There are just some things I am not inclined to believe without cold, hard proof. When someone told me there was a winery in Bulloch County, I thought they had been hitting a bottle from somewhere, just not Bulloch County. Well, slap me silly! There is a winery in Bulloch County (Statesboro), Georgia: Meinhardt Vineyards and Winery.

In this interview, Ken Meinhardt, the owner, tells us all about winemaking in South Georgia. This is a relatively new and growing industry, not only in Georgia, but also North Carolina. Now, this isn’t Chardonnay or Cabernet wines, this is Muscadine Wine! While similar to the scuppernongs and muscadines that many of us picked off vines down by the creek, these grapes are not nearly the same when it comes to quality and winemaking. These grapes have been and are still in the process of being developed and refined in research centers like the University of Georgia.

Ken doesn’t grow all the grapes himself. Farmers across Bulloch and surrounding counties are clearing their fields and converting to grapes. It takes a few years to grow a grape suitable for making wine, but it must be worth the investment and the wait.

Meinhardt Vineyards, not only makes wine, but provides an opportunity to sample it. The Vineyard also hosts weddings and other events where you can really have a party!

I will see you there!