First Vineyard Winery
First Vineyard Winery
In 1994, Tom Beall and his business partner, Bobbye Carpenter, found the perfect spot in Jessamine County for a weekend getaway retreat. Eight years later, they not only discovered the history behind the property but original vineyard terraces and the foundation of a building. This discovery inspired the duo to reconstruct First Vineyard—the first winery legally established in the United States—as it would have looked during the early 1800s. Daniel Boone surveyed this property in 1783 for founder and Swiss immigrant, John James Dufour. Dufour submitted a business plan for the vineyard in 1798 and created the Kentucky Wine Society, a group of ‘subscribers,’ who also happened to be stakeholders in this new business venture that began production in 1799. With extensive research, Beall and Carpenter tracked down some of the original historic grape varieties used on site. Their research not only uncovered the foundation of the original structure for pressing grapes but also revealed the old terraces Dufour constructed for his vines. Two U.S. Presidents—Thomas Jefferson and James Madison— received a bottle of wine before a hard freeze in 1809 ruined the crops, and First Vineyard closed its doors indefinitely. Tom and Bobbye officially reopened First Vineyard in 2012, dedicating themselves to the reconstruction of period buildings and growing a crop of original grape varieties to release to the public. Visit the tasting room to sample a “true taste of history,” and stroll the historic grounds of First Vineyard. Make yourself welcome and stay at Sugar Creek Resort Inn on these historic grounds of First Vineyard.[et_social_share]
LOCATION
5800 Sugar Creek Road, Nicholasville, KY 40356
859-885-9359
www.firstvineyard.net
