Today we’d like to introduce you to Bill Holden.
Hi Bill, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I purchased Buccia Vineyard in 2017 while living in Nashville, TN. I had an eye towards becoming a commercial winemaker and owning a winery for about 10 years prior. Having grown up in northeast Ohio and visiting the wineries here whenever I could, I knew Ohio Wine Country was where I wanted to be. I loved the direction and potential of Ohio wines and wineries, and all of my family was still in the area. Plus, the barriers to entry aren’t nearly as high as the west coast or more mature wine regions east of the Mississippi. I had become friends with Arnie Esterer at Markko, and he encouraged me to jump in. I knew I wanted to be close to Arnie and Markko, so when I found out Buccia Vineyard was for sale, I jumped in the car. Surprisingly I had not visited Buccia prior to looking as a potential buyer. It had everything – a winery, a vineyard, lodging, and a home on the property that would be included in the sale. An offer was drawn up, and plans made to relocate from Nashville and to wrap up a 35-year corporate career.
I arrived in January of 2018 with a couple of friends from Nashville, and we went to work! Buccia had been for sale for some time and needed some updating. And update we did – the tasting room, the B&B, and the home on the property. With the help of my friends, a great local contractor, and my family, we were ready to reopen in March!
Leaving Nashville was hard, and I knew I wouldn’t make it without live music. I knew I’d be working a lot – and working every weekend – so that meant we’d have to host our own live music since I wouldn’t be getting out much! So, in 2019 we converted a mostly unused greenspace behind the tasting room into a gathering space and added a stage for outdoor music. In 2020 with the pandemic pushing everyone outside, we added a covered pavilion which completed the transformation of our outdoor space into a gorgeous outdoor event space.
In 2021 we tripled out vineyard with the planting of 3500 European/vinifera grape vines, including Chardonnay, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Riesling, Pinot Gris, Pinot Meunier, and Pinot Noir. On the wine side, we are proud to have garnered medals in the Ohio Wine Competition and the prestigious Finger Lakes International wine competition in both 2021 and 2022.
It’s amazing to look back at what we’ve accomplished in under 5 years. A tremendous amount of effort and both human and financial capital have been invested. While the work is never done, there’s truly nothing more rewarding than seeing the joy on our guests’ face when they taste a wine they love or are rejuvenated by a relaxing weekend in the B&B. Engagements, weddings, reunions, or evenings spent with friends old and new – memories are made at Buccia.
We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Leaving a city and friends one loves and leaving the comfort of a corporate position to become self-employed isn’t for the faint of heart. While I grew up on a family farm and was driving tractors in elementary school, I was new to grape growing. It’s a very unique kind of farming. Much more hands-on than what people would imagine.
Being self-employed was also new, and there was a lot to learn in a short time. I assembled a great team, and they helped shorten the learning curve.
And like many businesses, COVID was tough. We were just beginning year 3 when we had to close the business indefinitely. But we survived and came out stronger.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
We are a destination winery offering wines from dry to sweet and in-between. And wine slushees! We offer live music on Friday and Saturday nights and Thursdays in the summer. We have unique events, including songwriter showcases with top local artists performing original tunes and discussing the backstory and inspiration behind those songs.
Our vibe is casually elegant with copious amounts of peace, love, and wine.
Is there something surprising that you feel even people who know you might not know about?
We take our wines seriously, but we don’t take ourselves seriously. We are very approachable whether you like sweet whites or complex, dry wines.
Pricing:
- 12-40 wines by the bottle
- 10 wine flights
- Lodging starting at 189.
- 9 and up appetizers
Contact Info:
- Website: http://bucciavineyards.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bucciavineyard/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/www.bucciavineyard
