Ozark Living

As an adult, Dennis worked his way around the country doing various jobs for Fortune 500 companies. But when he had an opportunity to come back and join the family business in 2000, he jumped on it and has been there since. "My cousin Adam, who's a 5th generation Wiederkehr, is the winemaker," Dennis said. "Adam's dad, Gary, was our winemaker from 1972 until about 12 years ago. Since then, Adam's developed into an exceptional winemaker. I do get involved in that process, but that's not my main thing. I've been a sales type person my whole life and so I am on the administrative end of things as the company president and chairman of the board." Wiederkehr Wine Cellars offers a wide variety of enchanting selections you will find on their wine list for the tasting room and Weinkeller Restaurant. "Most of the wines in our area that are sold, people tend to go towards the sweet," Dennis explained. "e Swiss style of wine is a soer type of wine. It's very light and drinkable. We, of course, make the bolder and dryer wines, too. Our goal, in the end, is to bring a good quality wine to our customer for reasonable price. I think we do a very good job of that." Some of Wiederkehr's popular soer wines include their Johannisburg Riesling, White Muscadine and Niagara. "We make a Strawberry Alpine wine that's a favorite, especially during the summertime," he said. "Our Weinfest selection that we blend up just for our Weinfest became so popular that people wanted to take it home. So now we bottle it up and it has become one of our biggest sellers." ey even have a wine blended just for people who are diabetic or sugar restricted. e Wiederkehr Swiss Family Splendid White is safely sweetened with a combination of sweeteners that are not sugar. Swiss Family Splendid Red is also available so those on a sugar-free diet can enjoy the health benefits of a red wine without worrying about the sugar. e wine alone makes Wiederkehr stand out, but what really makes a visit memorable goes beyond enjoying a superb vintage. "When people come to see us, they don't just think about the winery," Dennis said. "ey think about the wine cellars and the WeinKeller Restaurant. It makes it more of an event and an experience. I think that's what makes us special." e WeinKeller Restaurant is housed in the original wine cellar from 1880. "It's underground and you walk in from street level," Dennis explained. "It's just a really unique setting. e ambiance is very Old World and candlelit. Our menu goes from filet mignon to cheese fondue. We are Swiss so the menu has a variety of French, Austrian and Italian recipes." Discover the Swiss winemaking heritage of Wiederkehr Wine Cellars, the oldest and most awarded winery in mid-America. Wiederkehr Wine Cellars is located on the southern slopes of the Ozark Mountains. ere atop St. Mary's Mountain is where the Wiederkehr family carries on a tradition begun in 1880. Lovingly tended vineyards surround the winery, designed in the Swiss alpine style overlooking the Arkansas River valley. Wiederkehr Wine Cellars and Weinkeller Restaurant 479-468-9463 www.wiederkehrwines.com 3324 Swiss Family Dr • Wiederkehr Village, AR 72821 Open 7 days a week Weinkeller Restaurant Hours Monday–Thursday 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday–Saturday 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. • Sunday 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Fun in the tasting room Weinkeller Patio and Entrance Old Cellar Stairs & Door OZArK LIVING • OctOber 2022 • 31

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