Buying a vineyard is fantasy real estate investing at its finest. But what’s the reality of running one really like? To find out, we talked to Janette and Ben Cade, who bought Christine’s Vineyard in Webb City, MO, in 2022, even though they knew nada about wine (other than that it tastes fantastic). Janette recounts how they got where they are today and what they’ve learned along the way.
How did you get started in this venture? “Ben and I bought the vineyard in 2022 with absolutely no prior experience in wine—and, to be honest, owning a winery had never even crossed our minds. But we’ve always been adventurous, and when I stumbled across a listing for a vineyard for sale, something about it just stuck with me. I turned to my husband and asked, ‘How would we even go about buying this?’ At the time, Ben was ready for a career change after many years in construction, including running his own business, and I was working as a billing manager, though I’d always loved planning and hosting events for friends and family.”
How much did the vineyard cost, and how did you finance this purchase? “A little over $800,000, which included a tasting room, two-story house with a full basement, shop with a one-bedroom apartment, and a pond—all situated on just under 10 acres, with approximately 3.5 acres of vineyard. We weren’t investors, and we definitely didn’t have the funds saved to make such a big purchase. But we started building a business plan, reaching out to banks, and trying to figure out how to make this dream work. We were told ‘no’ nine times before we finally found someone who said ‘yes.’ Securing an SBA loan through OakStar Bank was a pivotal moment, thanks to the expertise and support of our loan officer and their team—they were incredibly flexible and creative. What could’ve been a daunting process was made smooth and manageable by their dedication.”
What challenges did you face running a vineyard? “There were a lot of challenges, especially in those early months. Neither of us had run a winery or even worked in one, so we were learning everything on the fly—licensing, staffing, events, inventory, wine education, you name it. One of the biggest challenges we didn’t fully anticipate was the enormous task of groundskeeping and vineyard maintenance. It was a full-time job in itself. Thankfully, the previous owners kept it well-maintained and fully stocked, so we didn’t have to make a huge initial investment beyond setting aside a working capital cushion. In the first year, we did put money and energy into improving the lawn and expanding our usable space to better accommodate guests and events.”
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How much income does this property generate? “Since purchasing the winery in 2022, our gross income has steadily increased each year as we’ve continued to grow the business and build our customer base. Last year, we reached around $280,000 in sales. We’re proud of the progress we’ve made and are focused on continuing that momentum by boosting brand awareness and expanding our reach through the second location, a wine bar we recently opened in our local downtown.”
What advice do you have for others who want to buy a vineyard with no prior experience? “We’ve learned that passion and a willingness to learn go a long way. You don’t need to know everything. You just need to be committed, ask questions, and keep showing up. There’s a lot of hard work behind the scenes, way more than we realized, but if you love building something meaningful and enjoy connecting with people, it’s incredibly fulfilling. Stay flexible, find good mentors, and don’t be afraid to mess up—it’s part of the process. Also, take care of yourself. Owning a business like this can easily consume all your time if you let it.”
Anything else you want to share? “We’ve had so many special moments: proposals in the vineyard, guests celebrating life’s milestones, and late-night dance parties on the lawn. It’s become more than just a business; it’s a place where people make memories, and we feel truly honored to be part of those moments. One interesting thing we’ve learned along the way is how much our customers value connecting with us directly. They genuinely enjoy seeing us at the winery and appreciate that we stay actively involved in the day-to-day operations—it adds a personal touch that makes their experience more meaningful. Funny enough, while I’m usually the outgoing one, when we first opened, I got super shy and hid in the kitchen, while Ben, who’s the quieter one, worked the bar. It took me a couple of weeks to get comfortable talking to customers—completely not like me! We laugh about it now.”