The Meinhardt family has turned their very own backyard into a booming business that offers so much to the community. Story by Kristin Miller, Tammy Kitchen, Ashley Dahl, Jamie Martin, Gary Warren, and Adam Fogle.

Ken Meinhardt II, wine maker and marketing director for Meinhardt Vineyards. Photo: TBN.

Statesboro, Ga.- Kenneth Meinhardt II, 33, doesn’t know what he would do without his four-legged companion, Maggie. Whether he’s out picking muscadines in the vineyard or serving wine to customers, his trusty Boxer is right there by his side.

“I don’t know what I would do without her,” Meinhardt said. “She’s a great companion and adores everybody.” He says that Maggie, along with the other cats, dogs, horses, and chickens that call Meinhardt Vineyards and Winery home, help give the place it’s identity.

But there’s more to the Meinhardt Winery than just the pets. When the family of amateur wine makers bought their piece of land in the Statesboro countryside eight years ago, the only things growing there were grass and cows.

After a mere six years, the “moo’s” that echoed throughout the farmland on Kennedy Pond Road have been replaced by the laughter of happy customers. As the vines have grown in time and beauty, the establishment has also flourished.

“Every time my girlfriend comes into town, I have to take her to the winery,” said Charlie McCarter, a senior at Georgia Southern University. “It’s her favorite place in Statesboro. We have a great time hanging out with our friends, and it’s really laid back.”

The spectacular view from the outside seating area adds to the relaxing atmosphere. Whether one is basking in the sun at a table for four or rocking on the bench swing with that special someone, the beauty that emulates from the southern countryside cannot be denied.

Although Mother Nature provides a sense of serenity at the vineyards, the Meinhardts ensure that fun and excitement is served with every glass of wine. The winery hosts a number of activities throughout the year, such as free wine tasting, tours, festivals, and one of Ken Meinhardt’s favorites—the “Grape Stomp.”

Ken Meinhardt II poses with his trusty sidekick, Maggie, in the winery tank room. Photo: TBN..

“This event lets people stomp grapes with their feet,” Meinhardt said. He explained that for this event, he builds small stage-like platforms with small walls on all four sides to keep the grapes from rolling off. The stages are built on a slight incline, and when the grapes are poured out and people begin stomping, the juices from the grapes run off into a bucket. “Everyone has a blast at this event,” he said. “It’s a really good time for everyone.”

Stomping grapes “the old-fashioned way” takes the young owner back to a time where he and his family did this in their very own kitchen in Savannah, Ga. At the time, they didn’t possess the high-tech equipment that is used in the current wine-making processes of today. However, Meinhardt says that the passion for making wine ran so deep that no one in the family was opposed to getting their hands—or feet—dirty!

“We’ve always enjoyed making wine for our friends,” Meinhardt said. “So when we got the chance to make a business out of it, we knew we had to do it.”

It is evident that all of the Meinhardt wines are made with pride and a splash of happiness, but there is another ingredient that makes these beverages truly unique. Every bottle of wine produced by the Meinhardts is made with a special type of grape called a muscadine.

Meinhardt explained that a muscadine is different than a grape in that the fruit has an extra set of chromosomes. The muscadine—which only grows in the southeastern United States—was discovered by Sir Walter Raleigh in 1855 in a swamp, thus he named them “swamp grapes.” The Native Americans also discovered a type of muscadine. Meinhardt said from the two types of muscadines that exist naturally, 400 more varieties have been made through cross-breading and in labs.

Although Meinhardt explains that the process of making wine is quite simple, he says that making good wine is a bit more complicated. Even though he did not disclose the Meinhardt family secrets to making a delicious bottle of wine, he did provide a Cliff’s Notes version for those of us who do not know much about the process.

“It’s really all about fermentation,” said Meinhardt. When yeast meets sugar, carbon dioxide and alcohol is produced. This reaction causes the carbon dioxide it bubble out, and the alcohol to stay in the juice. More or less sugar is added depending on the alcohol content required The final step is to ferment the remaining sugar out of the juice, and—Volia!—you have wine.

Although much of the process is done mechanically to ensure efficiency when producing mass quantities of wine, the vast amount of human labor that goes into maintaining a winery such as the Meinhardts’ should not be overlooked.

Once every year, either in January of March, Meinhardt and a small number of workers must prune the vineyards. This involves long, hard hours of tilling land and planting new vines. Also, when the muscadines are picked by hand, it usually takes two workers an entire day to pick three acres of land.

“It’s a hard variety to get off the vine,” Meinhardt said, speaking of the muscadine grapes.

Despite the grueling labor, the finished product attracts countless members of the community, as well as people from all over the world. “We’ve had people from just about every state,” said Meinhardt. “We’ve even had people from as far as Europe, Hawaii, and Alaska.”

The family-owned vineyards also attract people of all age groups. Meinhardt explains that customers range any where from college students, to families with children, to senior citizens. The winery has also been host to love birds who were looking to tie the knot with a special outdoor wedding.

Despite the wide range of demographic diversity, the Meinhardt Winery shows its love for the community and the university that calls Statesboro home by incorporating the eagle into every bottle of wine. A picture of a bald eagle with spread wings adorns each bottle that bears the Meinhardt name. Also, wines named “Eagle Harvest,” “Eagle Run,” and “Southern Eagle” are all representative of Georgia Southern University and the small southern town of Statesboro.

Meinhardt said his business is growing by leaps and bounds. Last year, the winery produced 5,000 gallons of wine, and he said they are slated to make 17,000 gallons this coming year. The Meinhardts will soon have their wine for sale in Statesboro restaurants, as well as restaurants and wine shops in Savannah, for they have just received their wholesale license.

“We’re just growing so fast,” Meinhardt said. “Not only are we making more wine to sell at outside establishments, but just the amount of people coming in this place each day has made us increase the amount we produce.”

In the next few years, Meinhardt said he and his family hope to build a bed and breakfast, as well as an event hall that would have dinners and possibly live entertainment.

“We would like to create a little village here with the winery, so that people could come and spend the whole weekend out here,” he said. “We’d also like to one day make 50-70,000 gallons of wine, and I think we’ll be there in the next 10 years or so.”

Despite the immaculate growth in business that has occurred, Meinhardt promises that one thing will always remain the same—the Meinhardt Vineyards and Winery will forever be a family-owned establishment. The Meinhardts live in the country-style white house with green shutters /that resides next to the tasting room year round, and Ken vows that it will always be that way.

One day, Ken Meinhardt II would like to pass the unrelenting passion and love for the wine business onto his children. Until then, the “furry children,” like Maggie the boxer, will help to carry on the family tradition!