| Edition 9 - September 2009 |
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 21 Great Iowa Wines 2 Terrific Iowa Beers 12 Excellent Des Moines Area Restaurants 1 Ticket Let's You Enjoy It All! Click Here Now To Save $10 Over On-Site Admission |
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Here's a selection of events happening at Iowa's wineries in the next two weeks. Sunset in the Vineyard Penoach Winery September 18, 2009 Adel Second Annual Apple Festival Penoach Winery September 19, 2009 Adel Back Stage Boogie Band Dale Valley Vineyard September 19, 2009 Stuart Soul Searchers Summerset Winery September 20, 2009 Indianola Bob Pace Band Jasper Winery September 24, 2009 Des Moines Sample Urbandale - An Iowa Wine Event IowaWines.org and the Urbandale Chamber of Commerce September 24, 2009 Stoney Creek Inn - Johnston Grape Stomp Winneshiek Wildberry Winery September 26, 2009 Decorah Route 66 John Ernest Vineyard September 26, 2009 Tama SEMBA Bluegrass Jam Winneshiek Wildberry Winery September 27, 2009 Decorah Hot Tamale & the Red Hots Summerset Winery September 27, 2009 Indianola Chef Spotlight Dinner Series Jasper Winery September 29, 2009 Des Moines Hayride and Oktoberfest Wine Buffet Dinner Tassel Ridge Winery October 3, 2009 Leighton Dogs on Skis John Ernest Vineyard October 3, 2009 Tama  |
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| Latest Award Winning Wines |
 Eight Iowa wines were awarded Gold Medals in the Iowa Wine Commercial Division at the 2009 Iowa State Fair. Gold Medal winners were: Brush Creek - Bellevue Hook, Line & Sinker, Bellevue Cedar Ridge Vineyards - Cedar Rapids Port Summerset Winery - Indianola Iowa Marechal Foch Snus Hill Winery - Madrid Cat Nip Snus Hill Winery - Madrid Chardonel Stone Cliff Winery - Dubuque Purple Cow Tassel Ridge Winery - Leighton Iowa Edelweiss Winneshiek Wildberry Winery - Decorah Red Raspberry Rhapsody  Would you like to locate a retail outlet handling Iowa wines? You may find a retailer in our Where to Buy database by clicking on the wine bottle.  |
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| September Wine Discovery- |
| By Sue Davis
Navratil Prairie Moon Winery and Vineyards - 2006 St. Vincent Red Table Wine 
Prairie Moon's St. Vincent is perfect for sipping as summer
slips away into cooler days and nights. Made from organic grapes, it
has a jammy, rich style with aromas of oak, spice, plum, dried
herbs, and mint. Aging in white oak for 16 months contributes to its plush body and texture, and pleasing flavors of ripe black cherry, vanilla, herb, and spice. The strength of the flavors makes it a good pair with beef dishes or sharp cheddar cheese. The St. Vincent grape can be difficult in the vineyard, resulting in spotty availability. Look for this limited release wine on select retail shelves throughout the DesMoines metro area. |
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| Book a Winery Tour |
 Any time of the year is a great time to visit some of Iowa's wineries, and a wine tour organized by IowaWines.org eliminates all the worries of finding your way to the wineries, sampling wines and driving. And now, you can join an IowaWines.org winery tour with complete peace of mind because IowaWines.org is now officially registered as a travel agency with the Iowa Secretary of State. We offer pre-packaged winery tours for groups and can customize a wine tour to fit just about any schedule or need. Visit our on-line store to see some of our pre-packaged tours or call us at (515) 270-6299 to discuss creating a tour that is customized just for you. |
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| Featured Winery - Old Bank Winery |
 Dave and Nancy Litch once
operated a construction plumbing and heating company in Colorado
Springs. By 2003, this inventive and entrepreneurial couple had
tired of life near the mountains. They were looking for something
different when they traded the "purple mountains' majesty" of Pikes
Peak for the "amber waves of grain" and rolling farm fields of
northern Iowa. The Litches relocated to a slower pace of life in
Kanawha, Iowa where they founded Old
Bank Winery and became part of Iowa's growing grape and wine
industry. In downtown Kanawha, the Litches discovered the old Farmers State Bank on Main Street. It had been vacant for fourteen years, and the building was showing signs of neglect. Dave and Nancy came to the rescue – fixing leaking roofs, repainting, remodeling, restoring, and giving new purpose to a building with many years of useful life still in its future. The original bank lobby has been transformed into a tasting room and gift shop complete down to the old vault doors and black marble inserts in the teller counter. Space in the rear of the building is used for pressing and fermentation while the basement is effectively utilized for racking, aging, bottling, and storage.  Dave
and Nancy did not forget about the building's second floor either.
Overlooking Kanawha's quiet main street, the old bank's second floor
was remodeled into the Litch's personal residence and a comfortable
B&B suite that is frequently occupied. "We moved away from the
city to find a quieter place," says Nancy. "And here we are right on
Main Street in the middle of a town." Admittedly, though, quiet
Kanawha, Iowa has a long way to go before it resembles the hustle
and bustle of Colorado Springs. Six years after their move, Dave and Nancy grow about three acres of grapes on a 160 acre farm a few miles outside of Kanawha – a farm that has been in the family for 130 years. The rest of the farm's acreage is rented to a local farmer. Their grape varietals include St. Croix, Frontenac, St. Pepin, and Edelweiss. In addition to four grape wines, Old Bank Winery makes fruit wines from apples, strawberries, cranberries, raspberries, elderberries, blackberries, and sour pie cherries. Old Bank produces seventeen different wines in all. Nancy is Old Bank's wine maker. "I started out making kit wines," she explains. "As we learned more about the wine-making process, we graduated to making wines using our own recipes." Nancy makes about 1500 gallons of wine per year. "Most of our wines are made in small batches," Nancy explains. "These tend to sell out quite quickly." Out on the family farm, Dave is happily in charge of the vineyard. His time is consumed with planting, pruning, mowing, spraying, harvesting and all the other facets of managing and maintaining an Iowa vineyard. He's currently working on renovating an old milking barn that's been donated by a neighbor and moved to the vineyard. Part of the barn will be used for equipment storage. Eventually, Dave and Nancy hope to remodel the rest of the barn to include a kitchen, restrooms, and a gathering place for customers who are visiting the vineyard. "It's a big job, but I like the work out here at the vineyard," says Dave. "Nancy handles the paperwork and all the other stuff I hate!" Old Bank's customers have come to expect unique wines with great quality, and Old Bank Winery strives to exceed those expectations. Old Bank wines are available from approximately a dozen retailers in the Kanawha area and at Old Bank Winery itself. If you're ever traveling across the seemingly unending farm fields of north-central Iowa, and you find yourself in need of a break, Nancy and Dave are waiting to welcome you. Old Bank Winery is located at 200 N. Main St., Kanawha Iowa 50447. Their phone number is (641) 762-3406 or you can email Nancy at nlitch@ comm1net.net. |
| Featured Iowa Grape - Leon Millot |
 Leon Millot [pronounced lee-OHN
MEE-yoh] is another French-American hybrid that is taking root in
Iowa. Originally grown in the eastern United States and a few
vineyards in England, Leon Millot has the same parents as another
widely planted Iowa varietal, Marechal Foch. It is an early-ripening
black grape that works well for areas with short growing seasons and
cold winters. Early in the 20th century, Leon Millot was also an important hybrid in northern French provinces such as Alsace and Lorraine. Winemakers there considered its ability to deepen the pale color of varieties like Pinot Noir to be a virtue. Since the introduction of French appellation regulations in the 1930s, however, its use has all but been legislated out of existence in French vineyards. Leon Millot generally sets grape clusters that are small, very compact and frequently winged. Growers must pay attention to the weather and keep the variety protected with a moderate spray program. They must also be careful to protect the fruit since it seems to be a favorite for both birds and deer. When ripe, the grapes have nice sugar and moderate acid. Wines made from Leon Millot are similar to those made from Foch. They have distinct berry aromas, good structure, and Burgundy-like rich deep color and round approachable tannins. Leon Millot pairs favorably with pork, tomatoes, and cheeses such as Havarti. In an interesting twist, the Los Angeles Sunday Times Magazine recently featured an article in which writer Bruce Cass recommends Midwestern-made Leon Millot wines to his fellow Angelinos as the perfect complement to Mexican foods. He contends that the capsicum heat of tropical peppers pairs well with the wine's moderate acidity, fruitiness, and residual sugar. Cass rates Leon Millot as a better match for Mexican food than either Cabernet or Zinfandel. |
| September In The Iowa Vineyard |
by Sue Davis
Navratil  September is all about harvest
for Gary Edgington, Winemaker at Two
Saints Winery between St. Charles and St. Marys. His ten acres
of vineyards are hand harvested, one variety at a time. Each of the
15 varieties ripens on its own time, and the vineyard's staff,
friends and volunteer patrons respond when the grapes are ready.
Picking grapes usually begins by eight a.m. and finishes by early
afternoon. Harvesters pick into buckets, using picking forks rather than shears, saving unwanted cuts to fingers! As buckets are filled, they will be dumped into harvest bins which are picked up by the tractor and delivered directly to the crush pad. The messy operation of crushing takes place on the pad just outside the winery. Within two hours of picking, the grapes have been crushed and are in the process of being pressed, to extract the precious juice. By days end, all harvested grapes will be in tank in the winery. During the month of September, the vineyard is green with full foliage, but as harvest progresses, it transforms to a state of all leaves and no fruit. Voices can be heard throughout the vineyard, as harvesters make their way from vine to vine, carrying buckets brimming with lush fruit. They might pause to listen to the predatory bird calls, coming from a device used to keep away unwanted birds that wish to dine on the ripe grapes. Then its back to work until the harvest is completed for the day. The reward is a vineyard lunch and a glass of wine made from grapes perhaps plucked in the previous year, by the very hands that are holding the glass today. Gary may propose a toast as glasses are raised, and remaining vineyards patiently wait their turn for harvest. |
| IowaWines.org Activity Update |
We're now in our ninth month of
helping Iowa's wineries reach their customers and prospects with
useful and relevant information about Iowa wineries, Iowa wines,
festivals and events. We thought you might enjoy an update on some
of our accomplishments over the past months.
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| Tassel Ridge Winery and IowaWines.org Partner for a "Girls Night Out" |
Tassel Ridge Winery is hosting Girls' Night Out on
Thursday, October 22, 2009. All wine divas and their friends are
invited toTassel Ridge Winery to enjoy Oskyfizzante® Red,
Oskyfizzante® White, and Oskyfizzante® Pink bubbly wines along with
other fabulous wines paired with gourmet appetizers, chocolates, and
much more. Ladies can browse the new selection of gifts brought in
especially for Girls' Night Out or check out the special "Girls'
Night Out" labeled Oskyfizzante® Red and Oskyfizzante® White wines
for sale exclusively at this event! Color experts from The
Hall Tree by Geri and Co. will be at the winery to help ladies
discover their true colors, learn which hues to wear, which not to
wear according to skin tone, and see some fabulous new fall fashions
and accessories. Mary Lou Powers, a specialist in calligraphy
engraving, will also be at this event to engrave elegant, customized
messages on wine bottles and wine glasses that would make great
gifts for the holidays, anniversaries, weddings, birthdays, etc. You
won't want to miss this event! Des Moines area ladies wishing to attend Girls' Night Out may purchase a combination ticket from IowaWines.org that includes both event admission and roundtrip transportation from Des Moines to Tassel Ridge Winery. Tickets are $40 plus tax and a $2.00 processing/mailing fee. Purchase your tickets on-line here. Reservations are required no later than Tuesday, October 20, 2009. |
| Editor's Note |
| If you have a friend or associate you believe would enjoy reading and learning more about Iowa's wine industry, you may use the Send to a Friend button below as a quick and easy method to forward them this copy of Iowa Wine Observer along with your comments. |
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Iowa Wine Observer is produced
monthly by IowaWines.org - the only website dedicated to promoting
the growing wine industry in the State of Iowa. If you have
comments, suggestions or recommendations, we welcome them by email
to iowawines@fullspectrumcom.com.
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