Wife, Mom & Winemaker
By Nick Lico / Photography by Mike Ferdinande
It’s said that a woman’s work is never done. Now, imagine being a mom, wife and a winemaker, overseeing every aspect of your vineyard’s production from seed to sip. Only then can you begin to appreciate what Jessica Youngblood, of Youngblood Vineyard, experiences on a daily basis.
“I’m working in the fields with employees, running back into the house to schedule an event. When it’s harvest time, I have to check the chemistry of the grapes, cleaning equipment, organize the volunteers and employees. It gets really busy and that’s also when the kids start school, so things get really hectic,” Youngblood said.
The former teacher moved from Virginia to her husband’s family farm in Ray Township a few years ago to start Youngblood Vineyard. She’ll be the first to tell you it hasn’t been an easy transition.
“Being a winemaker and growing our own grapes is a lot harder than I thought it would be. We handle every aspect of the business, so there’s a lot to juggle, especially with a family. There’s no such thing as work-life balance,” she said.
The family includes husband of 19 years, Dave, daughters Georgia and Gracie, and son, Wyatt. At large vineyards, dedicated groups oversee various aspects of the winemaking. At Youngblood Vineyard, it’s a family affair.
“Trying to juggle every aspect of the business and family life is not easy. Time is at a premium and there is simply not enough of it for everything you want to accomplish. Thankfully, our kids – especially my eldest – have been a huge help,” Youngblood added.
She is also thankful for all the help she has received from various individuals and organizations, including from the county. “We started with zero help, then got volunteers,” she said. “Now we have 12 part-time employees. The busier we get, the more people we hire.”
Those aren’t the only changes Youngblood Vineyard – now in its third year – has experienced. In addition to wine tastings, Youngblood Vineyard has become a popular place for outdoor yoga, special dinners, live music and weddings. “We’ve had a lot of requests for weddings so we’ve invested in supplies and equipment to host them. We have 25 acres of beautiful vineyards; it’s a cool thing to be able to offer metro Detroiters,” Youngblood said.
More changes are in the works, including a new production facility being built by next spring. Th e new building will also house a large banquet hall with a full kitchen expanding the event aspect of the vineyard. “We want to be able to handle more aspects of special events and weddings ourselves, including the catering,” said Youngblood. “Having a full kitchen and indoor hall will give us the ability to offer events year round.”
Although the vineyard is broadening its offerings, Youngblood assured its loyal customers that all wine produced will continue to be 100% estate grown. “We remain unique, the only winery in the state that is estate-grown. We’re farmers first. What our customers are drinking is from grapes grown right here,” she concluded.