As you drive towards The Vineyard Tasting Room, you’ll think you’ve left Johnson County and driven to Napa. In fact, that was the vision that first prompted a local Leawood family in 2010 to acquire the 200 acres near State Line and Kenneth Road. On the way back from their trip to Napa, they realized this land used by crop and livestock farmers could also be used to grow grapes and produce wine onsite.
In 2012, vines were planted, and grapes began to grow, establishing Aubrey Vineyards as the first winery in Overland Park. Located in Aubry Township, the vineyard’s name is an homage to François Aubry, a French-Canadian trail rider in this area.
It’s the perfect environment for grapevines. Planted on land with the highest elevations around that contain gentle slopes of fertile, loamy soil low in clay content, the high location affords breezes on most days, helping ward off vine diseases. Slopes with porous loam keep the soil well-drained.
“Aubrey Vineyards prides itself on well-executed techniques of art and science to produce notable Midwest wines that stand above the norm. The average production onsite is about 3,500 gallons or 1,500 cases of wine per year,” says Karine Hellwig, winemaker & general manager.
In 2014, the first tasting room was opened in Downtown Overland Park, and The Vineyard Tasting Room opened in 2020, with its iconic red barn. At any given time, 15-20 different wines are available in the tasting rooms for sale. Aubrey Vineyards produces both reds and whites, from sweet to dry.
“The Vineyard Tasting Room offers more of a wine bar experience. Wine tastings, wine by the glass or bottle, as well as a beautiful vineyard backdrop for the premier patio setting has guests coming back again and again,” Karine states. “The Vineyard Tasting Room also now offers wine on tap through an artistically custom-designed tap system. Guests love taking photos of the tap tank in the room!”
Aubrey Vineyards currently employs 21 staff, and it’s truly a team effort. Each tasting room team member goes through extensive training to learn not only about AV wines, but wine in general. The tasting room is led by sales manager, Mark Peebles, who brings his own Napa Valley winery experience. The staff loves to talk all things wine, so they encourage customers to freely drop in and ask questions anytime.
“We have a fabulous team that works together impeccably,” Mark says. From vine to bottle, the entire AV team works hard to produce a spectacular product, and it’s something the staff is proud to serve and share with guests. The AV tasting experience is unlike any other in the Midwest.”
The attention to detail will not go unnoticed. From every food item on the light menu, to the stemware selected, to the patio furniture, it’s all been painstakingly reviewed and maintained for every guest and every visit.
This attention happens first in the vineyard and cellar. Only the best grapes are harvested off the vines. The winemaker works diligently alongside the vineyard crew to ensure the vines are getting the care they need, resulting in the highest-quality fruit coming in for wine production.
“The team’s skill and ingenuity for new flavors and vintages is what makes us stand out,” Mark says. “Aubrey Vineyards showcases a variety of wines with some familiar names—Vidal Blanc, Chambourcin and the spritzed Catawba are three of its best-selling wines using Midwestern grapes. Especially popular in summer is Apple Wine or try the Honey Wine. Also featured are traditional Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon from Lake County, CA. Our lighter wines are showing wonderfully on our patio, including our spritzed Traminette, whereas in winter our deeper reds and two ports take over the forefront of our tastings and sales.”
With a relaxing wine bar atmosphere that’s also kid-friendly, The Vineyard Tasting Room offers more than 15 well-crafted wines available for tastings or by the glass. Choose between a 3 or 5 wine-tasting session, and plan to devote 90 minutes to truly enjoy the experience. (Wed. – Sat. 11 a.m. – 7 p.m./Sun. 11 a.m – 6 p.m.)
The team leads guests through a sampling of wines customized for their personal tastes and interests. A hand-selected gourmet charcuterie menu of sharable meats, cheeses, crackers, hummus and nuts along with local sweet treats is available, as well as non-alcoholic Polly’s Pop and bottled waters. Also featured are custom/corporate labels and accessories and gifts. Aubrey Vineyards looks forward to soon offering private event options and tastings as well.
“In every way Aubrey Vineyards prides itself on its Napa similarities. From using the latest grape-growing techniques and cutting edge wine-making methods, to delivering tasting experiences like no other in the area, you’re sure to find Aubrey Vineyards a special Midwest winery.”