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When they realized the opportunity was knocking and kept reappearing in different scenarios, Barb and John decided that it was time to "answer the door" and take the giant leap of faith!
Over the years of their relationship, they had always had a special passion for wine. Many dates and trips were related to the various wines of which they were in pursuit. "When our interests in wines, grapes, and vineyards began to escalate, we discovered a nearby vineyard that was planned to be bulldozed into the ground. We introduced ourselves to the owners and made a deal to manage and revitalize the vineyards for their beautiful aesthetics as well as to harvest and sell the grapes. With the help of the vineyard owners and many of our friends, we brought the vineyard back to life and began our first vineyard management business at Arbor Creek Vineyards near Farrar, Iowa." The official business name was established as Ottawa Vineyards, LLC. The name “Ottawa” was chosen because the current location of John and Barb's house sits on the same geographical section of land that was the town of "Ottawa". "Ottawa" was eventually renamed “Elkhart” and moved two miles west in 1902.
That first chapter of their new adventure started in 2011. In the spring of 2012, mostly due to their love for dry red wines, John and Barb planted 103 Marquette vines in their own backyard, with the intention of just being backyard winemakers. Of those grapes, in 2013, approximately 2 car-boys (or 10 gallons) of wine were produced. That was enough juice for a couple of cases of their own homemade wine. In 2014, the vines were in full production, and their backyard operation increased, with a harvest of approximately 1.5 tons of grapes. About 150 gallons of wine were pressed from the grapes and they gave away several cases of this wine to friends and relatives over the year.
The Cellar Winery at White Oak was established in March 2015, when the opportunity once again arose to take over the vineyards and wine-producing operation at White Oak. The timing was right this time and they decided to jump in with both feet! It took over a year to get the grape production revitalized and transitioned into wine, but the wines have been bottled and into retail distribution since May 2016. Our doors closed for the last time at our White Oak location on February 28, 2023. We were fortunate to find a beautiful location near Madrid, IA, and opened our doors in May 2023. With this move, we are able to serve a larger capacity of wine and music lovers. We also are able to host weddings and large events both indoors and outdoors.
At The Cellar, we invite you to stop in and taste the wines. Enjoy a bottle at your own table, or outside if the weather is permitting. We welcome you to join us at any of our events and let us know what you think. We want you to be comfortable, and relaxed and have an enjoyable experience. Then we would like to see you again!
BRINGING YOU DELICIOUS WINE FROM LOCALLY SOURCED COLD CLIMATE GRAPES
Cold Climate Grapes
HYBRID VS VINIFERA
Hybrid grapes are created by genetically cross-pollinating two or more Vitis varieties. There are 2 primary reasons why hybrids are created and used.
COLD HARDY
Many climates once considered too cold to grow grapes are now producing wines that deserve attention. Places like The Pacific Northwest, The Finger Lakes, Canada, The Midwest, and Vermont – all wetter, colder locales – are showing up on the map, taking awards, and bringing their wines to the forefront of wine culture. Hybrids can take wild cold-hardy grapes and cross them with vinifera to get the aromatics and flavor of traditional grape varieties and the durability of the other type of grape.
PEST RESISTANT
Some species of grapes are susceptible to pests. The pest-resistant quality of North American grapes is a quality winemakers cannot get in Vitis vinifera.
Meet the Team
John Barber and Barb Hokel
Owners
Their first official “date” was in the fall of 1994 at The Wine Experience – a place where food and wines were paired for a wonderful evening of good tastes and many new friends. Their interest in wines grew with their relationship. In 2004, they built their house outside of Elkhart. It was originally found that the area was called Ottawa.
John reigns from the Detroit, Michigan area originally. He has resided in Iowa since 1979 and was in civil engineering until 2014 when the wine business took over his soul.
Barb is an Ankeny native and really just loves wine. Her other career is in commercial real estate, but her real love is in the wine business.
Ottawa Vineyards, LLC was established in 2012 and manages three separate vineyards in northeast Polk County, Iowa. The vineyards grow grape varietals of Marquette, Frontenac, and more. At harvest, other grape varietals are purchased from local vintners in order to fulfill the juice needs for the wines to be created for that year.
Lane Moorlach
Winemaker
Raised in Iowa, Lane's passion for wine began in an Italian vineyard near Treviso. That trip eventually led him to a degree in Viticulture and Enology from Oregon State University. During his time in Oregon, Lane took part in the 2021 harvest with Bergstrom Wines making Pinot Noir and Chardonnay and completed the WSET Level 3 Award in Wines program.
Now back in his home state, Lane is excited to work with the numerous hybrid grape varieties grown here: "I believe hybrid grapes are not only full of character waiting to be unlocked, but that they can produce wines expressive of the place they are grown just as well as more traditional varieties. Responsible stewardship of the land is also important to me. The fact that these grapes are cold-hardy, resistant to disease, and require fewer chemical inputs means less impact on the environment and local ecosystems which is something I am very excited about."
