Napa Valley (or France for that matter) has NOTHING on US!

Long ago when you thought of good American wine you mainly thought of Napa Valley in California. (There were a few other places such as New York, but this was the main area.) Over the last few years it seems like the tri-state area arround DBQ has begun developing a wine industry that may some day put Napa Valley (as well as France) to shame. Vino Italiano is in its own unique category altogether.

The oldest winery in the area is in Galena, IL. Galena Cellars Winery has its roots in the late 70s when the Lawler Family opened its 1st winery in McGregor, IA in 1976. In 1983 they started the Galena Winery. Up to a few years ago when you thought about local wine this was the only place in the Tri-state area.

In 1996 Bob & Nan Smith founded Stone Cliff Winery in the rolling hills North of DBQ near Durango, IA. They quickly developed into a well known brand in the area. On 30 June 2005 some person (people) did about $10,000 damage to their vines. While a setback, they kept on going forward. Last year they signed an lease to take over the 1st floor of a DBQ landmark, the DBQ Star Brewery. (used for a couple of scenes in F.I.S.T. & made infamous as the site of the semi-true movie Take This Job & Shove It.) They are producing & bottling the wines there. They are due to open a tasting room in a few days.

In 1997 Dr. Paul Tabor began Tabor Home Winery on the family's 1860s farmstead near Baldwin, IA.

The 4th Winery, Park Farm Winery, is 1 of the new kids on the block. They planted their ist vines in 2001 in the rolling hills near DBQ.

All 4 of these wineries have many award winning wines for sale. Many local stores carry their product. They also all have tasting rooms where you can try out their various products. & if you want to get some of their wines but are not in the area, you can check out their websites for ordering info.

A little further afield are 2 more area wineries. They are 2 new kids that are so new they haven't had the chance to win any awards. (I suspect that will change as time goes on.) In nearby Anamosa, IA there is Daily Creek Winery. It opened in 2004. Elizabeth, IL has Massbach Ridge Winery. It began in 2003.

Then you can go further afield to the Amana Colonies who have a long history of wine making as well as Cedar Rapids & elsewhere in the tri-states area to find many quality wines. & while, for now, the area is still mostly ignored, or looked down upon, as time goes on I am certain that they will have to start taking us as seriously as Napa Valley or France. & on that day, like Italiano vino it will have its own unique place at the top of the world of wine. (For those who still don't get what I mean there will be the twin summits of wine, Italino & the Tri-State area. The rest will look at envy & aspire to their greatness.)

[Added 9 June 2007, 4:10 am: Today's (9 June 2007) Des Moines Register has an article about Iowa's wine industry that says in a few years there could be "Napa Valley-like tourism in Iowa ." Remember, you read it here 1st. The person who said it could was Barb Rasko, creator & publisher of Make Mine Wine, a magazine about the Midwest wine industry.]