-Messenger file photo by Bill Shea
Anne Zwink, left, of Soldier Creek Winery, and Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig stand amid the Webster County winery’s grape arbors in July 2023 while talking about the process of growing grapes to make wine.
-Messenger file photo by Bill Shea
Anne Zwink, left, of Soldier Creek Winery, and Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig stand amid the Webster County winery’s grape arbors in July 2023 while talking about the process of growing grapes to make wine.
Soldier Creek Winery plans to increase its production of bubbly wines and hard cider.
A recently awarded state grant will help the Webster County business pay for the machine that will enable it to do that.
The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship gave the winery a $12,500 Choose Iowa Value-Added Grant.
That money will be used to buy an isobaric bottling machine and related equipment. The total cost is estimated at $60,669.
That device is basically a carbonation machine, according to Megan Secor, marketing coordinator for the winery.
“This will let us expand our capabilities for making bubbly wine,” she said.
The winery currently produces one bubbly wine, blanc de blancs. It also produces a carbonated hard cider called Ghost Pig Hard Cider that is made in partnership with Community Orchard of Fort Dodge.
Soldier Creek Winery has carbonation equipment to make those beverages, but Secor said using it is a slow process.
“We’ve done bubbly wine, but it is cumbersome,” she said.
The new equipment will fit into the existing building, without the need for an addition.
“It’s pretty compact,” Secor said.
She said the plan is to get the machine delivered this summer and in use this fall.
The Choose Iowa Value-Added Grant program is intended to increase the availability of Iowa grown, made and raised food, beverages and ag products, according to the state Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship. The program started in 2022. Since then, $2.14 million worth of grants have been awarded.
“Consumers increasingly want more local food and beverages and that’s great news for Iowa farmers and small businesses,” said state Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig. “These Choose Iowa Value-Added Grants help farmers, entrepreneurs and small businesses grow their operations, expand processing capacity and bring more customer ready Iowa products to market.”
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Dining and Cooking