Nestled into the rolling and rocky hills of the Flint Hills region of Kansas, sits a winery and vineyard as unique as the landscape it calls home. Liquid Art Winery & Estate is a stunning 20-acre operation near Manhattan, Kansas that resembles some of the most prominent wine regions across the world. When you venture here, you feel like you have somehow landed yourself on a patio in Bordeaux, France.
Liquid Art Winery is one of Kansas’ newest wineries with owners Dave and Dani Tegtmeier planting the vineyard’s first 7,000 grapevines on 10 acres in 2015. Fast forward to today and they have added 10 more acres of vineyards, 100+ acres of satellite properties, a full production winery, tasting room, event center, and have also launched Dave & Dani Cider in their 'free' time. In March 2021, they released their 20/20 wine series in reflection of an accident that left Dave blind. After treatment and surgeries, Dave has regained sight and wanted to share his experience through the art of winemaking. The 20/20 series is named after the 4 most important virtues Dave learned through his blindness journey, Humility, Hope, Perseverance, and Humor. Also in 2021, Dave and Dani’s daughter, Savannah, started her entrepreneurial career at the ripe age of 3 with Vineyard Chick Egg Co. You can purchase her pasture-raised eggs in the tasting room with a little pizazz, as Savannah hand colors an egg in each carton.
Liquid Art is a place you can easily spend a few hours. Grab your gal pals, your sweetie pie, or even bring the entire family (kiddos included) to spend the afternoon in Kansas paradise. Their tasting room offers charcuterie boards, artisan & dessert pizzas (I see you Mama Marmalade), and of course their wine and cider. You can explore the vineyards, chillax on the patio, and challenge your partner to a friendly game of Bocce ball or corn hole. They also host events throughout the year like comedy nights, live music, wine and yoga, and themed activities such as reggae in the vineyard.
Needing a weekend getaway? The answer is yes, always yes. Manhattan, Kansas, adorably named “The Little Apple” makes for a perfect destination. Zip line through the Flint Hills at Wildwood Adventure Park. The Konza Prairie offers great trails ranging from 2.6 miles to 6.2 miles, stop by the Flint Hills Discovery Center before you go to better understand this precious ecosystem. You can kayak The Kaw, Tuttle Creek or even get up close views of the waterfall at Pillsbury Crossing. There are incredible shops, eateries, and entertainment downtown and in the Aggieville District. Share your Manhattan love by grabbing some swag at local favorite, Acme. There’s plenty of lodging offered in the city or make your stay even more memorable with lodging at one of the nearby agritourism businesses or bed & breakfast.
Needing more inspo? This 22 Things To Do In Manhattan In 2022 is a great resource for vacation planning!
