“Wine cheereth God and Man” is a Proverb posted on the wall of the Brandeberry Winery and I could not agree more. Having spent the afternoon in the charming village of Yellow Springs, I was happy to visit this lovely winery in nearby Enon.
It was a beautiful country drive to the winery where I easily found the entrance into the tasting room. I immediately noticed the impressive display of awards that hung from the wall and was greeted by the winemaker himself, Jim Brandeberry. He is an extremely smart, soft-spoken man with a passion for wine who was eager to share with me the history of Brandeberry Winery and the wines that he produces.
There are several award winning wines on the tasting list and I had the opportunity to try a few of them. While I made my selection, I read through the descriptions and noticed the many accolades. From Bronze medals to Double Gold, there were also a few that held the honor of the Ohio Quality Wine Award. I decided that I would choose six wines so that I could keep the complimentary glass. Most of the samples cost $1.00, with the exception of the Reserve Premium Syrah and the Polar Crush Ice Wine which are $1.50.
My first selection was IKE, a dry white table wine. This wine was originally named after Hurricane Ike, whose strong winds reached the Midwest region in 2008. It was during that time that a stray cat found his way to their front door and made the winery his home. “Ike” immediately became a part of the family and was a favorite resident among the winery’s guests.
I was happy to see a wide selection of sweet wines, which are popular varietals produced in Ohio. The remaining samples that I selected just happened to fall under this category and I was ready to try the Sweet Mingo. It too is named after one of the Brandeberry’s beloved pets and is a grape wine with natural peach flavors. Mingo is a sweet little black and white dog that the family rescued when he was just four months old. For the past three years he has been seen hanging around the winery greeting customers and adding to the wine tasting experience. The Sweet Mingo was definitely one of my favorites wines.
I could not resist sampling the blackberry wine, made from 100% blackberry juice. It was no surprise that this was a silver medal award winner.
Pink Passion is a delicate wine made from a blend of Cayuga grape and cherry wines. This beautiful pink wine is absolutely delicious.
The cherry truffle is a blend of cherry and grape wine with a flavor of chocolate and of course I had to try the Polar Crush Ice Wine. Made from the Vidal Blanc grape, Polar Crush has an elegant peach color and tastes just as sophisticated.
After my wine tasting, Mr. Brandeberry provided me with an impromptu tour of his production room, which was quite impressive. I enjoyed learning about the technology and science that goes into creating wine. Although he is an engineer by trade, he explained the process in a language I could understand. I admire his passion for making wine and great sense of humor.
Brandeberry Winery provides live music, holds several events and caters to private parties. One of their most popular events is the Annual Dogtober Fest where patrons bring their dogs dressed up in their favorite Halloween costumes. On occasion, the winery will also host release parties to introduce their new wine creations. This summer they will release a new wine titled “Party Girl”. I had the pleasure of seeing a draft of the label and it is going to be spectacular.
In addition to the wines, what I love about Brandeberry Winery is its support of the community and local charities. When their wine, Sweet Mingo was first released, the winery dedicated a percentage of its sales to aid their local Humane Society, an organization dedicated to help stop animal cruelty and suffering. They are also supporters of Honor Flight Dayton which is “dedicated to honor the service and sacrifices of [war veterans] and their friends”. This organization raises money to transport World War II veterans to Washington DC to honor them and offer them the opportunity to explore our nation’s Capitol.
Brandeberry Winery recently hosted an event, The Red Affair, on Saturday May 28, 2016 from 12PM to 10PM as both a release party for its latest wine and a benefit for Honor Flight Dayton. The winery’s latest creation is a dry blackberry merlot, “Not Your Mother’s Red”, an honorable tribute to the memory of Jim’s mother, Virginia Brandeberry. I felt privileged to try a sample during my visit and wished it had been available for sale. For each bottle sold, Brandeberry Winery donated $5 per bottle to Honor Flight. The event was a success with patrons dressed in 1940’s costumes to celebrate this new vintage while supporting a great cause.
Have you had the opportunity to visit Brandeberry Winery? I would love to hear about your experience and what wines you enjoyed, so if you would kindly leave a message in the comments section below, that would be great! Cheers!
To learn more about Brandeberry Winery and their fabulous charities, visit their website at www.brandeberrywinery.com. You can purchase their wines from the winery as well as local stores such as Belmont Party Store, Wine Works and Keg & Cork. The winery also creates beautiful gift baskets for sale as well.
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What to See and What to Do:
Brandeberry Winery
5118 W. Jackson Road
Enon, OH 45323
Telephone: 937 767 9103
I want to extend a heartfelt thank you to Jim Brandeberry and his family for their time and hospitality during my visit. Please note that all comments provided were based solely upon my own opinions and experience.
- Hours: For Fall (September to December), the winery is open from 12 PM to 8 PM on Thursday, 12 PM to 9PM on Friday and 12 PM to 10 PM on Saturday. The winery is closed from Sunday thru Wednesday. Hours are seasonal and are subject to change. Please refer to the winery’s website for any updates to its hours of operation.
- Amenities: Weekend entertainment, dining, wine tastings, wine club, wine baskets, wine, gift shop, private events
- Tips for Your Visit: During the nights when the winery provides entertainment, wine tastings are not available. As always, please drink responsibly.
Where to Stay:
Mills Park Hotel
321 Xenia Avenue
Yellow Springs, OH 45387
Telephone: 937 319 0400
Where to Eat:
Winds Cafe
215 Xenia Avenue
Yellow Springs, OH 45387
Telephone: 937 767 1144
My favorite menu is the Winds Charcuterie Plate, a selection of Winds kitchen’s pates and terrines, including imported and domestic cured meats, pickles and house condiments.
What to Read:
Not That I Could Tell, by Jessica Strawser
Photo Guide to Yellow Springs:
- Clifton Gorge
- Colorful, Artsy Streets
- Glen Helen Nature Reserve
- John Bryan State Park
- Sunflower Field, located at 4625 US-68, Yellow Springs (The Tecumseh Sunflower Field)
- Wall Murals
- Preparation for Life Work by Axel Horn hangs in the Yellow Springs Post Office
- Village Cyclery is the location of the oldest mural in Yellow Springs
- “Kieth’s Alley” located behind the shops on the east side of Xenia Avenue between Cory and Glen Street showcases several murals
- Winds Cafe displays one of the largest murals in town
- Ohio Silver Co. displays a beautiful painting by Maxfield Parrish
- The patio of Sunrise Cafe
- The Smoking Octopus displays the works of Sarah Dickens
- The Xenia Avenue Shops’ painting was created by local Mandy Knaul (Mandy Sue)
- Corner Cone mural designed by Pierre Nagley
- Kings Yard murals
