79 louisianacookin.comTHERE IS SOMETHING ABOUT WINE that
has a way of bringing people together. Jeff Landry of
Landry Vineyards calls it a fellowship drink. Fitting for
all seasons, the revered libation is oft en the mark of a
joyous celebration at hand.
Twenty years ago, Jeff and his wife, Libby, planted
their fi rst grapes on 2 acres in Folsom, and within
three years, their vineyard produced 10 tons of grapes.
Initially, the harvest was intended for use by another
winemaker, but at the last minute, that winery said it
wouldn’t be buying the Landrys’ grapes.
“What were we supposed to do with 10 tons of
grapes?” recalls Jeff.
As luck would have it, a friend in the industry,
Henry Amato of Amato’s Winery, helped by allowing
the Landrys to produce and bottle wine at his facility.
Th e wine was licensed in 2002, and the Landrys sold
every bottle from that year and haven’t stopped since.
“We just kept growing one bit at a time,” says Jeff.
Although the idea of running a vineyard may
seem romantic, Jeff insists it isn’t all wine-sipping and
merrymaking—though that certainly is an aspect of
it. Another aspect, he says, is cruder than the idealized
dream of owning a vineyard.
“Th at might surprise people that we do a lot of rough
work,” Jeff shares, adding, “but as many have said, nothing
worthwhile comes easy.”If tending to a vineyard was not already diffi cult
enough, Hurricane Katrina struck the Gulf Coast
three years aft er the Landrys bottled their fi rst wine.
Aft er evacuating to West Monroe, Jeff and Libby
discovered their family felt at home there and decided
to permanently relocate, vineyard and all.
“We’d been coming up here for years, and people had
really embraced us,” says Jeff. “Th e land here was perfect
in every way, and the weather conditions were much
better for what we were doing.”
Relocating to the hill country of West Monroe
allowed them to expand Landry Vineyards from
2 acres to 20 acres, which also includes a winery, a
tasting room, and plenty of space for special events.
Th is increase in acreage also allowed Landry
Vineyards to expand its portfolio. Th e winery currently
produces 30,000 gallons of wine a year, including a
variety of vintages such as blanc du bois, muscadine,
rosé, merlot, port, and a number of other aft er-dinner
wines, like their unique Madeira-style wine called
Louisiana Heat.
“We learned very early to make something for
everyone,” says Jeff. “Th e most rewarding part is making
people happy and seeing them enjoy what we make.”
Whether the occasion is sweet, bitter, or somewhere
in between, a bottle of wine on the table is cause for a
celebration of togetherness.LOCAL PANTRY
GRAPE VINES
& GOOD TIMES
by samantha moats