Easley Winery began as the dream of Jack & Joan Easley in the late 1960’s. Making wines as a hobby in their basement in Indianapolis, Jack and Joan dreamed of growing grapes and making wine in Indiana. After working with friends, Jack and Joan successfully lobbied the Indiana government so wine could be made and sold in Indiana. In the fall of 1974, Joan and Jack crushed their first harvest and the rest is history.

Now, the winery is owned by Meredith and Mark Easley. They continue to keep the motto started by Joan and Jack, the great wines are meant to be shared. In the last five years, their wine sales have doubled each year. As a result, Meredith and Mark announced a $2 million expansion of the winery in November. As part of the expansion, a fully automated bottling line will be added to increase production capacity. The new bottling equipment will allow the winery to auto fill 1.5 liter bottles in high volume, making it the only winery in Indiana to do so. With the impending expansion, it is clear Easley winery will continue to push boundaries into the future as it has done since its inception. If the past five years are any indicator, Easley winery will remain an institution in Indianapolis for more years to come.

@Wyandotte_Wine

The first and oldest winery in Central Ohio, Wyandotte Winery opened its doors to the public in 1977. At the time, Floyd Jones, the original owner, constructed the foundation of the winery, only 10 wineries existed in the state of Ohio. Floyd and his wife Peggy worked on the grounds of the winery themselves until they sold the property in 1985. As Jane and Bill Butler took over Wyandotte Winery, development exploded around the winery. Today Wyandotte is surrounded by a quiet neighborhood community. In 2006, Robin and Valerie Coolidge decided to turn their winemaking passion into a business. They purchased Wyandotte and began renovating it immediately. In 2007, the winery was reopened to the public. Since then, Robin and Valerie have bought Wyandotte’s sister winery, RockSide Winery and Vineyards. Rockside is run by their son, Ryan.

Just like in the beginning, wine is made on site. Historically, the Wyandotte had to ship grapes in from vineyards. In 2009, Valerie planted 75 vines of Marquette grape, transforming the winery into a vineyard. At the same time, Wyandotte Winery began working with Broken Fence Vineyards to expand its grape varieties. While wine making can take years at a time, Robin and Valerie have no plans of going anywhere. Their passion for wine will continue to keep them at Wyandotte for years to come.

Besides creating wonderful wine, the ultimate goal of the winery is to connect people within their own community. Every Monday, the winery holds Locals Night for people in the Cottonwood area to relax and release their Monday blues. As part of the Verde Valley Wine Trail, Fire Mountain Wines’ tasting room can be visited every day of the week including on Wino Wednesdays and Thirsty Thursdays. With its great wine and proud heritage, it is obvious Fire Mountain Wines will remain an institution in Cottonwood for years to come.

@FireMountainAZ

In the future, a larger tasting room and outdoor patio will be added; Currently, a small tasting room is available on weekends by appointment. As a member of the Shenandoah Valley Wine Trail, visitors can already enjoy the natural beautiful of the Shenandoah Valley while tasting the vineyard’s wine. Without a doubt, Jump Mountain Vineyard will continue to highlight the beauty and importance of the region for many years to come.

In 1939, John Daniel Jr., Gustave Niebaum’s grand nephew, took over and Inglenook was returned to full production level. Due to his success at Inglenook, John Daniel Jr. would become president of the Wine Institute of California. He would hold the position until his death in 1970.  In 1975, Francis Ford Coppola and his wife Eleanor purchased the estate with profits from The Godfather series. While celebrating the centennial anniversary of the winery, Coppola would harvest the estate’s famous wine, Rubicon, for the first time. Since then, Inglenook has continued to produce fantastic wines; without a doubt, it will see its bicentennial anniversary in 2079.

Officially opened in September 2013, the winery is located in Central Alabama. There is no doubt Bill and Michelle would prefer to be nowhere but Alabama. The winery’s motto illustrates their commitment to their great state: “Use the resources in Alabama to keep the resources in Alabama.” As a result, the winery is a staple of the community; being part of the Alabama wine trail, Lewis Lakes Vineyards helps support the local economy through tourism.

Ten years after its inception, the vines of Lewis Lakes Vineyards produce on average seventy to eighty-five pounds of grapes per season. The winery is a beautiful place anytime of year; In years to come, Lewis Lakes Vineyards will be a classic example of southern hospitality and great wine.

Resting outside Trenton, NJ, Hopewell Valley Vineyards is redefining the wine industry by turning to its old world roots. Sergio and Violetta Neri, the founders of the winery, use their cultural backgrounds to transform the American wine industry. Both Sergio and Violetta grew up surrounded by vineyards. In his childhood, Sergio and his family operated a vineyard and winery in Brunello di Montalcino region, nestled just south of Florence. At the same time, Violetta learned how to make wine from her grandmother and mother in Macedonia.

Besides wine production,Sergio and Violetta have another notable passion. The Neri family has a special commitment to supporting local autism intervention programs. The Hopewell Valley Vineyard fundraises through various initiatives such as creating kindling boxes and planting poplar trees. They run an Autism Project shop as well.

Never forgetting their roots, Sergio still retains vineyards in Tuscany. However, Hopewell Valley Vineyards is where Sergio and Violetta see their future. In 2016, the vineyards won various awards in the NJ Wine Competition and the Atlantic Seaboard Wine Competition. It is undeniable that Hopewell Valley Vineyards will continue to be home to the Neri family for many generations to come.