Finally ready to wine and dine
Published 11:27 am Monday, December 12, 2011

Four Daughters Vineyard and Winery, east of Grand Meadow on Highway 16, features a 9,000-square-foot facility with dining, a stillery and currently six acres of grapes. -- Matt Peterson/matt.peterson@austindailyherald.com
4 Daughters to open Dec. 15
It’s been a long time coming, and there were some hurdles in the road, but Vicky Vogt and her family are finally set to open Four Daughters Vineyard and Winery.
The business, located just east of Grand Meadow on Highway 16, which has been sifting through construction, planning and paperwork for nearly 14 months, will officially open to the public at 4 p.m. Dec. 15.

Patrick Sween, vineyard manager at Four Daughters Vineyard and Winery, shows how the bottle-filling process works at the new business set to open this week.
But Vogt and her family are more excited than nervous. They had a trial run on Thursday and Friday night last week, when dozens of contractors got the first sneak peaks at how the business will operate.
“It was such a relief to have people in here last night,” Vicky said on Friday.
Throughout their planning phases, the Vogts had to tackle a zoning issue with Mower County because their business will offer food. Though it may have caused some delays, Vicky said there was never any serious concern.
“We worked with our county commissioner, and he assured us all the way through that they would work it through,” Vicky said. “He was great to work with.”
But the Vogts also discovered how tricky the business of wine labeling can be.
“Government regulates alcohol pretty stringently,” Vicky said.
The past year has been a learning process for the whole family. From growing cold, hardy grapes, to processing the wine, to setting up tours and hiring an executive chef, Vicky said she can’t even explain how much she has learned. Two of her sons-in-law will also work full time at the facility, one in charge of grapes and the other in charge of wine making.
Among all those components, Four Daughters may even host some dinner theatres and weddings. People have already been inquiring as 1,150 people “like” Four Daughters’ Facebook page, and Four Daughters has just launched a website, www.fourdaughtersvineyard.com.
The building site itself has been a constant buzz, as well. Last year, Gary mentioned that cars were pulling in everyday. According to Vicky, it’s been that way the whole time. The rows and acres of grapes are visible from the highway, and the 9,000-square-foot building features a unique shape.
Inside, Four Daughters is already using two of its own grape varieties in its wines, along with others from vineyards local and around the nation. It may even put the finishing touches on its own sparkling wine before the holiday hits.
Among an executive chef, Italian dishes and various cheeses, Vicky said Four Daughters will have nearly a dozen wine room experts, too. They will be knowledgeable about all sorts of wine varieties, along with the entire growing and winemaking process.
After officially opening this Thursday, Four Daughters will hold a celebration for its Facebook “likers” on Friday, and a full menu will be available in January. Full hours, beginning Saturday, Dec. 17, will be 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sundays. The business will be closed for Christmas Eve and Day.