Iowa Wine Trail

Best pork in the world. And now wine. It's Great To Be A Hawkeye!

you know, when I think quality wine, the first thing that comes to mind is Iowa.

Iowa indeed leads the region in developing wine tourism, but the Upper Midwest is not far behind. Almost 60 wineries now flourish in Wisconsin and Minnesota, many of them offering exciting new wines based on the cold-hardy grapes bred at the University of Minnesota.(The U's latest release, Marquette, is a grandchild of Pinot Noir bred to withstand subzero winters and still produce impressively sophisticated wine.) Wine tourists in the region should look north as well as west for great tasting experiences.
Patricia Monaghan, Author of "Wineries of Minnesota and Wisconsin" (Minnesota Historical Society Press, 2008)

Try the Wide River Winery just south of Clinton - very good wines and a great tasting center and atmosphere.

Corn, soybeans and ... grapes? At first, I was too snobbish to try Iowa wines. But ... they're good. And there are a lot of wineries in the central part of the state, too.

iowaguy wrote:

Corn, soybeans and ... grapes?...

Don't forget pigs!

I heard that "More Pigs than People" was once submitted as a potential state slogan! Hehehe!

At first, I was too snobbish to try Iowa wines. But ... they're good. And there are a lot of wineries in the central part of the state, too.

I bought some very pleasant wines in Amana several years ago. Nothing outstanding but certainly drinkable.

I'll have to check it out the next time I drive home to DM.