Lovers Leap has been at it since 1999, making it one of the oldest wineries in the state — and by far the westernmost, tucked into the Pine Ridge country near Crawford. The tasting room and production area sit in historic downtown Crawford, pouring wines made from American cultivars and French hybrids: Valiant, Ventura, Foch, DeChaunac, St. Croix, LaCrosse.
The lineup runs from dry reds to sweet whites to dessert wines, plus Nebraska fruit wines and a honey wine made from 100% Dawes County clover honey. International awards dot the history. Local artists’ work hangs in the tasting room, which gives the whole place a community-gallery warmth.
It’s a long way from everywhere, which is the point — pair it with Fort Robinson and the Pine Ridge for the definitive northwest Nebraska trip.