Viticulture and Enology Front and Center

Next weekend, February 9 and 10, The 2007 Annual Conference of the Iowa Wine Growers Association will be held at the Hotel Fort Des Moines.

 

Experts in Viticulture and Enology will speak. I know if it short notice, but it you are interested in learning about growing grapes or making wine, I urge you to attend this event. You can learn from respected speakers from Iowa, Indiana, Minnesota, Michigan, Virginia, North Carolina and California.

 

Hundreds of Iowa Wine Growers Association members will be there too, which means you can find yourself in the middle of many interesting conversations!

 

Suppliers to the grape and wine industry exhibit their products and services … and can answer your questions.

 

If you are interested in more information, join their association and register for the conference at the Iowa Wine Growers Web site, http://www.iowawinegrowers.org/.

It will be a great event.

Cheers!

Barbara

 

Importance of Wine Industry to Nation Revealed in Study Has Implications for Iowa

Did you know there is a Congressional Wine Caucus? I didn’t. The chair is Congressman Mike Thompson, a Democrat from St. Helena, California. Last week the group hosted a reception in Washington, D.C. for legislators, and unveiled the first-ever comprehensive study detailing the wine, grape and grape products industry. The study approaches the industry in the United States from an economic point of view: growth (the industry has grown 15 percent since 2003); employment (1.1 million full-time jobs with wages of $33 billion), agricultural (23,800 grape growers); revenue and taxes. (To see the entire report from MKF Research, LLC. visit www.mkfresearch.com.) 

An article by David Stoneberg in St. Helena Star on January 18, 2006 provides information from Congressman Thompson and others about the study and states the industry is important to the country, as well as individual states and communities. An important point is that the health of the industry depends on the business climate which is largely shaped by public policy. http://www.sthelenastar.com/articles/2007/01/19/news/local/doc45af9d2fd86fe954669424.txt 

I immediately thought of the January 18^th article in the Des Moines Register, What’s genuine Iowa wine, many ask? by William Petroski. http://desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070118/BUSINESS01/701180382/1001/NEWS

The public policy on this issue, to be set by our legislators, will certainly dictate the business climate for Iowa grape growers and winemakers. In my opinion, the decision is the most important factor in whether or not Iowa has a bright future in the industry. Dedicated people are working hard to grow grapes and produce wine, and consumers are enthusiastic about Iowa wine and wineries. This is not the time to limit Iowa’s ability to grow the grape and wine industry.   All 50 states grow grapes. Most states have young wine industries and they are going to produce and sell as much wine as they can … and attract as many tourists as they can. Since Iowa cannot yet grow enough grapes to support the current wine production in the state, it seems unreasonable to limit the amount of wine produced (and tourism generated) by the number of grapes we grow.   

At each winery, winemakers create their best wine “recipe”, select the grapes, and year after year fine-tune the recipe (weather alters the taste of grapes each year) in order to produce wine with the consistent taste their customers expect. 

Does the customer expect each grape in the bottle to be grown in Iowa? Or does the customer expect to enjoy a consistently tasting wine from an Iowa winery? 

Legislators may choose to require ingredient lists for wine, so consumers will know exactly where the grapes were grown. They may look for ways to encourage more vineyards and wineries. Iowa needs the jobs, taxes, tourism and growth that the grape and wine industry can provide. The industry needs the support of Iowa policy makers.  Winemaking can be a competitive business, not just between wineries, but between states. Let’s not place Iowa at a disadvantage.

Cheers!

Barbara Rasko

15 Salutes to the Iowa Wine and Grape Industry!

It is two weeks into the New Year and I feel remiss in not celebrating the Iowa wine and grape industry’s growth and success in 2006

Here are some 2006 highlights. Please add to the list and help me salute the happenings of this new industry.

Then, sit back, enjoy a glass of your favorite, and be amazed at the progress that dedicated Iowans have made in the last 7 years!

• Native Iowa wines can be found throughout the state, in tasting rooms, grocery stores, restaurants and wine cellars.
• Iowa produces fine red, blush and white table wines, delicious dessert wines and exotic fruit flavors.
• New wineries are opening – watch for more this spring.
• The idea of growing grapes is attracting a lot of interest, too. The Iowa State Extension Service coordinates a full curriculum to educate and encourage new vineyards and wine makers.
• This year’s harvest resulted in some established vineyards seeing their grapes bottled for the first time.
• Many consumers tasted Iowa wines, some for the first time, at The Iowa Wine Trail events, the Iowa Wine Festival in Indianola, the Iowa State Fair, the Iowa Wine Co-op Store at Jordan Creek Mall, at the Iowa wineries, harvest, holiday and many other events.
• The people I’ve talked to tell me that Iowa wine sales were very good indeed.
• More wineries and local communities added events showcasing Native Iowa Wines and attracted wine-lovers and curiosity-seekers. Wine, music, food, friends and fun create a winning combination.
• Wineries are on the Internet with professional, inviting and informative Web sites – great! Consumers can purchase wine, get details on events, meet the people, learn about winemaking and grape growing, try some new recipes with wine, and think about hosing their wedding or party at the winery.
• The Iowa Wine industry received good press and visibility in front of new audiences in The New York Times and the Iowa Farmer Today.
• Iowa radio and television stations aired Iowa wine-related news, as did many of the state’s newspapers.
• The Iowa Beer and Wine Promotion Board continued to spread the word through advertising, their Web site and Iowa Wine brochure. (Check out the events and recipes!)
• Iowa State University and Des Moines Area Community College took big steps in growing their wine and grape programs.
• Talented experts in developing and growing grapes, and making and standardizing wine arrived in the state to share their visions and expertise.
• Make Mine Wine magazine was launched to deliver food, fun, getaways, home and entertaining ideas to wine lovers – and help educate consumers about Iowa and Midwest wines, wineries and vineyards.

Here’s to continued growth and success in 2007.

Cheers!

Barbara Rasko

Parrot Head Fun!

This summer my husband and I became official Parrot Heads when we attended our first Jimmy Buffet concert. We really didn’t look the part since we don’t own outfits like the ones we saw the real Parrot Heads wearing at that Indianapolis concert … or the shark wheels, flamingo costume or coconut you know whats! Anyway it was a great time and we plan to hit our second Jimmy Buffet concert this summer. We may even get some gear!

If you are a Parrot Head, or a Parrot Head wanna-be, you can join the fun this Saturday night, the 13th, at Summerset Winery between Indianola and Des Moines, Iowa. Jimmy won’t be there, but Freestyle will fill the night with his tunes.

Here are the details, straight from Ron Mark at Summerset Winery. Make your reservations today. It’s a popular event and tickets do sell out!

“Put on your flowered shirt and straw hat and then come join us for a low casual – high times event – it’s cheaper than a plane ticket. Festivities will begin at 6:30 PM and will wrap up around 11:00. No, Jimmy won’t be here, but Freestyle will play your favorite Jimmy Buffett tunes all night long! The festivities will begin with wine tasting and hors d’oeuvres. Dinner, dancing and cavorting will follow. To tempt your palate, Chef Burt will prepare a tropical feast fit for a God: mini cheeseburgers in paradise, Caribbean pork loin, margarita chicken breasts with tropical fruit salsa, Jamaican hot wings, tropical salsa & chips, tequila-lime shrimp with fruit rice salad, mixed green salad, seasonal fresh fruit and to top it off – Jimmy’s assorted dessert bar!

Tickets are $85 per couple or $45.00 per person and include wine reception, dinner, bottle of wine and an evening of rockin’ to Jimmy Buffett music performed by Freestyle. Contact Summerset Winery at 515-961-3545 to order your tickets.”

Have a great time … and send me a picture of you and your favorite Parrot Head friends. (makeminewine@mchsi.com)

Cheers!

Barb

Get off that couch. Come out to play!

Even if we love the land of four seasons, Midwesterners know it is a little harder to have fun when the sun comes up long after you do and sets while you are at work. It is easy to hibernate at home and count on the television for entertainment.

There are better options … and one is to visit a local winery. The vineyard looks stark, but there is plenty to do inside the winery! 

• Drop in to taste the wine or tour the winery.
• Attend a dinner theatre or interactive mystery dinner.
• Catch some Sunday Tunes.
• Get down on Friday Nights.
• Join the parrot heads.
• Shake with an Elvis impersonator.
• Relax to jazz.
• Groove to blues.
• Dance with your Valentine sweetie.
• Island-hop and explore on a Caribbean cruise.

It’s all available from your Iowa wineries, along with, as you know, some great-tasting wine.

The latest winery even information can be found by clicking on Events and Classes at makeminewinemagazine.com. Check it out and have some fun!

Cheers!

Barb

Celebrate with Southern Hills Winery

Happy New Year! Looking for a great way to start the year? How about with 7 Days, 7 Nights and 7 Wines!  From January 1^st through Sunday, January 7^th, Southern Hills Winery, is celebrating the debut of their 2006 Vintage with food, entertainment and the decanting of each of their seven new wines. I love the names … Splendor in the Grass, Kick and a Pat, You’re Making Me Blush, Blanket on a Hill, Paint the Town Red, Uptown Saturday Night and Seven O’Clock Sunday.  The events start each evening at 7:00 p.m. sharp … so don’t be late. Southern Hills Winery is located off of exit 34 on I-35 at Osceola. The winery is beautiful and Todd, Steffanie, Peter, Gordy and Kim will take good care of you.  For specifics on each night’s food, entertainment and, visit the Southern Hills Winery Web site at http://iowasouthernhillswinery.com/events.html.   I’m going out to taste the new wine … hope to see you there! Cheers! 

Barb