Commission OKs license for local winery

Published 9:26 am Thursday, January 24, 2019

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There’s a new winery in town.

The Escambia County Commission voted unanimously at its last meeting to approve a manufacturer’s license from the Alabama Beverage Control Board.

Roger Templeton and his wife, Lisa, along with their children are working on the venture.

Templeton said it started as a hobby, when there were leftover blueberries at the blueberry shed he oversees.

“We made some ourselves,” he said.

That turned into Templeton experimenting with many different types of locally-grown fruit.

“People came over and tried it,” he said. “But no one could legally leave with it.”

It was decided they would start a winery — Junavelli Winery.

He said they have 2 acres of fruit and plan to obtain fruit locally once their license is finalized.

“Hopefully, we will be ready to go by the first of February,” he said.

It’s going to be retail only, he said.

“It’s not a bar,” Templeton said. “We will have bottles and cases for sale.”

Additionally there will be wine novelties for sale at the store.

“We will have unique stuff, things with phrases, stoppers, slushy mixes and wine bottle holders,” he said. “If people have ideas, we will try to get that stuff. We have glasses made with  our logo on it.”

The cost of a bottle of wine will be $15.95.

Templeton said they will mostly be open on Fridays and Saturdays.

The business is located at 357 Gumtree Lane, just off U.S. 31.