Vintage expansion: Four Daughters to double size by adding to kitchen, event center

Published 10:53 am Tuesday, February 25, 2014

Vineyard Manager Patrick Sween, of Four Daughters Vineyard & Winery, picks grapes in early October 2013. The vineyard near Grand Meadow will kick off a 9,000-square-foot expansion this spring. Photo – Eric Johnson

Four Daughters Vineyard & Winery is already one of the largest wineries in Minnesota, but that won’t stop it from doubling in size.

Owners Gary and Vicky Vogt are looking to add another 9,000 square feet to their successful business this year. The couple plan to break ground on a kitchen expansion and an event center just south of the main building this spring.

“There were lots of factors that came into play,” Vicky said. “We’ve been expanding our wine production every year since we started.”

Four Daughters opened in 2011 and has earned recognition ever since. The winery took home two silver medals at the 2013 International Cold Climate Wine Competition at the University of Minnesota and earned the Minnesota Governor’s Cup at the 2012 competition.

The event center will accommodate as many as 300 people and allow for larger weddings and other events, according to Vicky. Though Four Daughters employees aren’t giving away all the secrets behind the kitchen expansion, Vicky said, one of the goals behind it is to bring in more cooking classes.

The Vogts have hired an architect and structural engineer to start the project as soon as the weather warms up. There isn’t an end date for the project yet, but Four Daughters employees are looking forward to the bigger business.

“It’s pretty exciting stuff,” Vicky said.

Out Friday: Look for a feature on Four Daughters and more in the Herald’s annual Progress edition.