the winery at shale lake

We live close to Shale Lake and love going to this little gem of a winery. The owners have always been present and make the visit very enjoyable with a warm greeting and make you feel very welcome. They have live music on many Saturday nights. You can check their page on FB or their website for entertainment schedule. Seating in the winter time can be limited and the chairs a bit big inside and awkward to move around but the food and wine make up for any seating inconveniences. They have perfect appetizers for a winery and great pizzas and sandwiches. They keep things interesting by having hot dog bars, baked potato bars, burgers, etc. from time to time. Upstairs in the winery is a continuous loop of the old coal mine playing on a TV in a very comfortable room for conversation. There is also another room with Beatle's decor for gathering with friends for the evening. They have now opened several cabins for overnight stays and while I haven't stayed in any I have toured them and they are very nicely decorated and look very comfortable. David and Susan really seem to enjoy what they do.

We recently hosted a graduation party at Shale Lake and we were very pleased with the wine, food, and staff. Susan and David did everything possible to make our event a great success. The food was awesome and Susan's special touches made everything fantastic. They were so easy to work with in preparing for this occasion and the service was terrific. Definitely a go to venue for a party. They even ordered us the perfect weather day. What more could you ask for.Nancy & Bill ThomasMaryville, IL

Donna, we are glad to hear your many visits here have been so pleasant. We are indeed a small winery with limited indoor space. As you know, the western/country atmosphere is intentional and part of the whole experience. It is unfortunate that you interpreted our open apology on FB for our delayed service last month as "w(h)ining" or "bashing". The fact is we were caught off guard that night by the unexpected record breaking crowd. No customer was singled out and no one was bashed... just us feeling responisble for the food time wait and asking them to give us another try. We do make all of our wine here and if you have questions about the winemaking, be sure and ask me the next time you are in. I will be happy to talk with you about it.David Wesa

Visited Springfield this weekend and was excited to see there was a winery to visit that TripAdvisor listed. The directions and GPS navigator took us to 1499 Washington Avenue in Springfield, but to our disappointment this is not correct. The winery is in Williamson IL, not Springfield which is an hour away. We didn't have time to make the extra trip. Maybe next time. Since TripAdvisor is making me rate the winery I will give it a five cause I love wineries, Please correct the address so no one else is disappointed!!!!!!!

Our Company took nearly 40 people to Shale Lake today. What a beautiful, serene location with horse stables, soon to be cabins, great food and wines and a beautiful, well stocked lake. Owners David and Susan did a great private wine tasting for us. They interacted so well with each other as they shared their stories, history and the wine making process. Weekend entertainment and so much more. You won't be sorry you enjoyed a bottle with them and their lovely setting.

We have been to Shale Lake several times. The first time we went using a groupon. We were with a large group that time, and the groupon was applied to our purchase. No problems here. Since that first time, we have been there maybe once a month. This is close to our house, and a nice place to take guests. The wines keep improving. The facility has been upgraded over the last two years. There is outdoor seating, a screened in porch ( which is comfortable but cool in the winter), two inside rooms- which are up the stairs, several picnic areas around the lake. They are only open on weekends Part of the main building is also a horse barn, so sometimes there is a whiff of horse manure, but that's part of being out in the country. The music has been excellent, usually Butch Moore, a guitarist/singer.

Sorry that your visit was disappointing. As we explained to your girlfriend last weekend, Groupon will probably refund any of your unused groupons..just explain to them that you didn't see the limit one per customer, one per day, one per table clause when you and your two friends purchased the six Groupons. We are very pleased that you sought out another Winery. While the one you went to is not on our wine trail, it is one of our favorites and they need "love" too. We rarely see a ticket that high from a group of four people and well.. at our place even if you spent $50 of that on snacks that would be 10 bottles of wine. We would love to know that you made it home okay :) Sincerely, The older lady and yes, I am one of the owners.

We went to Shale Lake Winery on a Friday night in November.There was four of us.We arrived about seven thirty.There was only one other couple in the winery and no entertainment.We tasted the wines and to ourselves thought most were average at best.Both couples had a groupon, ten for twenty dollars.After the tasting both couples were planing to get a bottle of wine and something to eat.We were then told by the older lady behind the counter that only one groupon could be used for both couples .We told them that the groupons were about to expire and we had never been there and we drove thirty miles to use them.She told us no,thats the rules and she could not help us. We decided not to use the groupons at all and left. We then drove to the wineries in Grafton that were much better.

Shale Lake Winery is a great destination for anyone who loves wine, or just having a good time. I'm not a wine drinker myself, but go along with my husband and friends frequently. I'm taking their word when they said the wine was very good- it must have been, because we even brought some home. What I can comment on first hand though, is what a great time can be had by all. The owners are exceptionally friendly and helpful, and the food is wonderful- way more creative and varied than the norm- delicious appetizers, pizza, sandwiches, and great desserts! You can rent surreys and pedal down to the lake, where this is a very tiny playground and a few picnic tables. (The trip back up the small hill can be a bit of a challenge- get a running start!) There are horses for the kids to pet, and a couple of friendly dogs and cats who love everybody. (If you sit inside the screened in porch, the animals aren't an issue, and if you're outside, the owners are happy to lock them up if you don't want them nearby.) Occasionally live music is available. I wouldn't normally recommend a winery as a family destination, but Shale Lake certainly is! It has easy access off of Highway 55, about 35 minutes from downtown St. Louis. Definitely worth the trip!