GSW History Series Part 3 – The First Taste of What Would Become Grinder’s Switch Winery

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In Part 3 of our history series of Grinder’s Switch Winery, we’re stepping back into the 1980s to hear the story straight from the man behind the vines, Joey Chessor. This chapter is all about discovery, perseverance, and the long road from an unexpected glass of wine to award-winning vintages. In his own words:

“My first appreciation for good wine was in Chicago at a reception while at a sales conference, sometime in the 1980s. I was offered a glass of dry red wine, which I had never experienced, and was blown away. My first thought was wondering if I could grow grapes that made that kind of wine. I knew nothing about growing grapes.

A few years later I was at an auction that was selling grapevines and I bought 10 for $5.00. I had no idea what kind they were. Half of them were De Chaunac. I don’t remember the others. I planted them but had to move them around over the years. A few years later I had not gotten any grapes from them. I did some research and learned that they needed to be pruned. I attempted to prune them and, voila!, the next year I had grapes. I was excited.

As they increased in size I noticed small black spots on them. A few weeks later I had no grapes. I had learned about grape diseases. Then I learned how to spray for them. The next year I actually had grapes get ripe. Not many, but I made wine out of what I had.

I bought several books about growing grapes and making wine. I decided to plant an experimental vineyard and ended up with about 1/3 acre vineyard with about 20 varieties of grapes. Over the next few years I learned the problems of growing grapes; weather issues, disease issues, and nearly every animal loves to eat grapes. It was daunting but not impossible to grow them. I also learned which varieties made the best wine.

Finally, in 2004, I made a very nice dry red wine out of Cabernet Sauvignon and Touriga Nacional grapes. I entered it into the TVOS, Tennessee Viticulture and Oenology Society, statewide amateur winemaking contest. It won Best of Show. I had achieved my goal of making a very nice dry red wine.”

It was the beginning of what would eventually become something much bigger than a backyard vineyard—Grinder’s Switch Winery. And this was just the beginning.

Stay tuned for Part 4 of our story, where passion turns into something even bigger—and the winery begins to take shape.

Cabernet Sauvignon Vineyard

Cabernet Sauvignon Vineyard

GSW History Series Part 2 – A Hobby Out of Control: Where Joey’s Winemaking Journey Began

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Many of you who’ve visited our tasting rooms have heard it before—what started as a ‘hobby out of control’ has grown into something far beyond what we imagined. Now, we’re taking you back to where it all began, as our founder Joey Chessor shares the full story behind the passion, the vision, and the journey that brought us here.

 

“A Hobby Out of Control” – The Story, Straight from Joey Chessor

“The first time I made wine was from 5 gallons of grapes off my parents’ concord grapevines, sometime around 1975. Mom called me and said she’d used all the grapes she needed for jelly, and that I could have the rest. So I made 5 gallons of juice.

I found a recipe for wine, followed it step by step, and ended up with 5 gallons of homemade wine. The recipe said to put the wine into 5 one-gallon milk jugs and stretch balloons over the spouts to keep the air out—otherwise it would turn into vinegar.

I stored the jugs in a cabinet to age. A month later, I checked on them and noticed one of the balloons had burst. I figured that jug was a lost cause and saved it for vinegar.

Around that time, I acquired a winemaking kit—it had a large plastic bag and instructions to put the wine in a dark place and wait a year before tasting. So I did. At the end of the year I pulled it out and anxiously poured a glass. It looked terrible. It was cloudy, smelled bad, and  tasted worse. I poured it all out.

But a couple months later, I found that ‘ruined’ jug of wine and opened it and began to pour it down the sink. Then I realized it was clear, smelled amazing, and tasted even better. I had made some good wine after all! That was my first real lesson in winemaking.”

 

From that first gallon to what we do today, it’s been a journey of trial, error, and a lot of heart. Stay tuned for Part 3—we’ve got more stories to share.

 

Joey Chessor, Winemaker and founder of Grinder's Switch Winery