A well-known Dubuque winery is now under new ownership.

Dave Fritz and Chad Walsh recently purchased Stone Cliff Winery, located within the iconic Dubuque Star Brewery building. The riverfront winery includes a large production area and tasting room, as well as an indoor and outdoor event venue.

“The winery is really important to the building and, I think, to the city of Dubuque itself,” Fritz said. “It’s one of the most unique entertainment venues in the area, and it brings a lot of people to the (Port of Dubuque).”

If you are a wine lover, you might have seen, or even tried, a natural wine. They’ve been gaining a following for years. But what exactly is a natural wine? And what makes them special?

Natural wines are produced with minimal human intervention. The grapes are generally grown organically, and the winemaking process eschews additives, commercial yeasts and excessive sulfites.