Kansas may be more well-known for its rolling wheat fields than its vineyards, but before prohibition, Kansas and Missouri actually combined to form one of the largest grape-growing and wine-making regions in America.
Fast forward to today, and Kansas produces the 13th most wine of any state in the United States. The Kansas landscape is dotted with a growing number of wineries, and Northwest Kansas itself even boasts numerous vineyards.
One such vineyard is Shiloh Vineyard, located 12 miles southwest of Wakeeney in Trego County. Owned and operated by Kirk and Treva Johnston since 2008, the winery offers 22 different styles of wine, ranging in variety from sweet wines, dry wines, fruit wines, and even dessert wines. Additionally, the winery offers cheese from Jason Wiebe Dairy and beef sticks from Kuhn’s Farm.
The land that is home to the vineyards and winery contains rich family history. “My grandfather bought the place in 1921 because of the barn. What is now the tasting room is the chicken house he built back in ‘25. This is our family farm – we own all the land,” Kirk, a former rancher and farmer, explained.
While it may seem odd to some that vineyards are growing ever more popular in the state, Johnston explained that the Kansas soil is actually ideal for growing grapes. “The weather is good for the vines, and once the vines are established, they’re really hearty. They don’t take a lot of rain. We have an awesome place here to grow grapes because we don’t have the humidity, which prevents diseases, and we have awesome soils.”
Shiloh Vineyard features well-kept grounds with a remodeled and updated version of the previously mentioned family barn, a chicken coop with a patio, and even a pond.
The vineyard has evolved into a place where family and friends meet to relax, celebrate, or socialize, but when the Johnstons planted their first vines, they did not actually have intentions of becoming a winery. As aforementioned, Kirk was a farmer and rancher, and Treva sold insurance for Farm Bureau. Both had full-time jobs, and were plenty busy with their day-to-day lives. “We planted our first vines in 2008, and at first we planted the vines to diversify our farm operation instead of buying new farm equipment,” explained Kirk. “We didn’t really want to be a winery. In fact, we were going to sell our grapes to Smoky Hill in Salina, the largest winery at that time.”
However, Johnston explained that he and Treva prayed on it, which led to a “whole cascade of events, and ultimately they made the decision to keep their grapes and open their own winery.
That “cascade of events” has led to one of the premiere destinations in Northwest Kansas for those seeking an ideal wine-tasting experience. In addition to the wine, Shiloh also offers visitors an unforgettable experience, which Johnston describes as “very restful and very peaceful”.
Visitors can enjoy alone time or social time on the covered patio, and Johnston described what else visitors can do, including “fire pits, wine tastings, weddings, birthday parties, anniversaries, and even bridal showers”. The winery has been known to hire a chef and host five course meals that pair with their wines, and another favorite time of year for many is Christmas at the vineyard, when the entire property is decorated with lights and families can come enjoy a glass of wine or even a hayrack ride.
No matter what brings them there, the Johnstons really enjoy seeing the people who visit the winery. “It’s just a very inviting place to come and spend an afternoon,” stated Johnston. “We’d love to meet you and we spend a lot of time working on the yard so it’s very appealing to come out and relax. It is family friendly. We encourage anybody who hasn’t been out to come on out.”
The winery will soon have some new co-owners, as Chris and Kym Heitke, friends of the Johnstons, are going to buy in and help out as well. “We’re all retired, and this is what we’re wanting to do,” said Johnston.
If you would like to learn more about the Shiloh Vineyard, you can “like” them on Facebook or visit their website. Additionally, if you would like to host an event at the vineyard, you can either call 785-259-2146 or fill out the form on the website.
The winery is also open for wine tastings and tours by appointment. You can purchase Shiloh’s wine at many Northwest Kansas liquor stores – just look for the label that says “Shiloh Vineyard”!
