Top 100 wines of Iowa

Discover the top 100 best wines of Iowa as well as the best winemakers in the region. Explore the varietals of the wines that are popular of Iowa and the best vintages to taste in this region.

Discovering the wine region of Iowa

Iowa is a Midwestern state bordered by the Mississippi and Missouri rivers. The continental Climate and unpredictable weather here - as in many Midwestern states - make viticulture extremely challenging, but Iowa's ever-growing wine industry is finding its feet throughout the state. HybridGrape varieties specifically designed for cold climates make up the majority of plantings, with the best wines coming from Marechal Foch, Frontenac and La Crescent. Iowa covers 146,000 square kilometers, between latitudes 40 and 43°N.

Iowa is on par with other states in the European Union. This puts Iowa on the same level as the South of France, although the Terroir is very different. While the vineyards of Provence are influenced by the proximity of the Mediterranean Sea, Iowa has a strongly continental climate, with hot, humid summers and Harsh winters. This presents a challenge for the state's winemakers, which they overcome by using native grape varieties and seeking out more temperate mesoclimates.

News from the vineyard of Iowa

Drought emergency declared in northern Italy

Severe drought in northern Italy has led to the country’s government declaring a state of emergency in several regions, including Emilia-Romagna, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Lombardy, Piedmont and Veneto. Funds of €36.5m (£31m) would be made available to these regions for drought relief, the government said. Agriculture body Coldiretti said last week that the Po river, which flows across northern Italy to the Adriatic Sea, was almost unrecognisable. Drought in the Po Valley threatened around 30% of n ...

Saving La Palma’s special vine heritage

On 19 September 2021, the Cumbre Vieja volcanic ridge in the island of La Palma, Spain began a massive, three-month long eruption, that was a catastrophic event for this westward island in the Canarias. The volcanic fumes caused breathing problems as well as the cancellation of flights and fruit harvests, including grapes. Despite 7,000 people needing evacuation from the flow of the lava, there was only one fatality during the entire eruption. As the lava flow eventually covered over 1,000ha, mo ...

Rémy Cointreau launches luxury perfume house

The venture aims to bridge the worlds of fine spirits and luxury fragrances, with its first perfumes the result of a creative collaboration between Rémy Martin Cognac cellar master Baptiste Loiseau and Sophie Labbé, principal perfumer at fragrance and taste company Firmenich. Maison Psyché’s first five fragrances have spent time maturing in Rémy Martin’s cellars in Cognac, inside small oak casks, known as tonnelets, specially designed by Seguin Moreau. The fragrances will be packaged in Baccarat ...

The best wines of Iowa in other styles