(This article first appeared in the July print edition of the Hendersonian)
Two decades ago, a farming family in the Spottsville community rolled the dice on growing grapes.
Planting six acres of varieties such as Chambourcin, Catawba and Norton, all suitable for the western Kentucky climate, they had their sights on growing, harvesting and selling their crops to area wine producers.
But things changed in 2013 when the Boucherie family—Johnny and Martha along with daughters Brandy and Dedra—decided to make wine themselves and opened a winery.
Now about a decade into that phase, they grow eight varieties of grapes and produce about a dozen types of wines along with their signature wine slushies.
They’re a fixture at both the Henderson Farmers Market and the Owensboro Farmer Market, and host all types of events at their winery located at 6523 Keyway Drive in Spottsville, a scenic location visible from U.S. 60.
It’s a stunning venue for a wedding, and a pleasant place to kick back during a visit to the tasting room. They’ve hosted vineyard runs, family reunions, receptions, birthday parties, music events, company picnics and this spring hosted a special viewing event for Total Eclipse 2024.
From the first 60-degree March day, things are “full throttle,” at the vineyard and winery, said Business and Events Manager Brandy Boucherie recently .
“It’s a lot sometimes,” she said. Since they all live nearby their small agribusiness, “the balance between the winery and home isn’t always there. We’re always working,” she said.
But working together works, she added.
“Anything with a computer or dollar signs I handle,” Brandy said, and Dedra’s “baby” is vineyard care and working with the seasonal workers they employ.
Their dad concentrates on maintenance, including a lot of mowing. Their vineyard is one of the largest in Kentucky and it’s on property that been farmed by four generations of Boucheries. (Brandy and Debra’s children have a small-farm business raising sweet corn and pumpkins).
“And he’s our ‘thinker’,” Brandy said. “He’s the one that makes our crazy ideas come to life.”
She said finding the family/work dynamic was pretty seamless. “We all naturally fell into our spots.”
Their wines range from dry to sweet, and their fruit wines are what they sell out of, she said.
Catawba, a light, fruity blush wine, is the “hands-down favorite” of customers, she added, with Chambourcin coming in a close second. Another popular wine is the Barrel Reserve, a dry red blend that is double-oaked and aged for five months in used bourbon barrels from Green River Distillery in Owensboro.
Brandy said they planted their vineyard for a staggered harvest, so that part of the operation runs from about the last weekend of August to the first weekend of October. They harvest one day a week on either Saturday or Sunday.
Their harvest helpers have been numerous community groups (such as sports teams and youth clubs raising money for their programming) and individuals.
She said her dad likes to joke that the good thing about what they do is that he gets to see his grandchildren every day, and the bad thing is he gets to see his grandchildren every day.
But the truth of the matter, he said when winning the Henderson Chamber of Commerce Agriculturalist of the Year Award in 2022, is that having the whole family work together is a gift.
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The Henderson Farmers Market is open for the season from the first of May until the last of October on Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays.
Growers and producers set up from 8 a.m. to noon (as long as supplies last).
The market typically includes local and fresh produce, honey, wine, meat, bakery goods and more. As the growing season advances, the variety of items and number of producers present at the market grows, too.
The market location is the Cates-Porter Farmers Market Pavilion at Henderson County Fairgrounds located on Sam Ball Way at Airline Road. Follow the Henderson Farmers Market Facebook page for updates about what’s available at the market and news about special activities that take place on select Saturdays during market season.
