Celebrate Iowa Wine this November: Pairings, Shopping, and Wine Apprenticeships

Welcome, friends, to a November filled with festive cheer! This month, we're raising a glass to all things Iowa – delicious wines, unique shopping experiences, and exciting career opportunities.

Thanksgiving with Olathea Creek Wines

Get ready to elevate your Thanksgiving feast with the perfect wine pairings from Olathea Creek Vineyard & Winery! Here are some delightful options to tantalize your taste buds:

  • Roast Turkey:

    • Edelweiss: This semi-sweet white melts in your mouth with notes of honey, pineapple, and honeysuckle, complementing both turkey and white wine gravy.

    • Foxy Red Rosé: A blend of Marquette and Frontenac grapes, this semi-sweet wine highlights cherries, pomegranate, and berries, a perfect marriage of turkey and stuffing flavors.

    • Frontenac: A light-bodied, sweet wine with hints of cherry, cranberry, and plum, pairs beautifully with turkey and cranberry sauce.

  • Thanksgiving Appetizer Charcuterie Board:

    • Petite Pearl: This medium-bodied dry wine, aged on mocha oak, boasts notes of mocha, vanilla, and toast. A perfect match for aged hard cheeses like cheddar, gouda, and asiago.

Sip on the Holiday Spirit with the Ackermann Mistletoe Margarita

Looking for a festive cocktail to kick off the holiday season? Look no further than the Ackerman Mistletoe Margarita! This refreshing drink combines equal parts Ackerman Cranberry Wine and Dandelion Wine with a splash of lime juice, orange juice, and 7-Up. It's sure to be a hit Thanksgiving week!

Shop Local at the Des Moines Holiday Boutique (Nov 15-17)

Mark your calendars for the Des Moines Holiday Boutique, happening November 15th-17th! Join in the fun and support local businesses, including seven fantastic Iowa wineries:

  • 42 North Winery

  • Eagles Landing Winery

  • Winneshiek Wildberry Winery

  • Lubben Vineyards & Wines

  • Soldier Creek Winery

  • Iowa State University Winery

  • Covered Bridges Winery

Use code WINE for a discounted entry at this link to Des Moines Holiday Boutique tickets.


Raise a Glass to the Future: The IWGA Registered Apprenticeship Program

This November, we also celebrate National Apprenticeship Week! The Iowa Wine Growers Association (IWGA) offers a unique Registered Apprenticeship Program, paving the way for a skilled and experienced workforce in the thriving Iowa wine industry. 

This program is the first of its kind as a statewide industry association sponsored program and provides hands-on training and education to aspiring cellar workers, winemakers, and vineyard managers.

Hear from three of the IWGA Apprentices:


  • Lucas Feldman, enrolled in the Cellar Worker Program for Walker Homestead: "I've gained experience in all aspects of the wine making process. I've taken care of the vineyard, harvested, and started the fermentation of this year's harvest. I've also taken care of the cellar and the wines in barrels making sure they stay good and full as well as filling kegs, bottles and making sparkling wine. My favorite part is filtering wine."

  • Clay Walker, is apprenticing at his parent’s winery, Walker Homestead, to better understand the winemaking process. “Through this Apprenticeship program, I’ve come to appreciate how much chemistry is involved in the winemaking process. I love tasting the final product! It makes all the hard work seem worthwhile.”

  • Roy Olsen, apprenticing at Soldier Creek Winery: "After being a General Contractor for 45 years, I became interested in learning more about wine. My wife and I were building a small venue with a B&B on our acreage just east of Sioux City. We went to an IWGA Conference in 2016 and met Mike White, who was the ISU Extension viticulturist. With the help of Mike White, friends and family, we planted 200 Frontenac Blanc grapevines that spring for decoration only. In 2017, a comment from a friend inspired us to have our own wine made with our own grapes. We contacted Mike White for guidance and he recommended Soldier Creek Winery. We developed a relationship with them, and their winemaker, Anne Zwink, made our first vintage of "Loesscato" in 2018 from our grapes. Over the next several years, our business grew, along with our wine list. I began to become more interested in the wine making process and Anne was looking for an apprentice. In March of 2022, I started my apprenticeship at Soldier Creek Winery. I've experienced the entire wine making process from crush to fermentation to racking, bench trials, adding sugar, stabilization, filtering and bottling. Technology and consistency are very important in wine making. I've gained confidence in talking about wine and winemaking."

Interested in learning  more about Apprenticeship at a local winery? Click here for more details.

Let's raise a glass to a delicious Thanksgiving, the bounty of Iowa wineries, and exciting career opportunities in the exciting world of winemaking!

Rebecca RitzComment