Aloha from the Big Island! When you think about wineries, you rarely think about Hawaii. Yet, minutes from the site of an active volcano, sits a charming little winery and vineyard! The winery was founded in 1986 by a retired veterinarian named "Doc" McKinney from the neighboring island Oahu. Doc chose the property for its unusual climate at 4,000 feet above sea level, and planted 20 Symphony grape vines in the lava-covered land. Encouraged by the Symphony vines’ ability to grow in Volcano’s climate, the 20 vines were followed by planting 14 acres of Symphony Grape Vines. In the summer of 2000, a fire on the adjacent Volcanoes National Park property, spread to the winery and burned most of the Symphony vines. After the fire, the decision was made to not replant with Symphony, but to look towards other vines appropriate for our specific climate and growing conditions. They decided to replant with the grape Cayuga White, a quick ripening, cool climate hybrid grape developed at Cornell University Then In late 2007 the winery decided to expand the vineyard further to include the vinifera vines Pinot noir and Syrah.

During our visit, we met Pete the tasting room manager and Kean the winemaker. Kean gave a tour of the property where we saw the vineyard, tanks, barrels and enjoyed a sampling of wines under a tent at the end of our wine journey.

The winery features six wines in their tasting room and you can enjoy 1 oz pours of each for $15. The wine menu:

Pinot Noir - 100% Pinot Noir grapes
Medium bodied. fruit forward plum and currant notes. Subtle smoky, peppery tones and French oak finish.
Pairings: Seared ahi, salmon, lamb, mushroom, ribeve

Volcano Red: Fruit Blend 85% Red/White grape blend, 15% whole local iabotiaa berries.
Medium bodied fruit forward cranberry and dark cherry tones with a spicy finish.
Pairings: Roast, turkey, red sauce/cheesy dishes.

Volcano Blush: Fruit Blend 70% Symphony grapes, 30% whole local jaboticaba berries.
Semisweet. Fruit forward berry notes with a dry, spicy finish
Pairings: Smoky and spicy foods; BBQ, grilled meats and veggies.

Hawaiian Guava-Grape: Fruit Blend 40% Symphony grapes, 60% whole local Hawailan yellow guavas
Tropical guava front, smooth nutty and buttery notes on the finish.
Pairings: Pork. curries, Cajun, brunch, dessert.

Macadamia Nut Honey Mead: 100% Big Island macadamia nut honey Hawaiian dessert wine. Sweet honey tones with a lightly nutty/earthy finish. Pairings: Dark chocolate. fresh fruit. ice cream. cinnamon. whiskey. bourbon.

Infusion Tea Wine Mead: 100% Big Island macadamia nut honey, Estate black tea leaves. Roasted estate Japanese black tea, sweet, macadamia honey. Caffeinated.Pairings: Chilled as an aperitif. Japanese. dessert