 This past week the Nearwood Winery staff took time off to attend the Iowa Wine Growers Association annual conference in Ankeny. This two-day event offered wine makers, vineyard owners and industry retailers a chance to meet, discuss, and gather more expertise about Iowa wine. There was a lot of discussion about YOU, the Iowa wine consumer. Everyone at the conference had the goal to give you the best experience at our 100-plus Iowa wineries, and offer an opportunity for you to enjoy wines that are the heart and soul of Iowa - grown here, produced here, bottled here by wine experts who happen to live in Iowa (or have moved here in order to take advantage of the many unique possibilities that cold climate grapes offer to winemakers). Mike, Joann and Chuck heard over and over again how the industry is geared entirely toward what makes you happy as a wine lover.
If you’re reading this, you’re probably female. In the Midwest, Ladies seem to be the wine enthusiasts in the families and tend to purchase wine more frequently than their male counterparts. About 80% of wine buyers appear to be women. That being said, one of our retailers reported that men do buy wine and when they do it’s usually as a gift. What I found ironic was that of the hundred or so people in attendance, the majority of wine makers seemed to be men. The breakout sessions on winemaking were consistently attended by men, three to one. That said, there are notably a handful of very skilled, award winning female winemakers in Iowa and that trend may be growing. Mike and I would love to get feedback from you on what you’d like to see from YOUR Iowa wine experience. Your opinion doesn’t necessarily have to be about our winery, just your experience in general. Send us an email and let us know your thoughts about what makes you a happy wine consumer.
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