Welcome to the Midwest Grape and Wine Industry Institute!
The Midwest Grape & Wine Industry Institute at Iowa State University was approved by the Iowa Board of Regents in September 2006. The Institute is the first of its kind in Iowa.
The formation of the Institute is a result of the state’s evolving grape & wine industry. Dr. Murli Dharmadhikari, ISU Extension enologist who was hired in 2005, was named director of the Institute.
Goals of the Institute include:
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Conduct research to evaluate cold-hardy grape varieties that can thrive in the Midwest
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Conduct enology (the science of wine & wine making) research
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Develop a wine quality award program that will provide wine buyers a quality-assurance stamp of approval
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Establish an outreach program to the industry by training a team of specialists
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Partner with community colleges to develop job training programs specific to growing grapes and making wine
Presently, there are approximately 71 licensed wineries and 400+ vineyards in Iowa. The potential economic opportunities in wineries, value-added agriculture and tourism are limitless.