Hinton vineyard’s harvest is nearly complete
(HINTON) Harvest season is upon us. Corn and beans are coming off the field, and grapes will be coming off the vine. That’s right, grapes in Iowa. There are over 80 wineries and vineyards in Iowa and one happens to be just 15 miles from Le Mars. Tucker Hill Vineyards is located off Highway 75 in Hinton. Barry and Brenda Dittmer own the 160 acres of land that make up the vineyard.
There are 40 different kinds of grapes that can grow in this area. According to Barry, Tucker Hill grows seven varieties that they use to make some of their wines.
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Brenda added that sweet wines are the most popular wine that they sell. They have 3 selections of sweet wine including Just Peachy. They also offer straight varietals including Frontenac, which is a red. In addition to their own grapes, Tucker Hill Vineyards uses fruit from other growers. Brenda explained.
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Currently Tucker Hill Vineyards has about 600 vines that yield anywhere from four to 6 tons of grapes. Barry explained that growing grapes is a very hands on process.
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The Dittmers are hoping to finish up harvesting this weekend. Tucker Hill Vineyard is open to the public Saturdays and Sundays from 1 to 6 and by appointment. For more information visit www.tuckerhillwine.com. (Angela Drake, KLEM News)
