“The Chateaux” Cambridge, Iowa

The Iowa Wine Growers Association held their Annual Awards Banquet on Sunday, February 18th, 2018. The banquet is a time to celebrate those members of the IWGA that have been selected as the best, by their peers. Awards were given in the following categories:

• 2018 Winemaker of the Year
• 2018 Vineyard of the Year
• 2018 Retail Partner of the Year
• 2018 Outstanding Industry Partner of the Year.

Soldier Creek Winery is pleased to announce that their winemaker, Anne Zwink, received the high honor of “2018 Winemaker of the Year”.  She was selected by her peers in the industry, members of the IWGA. Those who voted were not only choosing a winemaker who makes great wines, but one who contributes to the industry on the whole. The Iowa Wine Growers Association said,

“This award honors an Iowa winemaker who has served as a leader in the wine industry by crafting superior Iowa wines utilizing locally sourced products when possible, adhering to best practices of winemaking, and demonstrating a willingness to experiment and try new techniques while positively contributing to the industry as a whole.”

industry and community involvement

Anne is an outstanding member of the IWGA, she sets the bar high for wine quality and willingness to try new things. She also contributes much time and effort to the apprenticeship program as a board member and an apprentice mentor. The IWGA’s registered apprenticeship program is the first of its kind as a statewide industry association sponsored program.

As a community member, Anne contributes her extra time to activities like:  Fort Dodge Young Professionals, Leadership Fort Dodge, and the Fort Dodge Fine Arts.

“It’s a really great honor to be validated by my peers in the winemaking industry. I’m so pleased that they like what we are doing. Also, it was really neat that the professor that played a pivotal role in getting me into wine-making, Dr. Christian Butzke, was there to see me receive the award.”

You can sample and enjoy Anne’s delicious, award-winning wines at Soldier Creek Winery on Fridays from 4-8PM, Saturdays from 1-6PM, and Sundays from 1-5PM.