Holy-Field Vineyard & Winery

Holy-Field Vineyard & Winery

Holy-Field Vineyard & Winery, a "growing" legend for producing award winning fine wines from the fertile soils of eastern Kansas. This wonderful vineyard is located just west of Basehor, Kansas on a thirty acre Estate. This family owned business founded by father and daughter duo Les & Michelle Meyer in 1986. Holy-Field grows over 12,000 vines located on fourteen beautiful acres at the intersection of 158th Street and 24-40 highway in southern Leavenworth County Kansas. The Meyer's family opened their doors to customers for the first time in 1994. This estate includes a spacious Tasting Room & Gift Shop, Vineyard Room (Banquet Hall), Wine Deck & Gazebo.  

The vineyards are planted with Native American and French Hybrid varietal grapes which are harvested by hand and then immediately pressed. Their wines are fermented, aged and bottled in the cellars located beneath our tasting room. Producing about 7,000 gallons of wine annually from ten varieties of grapes. This careful process has allowed Holy-Field to boast of both domestic and international awards and medals. Their winery has been featured in The Wine Report as well as several articles and magazines.

In addition to producing fine wines, this wonderful estate hosts a variety of entertainment events throughout the year including Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre shows, Mayfest, Summertime Music Series and Oktoberfest. The vineyard, banquet hall and gazebo may be reserved for weddings, receptions and group events of all types.

Location

Follow Interstate 70 west out of Kansas City take exit #224 at Bonner Springs. Head North at the traffic light and go 1 mile north on K-7. At the cloverleaf, take the second right (west) which is the US Highway 24 & 40 West Exit Go west 2.5 miles to 158th Street. Turn norht and the Winery is the first driveway on the left.  158th Street was previously named Holyfield Road hence the Vineyard name Holy-Field.

Oz Winery in Wamego, KS

In July 2007, a little winery opened it's doors in Wamego, KS on KS 99 and Lincoln Avenue and is located on the Road to Oz.  The Oz Winery has established itself as the home of award-winning wines and a must-taste destination on the Road to Oz. Its wines salute the story of Dorothy, a young Kansas girl who ventured to Oz only to discover “there’s no place like home.”
The Oz Winery is a member of the Kansas Grape Growers & Winemakers Association and bottles approximately 5,000 gallons of wins a year.
The Oz Winery offers a variety of Kansas grape varietals, which include:
• Seyval
• Vignoles
• De Chaunac (offered by the bottle, 100% Kansas grapes)
• Norton (offered by the bottle, 100% Kansas grapes)
• Fredonia (offered by the bottle, 100% Kansas grapes)
Special edition and limited edition wines include:
Awards and Recognitions for Oz Winery wines:
The Oz Winery’s Emerald City Lights wine was the featured wine for the third course of the KGGWA’s Pioneer Banquet in 2009 and has received several People’s Choice Awards at the Kansas State Fair.
For those of us that love to purchase bottles of wine based on not only the bouquet of the wine but the label you will love these fun labels on your table with friends. 
Red wine labels include: Oil Can, Curl Your Stockings, Ruby Slippers, Ding Dong the Wine is Red, Drunken Munchkin, O.E.O.,  Lion, Tigers, and Bears, Oh Merlot, I'm Melting Merlot, Angry Trees, Sip and Think Some More, Flying Monkey, Run Toto Run, Squished Witch, and Witch in a Ditch
White wine labels include: Can't Find My Way Home, Emerald City Lights, Blue Gingham Dress, Poppy Fields, We're Off, Yellow Brick Road, Witch Gone Good, Fraidy Cat, Little Dog Too, and Kansas in the Rear View Mirror
Blush wine labels are Auntie Em's Prairie Rose and A Wine of a Different Color,
Dessert Wines include The Lions Courage and Surrender.
A complete list of wines made at the winery is available on the winery’s website, www.OZWineryKansas.com
Just 15 minutes east of Manhattan and 30 minutes west of Topeka, Wamego offers many other attractions and things to do in this community of 4,500 nestled along the fertile banks of the Kansas River.
• Wamego has over 90 rooms at motels and bed breakfasts.
• There are more than 16 dining options.
• The City Park is often listed among the top picnic spots in the state.
• There is access for canoeing or kayaking on the Kansas River on the south side of town.
• The Columbian Theatre features many oversized paintings from the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair. The White City at the fair’s Columbian Exposition was the inspiration for what became the Emerald City in L. Frank Baum’s Wonderful Wizard of Oz.
• The Columbian Theatre, originally built by J.C. Rogers, another visitor to the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair and the man who brought the artifacts from the fair back to Wamego, is also the venue for live theater productions and the Swogger Gallery, which features rotating art and history exhibits.
• The Oz Museum is home to one of the largest privately owned collections of Oz memorabilia in the country. The gift shop also offers a wide selection of gifts and collectibles.
• Wamego is a vital and friendly community which is known for its festivals.
• The July 4 celebration is considered one of the largest in the state and features a carnival, parade and one of the largest fireworks displays.
• The Annual Tulip Festival is the third weekend in April and features artisans and craftspeople from all over the country set against the backdrop of 10’s of thousands of tulips.
• Every October, the OZtoberfest brings several of the original munchkins from the 1939 movie, The Wizard of Oz, to town, as well as many visitors and Oz fans.
• Other opportunities for sightseeing or exploring the area’s rich history include the Historical Village in the City Park, birthplace of Walter P. Chrysler and the Oregon Trail, which passed just north of Wamego.

Kansas Wine Country

When someone mentions Kansas the first thought might be Dorthy and Toto Standing on the Yellow Brick Road and Dorthy saying "Toto, I don't think we are in Kansas anymore." So if someone mentions visiting Kansas Wine Country, the question is Kansas, wine, really? You must be joking right. Amongst the wheat fields and dry grass lands and tornado's. Yes, there are vineyards and wineries in Kansas. In the Heartland of America you will find some wonderful vineyards. 

For the remainder of March and into April, I will be highlighting some of the vineyards that Kansas has to offer.

If I forget to mention a winery that you have visited or enjoy, please feel free to comment and let me know.

Kansas Wine History
 

At one point in its history, Kansas produced a sizable amount of grapes and has a long history of grape growing and wine making. In 1901, despite Prohibition, over 5,000 acres of Kansas vineyards were still producing grapes. Kansas prohibited the sale of alcohol after prohibition ended and by 1933 vineyards fell into neglect and eventual decline. In 1985, Kansas passed the Farm Winery Act establishing guidelines for wineries and by 2005, 13 licensed farm wineries in Kansas produced 50,000 gallons of wine from only 170 total acres of grapes. Today there are 23 farm wineries from central to northeastern Kansas.

Kansas Grape Varieties

Kansas vineyards produce wines from American native, American hybrid and French Hybrid grapes. These wines have won awards not only in the Midwest, but also on a National level, and the wine community is coming to recognize the value and unique quality of Kansas wines. The following is a brief guide of native grapes grown in Kansas vineyards:

NORTON (also known as CYNTHIANA) - Norton grapes produce a robust red wine that is dry in style and similar to Cabernet Sauvignon, but also has the distinct berry flavors of Zinfandel.
CHAMBOURCIN - Chambourcin grapes make a medium bodied red wine similar to Pinot Noir, with a pleasing fruity aroma. Chambourcin is a French/American hybrid and can produce wines of light to medium body with fruity aromas, cherry and earthy/spicy complexities. Chambourcin goes well with barbecue, pork, and grilled dishes.
ST. VINCENT - This hybrid makes a red wine that is delicate and elegant. Often used for Nouveau style wines in the Fall, it also can have a Burgundian character and is occasionally slightly sweet, regarded by some as vaguely similar to a young Italian Chianti wine.
SEYVAL - This hybrid white grape makes a dry or semi-dry white wine with a crisp, refreshing flavor similar to Chenin Blanc. It can be fermented in barrels to take on the oak characteristics of a Chardonnay. Semi-dry Seyval pairs well with pork and Asian cuisines, while a barrel-fermented Seyval complements the flavor of poultry and rich cream and butter-based sauces.
CHARDONEL - This hybrid is actually a cross of the Chardonnay grape and the Seyval grape listed above. Chardonel is usually barrel fermented and is very dry. Chardonnel goes well with heavier seafood dishes as well as chicken with cream sauces.
VIGNOLES - This white grape is used to make a wide range of wine styles from quite dry to wines resembling late harvest wines. In both swee and dry styles Vignoles makes an amazingly flavorful for wine sipping on the deck or enjoying with anything Thai or Mexican.
MELODY - This white-wine hybrid grape was bred in the Finger Lakes region of upstate New York. Its parents are European and American. Melody is light-bodied with a crisp, refreshing acidity and is a perfect compliment to fish and poultry.
FREDONIA - A cousin of the Concord grape, this red grape is native to North America. The wine is full bodied and fruit forward with a delightfully crisp astringent finish and is a perfect match for Sangria in the summer and mulled wine in the winter.

Enjoy your wine tour of Kansas and when you visit one of the vineyards that I will be blogging about, let them know I sent you.

Have a great tour

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