Iowa Wineries Hit Hard By Pandemic

Iowa’s wineries are trying to hold on from the pandemic that’s dealt a double hit to their business. Iowa Wine Growers Association, marketing director, Nicole Eilers says it is a business tailored to public interaction and they’ve had to shift their whole business plan from bringing people into the tasting rooms and giving them an experience. Sales of wine and liquor have been up during the pandemic — but Eilers says local wineries aren’t gaining from that trend. She says getting the product into consumers’ hands, is the tricky part because most wineries in Iowa self distribute.