A legal server

Dorothy O'Brien is a lawyer, and her husband, Charlie, is a judge. They're also the owners of Wide River Winery in Clinton.

Their 9-to-5 jobs play an important role in their wine names, which include Felony Red, Ms. D'Meanor White and Blushing Testimony, and in the awards their wines have won. They won the Toaster's Choice award last year at the Toast to Justice, an event co-sponsored by the University of Iowa College of Law.

Wide River is a family operation: son Matt, in Chicago, takes care of the Web site; daughter Carol Pelton, in Washington, D.C., and son Brent, in New York, come home over the summer to help in the vineyards; daughter Liz Quinn, who just moved back to Clinton, was the model for the winery's label and helps with marketing; and daughter Ann Pelton in Le Claire, helps with sales, marketing and the business end of the winery. Dorothy is the winemaker, and Charlie is the handyman.

2005

Year the first vines were planted at Wide River Winery. The first bottles of wine were sold in 2007, when the tasting room opened.

6.5

Acres the O'Briens have planted with six primary grape cultivars. Two new acres were planted this spring.

24

Barrels of wine aging at a time.

7

Wine varieties made at Wide River Winery. Ann says the most popular wine is Felony Red -- perfect with steaks -- but her favorite is Be Mine, a cranberry wine. The O'Briens make a tasty sherry, too. It's called Not Guilty, and a split (375 milliliters) sells for $10.

$10-$14

Price range for Wide River Winery wines; by the glass, $5. Souvenir tasting glasses can be purchased for $4.

TASTINGS

Open weekends from noon until 6 p.m. Free wine tasting available. Want to see where the winemaking gets done? Just ask.