WunderRosa Winery Review
Address: 2361 Wittstruck Road Roca,Nebraska 68430.
Phone Number: 402-328-3494
Tasting Hours: Thurs-Fri 5:00-9:00, Sat 12:00-9:00, Sun 1:00-8:00
Region: Nebraska
Reviewer: Mark and Sonja
Review Date: 5/29/2014
Reviewer: Mark and Sonja
Rating: 4
The Review
Everyone from Billy Joe Armstrong to Adam Duritz has done a rendition of “Big Yellow Taxi,” and yet there is little evidence to suggest that the message, “You don’t know what you’ve got ’til it’s gone,” has ever truly set in with us. Or so it felt as we covered nearly eighty miles from our home in Omaha to visit WunderRosa Winery in Roca, Nebraska, for the first time, in spite of the fact that, until recently, one of us had lived and worked only a few miles away from Roca for the past ten years. C’est la vie.
WunderRosa Winery is just a stone’s throw south from Lincoln, the capital city of Nebraska. Upon approach, the exterior is bright red and reminiscent of a classic barn. An immense poured-concrete patio out front is covered and boasts plenty of seating as well as a good view of the city at night. Inside is a tidy tasting room with seating both at tables and some more comfortable chairs. A large sliding wall at one end of the room is covered with a mural, and we learned from the owner of WunderRosa, Linda Wunderlich, that the wall conceals her private living space, something which she opens up to others for events like bridal showers or other private parties. A variety of locally crafted cheese, sausage made at the University of Nebraska, and crackers are available for purchase. A very nice surprise is that WunderRosa also keeps gluten free crackers on hand which we appreciated quite a bit. Max, the winery dog, might approach if you are sitting outside with a plate of cheese and meat, but don’t worry, he is easily distracted by belly rubs.
By and large, the wines at WunderRosa are very good. During our visit, there was a pronounced shortage of red wines, as apparently they had sold out. The one red we tried was dry, and we enjoyed it, though if we were strictly red wine drinkers it would have made for a disappointing trip. The white selection was much more complete, ranging from three dry whites all the way to the sweet “Max ca Bo” a syrupy, sweet white blend that would give our favorite Moscato a run for its money.
The highlight of the visit, aside from meeting up with an old friend of ours who now lives in Texas, was the Bocelli’s Gold, 2009, an ultra-crisp white with great citrus flavors and the minerality that is lacking in many of the sweeter Midwestern whites. It was, quite possibly, the best white we’ve had in a very long time, and as the night drew on and the conversation continued to flow, we opted for a second bottle.
The wines at WunderRosa are actually crafted by Ed Swanson, the famous vintner and grape breeder, and proprietor of Cuthills Vineyards. In light of this, it was no surprise that WudnerRosa’s wines were indeed so very good. We hope to return to try more of their reds when there is a larger selection and encourage you to pay them a visit as well. And if you swing by, be sure to give Max a little pat on the head or a belly rub. It’s hard work being a winery dog you know!