A new era takes flight at Soaring Wings Vineyard (2024)

15 minutes south of Omaha, nestled on the fringes of Springfield, lies Soaring Wings. A picturesque vineyard and rural haven, Soaring Wings is known for its stunning vistas and the decades-long tradition of uniting the community through wine, music and gatherings.

But with the winds of change blowing steadily, the winery on the hill is embarking on the next chapter of its story.

In April, local entrepreneur Patrick Ackerman took ownership of Soaring Wings, aiming to revitalize the oasis. His plans include modernizing operations, refining branding and marketing strategies, expanding the menu to offer food, and hosting more musical performances.

Ackerman purchased the vineyard from Jim and Sharon Shaw, who established Soaring Wings in 2001. After 23 years, the Shaws have chosen to retire, passing on the legacy of Soaring Wings to Ackerman as it enters its next phase.

The acquisition of Soaring Wings Vineyard aligns seamlessly with Ackerman’s expertise. With over a decade of experience in hospitality as the vice president of business analytics at Marriott, Ackerman also has a passion for aviation as a certified pilot and owner of North Omaha Airport—a fitting synergy given the vineyard’s name “Soaring Wings,” inspired by the previous owners’ Air Force background.

“We’re modernizing it, making it fresh and hopefully it will have a younger feel,” explained Ackerman. “This is such a special place. We want to bring as many people here as we can to experience it.”

Ackerman wasted no time in introducing food items to the menu, starting with charcuterie boxes, with plans for a more extensive menu shortly. As for entertainment, Soaring Wings intends to maintain its roster of local artists while also introducing fresh talent to draw new audiences.

“Some of our musical acts will change and adapt,” said Ackerman. “We have some new band lineups we’re looking at for later this summer. We have one artist lined up for August that I think is going to draw a younger, hipper audience.”

Following the purchase, Ackerman brought on new staff including the Director of Marketing and Project Management Clara Senkbile, and the Director of Food and Beverage Kelsey Gillam.

Senkbile’s role is to revitalize the company’s branding, website, and social media—soon to launch under the new URL, soaringwings.com, with a sleek new logo and elevated yet approachable branding, setting the tone for the experience prospective visitors can anticipate at Soaring Wings.

“We’re here to curate an experience,” Senkbile said. “Anything we can do to build around that, that’s what we want to focus on.”

Meanwhile, Gillam is tasked with curating the menu. With his background in creating co*cktail menus for exclusive private golf clubs, the new menu may showcase some high-end items.

“In the future, we’d like to have food pairings listed with each one of our wines,” said Gillam. “For now, we just want customers to stop by, have a charcuterie board or a hot plate, and listen to music with a great view.”

Soaring Wines Vineyard offers nine red wines, eight white wines, and two rosé wines, all crafted and fermented onsite. Additionally, they offer on-tap beer, brewed and distilled on site.

Currently, the small fare menu is exclusively available on Saturdays and Sundays, featuring charcuterie and mezza boxes, Patrick Ackerman’s Pulled Pork Sandwiches, a Hummus plate, and a dessert offering of milk and cookies.

For those who want to bring a taste of the Springfield vineyards home, Soaring Wings wine is available at 27 local retailers including Bakers, HyVee, and Family Fare.

As Soaring Wings refines its strategy this summer, significant transformations are on the horizon for fall, including renovations, expanded staffing, and the transition of the vineyard’s ambiance indoors.

Soaring Wings hosts musical performances every Friday from 7 to 9:30 p.m. and every Sunday from 2 to 5 p.m., for information on upcoming acts, visit Soaring Wing’s Facebook page.

Soaring Wings Vineyard is open Wednesdays and Thursdays from noon to 6 p.m., Fridays from noon to 9:30 p.m., Saturdays from noon to 6 p.m., and Sundays from noon to 5 p.m. at 17111 S. 138th St. in Springfield.