Our grapes are locally grown and so is our vintner, Max Hoffman, who grew up on the Pawnee County farm that’s been in his family for more than a century. In 1973, he earned a degree in animal science from the University of Nebraska and embarked on his first career as a farmer and livestock breeder/producer.

But Max didn’t spend all his time farming. Home winemaking is a Hoffman family tradition dating back to their Swiss and German ancestors, and Max shared their passion. In the late 1950’s, Max learned the basics from an elderly Swiss neighbor who made wine from grapes grown on his own two-acre vineyard.

Initially, Max made wine from whatever domestic or wild fruit was available. In the late 1970’s, he planted the hybrid wine grapes Baco Noir, Foch, and Cascade. His first bottle of wine from those grapes was created in 1982, and Max is still making wine from the original Baco Noir vines.