Fancy Farm voters have approved alcohol sales at Graves County's soon-to-be first winery.
Tuesday's ballot referendum to allow sales by the bottle or drink at the Fancy Farm Vineyard and Winery passed 375-18.
Fancy Farm businessman and vineyard owner Tom Curtsinger says there's still a lot to be done, like buying the fermenting equipment and getting state licensure, before he gets production on his six acres up and running.
"We have a label that has to be approved, recipes that have to be approved by the federal government and we also have to go through the local leaders who are able to help me with laws that are concerned with the winery," said Curtsinger. "There has never been a winery in Graves County, ever. So this is new for everybody."
Curtsinger says the result of the vote shows growing support for a current initiative to introduce county-wide alcohol sales.
“There’s a lot of support for being wet at this time, especially with the other counties that have come in and voted wet and people are starting to understand and realize that this tax money has been going out of our county for years and years," he said.
The Fancy Farm Vineyard already grows a variety of viniferous grapes including Cabernet-Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Merlot, Riesling, Viognier and Malvac. Curtsinger says if everything works out, he hopes to begin producing bottles by the first of next year.
Curtsinger says it wasn't hard to find the support to see it grow.
"It's easy to say that the vineyard and actually belongs to the community almost," said Curtsinger. "Everybody owns it. They'll tell you they own it, they'll say 'I've got a vineyard in Fancy Farm.' The community support has always been there, it's just an amazing structure where if you're neighbors, everybody is behind you and helps you and offers to help you."
He says the vineyard will provide a big difference in the level of economic tourism in the Fancy Farm area.
"I go to southern Illinois and tour wineries and it's a huge industry that's hopped around wineries that's not even in the wine business: charter services, restaurants. They got big just from the wineries. I've already had three offers this fall for bus tours to come and see the winery that I've had to turn down."
Curtsinger says he hopes this move encourages other local farmers to begin growing grapes because there’s a demand for them right now.
“I’m a former tobacco farmer and I know that there’s a lot of small former tobacco farmers that used to raise a half an acre or acre of tobacco,” said Curtsinger. “This is a great alternative for them to raise grapes. Not just for me but there’s a huge market for these grapes. It would be great for them to come up with an alternative source of income. Maybe this will be a good economic boost for the agriculture industry in this area.
Curtsinger says he would be open to the idea of hosting special events like a tasting table and booth at the next Fancy Farm Picnic.
Curtsinger says once he gets his licensure and equipment sorted, he hopes to begin producing and selling bottles by the new year.
