KC Wine Co. –  A year of Success!

When you think of Kansas, wineries are not the first thing that come to mind. But, travel out in South Olathe, you will find a beautiful, unique winery that is thriving after just one year! KC Wine Co. opened it’s doors one year ago this month after Kirk and Julie Berggren moved their popular KC Pumpkin Patch to the same area- a serene farm of 40 acres near 135th and Gardner Road in Olathe with a 4,000-square-foot machine shed and small pond stocked with crappie and small mouth bass. The pumpkin patch and vineyard sit side by side and KC Wine Co. will throw it’s first birthday party June 25th!

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The Winery is now a family affair- when the pumpkin patch first moved, the Berggrens had no intention on opening a winery. The pumpkin patch was a huge endeavor in itself. A small vineyard was already on the land and the Berggrens’ daughter, Taylor stepped in to take on the task of opening the first boutique winery in the area.

With a lot of hard work and manual labor, the Berggren family had 9,000 bottles ready for the June 20, 2015 opening and more wine in barrels waiting to be bottled. They did it all by hand, even putting the black-and-white KC Wine Co. logos on bottles and creating a guide on the back of each with check marks for delicate, robust, dry, sweet, soft, tart, fruity or earthy. Since the opening, KC Wine Co. business has taken off and now offers 8 different wines. Two ciders will be available in the future.

Happy Birthday KC Wine Co.

With a year of success under their belt, it’s time to celebrate!  KC Wine Co. will throw a birthday party on June 25th complete with free live music and free birthday cake! Free samples of their newest wine, Vidal Blanc, a dry, earthy, Kansas grown wine will be on-hand and it’s a perfect wine for the beautiful view off the winery’s patio.

Enjoy the Experience!

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Taylor and Chris’s engagement took place a week before the grand opening. Courtesy of Sara Marie Photography

Whether you make it to the party or not, set a date to experience this truly beautiful setting. KC Wine Co. prides itself on making a trip to the vineyard a memorable experience. The overall goal is to bring people back to the farm, to show people that the products are made locally by real people. Along with learning about the wine making process, people can play yard games such as bocce ball in the grape vines.

Stepping into the now remodeled retail shop and tasting bar is like taking a “staycation” – a little piece of Napa in Kansas! The beautiful vineyards have also lent themselves to a romantic destination. In fact, Taylor and her fiance Chris got engaged at the vineyard the night before the grand opening and will marry a week before the birthday party!

This winery is truly a destination in itself. The winery is open on weekends- Friday: 3pm-8pm (free live music 6-8pm), Saturday: noon-6pm (free live music 2-5pm) and Sunday: noon-6pm (free live music 2-5pm) and the winery also sells local meats and cheeses to munch on. Tables on the patio and picnic tables are spread out to enjoy the outside of the winery as well as large tables inside to sip the delicious wines on a hot summer day. And did we mention the wines? Choose from the Seyval Blanc, Brianna, Cayuga White, Norton, Chambourcin, Prairie Rose, Riesling, Chambourcin, and Sunflower Red and the newest debut. Our favorite was the Seyval Blanc, a dry tart white that perfectly chilled was a perfect match for an evening on the patio. Try a flight while you are there- all the wines were delicious at a good price!

Happy Drinking! #DrinkLocal #SupportLocal #promoteKC #DrinkResponsibly

 

Scenes from KC Wine Co.

Photos courtesy of Hope McPheeters, Promote KC and Taylor Berggren, KC Wine Co.