Doug McCombs opened I/G Winery in 2012 on West Center Street in downtown Cedar City, a block from the Utah Shakespeare Festival's main stages. Iron Gate Winery — the full name maps to the initials — produces wines handcrafted on-site: red blends, white varietals, and signature bottles sourced from grapes grown in California, Oregon, Washington, and Utah. The tasting room features a fireplace, reclaimed wood, a patio, and daily production tours for guests who want to see where the wine comes from before they drink it.
Cedar City's reputation rests primarily on the Shakespeare Festival, the SUU theater program, and the outdoor corridor into Brian Head and Cedar Breaks. What it has lacked, historically, is the kind of wine culture that follows a regional economy with some depth and disposable income. I/G is the answer to that gap — a production winery operating in the middle of downtown, in a space that doubles as a concert room and a cocktail bar (local spirits and local beers on tap alongside the wine), a short walk from every major theater and gallery in the city.
McCombs has been there since 2012, which in Southern Utah's food-and-drink landscape makes him a long-timer. The winery has been listed on Visit Cedar City's official food-and-drink guide since before most of the city's newer restaurant openings, and it consistently draws the audience of Festival visitors and locals who want something more interesting than a chain bar on Main.