Fisher Ridge Wine Company for sale

How would you like to own an established winery? Fisher Ridge Wine Company, one of the West Virginia’s oldest wineries, can be yours as a turn-key operation for an asking price of $150,000.

The winery sits on 5 acres of land, one acre of which is planted in vineyard, and includes a 2,400 sq. ft. winery production building, tasting room and retail store. Also included in the sale is all the winery equipment and farming equipment. The winery equipment is high quality commercial grade in very good condition.

The only winery in Putnam County

The winery is located on a hilltop in rural Putnam County about 8.5 miles off the Goldtown exit of 1-77 or 20 miles from the Nitro exit of I-64. Access from Charleston is easiest using the Sissonville exit of I-77, then taking Allen’s Fork Road to Fisher Ridge Road. It’s just about a half-hour drive.

Long-time Charleston dentist Wilson Ward led the winery from its start up and was one of the main cogs in the effort to get the state’s farm winery law adopted around 40 years ago. For many years he was a leader in the state’s winery scene. Today, the 79 year-old Ward is retiring from his business pursuits and hopes that the winery will find new life with new owners.

Ward first planted grapes on the property in 1977, and the winery business was officially founded in 1979, which was still two years before the new farm winery law allowed it to sample, sell, and distribute its wines to customers at the winery and to wine retailers. In its more productive years, the winery typically produced around 2,000 cases annually.

Known for its excellent wines

Fisher Ridge is best known for its dry and semi-dry table wines made to go with food. Its wines have long been considered among the state’s best. The Wine Shop at Capitol Market, and its predecessor, Stone & Thomas Wine Shop, have always carried the wines, which have had a loyal following in the Charleston area.

Grape varieties currently planted include Meynieu and Catawba. Beyond using what they grow, WV farm wineries are allowed to purchase fruit and juice on the market from other suppliers and use it to make wines at their wineries. Fisher Ridge always used this option to its advantage, producing popular wines, such as its Pork Barrel Red, with grape varieties that you can’t really grow commercially in West Virginia.

The winery is a participant in the Country Roads Wine & Distillery Trail that encompasses the I-77 corridor. Coming up soon, economic development groups in the Charleston-Huntington region are developing a new craft beverage trail and related promotions that Fisher Ridge winery would be a part of that district. Ward suggests that a small distillery or brewery could also be added to the operation and might make sense with all the focus these days on craft beverages.

CONTACT

For additional information on the sale, contact Wilson Ward at:
frwine@gmail.com or 304-545-9463.

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Video from a few years back