Anna Newhoff
NCR Reporter
Every pour tells a story at The Winery at Tuscan Rose Vineyards.
The soft opening of The Winery took place on Friday in Callahan, sharing the Walker family’s dream. Owner Bobbie Walker and her daughters were excited for the folks of Nassau County to try their farm-grown muscadine wine.
“We wanted to share our product with the community and to show that this is our home. This is where I was raised,” Walker said.
The family owns a 60-acre farm in Callahan where they grow, pick, and ferment grapes, and bottle all the wine they make. Each bottle has its own story on the back, offering customers a glimpse into the family’s journey.
For Walker, the taste of muscadines makes her recall a memory she wants to enjoy with others.
“That flavor of muscadine takes me back to when I was 4 or 5 in the vineyard with my grandfather. And I think that’s something you can’t buy,” said Walker. “I want people to experience what I experience when they taste a muscadine.”
At Tuscan Rose Vineyards, 10 different varieties of muscadine grapes are grown. Each vine has around 60 pounds of grapes that are hand-picked by the Walker family during the harvest, which falls in August and September.
The soft opening allowed the Walkers to hear directly from the community about the new setting, wines, and food. To enhance the hometown feel, live music was performed by local Callahan talent Emily Mikus, Tyson Love, and Brianna Harris.
“We have a lot of Nassau talent, and we’re excited about that,” Walker said.
The Winery will continue its soft opening June 13 from 4-9 p.m. and June 14 from 1-9 p.m. with no reservations required. The Winery also offers a wine club for people to join. The weekend of June 13th is the last time for members to join for $150. A grand opening for The Winery will happen in the fall. For more information visit Tuscan Rose Vineyards on Facebook, email tuscanrosevineyards@gmail.com, or call 904-507-2502. Tuscan Rose Vineyards is located at 45884 Bismark Road, Callahan.
The Winery at Tuscan Rose Vineyards is the first farm
winery in Nassau County and the opening marks more than a business milestone – it makes way for how farmers might thrive in the face of growth.
“I think agritourism is what will keep the small farmer going, I really think that’s what will keep the younger generations interested,” Walker said.
“My goal here was to make farming exciting, new, and creative for my daughters, and they’ll do the same for their children,” she said.
But above all, she hopes this experience is something everyone who visits will cherish for years to come.
“It’s all about sharing that with our community, with our friends, the experiences with your kids,” Walker said. “And I want those memories to be here.”