Our Story
How it all began...  Andy and Tracie Roush met during the summer of ’99 while boating in Ohio. Just 2 months after meeting, Andy invited Tracie up North to share his special place. After 72 hours of Northern Michigan, Tracie also shared a love of this extraordinary spot.
Since that summer of ’99, Andy and Tracie married, had 2 girls and have vacationed at Andy’s parent’s home in Indian River as they retired up North over 20 years ago. In 2009, Andy said to Tracie one day “I can’t do what I am doing for the rest of my life”. After praying and much consideration over what they could do to sustain a living for their young family, they decided to sell everything downstate and move north to pursue building, owning and running their dream business.
For anniversary trips, Andy and Tracie both enjoyed wine country. They loved what it meant: relaxing, enjoying God’s countryside, the gift of each other and the wine that blessed each of them throughout the year until the next anniversary trip. The anniversary trip in the fall of 2010 made them realize they could do this, and give the same experience to other people in the land Andy had dreamed of calling home.
On June 30, 2012, after everything was sold, they moved their family of four to Indian River while they looked for the perfect property to build their dream. On July 20, 2012, Tracie’s birthday, they closed on 22 acres of beautiful hills and rolling countryside. They started planting 1600 grapevines and planning their business. With Tracie’s father passed, but his memory still very much alive, she decided to put her love and experience of building and remodeling to the test and take on the hat of General Contractor on the construction of their 5000+ sq. ft. facility that holds their home, winery and tasting room. With the completion of a beautiful building in May of 2014, situated on the perfect scenic hill in the Joy Valley, they opened their doors for business on June 21, 2014.
Since then, they have planted another vineyard (now totaling 11 acres), two lavender fields and apple trees, they've added on to their outdoor patio, extended the cellar, have added more wines and hard ciders to their menu, and have 6 full-time employees as well as an amazing seasonal group. Their wines are well received and their place is the perfect spot to relax and enjoy.
 Pictured above is the Roush family (from left to right is Natalie, Tracie, Andy, and Alaina) during the winter of 2022. The Story Continues...Click here to read about our growing Lavender Farm... Click here to read about our thriving Coffeehouse...
Pictured above is the Roush family (from left to right is Andy, Natalie, Tracie, and Alaina) in 2024, 10 years after they opened! Scroll down to see photos from the beginning of planting the vineyard and construction, to the finished building, expansions of the patios and cellar, and the addition of the wood-fired pizza truck:  Above is what the property looked like when they bought it... 22-acres of an old hay field. Below is Tracie planting the first grapevines.    Above is Andy digging holes for the posts shown below, which will support the trellis system.   Construction begins with the foundation and the cellar.   Construction continued throughout the winter and spring.   Construction finished in May of 2014!   The winery opened in June of 2014.  In 2016, the first additional patio was built.   In 2019, the cellar was expanded and a new patio was built overtop.   Also in 2019, they bought the wood-fired pizza truck!    |
