In 1996, Nan and Bob Smith, future founders of Stone Cliff Winery, decided to return to Nan’s hometown of Dubuque to raise their two daughters in a small-town environment. They purchased Stone Cliff Farm near Durango, Iowa, initially planning to farm the land conventionally. However, as life often goes, one idea led to another. Over a good bottle of wine, Bob and Nan began imagining something different for their farm: growing grapes and eventually creating their own winery.
They immediately began attending conferences and taking classes to learn about the wine industry and the art of winemaking. With the help of family and the community, they planted their first 2,000 grapevines by hand. What started as a small family venture grew into the Stone Cliff Winery we know today.
In 2007, Stone Cliff Winery relocated its tasting room and operations to the historic Star Brewery building in Dubuque’s Port of Dubuque, overlooking the mighty Mississippi River. While our vineyard and grape-growing operation remain offsite, our wines are crafted at Stone Cliff Winery in the historic Star Brewery building, also home to our tasting room and event center, where visitors can experience our award-winning wines, enjoy a variety of food selections, and explore our selection of craft beers.
In 2025, Stone Cliff Winery entered an exciting new chapter as ownership transitioned to Dave Fritz and Chad Walsh. With a continued commitment to quality, hospitality, and community, the new ownership is building on the winery’s history while creating new opportunities for Stone Cliff to grow.
While our name and location have ties to the historic Star Brewery, our beer is not brewed on-site. We proudly partner with Potosi Brewery, which brews our beer for us. Building on the success of our Gold Star Golden Ale, Stone Cliff has continued to expand its craft beer offerings and distribution. Today, our beer can be found beyond the tasting room in local bars, retail stores, and convenient 6-packs for fans to enjoy at home.
Our unique historic location has also allowed us to expand beyond wine and beer into a beautiful event venue. Our event center welcomes weddings, receptions, rehearsal dinners, business gatherings, birthdays, anniversaries, and many other special occasions.
From our family to yours, we invite you to experience Stone Cliff Winery. Whether you’re stopping in for a glass of wine, enjoying a locally crafted beer, sharing a meal, or celebrating a special occasion, we’re happy to welcome you!
– Dave & Chad
