A decade ago, a locally owned winery planted roots in Olathe.
Since then, owner Taylor Roesch said KC Wine Co has attracted all walks of life each weekend, with customers sipping wine and enjoying events on the grounds.
This summer, the winery will officially commemorate 10 years of keeping it fresh with a “birthday bash” at the end of the month.
KC Wine Co was a pumpkin patch first
The KC Pumpkin Patch, now on KC Wine Co’s grounds in Olathe, originally got its start in 2004 in Gardner.
It was owned by Kirk and Julie Berggen, Roesch’s parents, so Roesch grew up working on that pumpkin patch alongside them.
When redevelopment hit the Gardner site, the pumpkin patch made a transition from operating on leased land to landing a spot of its own further north in Olathe in 2015.
At the time, the roughly 40-acre farmland at 13875 S. Gardner Road happened to have a small vineyard.
So Roesch’s family got to work transforming the property into what it is today, ramping up production and turning the farmland into a “boutique” winery.
That transformation has continued over the past decade, with the addition of new production space, a kitchen for concessions and a large black barn.
“It’s come a long way,” Roesch said. “We just keep growing. We’re constantly building and changing.”
KC Wine Co makes and serves “palate-pleasing” wines
On the grounds of KC Wine Co, a variety of wines are fermented, aged and bottled, though customers in search of something else can also find beers and ciders.
“We’re trying to always get new grape varietals in, and we do some seasonal drinks too,” Roesch said. “We like to keep it fresh.”
Typically, KC Wine Co is open to the public from Friday to Sunday.
During that time, visitors can expect to find events like live music, karaoke and bingo nights. On Sundays, KC Wine Co also offers a variety of classes, such as charcuterie making, sourdough baking and pilates.
Though KC Wine Co is open all year, Roesch said its most popular seasons tend to be the spring and fall.
The winery also hosts yearly festivals like Cider Fest and OKCtober Fest.
“It’s really taken off in popularity,” she said. “We’ve really tried to reinvest back into the winery and the vineyard to keep things growing.”
Looking to the future
In celebration of its 10th anniversary, the winery will throw a weekend-long event at the end of the month.
On June 26, visitors can join in festivities like $5 wine flights, games and free s’mores. Then on June 29, a variety of local food trucks will hit the grounds, along with a live show from Kansas City-based Dueling Pianos.
On Saturday, the winery will also offer a “birthday” edition of the wine slushies for which KC Wine Co is known, with peach, sangria, whipped cream and birthday sprinkles.
Lots more is in store for KC Wine Co’s future beyond the celebration. Roesch’s brother, Eli Berggen, plans to join the KC Wine Co team this year — a “full sibling takeover”, as she puts it.
Beyond that, Roesch said her family has its eye on expansion for KC Wine Co.
Customers frequently ask when they might open a second location, and in the coming years, that may finally come to fruition — though nothing is set in stone yet. Roesch said she’d also love to expand the product itself, widening distribution and getting KC Wine Co’s wine onto more shelves at stores.
All in all, Roesch said running a local vineyard has two main upsides. During the weeks, when KC Wine Co is closed to the public, she enjoys the outdoor work of keeping production running smoothly. And then at the end of the week, she and her family get to see it come to life.
“I also love, on the flip side, the weekend where we get to invite people out to actually enjoy and see the work that we’ve done,” she said. “It’s nice to see your hard work be recognized.”
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