process but the taste was spot on. We did mention a national wineries brand which she poo-pooed even though they had a silver rating in 2014. We have been to better small vineyards but I must say those places purchase grapes on the open market and she said they only use grapes they grow. That is impressive for a small vineyard.
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RVIDI
I am not a fan of most mid western grapes varieties. That was the case with most of Keels Creek wines that my wife and I tried. There were a couple of exceptions. My wife enjoyed the Vivant, a dry white. I liked the Franc 'n Zin. What really made the stop, though, was the gentleman who helped us with the tasting. A very knowledgeable man who has an eclectic background. He had a lot of different stories.Keels Creek is not just a winery. It is an art gallery. Honestly, this does not interest me but I can see where some people could love this combination (as in one of my sisters and my son). There was some nice photography on the walls.The tastings are not free ($5 or $8 depending on the glass you choose) but you get to keep the glass. If you like to try different wines and like stories, Keels Creek is worth the stop.
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JeffJ280
While my husband and I were staying in Branson we decided to go on a road trip to Keels Creek Winery in Eureka Springs. We did a wine tasting with Debra who was so knowledgable about wines. We told her the kind of wines we preferred and some of the information we had learned in previous wine tasting experiences and in our wine club. She was able to break it down into words and explanations that made sense to us. She was alot of fun and we really did enjoy the time we spent with Debra. Then we met Dr. Doug Hausler (the brains behind the winemaking) and again we spent alot of time in conversation about wine and his experiences in other countries. We purchased six bottles of wine, took pictures and felt very good about our road trip experience. If you enjoy wine and the uniqueness of boutique wines, you will love visiting Keels Creek Winery.
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indiajohnm
My wife and I like wine but have never done a "wine tasting." Keels Creek allowed us to try multiple wines catered to our tastes, explained each in depth, and we even left with a bottle of our favorite and 2 glasses. If you're in Eureka Springs, you should definitely go here!
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946kathiec
My guy and I spent a wonderful week in April tasting the wines of the foothills of California so I was very interested to see how Arkansas wines would compare. In California, you pay for every wine tasting you go to so I was also interested to see the difference in how the wineries are ran. Keels Creek also cost to have a tasting, but here you get to keep an etched glass as a souvenir. As I thought, the variety of grapes were not known to me. The server was very knowledgeable and many times explained a comparison when I inquired. I have to say, their wines, even those described as “sweet” were definitely not to my liking, but my guy loves red wines and found many of their reds to be delicious. I did find one of the light ports to be very nice but then convinced myself that I would like the “richer” tawny port; the “Big C”. I was not happy with my choice but that was my decision and not the fault of the winery.
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jordanp712
I went to Eureka Springs for a girls weekend with my mom and sister. We did a wine tasting at Keels Creek Winery on a Sunday afternoon. This was my sister's first wine tasting, so we had a lot of fun. The gentleman who did our tasting was very knowledgeable and very interesting to talk to. the wines were very good. We chose to do the $5 small glass tasting, and tasted 6 wines. They showcase local artists artwork, which was interesting to look at. I saw several pieces I liked. Very enjoyable!
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BearLovers
Enjoyed looking at all the local artwork - from pottery to paintings, etc. (Many other shops had "Made in China" items.) We were greeted as we entered and the gentleman was very knowledgeable on the artists and artwork. The service for a tasting lacked as, even though they had 3 tasting bars, only one person was serving. (It didn't help that the 4 people already at the tasting bar seemed to be requesting enough "tastes" to actually be drinking instead of just tasting.)The gentleman that greeted us finally set up a second tasting for us after about 15 minutes. All wines are made from local grapes and most were drier wines. If you prefer sweeter wine, what they considered sweet....really wasn't.
