Sweet Heart Brands is bringing a full restaurant and cider taproom to Windsor, with plans for a roughly 6,000-square-foot gathering spot at 2191 Covered Bridge Parkway inside the RainDance development. The space is envisioned as a combination wine bar, cider house, restaurant and event venue, complete with indoor and outdoor seating, a full commercial kitchen and room for weekend brunch, live music and private gatherings.
According to bizwest.com, Sweet Heart Brands and Water Valley are partnering on the new location. The outlet reports the property will feature a full commercial kitchen, bar infrastructure, and gathering and event areas, with guests able to order cider flights, rotating taps, seasonal and experimental releases, food pairings and special events. Separately, WhatNow reports the venue sits at the gateway to RainDance next to an apple orchard and is being called the “living room of RainDance.”
A Flagship Taproom for Four Cider Brands
WhatNow reports the RainDance venue is slated to serve as the flagship taproom for four of Sweet Heart Brands’ hard-cider labels: Climb Hard Cider, Patriot Press, Sweetheart Cider and Black Bear. Per the same outlet, the site also plans to offer flight club pickup alongside wine and cider releases, private celebrations, corporate functions and community events. The bizwest.com report similarly describes RainDance as poised to become the flagship taproom and consumer showcase for Sweet Heart’s hard-cider portfolio as the company looks to expand cider distribution on a wholesale basis throughout the region.
Once the Windsor venue opens, Sweet Heart will operate three Northern Colorado locations, adding to its existing spots in Loveland and Fort Collins, per WhatNow. Water Valley founder Martin Lind told bizwest.com the Windsor space seats approximately 100 to 150 patrons, not counting dedicated event venues. Sweet Heart’s Loveland winery and event center, meanwhile, will remain open as the company’s flagship, according to the same report.
From a Loveland Garage to a Colorado Winery Title
Sweet Heart's roots trace back to 2010, when master winemaker David Burks founded the business in a Loveland garage, the outlet notes. Charles and Farah Oster bought the company in May 2024. Since then, WineryAtlas has named Sweet Heart the No. 1 winery in Colorado, per bizwest.com's reporting. The winery's own events calendar, reviewed by Hoodline, currently lists 31 scheduled events in Loveland and three in Fort Collins, with none yet listed for Windsor.
WhatNow also reports that visitors to RainDance, attributing the detail to the winery's website, can get around the community using golf carts and other low-speed vehicles. No opening date, hours, menu, pricing, reservation policy or seating, parking, child or dog policies have been confirmed for the Windsor site, and WhatNow describes the location simply as “coming soon.”
A Gold Medal and a Fourth Cider Brand
The Windsor announcement comes as Sweet Heart notches a win on the national stage. As reported by the Loveland Reporter-Herald, Sweet Heart's Spiced Apple cider won a gold medal at the Great American Beer Festival. The Reporter-Herald also reports that Sweet Heart is developing a fourth cider brand, Black Bear, which could feature barrel-aged, higher-alcohol ciders — the same label expected to anchor part of the new RainDance taproom's lineup.
