This Friday Dec. 6 and Saturday Dec. 7, Tassel Ridge Winery will be holding their winter themed dinner and murder mystery event. The Winery, which is located in Grinnell, partners with Jest Murder Mystery Co. to produce four seasonally themed murder mystery events a year.
This weekend’s mystery, A Dickens of a Killing, will take place in Merry Olde England, and focuses on the murder of beloved Christmas figure, Scrooge. With the help of the guests, some of which may be potential suspects, attendees are invited to work with the cast and solve the mystery.
According to tasting room manager, Greg Walter, A Dickens of a Killing is a popular show with Tassel Ridge Winery regulars. “We do [the shows] four times a year, and each show is different. We’ve done this show before, and it’s a really good Christmastime one. We have people who have probably seen them all or have come back for the same show before and bring family and friends.”
Accompanying the show will be a three-course meal, along with three different wines for guests to sample. This week’s menu will “begin with a Mixed Greens Salad with Strawberries, Feta, Almonds and Raspberry Vinaigrette paired with Tassel Ridge Prelude and is followed by Southern Buttermilk Chicken served with Wild Rice and Green Beans paired with Tassel Ridge Iowa Candleglow® White. Finish your meal on a sweet note with Turtle Cheesecake paired with Oskyfizzante® Pink.”
As the taste room manager, Walker has seen his fair share of shows. However, he never tires of watching the guests getting sucked into the murder mysteries. “At first people are kind of shy and they hold off, but as the night goes on, they get more involved. So its enjoyable to sit there and watch the people get really involved. And some people take it really seriously and have a blast, and some people loosen up as the night goes on.”
Prepaid reservations can be made by calling 641.672.WINE, and Walter recommends securing a spot quickly if you are interested. “We have 40 spots and we usually sell out. It’s very popular with the community, so I recommend getting a spot right away.” More information can be found on the Tassle Ridge Winery website.
