More than excellent wine

by Jeff Korbelik

You already may know James Arthur Vineyards is home to award-winning wines and ciders, but did you know the winery is also haunted?

That’s right, you read that correctly… JAV is haunted.

On your next visit, ask a JAV server to share the tale about the spirit inhabiting the winery in Raymond, just 15 miles north of Lincoln. Or, better yet, participate in one of the ghost tours the winery offers on Friday evenings in October.

Since 2016, JAV has collaborated with Ronni Willis, founder of the Lincoln Historical Ghost Quest (lincolnhistoricalghostquest.org), on the tours. Willis, who began coordinating ghost tours in Lincoln in 2015, reached out to the winery when she heard about JAV’s ghost.

“It really kind of aligned with what we did,” said Willis, who conducts a paranormal seminar before taking JAV guests into the winery’s park area to search for spirits. “There’s so much curiosity about the supernatural.”

The tours are a part of JAV’s “Trio of the Macabre.” In addition to the ghost tours, the winery has become known for its Haunted Hayrack Rides on Sunday evenings in October and World Famous Murder Mysteries, which occur two to three times a year.

The Haunted Hayrack Rides include a steak-and-potato meal, ghost stories, Halloween-themed music from local artist Chris Sayre, and a spooky nighttime Hayrack ride through the vines.

Co-owner Jim Ballard writes the Murder Mysteries, which feature family members and friends as actors portraying the suspects. Patrons enjoy a multi-course meal as actors share their character back-stories and clues during the “whodunnit.”

How popular are these events? JAV routinely sells out its ghost tours, hayrack rides and murder mysteries, with tickets often disappearing minutes after becoming available.

“Our job is to make award-winning wine and cider,” said Ballard, who, with his wife, Barb, and Barb’s parents, James Arthur and Neenie Jeffers, opened JAV in 1997. “We’re also here to provide memorable experiences. Our ghost tours, haunted hikes, and murder mysteries are part of that.”

JAV’s other popular events include its Valentine buffets, free-admission music series (Summer, Sundaes on Sunday, Gospel Brunch, and Sundays on the Deck), and food pairing classes.

James Arthur is just one of Lincoln’s area wineries that offer events, wine, and more. The following is a short rundown of others in the area:

James Arthur Vineyards, 2001 W. Raymond Road, Raymond: The state’s oldest operating winery is surrounded by nearly 20 acres of vineyards. The winery also sources grapes for its award-winning wines from almost a dozen other growers statewide, making its final product unique to Nebraska.

In the mid-2010s, the Ballards introduced Curveball, a hard apple cider series, and began canning them in 2019, making them available at retail stores in the Lincoln area. JAV has a tasting room in Lincoln’s Haymarket at the From Nebraska Gift Shop, which also features a mercantile, cider house, and year-round Christmas store. Web: jamesarthurvineyards.com.

Deer Springs Winery, 16255 Adams Street, Lincoln. Jim Partington, a retired U.S. Navy Rear Admiral and strike fighter pilot, aspired to be a “gentleman farmer.” He and his wife, Barbara, started the winery in 2001 and opened the tasting room in 2007.

Partington’s daughter, Jennifer Reeder, is the winemaker and has created a plethora of great-tasting, award-winning wines that are distinctively Nebraska. Guests can enjoy Deer Spring’s finest in the quaint farmhouse, renovated to reflect the charm of the original structure on the land that was deeded to ancestor 1874 by Ulysses S. Grant. The winery is surrounded by pine trees, giving it the peaceful atmosphere of days gone by while still providing contemporary comforts. Web: deerspringswinery.com.

Glacial Till Vineyard & Winery, 344 South Second Road, Palmyra. Owner Mike Murman planted his first acre of grapes in the spring of 2003 and opened the winery in the summer of 2009. The evolution of the vineyard and winery directly reflects the hard work Mike’s three sons, John, Tim, and Craig, have put in over the years. Glacial Till not only produces wine but is the state’s leading producer of hard cider, retailing it at stores throughout the state.

Glacial Till also operates a tasting room on Silver Street in downtown Ashland. A mix of new and old, the tasting room offers a rustic feel with the original brick exposed and the original wood floors refinished. It’s filled with modern, sleek black furniture and a custom-made bar constructed with materials from the winery. Web: glacialtillvineyard.com.

Capitol View Winery & Vineyards, 2361 Wittstruck Road, Roca. Capitol View sits on a 14-acre property with a newly expanded tasting room uniquely shaped like an old Nebraska barn. The room features a custom-made tasting bar, new furniture and wine racks, and gorgeous views of Lincoln’s skyline.

Capitol View opened in 2009 as WunderRosa Winery, but former Nebraska lobbyists Les and Trish Meyer changed the name when they took it over in 2017. Their professional backgrounds gave the capitol building on some wine labels personal meaning.

In August 2023, the Meyers sold Capitol View to Lorenzo and Desarie Ball, who brought a fresh perspective and a passion for new experiences. They love how opening a bottle of wine can spark conversation, laughter, and connection. Web:
capitolviewwinery.com.

Cellar 426 Winery, 1402 South 9th Street, Ashland. Opened in May 2012 on a 20-acre site, Cellar 426 is owned by Richard and Amy Hilske. They planted their first grapes in 2006 and broke ground on the winery building in November 2010. The Hilskes combined their love of wine and the outdoors to begin their venture.

Cellar 426 has become known for its ‘to die for’ sangria, a sweet nectar from a secret family recipe passed down by Amy’s grandmother. It’s made with the winery’s Linoma Lighthouse wine and is a delicious blend of fresh fruit and other key ingredients. Web: cellar426.com.

Capriolo Winery, 3110 West Branched Oak Road. Capriolo, formerly WindCrest Winery, is the newest entry into the Lincoln-area winery scene. Owned by Anthony Roebuck, Jr. and his wife, Shannon Martin-Roebuck, it is Nebraska’s first black-owned winery.

The winery began in 1998, when the previous owner, Dale Lilyhorn, planted the first grapes. In addition to the grape varieties, the orchard produces apricots, cherries, and pears, which are crafted into some of the wines. Until 2007, the fruit was sold to other wineries, and in 2008, WindCrest was born with the first vintage of wine processed and bottled on the property.

The Roebucks took over WindCrest in 2022 and renamed it Capriolo, a word for a roe male deer or “buck” in Italian pronounced cap-ree-oh-lo. Web: capriolo.wine. 

You may also like...

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *