Is Kentucky the Home of Our First Commercial Winery?

September 9, 2015 – When you think of Kentucky, what comes to mind?  Bourbon?  Horses?  The Derby?  Of course.  But thanks to Allison Levine in the Napa Register, we now know that our country’s first commercial winery was founded in Kentucky in 1799.

The owner was John James Dufour of Vevey, Switzerland and he called his winery “First Vineyard”.  The history of this enterprise came to light when Tom Beall of Lexington decided to buy some land for a weekend getaway.  As he purchased various parcels, he discovered in 2002 that the property was the site of a commercial vineyard.  It was actually decreed by the Kentucky Legislature on November 21, 1799.  There were vineyards in other states, such as Virginia, but this was the first designated commercial endeavor.
A journal kept by Dufour from 1796 – 1806 included a business plan showing shareholders who were entitled to cuttings and they could have their male heirs learn about winemaking at First Vineyard.  Turns out that Tom Beall’s great-great-great-great-great-great-great grandfather, William Beall, was a shareholder, as were other luminaries of the era including Daniel Boon, Patrick Henry, Henry Clay and John Brown.

Among historical facts and artifacts Tom Beall has discovered is a letter from Thomas Jefferson thanking Dufour for some wine.

John Dufour returned to Switzerland in 1806.  Just three years later, a freeze wiped out the vineyard.

Today, First Vineyard’s terraces, created by Dufour, have been restored and planted  to several varietals of grapes including Riesling, Vignoles, Kentucky River Red, Norton and Chambourcin.  There’s a small tasting room at First Vineyard where they offer 11 wines plus fruit wines from First Vineyard and J.J. Dufour Winery in Nicholasville, KY.  The Sugar Creek Resort bed and breakfast is located on the property.  Anyone interested in researching historical documents and artifacts in the museum can do so by calling 859-885-9359 or emailing firstvineyard.net@aol.com to make an appointment.