About

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The wine and grape industry in Iowa has a long history, but has only recently made strides in expanding in terms of production and economic impact. In the year 2000, Iowa only had approximately 30 acres of grapes in production. Fast forward to today and we currently have around 100 licensed wineries and nearly 300 commercial vineyards covering more than 1,200 acres across the state.

Fast forward to today and we currently have right around 100 licensed wineries and nearly 300 vineyards covering 1,300 acres across the state.

Iowa’s wineries and vineyards are locally owned and operated by Iowa families who are good neighbors and contribute to their communities. Iowa wineries vary greatly in their size and capacity. Many are small and located in old rural buildings or barns. A number of owners have erected new buildings or renovated existing structures that are capable of accommodating large events and have room for expansion as their business grows.

On average, the typical Iowa winery produces approximately 3,000 gallons of wine annually.

The Iowa native wine industry also helps to promote and establish additional economic activity in the state, including lodging, food, travel, gifts, ag-tourism, event centers, festivals, music, art and a host of service industries. The eight official wine trails that crisscross the state bring in visitors to not only the wineries but to the towns and cities along the way. These tourists are eating in restaurants, staying in local hotels and taking locally sourced goods home with them from the little shops and storefronts in these small communities.

History of Grapes in Iowa

It's no secret that Iowan's know a thing or two about agriculture and our history in grape growing runs long. Today’s industry is vibrant and growing. We are well-positioned to take advantage of growth opportunities and become greater contributors to the agricultural and economic vibrancy of the state of Iowa. If you haven't visited an Iowa winery lately, we encourage you to taste the experience that Iowa wine has to offer! Trust us, getting there is half the fun. Learn more about Iowa’s grape and wine history.

Iowa Wine & Beer Promotion Board

The Iowa Wine & Beer Promotion Board was established by the Iowa Legislature in 1986. The Board consists of three members: one member represents the Iowa Economic Development Authority, one member represents the Iowa wine industry, and one member represents the Iowa beer industry. The Board advises the Iowa Economic Development Authority on the best means to promote native wine and beer made in Iowa. The account is funded by excise taxes on native wholesale of Iowa wine and beer. Nicole Eilers, marketing director for the Iowa Wine Growers Association, serves as the wine representative on the Board and was nominated by the Iowa Economic Development Authority in 2015 to serve a 3-year term, which was extended in 2018 and 2021 by Economic Development Director Debi Durham.

Iowa Wine Consumer Focus Group Study

The Iowa Wine & Beer Promotion Board commissioned a consumer focus group research study to evaluate and determine consumer awareness, perception and preferences in relation to Iowa wine. The study provided some key findings in relations to branding Iowa wines to target consumer audiences, as well as identified some strengths and opportunities for the industry to focus on moving forward. View the full research study results here.

Iowa Native Wine Sales Report

According to a recent report that was commissioned by the Midwest Grape & Wine Industry Institute, and conducted by the ISU Extension & Outreach Farm, Food & Enterprise Development, total wine, cider and mead production was 407,491 gallons in 2021 with 343,312 gallons sold, an increase of 24 percent from 2020. Wine sold at retail represented 36.7 percent of sales, while the remaining 63.3 percent was sold at wholesale.

Total Iowa wine sales in 2021 was 343,312 gallons. For the first time, 3,365 gallons of wine, representing 1.1 percent, was sold outside the state at wholesale. Sales at retail and to Iowa licensed wholesalers in Iowa for 2021 was 262,553 gallons. There was another significant increase in wines sold to Iowa wholesalers in 2021 for the fourth consecutive year, with 77,094 in 2021, compared to 39,569 gallons in 2020, 33,535 gallons in 2019 and only 16,326 gallons in 2018. This represented 22.5 percent of total sales in 2021, an increase over 2020’s total sales by 57.3 percent.

All wine, cider and mead sold in Iowa as wholesale is taxed at $1.75 per gallon by the Iowa Alcoholic Beverages Division. During calendar year 2021, these products generated $373,252 in tax revenue for Iowa, representing a 23.6 percent increase over 2020. 

View the 2016 Iowa Native Wine Production & Sales Report (pdf).
View the 2017 Iowa Native Wine Production & Sales Report (pdf).
View the 2018 Iowa Native Wine Production & Sales Report (pdf).
View the 2019 Iowa Native Wine Production & Sales Report (pdf).
View the 2020 Iowa Native Wine Production & Sales Report (pdf).
View the 2021 Iowa Native Wine Production & Sales Report (pdf).