BANKSTON - Lucas McEntire hefts a new French oak barrel into position on a metal rack.

"It has to be sitting just right 'cuz you're sure not going to move it later," the winemaker says, smiling. He begins transferring wine from a large stainless steel vat into the barrel for aging. "I really like American oak barrels - very vanilla upfront - but I love French oak. It has more layers of toffee and caramel to impart in the wine."

McIntire is Iowa's first master apprentice-trained winemaker, and he is the vintner at Park Farm Winery, one of Iowa's newest wineries. In just a few short years of production and winemaking, McIntire's wines already are winning international silver and bronze medals.

Located off the beaten path in the eastern Iowa's rolling hills, 17 miles west of Dubuque, the Park Farm Winery setting is romance itself. Acres of vineyards roll across terraced hills. On a brisk fall morning, a light frost glitters like silver on the vines. A scattering of plump, ripe grapes dangle like jeweled earrings, but the bulk of the fruit has been harvested, crushed and already is being made into wine.

At the top of the hill, a French-styled chateau and state-of-the-art winemaking facility is winery's headquarters. Elizabeth and Dave Cushman are the founders. Originally the site was the family's "Green Acres" gathering spot, with hiking trails, bonfire pits and a lake."

"Then my mom was buying a tree at the hardware store and starting talking with a viticulturist. The seed was planted. My dad was skeptical, at first, that wine grapes could thrive in Iowa, but he researched and the idea snowballed," says manager Dave Jr.

Another son, Jim, is vineyard manager, while Tom, the second oldest, helped with construction. Daughter Annie returned from missionary work in Chile to help out, too.

The first 1,000 vines were planted in 2001, a combination of French and American hybrid grape varietals which thrive in Iowa's climate. Marechal Foch and St. Croix are planned for red wine production, and La Crosse and La Crescent for white wine. Rows of Frontenac, Dechaunnac, Sabervaois, Brianna and Noiret have also been planted in an effort to access quality and climate adaptability. This year Park Farm took in almost 45 tons of grapes, marking the vineyard's biggest production yet and will yield thousands of gallons of wine to keep up with demand.

Dave used his civil engineering and construction background to build the winery in early 2004. Both Tom and Jim helped and their college buddies helped with construction, based on Elizabeth Cushman's desire for an Old World chateau, Dave Sr.'s desire for practicality, economy and function and architectural plans by Jeffery Morton.

There's nothing "old world" about the building's Insulated Concrete Form construction that provides cavelike insulation and geothermal heating and cooling systems. "The combination gives us ideal conditions for making and storing wines. It was a lot of fun to build, sort of like Legos," Dave says.

The winery has become a tourist attraction. After a morning spent filling barrels, McIntire moves behind the tasting bar, serving samples and sending one couple on their way with a half dozen bottles of wine. In another area of the chateau, Jim hauls in wood and begins building a fire in the great room's massive fireplace, anticipating the day's visitors. The room also boasts a highly polished bar and access to the deck where guests can bring picnic baskets or purchase snacks to enjoy with a glass of wine while drinking in the view.

Park Farm Winery & Cushman Family Vineyards

15159 Thielen Road

Bankston

Current hours: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 10 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday; noon to 6 p.m. Sunday.

For more info, call (563) 557-3727

Click here for more photos from the winery