Vino in the Valley — Restaurant in Town of El Paso

Purple Grapes, Purple Graaapes....

I only wanted to see you drinking all the purple grapes, purple grapes, purple grapes.... Drinking purple grapes? Yeah, you know, fermented grapes, wine, vino and while I'm not a wine guy myself, the ladies in my life (my mums and wifey) sure are. There also happens to be a place that my mom and dad thoroughly enjoy going to that has plenty of vino for your enjoyment as well as some delicious food. That purple grape consuming world is called Vino in the Valley.

Located just east of Ellsworth, WI sits a beautiful property with amazing scenery to gaze at while you're enjoying a plethora of wine options, some amazing Italian cuisine and beer for those who aren't in to the grape thing, like me. With something for everyone, this is a place even the family can enjoy. Plenty of space for blankets and family time and letting the kiddos run, bag toss, yard yahtzee, 2 fire pits going, cheese and crackers, live acoustic music, rides on the tractor down to Brush Creek to learn some history about the property, walking trails and more.

My parents finally got us to join them and it was well worth it for our first visit and definitely not the last. While we waited for our table, we enjoyed some beverages and took in some of the offerings previously mentioned. Our little guy was having a blast, us adults were enjoying ourselves and before you know it, your table is ready.

We enjoyed some simple, but delicious bread and olive oil with parmesan cheese blend, reviewed the menu and continued to enjoy the scenery and company. My mom decided on the Portabella Mushroom Ravioli, my dad went for the Garlic Shrimp Linguini, my sweetie was eyeing up the Pesto Caprese, I couldn't say no to the Spicy Shrimp and Andouille Linguini and our little guy was all about the pizza.

Let's get my little guys pizza out of the way. Pretty much the best tasting little's pizza your youngster will ever enjoy and they don't even know it, yet. It tasted freshly made, because it was with quality ingredients. Our little guys' pizza was a pepperoni and even I wanted to eat it.

On to the selections by the 'rents. While I didn't taste these plates, they smelled good and definitely looked enjoyable. My mom's Ravioli, prepared with leeks, mushrooms, dried cherries and spinach in a vodka cream sauce, then finished with white truffle oil. Mmmm, truffle oil! My dad's linguini, prepared with sautéed shrimp in a garlic white butter sauce with mushrooms, peppers, spinach, onions, tomatoes and topped with parmesan cheese. I mentioned to my dad, that it looked like a lighter healthier meal plate than the rest of us and it was gone!

As for those meals of ours... My sweeties caprese, prepared with rotini pasta, sun dried tomatoes and fresh 'mozz, tossed with a basil pesto and drizzled with a balsamic reduction. You can add a protein for a few bucks more and my sweetie went for some shrimp. I did taste this one and while not the biggest fan of pesto, I would have ordered this plate - awesome! And finally, my linguini, prepared with spicy shrimp and andouille sausage, then tossed in a spicy garlic tomato cream sauce. It definitely had a spicy kick to it, probably at a level most people may not be able to handle. However, for those who enjoy some fire, you will indeed enjoy it. I certainly did, I left nothing on my plate!

I never meant to cause you any hunger pains while reading this, but if you're looking to reach out for something new, yes you, then look at taking a little day trip out to Vino in the Valley. You will enjoy yourself and you might even get to see the owner get the whole crowd singing a little That's Amore. Sorry, no group singing of a Prince...

Went for dinner last night and were almost immediately seated, even though they were already nearly full at tables - had only been open 25 minutes, so go early. We were seated right at the corner of a prep area and extremely alarmed to see the table bussing staff doing table prep eating shredded parm cheese right out the bowls being served to diners. Very few employees handling bowls, plates, and the shredded cheese being doled out from a large bag were wearing gloves. Bare hands in the bag grabbing cheese and then put into small bowls that were served on table with bread and oil. Also, that bag was left on the prep area with no refrigeration the entire time we were there. We even saw one employee scrape the cheese from the stainless prep area table top and eat it..smh. We did notify the hostess and she addressed it with the staff, but seriously lacks instruction, supervision, and food safety measures if they are doing it in the open so comfortably. Makes us wonder what else is going on we DIDN'T see.

It took an unreasonably long time for our server to greet us and she was hit and miss at our table - we were frequently looking for her. Same for our drinks and meals. We tried to give grace that they were so busy, but there was an air of chaos the entire time we were there. It was not relaxing.

Food was ok, a bit salty. Our app arrived at our table barely warm, although it was pretty good (stuffed mushrooms). Would have been better hot. Our entrees did arrive very hot. Husband had their andouille sausage dish, which was extremely spicy, so if that's your jam - do it. I had the Portabello Mushroom Ravioli in a cream sauce with leeks and cherries. Very good, but just a bit too salty. Husband's chocolate cake dessert was ok, my limoncello cheesecake tasted stale and had a consistency that told me it was old. The "whipped cream" on top came off in one hard piece. It was also not cold or fresh, so again, we question food safety.

Portions were generous, I'll give them that. The owner appeared and encouraged people to sing "That's Amore" and gave away two bottles of wine in a singing contest as he walked our to tables. He also encouraged everyone to visit the gift shop for souvenirs - which was really unnecessary IMO. There was a lovely guitarist singing between the covered dining area where we were seated and the outdoor bar/seating area. It was a little loud over the speakers, but nice. There is a wagon ride around the grape vines, which are close to the restaurant, a campfire, and corn hole games. The property is beautiful and parking is plenty. Kid friendly and there were many families with children dining. There was a friendly little black cat out among the grape vines playing with the kids and following them around.

We REALLY wanted to make this a regular place to dine, but there were too many turn-offs and concerns to do so. The food safety issue really alarmed us, as I stated earlier. Unfortunately, this would be a no for us for...

I've never been to "wine country" in California before, but I would like to think that Vino in the Valley is a fine Wisconsin reimagining of it; Beautiful location. Manicured grounds. Drinking and dining al fresco. Live music. Great staff and service. Excellent Italian cuisine. Good wine and beer. Romantic yet family-friendly. Fun. Photogenic. My girlfriend and I sort of stumbled upon it in the early evening of an unusually hot, humid weekend. Though the heat of the day was past, the open-air dining hall was still holding a lot of heat. The ceiling fans were helping. However, without a natural breeze it was a little uncomfortable. As good as the menu looked, the idea of heavy, hot Italian food wasn't very appetizing. But it didn't stop us from enjoying ourselves. (That aspect was our only complaint, if you could call it that. When one decides to eat outside, one takes what the weather gives you. I had expected the biting bugs to be worse as dusk settled in, but I suspect the management does some treatment to the grounds, and bugs were not an issue.) We opted for grilled shrimp skewers and a wood-fired pizza. Both were excellent. We shared a bottle of their own red wine and loved that, too. We will definitely go back when it is cooler and we will bring good friends and big appetites. Everyone, and the place was packed, was enjoying themselves. At one point, there was a sing-along to Dean Martin's "That's Amore." A duet on guitars played some lovely favorites. Kids were playing lawn games. An old Farmall M tractor was pulling a wagon fitted with seats and a canopy, offering free rides around the vineyard and grounds. People were walking all about & through the vineyard with their beverages. There are lots of pastoral photo opportunities. A small gift shop and a little marketplace where local, small-batch goodies were being offered were a nice distraction while we waited to be seated. We did not have reservations; our wait was less than a half hour. The "inside" and "outside" bars are comfortable places to hang out as you enjoy your wine or beer. Cafe-style patio seating & tables with umbrellas are available. Picnic tables are scattered about the lawn, too. Food service itself is restricted to the dining hall. There is a fire pit and firewood. Lawn games are laid out. (I think some bocce ball sand courts would be a fine addition) The location in the "middle of nowhere" is actually a huge bonus. You must drive through some of the best scenery the Upper Midwest has to offer. The winding country roads through the coulees and blufands of the Mississippi valley are a great ride, making Vino in the Valley more than a restaurant. It's a...