A taste of the old country
Local vineyard offers hospitality, wine and Irish heritage
Krystel Pakitsos
Issue date: 3/26/09 Section: After Hours
"Some of them go down there and take bottles of wine and glasses and sit down, especially when it's raining with the tin roof," Langan said. "You can see the creek down there and it's pretty when the water is flowing."
Langan's interest in wine began when he was in the military. His last assignment was in Germany, where he was working with German-American relations.
"I liked wine, and I would go and visit wineries and sample the wine, furthering the relationship between Americans and Germans," Langan said. "I thought, 'If they can do it, by God, I think I can.'"
When Langan made the decision to start his winery, he knew that he would be nearing retirement soon. Although he says he was ready to move on from education, he wasn't done working.
"I knew I was going to retire from higher education and I wasn't going to sit around watching color TV," Langan said. "I wanted to do something."
Although Langan says that the winery has come a long way since he began, he says he didn't get there overnight. He and his wife planted an acre of grapes a year for six years.
"You can read all you can in the books about doing something like this, but it's a lot harder to actually do it," Langan said. "Doing it, we've kind of learned and we are a lot faster about stuff."
He says that originally his passion with the winery was actually growing the grapes, but over the years his interest has broadened.
"I love to be outside in the vineyard," Langan said. "But now that I'm enhancing my wine-making skills and I'm learning from older guys how to better perfect the wine. That's what I'm really enjoying."
Prices range from $8 to $12 a bottle and can be purchased at the winery. For more information, visit their web site at www.keltoivineyard.com.
Langan's interest in wine began when he was in the military. His last assignment was in Germany, where he was working with German-American relations.
"I liked wine, and I would go and visit wineries and sample the wine, furthering the relationship between Americans and Germans," Langan said. "I thought, 'If they can do it, by God, I think I can.'"
When Langan made the decision to start his winery, he knew that he would be nearing retirement soon. Although he says he was ready to move on from education, he wasn't done working.
"I knew I was going to retire from higher education and I wasn't going to sit around watching color TV," Langan said. "I wanted to do something."
Although Langan says that the winery has come a long way since he began, he says he didn't get there overnight. He and his wife planted an acre of grapes a year for six years.
"You can read all you can in the books about doing something like this, but it's a lot harder to actually do it," Langan said. "Doing it, we've kind of learned and we are a lot faster about stuff."
He says that originally his passion with the winery was actually growing the grapes, but over the years his interest has broadened.
"I love to be outside in the vineyard," Langan said. "But now that I'm enhancing my wine-making skills and I'm learning from older guys how to better perfect the wine. That's what I'm really enjoying."
Prices range from $8 to $12 a bottle and can be purchased at the winery. For more information, visit their web site at www.keltoivineyard.com.
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