Z&M Twisted Vines Wines and Winery
Barreling Forward with a New Look on Their Winery
Sandra Yerges
Dreaming big is not just reserved for those who are well on their way into their entrepreneurial endeavors. It is newer farms, like Z&M Twisted Vines Wines and Winery, that have the capacity to take their plans, no matter the size, and put them into practice. With grants helping producers make their next leaps more feasible, it is no surprise that the Kansas winery utilized the Value-Added Producer Grant (VAPG) as a financial support in 2020, a year focused on early growth.
Behind this continually expanding vineyard and winery is the husband-and-wife pair, Bryan Zesiger and Dr. Gina Montalbano Zesiger. The two took what they knew best, military service and Italian culture, and created a company they could work on together. By bringing their two personalities into the farm winery business, they created a brand of uniquely crafted flavored wines. Everything from their fruit wines, including cantaloupe, to their distinctive coffee flavor caters to who they are.
“We say we were twisted in life, twisted in love, and twisted in wine,” Bryan and Gina shared with a strong sense of confidence in what they do.
Self-described as their “hobby gone wild,” Z&M Twisted Vines Wines and Winery is a project that has provided them with more than just a post-retirement activity that catches the attention of consumers. It has also been a way to connect with other producers in their area to make changes in the agricultural industry and share resources about farming practices.
Their involvement in multiple farming organizations, including the Kansas Viticulture and Farm Winery Association and the American Farm Bureau Federation, is what has aided them in creating these helpful relationships with others. One connection, in particular, made all the difference for Bryan and Gina as it was what began their VAPG journey.
While speaking with another producer, they learned of the magnitude of what the grant could offer. This fellow farm turned their funding into visual messaging at a professional baseball stadium. Desiring to make big changes to supplement their own vineyard’s needs, Bryan and Gina stepped up to the plate to try their shot at the grant.
Knowing they could rely on the anecdotal experiences of the other VAPG recipient to push their funding pursuit forward, they decided to write the grant application themselves. This step of the process, simply starting, is something the two believe is imperative to reach the dreams you have set for your agricultural venture.
“The money’s there,” Gina addressed. “If you choose not to participate or to submit your application, then you’ve already eliminated yourself.”
If they had not taken the leap and drafted their grant, they would not have been able to enhance their new venture into hard cider production. As a way to “find something else” for the tried and true beverage customer, Gina admitted that they intended to shake up customers’ taste buds with this product. Each of their four options highlights seasonal flavors, including cream soda and pumpkin, which fit well into their line of standout handcrafted wines.
Just like their new hard cider, the VAPG shook things up when looking at what they could change about the winery moving forward. With the creation of promotional messaging and the purchasing of product-focused materials on their list of projects, the two had many plans in mind. Although they received the funding on their first try, their path to utilizing the grant award in the way they initially intended was not as straightforward.
Bryan and Gina received their VAPG in 2020, a year known for pandemic-related stressors. Due to the rising costs of that time, the grant’s maximum spending limit for equipment made it difficult for them to utilize the grant for the items they originally had in mind. Despite this unfortunate change, they did not let it deter them from investigating other options.
After searching for new ways to take advantage of the funding, they found an alternative opportunity that has since helped them and the environment. In the hard cider industry, producers typically choose an aluminum keg for storing their product. However, there are high costs associated with these storage containers. That is why Bryan and Gina’s choice to switch to recyclable plastic kegs was the best next step both for their wallets and for minimizing the world’s waste.
Even with this change, the two remained open to other ways they could provide their product to customers. While following the growing demand for single-serving drinks, they also decided to revise their plans to prioritize canning during the second half of their grant. Because of the pandemic’s influence on staying in, this new packaging method has provided them with opportunities to reach customers who want to enjoy a solo product from home.
Another aspect of their grant experience that was influenced by COVID-19 was the unexpected search for an organization to take on their marketing projects. The original group they initially hired shut down due to the difficult times of that year, thus making their new radio and print advertisements become multi-professional projects.
Even with all of these obstacles, Bryan and Gina worked alongside those at the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) who were available to assist. In times of need, such as when they had to change their marketing and supply purchasing plans or needed help understanding the reimbursement process, it was beneficial for them to refer to professional grant expertise. With help as close as a call or email away, the USDA was a great resource for their farm going through the VAPG process.
In 2023, Z&M Twisted Vines Wines and Winery finally completed its journey with the grant. One of Bryan and Gina’s biggest gains from this grant experience was the opportunity to look at their farm as a whole. Through experiencing their funded projects and the twists and turns that went along with them, they developed a new focus on areas they can continue to work on and other activities they can cease.
“What we found is grants can change a business’ trajectory so quickly,” Bryan explained.
The movement the two made with the VAPG is just the start of where they hope to go in the next year. One of their biggest goals is to grow their customer base. By shifting their existing bottling procedures to a more mechanized process to accomplish this objective, they are taking advantage of the opportunities associated with the post-pandemic agricultural environment.
