Industry Information & Resources

Considering getting involved with the grape & wine industry?

That's great! Some of the best advice we could give you if you're considering starting a vineyard or winery in Iowa is to spend your first amount of time and resources visiting many different vineyards and wineries in your area and within the state and even across the Midwest.

• Attend industry educational workshops, the Iowa Specialty Producers Conference or take some viticulture or enology classes to educate yourself.

• Enroll in the Iowa Wine Growers Association Registered Apprenticeship Program, where you'll receive education and on-the-job training to become certified as a cellar worker or winemaker.

• Become a member of the Iowa Wine Growers Association, which provides many valuable benefits to industry members.

• Take time to meet with winery/vineyard owners and discuss the benefits and challenges they've faced in this industry so that you're fully prepared to succeed once you are ready for business. Not only will you gain some great connections for mentors and future business contacts, but you'll have a pretty fun time exploring as well!

ENOLOGY SUPPORT & RESOURCES

We are fortunate to have the Midwest Grape & Wine Industry Institute available to us here in Iowa to assist with the processes and quality of our native wines. They have many wine making resources available online, but they're also available to Midwest wineries and winemakers for consultations, chemical analysis as well as to help provide educational opportunities. Jennie Savits is the Field Specialist Enologist and is available as a FREE resource for consultations to wineries in Iowa. Visit their website for more information.

White Winemaking - This chart shows the basic steps for making white table wine published in Micro Vinification by Dr. Murli R. Dharmadhikari and Dr. Karl L. Wilker. 
Red Winemaking - This chart shows the basic steps for making red table wine published in Micro Vinification by Dr. Murli R. Dharmadhikari and Dr. Karl L. Wilker.
Winemaking Conversion Calculator - volume conversions, SO2 additions and more provided by WineBusiness.com

VITICULTURE RESOURCES

• 2017 Pest Management Guide for Grapes - Washington State University (pdf)

• 2019 - 2020 Midwest Small Fruit Pest Management Handbook 

• Best Practices Manual for Cold Climate Viticulture (courtesy of MGGA)

• Canopy Management Concepts (pdf)

• Grape Yield Estimates (pdf)

• IDALS Cold Climate Grape Descriptor Cards

• ISU Pesticide Safety Training Resources

• ISU Viticulture Program

• Map of Grape Growers in Iowa

• Mike White's Pruning and Canopy Management Cheat Sheet (pdf)

• Viticulture webinars (courtesy of efficient vineyard)

• Midwest Grape Production Decisions during a drought year

• Battling Japanese Beetles

• Hobby Grape Growing Information

MARKETING & GENERAL INFORMATION RESOURCES

• Ag Marketing Resource Center

• Iowa Alcoholic Beverages Division Annual Reports

• Iowa Small Business Development Centers

• Iowa Wine & Beer Promotion

• IWGA FREE Classified Ads - resource for buying/selling grapes, juice, equipment, services, real estate and more

START-UP RESOURCES

Here are a few helpful resources for you as you begin your journey!

• Economics of a Small Premium Winery - University of Georgia (pdf)

• Source / purchase local Iowa grapes

• IWGA Registered Apprenticeship Program - Vineyard Manager, Cellar Worker & Wine Maker

• Small Winery Investment and Operating Costs - Washington State University (pdf)

• Viticulture Enology Science and Technology (VESTA)

• Wine America

• Winery Business Plans and Feasibility Studies - Midwest Grape & Wine Industry Institute