GREENEVILLE, Tenn. (WJHL)- Nickle Ridge Winery on Depot Street opened its doors back in 2021, right before closures and construction in the downtown Greeneville area began, but the winery stuck out the revitalization and is now in the process of growing its own grapes.

“We really enjoyed just the atmosphere of wineries and the relaxed places and just wanted to try to make that set up for this area, where we actually live,” said co-owner Ken Nickle. “And we thought it would be a benefit for everybody, and we’ve enjoyed it.”

It all started with an idea in 2005. Ken and his wife Carla, who is a Chuckey native, were both active duty military. In 2017, the couple started working through the details and acquired the building downtown in 2019.

“We have tasting that lets people sort of get an idea of what the different wines are. Currently, we have a Zinfandel, we have sort of a little mixed blush,” he said. “We have a Catawba mix, which is an American grape, and then we have multiple different varietals in the back. We’re getting ready to come out with a Sangiovese and a cab franc – what we’ve had before.”

The couple has been purchasing grapes to make their wines on-site at the downtown location. However, they have plans to become a large vineyard.

“We want to be a local winery that the people want to come out to, and right now are in our processes of just refining and improving our making of the wine from the fermentation process forward to our final product,” said Nickle.

The Nickles have been planting and are now starting to grow their own grapes, but it will take a few years for those grapes to start to produce.

“We love being outside and working with the grapes and just the planning process, trying to figure out our direction and then just figuring out how to manage our grapes and keep the bugs away, keep the wildlife away,” he said. “We’re trying to be as chemical-free as possible.”

Nickle Ridge Winery rotates its wines. The business also serves charcuterie and has retail through the Burlap Bunny.

It’s open Thursday and Friday from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturday from 12-6 p.m.