Volcano Winery was started in 1986 by retired Oahu veterinarian, Lynn “Doc” McKinney. He planted Symphony grape vines in the lava to take advantage of Volcano’s climate and high altitude (4000 ft) which has dry and cool weather similar to Napa Valley in California. The Symphony grape is a hybrid of the Muscat of Alexandria and Grenache gris grapes developed at UC Davis, California. Doc McKinney experimented with different Hawaiian fruit and grape blends and expanded the vineyard to 14 acres. In 1993, Volcano Winery was opened to the public with a selection of unique Hawaiian wines incorporating grapes and tropical fruits. McKinney and his wife were forced to sell the winery after he was in an accident, but he remains a consultant to the winery.
In 1999, Delwin Bothof, who runs a high-tech media company in Summit, N.J., purchased the winery. His son, Scott Bothof,learned about wine-making from Doc McKinney and is the now the winery’s General Manager. Scott has continued production of the winery’s unusual wines made of tropical fruits like their Guava Chablis and Volcano Blush (made of jaboticaba berries blended with grapes).They have created an after-dinner sweet Macadamia Nut Honey Wine made from the blossoms of the Macadamia Nut tree. And they produce traditional wines made with the white Symphony grapes.
Though the wine is made on the premise, there are no tours available. But a store on the property is open for free wine tasting every day from 10AM to 5:30PM and the staff is friendly and the view picturesque.
Volcano Winery is located 30 miles from Hilo in the town of Volcano.
From Highway 11, turn at the 30-mile marker onto Pii Mauna Drive.
The winery is located next to the Volcano golf course at the end of the road.
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