The Van Wijk Winery wine-making team – Rebecca, Adam, and Roger Van Wyk – are with bottles of a 2026 Iowa State Fair Best of Show winner, Blackberry Mead.
In its first-ever entry into a commercial wine competition, Van Wijk Winery of Sully achieved a clean sweep in the non-grape category at the Iowa State Fair wine competition, taking home top honors for all three submitted honey wines.
Competing against entries across the state in the non-grape division, Van Wijk Winery’s entries captured awards across all three recognized sub-styles of honey wine. Van Wijk Winery won Gold and Best of Show honors for their Blackberry Mead (Melomel – honey and fruit), Silver for their Golden Honey Zoet (Mead – pure honey only), and Bronze for their Almond Mead (Metheglin – honey and natural spices).
As a Best of Show winner, Van Wijk Winery’s Blackberry Mead will be featured at the historic Grandfather’s Barn, located at the top of the hill on the Iowa State Fairgrounds, throughout the duration of the fair. The Van Wijk crew will be serving award-winning wine samples at Grandfather’s Barn from 6-9:30 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 14, and Saturday, Aug. 22. Tickets may be purchased at the barn entrance.
“Taking the leap into commercial competition for the first time is an exciting milestone for us, and receiving recognition across our entire submitted lineup validates our dedication to crafting high-quality, craft meads,” said the winemaking team at Van Wijk Winery. “We are thrilled to share these award-winning honey wines with fairgoers at Grandfather's Barn.”
Rooted in local Iowa agriculture and community
The secret behind Van Wijk Winery’s award-winning honey wines lies in a strong commitment to local Iowa agriculture and creating value-added agricultural experiences. As an official member of the state’s Choose Iowa Program – an initiative administered by the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship to highlight locally grown and produced products – the winery takes pride in sourcing locally.
Van Wijk Winery purchases tons of honey annually from local beekeepers to craft its small-batch beverages. The three award-winning entries specifically feature raw honey sourced directly from Ebert Honey in nearby Lynnville.
By partnering with regional apiaries, Van Wijk Winery supports sustainable local beekeeping while delivering distinct, Iowa-grown flavor profiles in every bottle.
Beyond the tasting room, Van Wijk Winery actively connects with history buffs and festival-goers across the state. The winery serves as an official sponsor of the Des Moines Sleepy Hollow Renaissance Faire and participates in four Iowa Renaissance Festivals throughout the year.
“We love bringing our handcrafted meads to festival-goers who appreciate historical tradition,” said the team at Van Wijk Winery. “After all, you simply can't be a proper Viking or Pirate without mead in your goblet!”
About Van Wijk Winery
Located in Jasper County at 802 4th Street in Sully, Iowa, Van Wijk Winery is housed in a restored historic church building. Known as a scenic destination for wine enthusiasts and curious travelers alike, the winery offers a unique range of handcrafted grape wines and honey meads crafted with locally sourced ingredients. For more information, tasting room hours, remote tasting events, or online purchasing, visit https://www.chooseiowa.com/van-wijk-winery.
