Created in the Corridor: Cedar Ridge Vineyards Winery
SWISHER, Iowa (CBS 2/FOX 28) - Its no secret among Iowans that we like to have a good time. Thats evidenced, in part, by the roughly $300 Million worth of distilled spirits that Iowa imports from other states each year. Its a lucrative market that one man in tapping into with his products created in the corridor. My wife and I were having a discussion about what we wanted retirement to look like for us, said Jeff Quint, explaining how the idea came about for Cedar Ridge Winery twelve years ago. He and Laurie Quint began researching the fledgling Midwest industry of grape growing, then bought land in the middle of the corridor (Swisher) and started planting. But when we got to the planning stages of the winery, said Quint, we were thinking about how can we differentiate Cedar Ridge?The answer, again, lay in some of the best grain producing soil in the world. Most distilled spirits are made from grains, why wouldn't we at least look into the development of a distillery?Cedar Ridge became the first legal distillery in the state of Iowa since prohibition. And Quint sees growing exports of what has become his flagship product; Cedar Ridge Bourbon Whiskey. We sell a lot of Bourbon in Illinois, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Colorado, and Missouri. I think we're going to open up Nebraska, and we're definitely opening up in California,
Cedar Ridge Distillery - Introduction
Cedar Ridge is Iowa's oldest & largest whiskey producing distillery in the state, producing just four barrels of premium, authentic whiskey per day.
Celebrate with Us!
Visit Cedar Ridge Vineyards in scenic Swisher, Iowa to reconnect, relax, unwind, celebrate and escape. Sample and buy our spirits and wines, try our outdoor brick oven pizzas or small plate menu. We offer hand crafted, award winning wines and spirits including our famous and highly sought after Iowa Bourbon.
Grape News For Iowa Wineries
SWISHER, IA (CBS2/FOX28) - The worst wine shortage in 40 years is about to hit the states, but that could be a grape thing for Iowa wineries. The latest blast of cold air is a reminder of whats coming and its the time of year some people in the corridor like to curl up by the fire with a good glass of wine. But what if you cant find that vintage or at least not at a reasonable price. Horrible weather in Europe has some connoisseurs and growers predicting the most significant wine shortage in four decades. Amid the light covering of snow on ten acres of vineyards at Cedar Ridge Winery and Distillery in Swisher theyre hearing the news through the grapevine. G.M. Jamie Siefken says grapes need heat and sun and not much rain to make the best wine. Hes not toasting Europes bad luck, but as his crew bottles this years vintage of Marechal Foch its crossed his mind this could be just what Iowa wineries need. A shortage of international grapes should mean more sampling of Iowa wines. Its a great opportunity. The Iowa wine industry is a young wine industry and were growing every single year with the number of vineyards and wineries as well as the amount of gallons we produce. So yes its a great opportunity for us to make more wine and hopefully sell more wine in the state and wherever. In the back room of Cedar Ridge shelves are stacked high with big oak barrels t
Iowa Wine and Whiskey
KGAN's Josh Scheinblum reports from Cedar Ridge Vineyard in Swisher, Iowa to tell us why the wine and whiskey industry is booming in the Hawkeye State.
Napoleon Discovers #ThisIsIowa
Featured in this ad:
Office: Salisbury House - Des Moines
High Trestle Trail - Madrid
Cedar Ridge Vineyards, Winery and Distillery - Swisher
John and Mary Pappajohn Sculpture Park - Des Moines
American Gothic House and Visitor Center - Eldon
Maquoketa Caves State Park - Maquoketa
Henry A. Wallace Country Life Center - Orient
Learn more about these locations and plan your trip:
Napoleon's Best Bites
Featured in this ad:
Office: Salisbury House - Des Moines
Seed Savers Exchange & Heritage Farm - Decorah
Peace Tree Brewing Co. - Knoxville
Cedar Ridge Vineyards, Winery and Distillery - Swisher
Blue Mountain Culinary Emporium - Orange City
Learn more about these attractions and plan your trip here:
Created in the Corridor: Company Updates
CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (CBS2/FOX28) - Created in the Corridor has featured dozens of homegrown companies and entrepreneurs over the past eighteen months. And it's exciting to see that many of our local innovators are not only surviving but thriving. Here, now, are just a few examples of their accomplishments since first being highlighted on CBS2 and FOX28.
The founders of Higher Learning Technologies in Coralville had just created college test prep applications for dental and nursing students. We went from our Dental App and had some good results, we were in 60 countries with that, said Adam Keune, Marketing Director for the young firm. But then this nursing one came out and in two months we had over 100,000 downloads, we have users in 113 countries. Now, HLT's nursing product is the number one grossing education app in both the Google Play and Apple App Stores. And it just released a new study app for the Medical College Admissions Test. The startup is also hiring thanks to $1,000,000 HLT received from several local investors.
In Iowa City, another tech startup is helping college students achieve success. Social media website ClusterFlunk is a virtual meeting place where students can collaborate on assignments and study for exams, each class having its own wall. Explains Co-Founder, A.J. Nelson, In that class wall you can ask questions, attach files, upload your lecture notes and study guides. Anyone can download those files. And then you have the capability of instant messaging all of the students in your class. ClusterFlunk expanded its platform to more than fifty universities across the country this year. And its two Prairie High School founders just received a $1,000,000 investment from a Chicago-based firm. That investment is allowing ClusterFlunk to open an office in the Windy City.
Anna Sobaski took a long road to entrepreneurship. Diagnosed with Celiac Disease in 1999, the Iowa City native eventually founded Breads from Anna which is now producing a dozen products from banana bread to pie crust mixes, all gluten and allergen free. We ship all over the world. Singapore, Hong Kong, Canada, Europe, said Sobaski. You can also find her products in many Corridor grocery stores. Breads from Anna is now up to twelve employees and recently was GMO Free certified.
Expanding in Swisher, Cedar Ridge Vineyards, Winery and Distillery is doubling its production facility to the tune of $1,100,000. It's adding several thousand square feet to accommodate its growing whiskey business. We sell a lot of bourbon in Illinois, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Colorado, said founder Jeff Quint. Now Cedar Ridge products are also in California and Nevada. The company currently produces more than 15 spirits and liqueurs and more than 20 wines.
Finally, a Cedar Raids company that operates seven data centers across the U.S., including one in Marion, is now building its eighth in Boise, Idaho. Involta Founder and CEO Bruce Lehrman says his co-location centers serve myriad industries. We do have customers everywhere from Global 500 companies to small startup companies. We have from health care organizations to government to manufacturing. The company recently secured a $50,000,000 equity investment from M/C Partners of Boston, the largest investment in Involta's seven year history.
We'll have updates on other featured companies in the weeks ahead. In the meantime, if you know a good fit for Created in the Corridor, send email suggestions to Scott Sanborn at slsanborn@cbs2iowa.com.