However, he was not surrounded by corn, or soybeans or even hay. The plants were some of the grapes grown at the Soldier Creek Winery.

Grapes and the production of wine haven’t been historically a big factor in Iowa’s value-added agriculture industry. But according to Naig, Soldier Creek Winery represents a welcome diversification of agriculture.

“You’re doing what we want to see a lot more of,” he told the members of the Secor family, which owns the winery. “You’re value-added agriculture.”

Naig said the wines produced in Webster County are a good example of what the new Choose Iowa brand marketing campaign is about.

-Messenger 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 Friday afternoon while talking about the process of growing grapes to make wine.

Choose Iowa, which will be launched during the Iowa State Fair next month, is intended to help consumers pick food products that are grown, raised and made in the state.

Soldier Creek Winery, he said, “absolutely fits in that concept.”

“They’re exactly the kind of activity we want to see more of,” he said.

Although the Choose Iowa program won’t have its official debut until the State Fair, some grants have already been awarded through it. Soldier Creek Winery received a $16,204 grant to help purchase a vehicle. The vehicle, which may be called the Wine Wagon or perhaps the Vin Van, will enable the winery to take its products to markets and events.

“This makes it easier for us to get out,” said Megan Secor, a co-owner and marketing coordinator for the winery. “We don’t have to set up a tent. We just pull in and put up the awning.”

A bit of misfortune led to the creation of Soldier Creek Winery.

The Secor family had been raising hogs on its farm along Paragon Avenue when in 2001 a fire destroyed a hog building. The debris was all cleared away, and the family had to decide what to do next. At about that time, Bill Secor took a class at Iowa Central Community College about growing grapes. His son, Robert Secor, was taking horticulture classes at Iowa State university In Ames. The two took some more classes on grapes.

The decision was made to get into the grape and wine business.

Anne Zwink, one of Bill Secor’s daughters, changed her major at Purdue University to food science so she could help make the wine.

The first grape vines were planted in 2007 on about five acres of land.

A building for wine-making was built on the farm in 2012. The first vintage of wine came in 2014.

Today, there are 11 varieties of grapes

And Zwink’s change of major proved beneficial: last year she was named the state’s winemaker of the year.