Des Moines Register
08-04-06
Ames family grows into winery
Prairie Moon Winery and Vineyards hosts its grand opening Sunday, with varietals priced from $9.99
By ERIN CRAWFORD
REGISTER STAFF WRITER
Five years ago, a two-acre plot of land became available right in front of Steve and Holly Nissen's home in Ames.
They did what it seems more and more Iowans are doing in recent years and started making wine.
Prairie Moon Winery and Vineyards, named for the plot of prairie on their land and illustrated in gorgeously moody night sky scenes on the winery's bottles, opened in July and hosts its grand opening on Sunday.
The winery offers five varietals, priced from $9.99 for Moon Beam White, a semisweet white wine, to $22.99 for the 2004 Marechal Foch Reserve, the best of the winery's dry red.
In the next month, they plan to add an ice wine — a dessert wine.
"It's exciting just to see people's interest," said Steve's son, Matt, who is a winemaker and manages Prairie Moon's tasting room. "Up until a few years ago, the Iowa wine industry was sugary sweet wine, made from dandelion and cranberry. We wanted to get to different levels and make some dry, traditional wines, which seems to fit this area."
Beginning their operation took five years to grow sufficient crops to harvest and produce wine. After purchasing the land, a few buildings and more land became available. The family looked at the former office and warehouse and barn and saw a tasting room and winery operation.
Steve Nissen, a professor in animal science at Iowa State University, is growing grapes organically. Even more ambitious, the operation is planning to be entirely Iowan.
With 20 acres of grapes, Prairie Moon plans to be an "estate winery," with every aspect of its grape-growing and wine making done on premise.
Within another few years, they expect to be using juice only from their own Iowa-grown grapes, no longer supplementing their harvest with purchased juice. They already ferment and bottle the wine on premise and age the Marechal Foch Reserve in Iowa white oak barrels.
Also unusual for Iowa is growing the Cabernet Franc varietal.
"It's hard to take care of," Matt Nissen said. "We have to cover it every winter with tarps and blankets. They're susceptible to winter kill."
The vineyard is family run, and employs some Iowa State University students. Steve and Matt manage the vineyard and winemaking. Holly handles events and scheduling. Daughter Lyndsay creates artwork for the labels and tasting room, as well as designing the winery's Web site, logo and signs. And Uncle Gordy Lubbers runs the vineyard.
Meanwhile, Matt Nissen had just graduated.
"I graduated in hospitality management and didn't know what I was going to do and thought this would be a great opportunity to get the wine industry going in Ames," he said.
None of the family knew much about winemaking when they got started. But Steve drew confidence from a background in biochemistry.
"I'm pretty knowledgeable about chemistry in my professional life, and the winemaking, that didn't scare me at all. That part is easy," Steve said. "Growing (grapes) is harder than making wine. It's a lot of stuff you don't have control over."
They've planted 15 varietals to see what works on their land and created some new ways to grow and protect grapes in Iowa.
His parents were avid wine drinkers before, but starting a winery has changed the tone of family dinners. Cracking open a bottle of wine now evokes serious conversation and study.
"You don't just drink it," Steve said. "It's 'How's the mouth feel? The aroma? Does it have a strong finish? A weak finish?' "
The Ames-area winery will host the sort of weekend afternoon concerts that have been popular at other wineries on Sunday from 3 to 6 p.m.
Prairie Moon wines also are available at Hy-Vee in Ames, Cyclone Liquor and at the Cottage on Broad Restaurant.
Winery events
GRAND OPENING: Prairie Moon Winery hosts its grand opening Sunday, featuring the Barn Owl Band from 3 to 6 p.m. along with wine, snacks and sweet corn. The winery, located at 3801 W. 190th St., north of Ames, is open from noon to 7 p.m. See prairiemoonwinery.com.
HARVESTERS WANTED: Continental breakfast, then grape harvesting and lunch. 8 a.m. Aug. 19 at Summerset Winery, 15101 Fairfax St., Indianola. $10 includes breakfast, lunch, wine in the vineyard and commemorative T-shirt; 961-3545; reservations required. See summersetwine.com.