About Bunker Hill Vineyard and Winery

Our Story

Bunker Hill Vineyard and Winery is a locally owned and run business in Duette, Florida by husband and wife, Larry and Lenora Woodham. They began by planting their vines 20+ years ago and tending to them everyday since. Once the vines were mature enough, Larry and Lenora bottled their first wines in the summer of 2009, which began the journey to what Bunker Hill Vineyard and Winery has become today. Opening their doors in 2010, they aspired to be the most environmentally friendly winery that Florida had ever seen. Since then, they have been named “The Greenest Winery in America” by many and continue to hold their wines and operations at the greenest standards possible. Now making over 40 varieties of 100% unfiltered and natural fruit and grape wines by hand, Larry and Lenora want to inspire others by producing the Gold Standard of Florida wines.

How Our Wine is Different

The grapes we use are known as Muscadine grapes, which are native to the Southeast United States and are locally grown right on our own vines. These grapes grow more in clusters than in bunches and have skins thicker than almost any other grape in the world. For our non-grape wines, 97% of the fruits, vegetables, etc. that we use come from Florida. We are not driven by the typical mantra of wine clarity, but rather by the taste, bouquet, and flavor of the grape.

For, at least, the last 25 years, most wineries have been using filtration techniques to make their wines appear crystal clear. Their wines are processed through a series of filtration equipment called Micropore Filters, Membrane Filtration, and Sheet Filtration (think coffee filters.) This involves the use of thick layers of fine materials like diatomaceous earth, cellulose powder, perlite, etc. This filtration process enables these wineries to quickly process large volumes of wine and expedite their shipment to the marketplace.

All of our wines are unfiltered and we are able to achieve a remarkable level of clarity through the natural force of gravity. This labor intensive process takes a year to reach maximum clarity, which means that we don’t bottle a single wine until it is at least one year old. This also allows time to rest in order to mature and stabilize the bouquet and flavor to be the best it can be before it reaches our customers. Filtering wine removes all of the fruit particles that contain important nutrients, like antioxidants. Unfiltered wines, however, retain all of the health benefits that come from the fruit in which the wine was made because the fruit particles are not filtered out.

Keep the Cycle Going!

Since Bunker Hill Vineyard and Winery has been open, we have never once used a brand new wine bottle. Every single one of our bottles in circulation is recycled. We are able to continue this process through the help of our amazing customers! Learn how you can be a part of the change today.

Learn How to Help

Certified Green at the Master Level

By operating our business as sustainably as possible and utilizing natural and renewable resources wherever we can, we were able to achieve the highest Green Certification possible. In 2011, the Manatee County Chamber of Commerce awarded us with Green Certification at the Master Level.

It’s our hope that our example of protecting and preserving the environment will become the “Green Benchmark” for current and future businesses. When a business moves in a “Green” direction, we all win!

Where the native wildlife is both protected and respected!

In recognition of our appreciation and concern for our Florida wildlife, our lands have been certified by the National Wildlife Federation as a **Certified Wildlife Habitat!**
Our land is a part of a worldwide network of Mini-Refuges designed to preserve and protect the diversity and homes of wildlife. Throughout Florida, wildlife habitats are under enormous pressure due to development, mining activities, and pollution. It’s important to us to provide a secure place for our resident wildlife to raise their young. By providing a place where they have food, water, and cover, we are able to ensure that our Florida wildlife will be here for future generations of people to enjoy and appreciate.
Because we are a Certified Wildlife Habitat and Preserve, domestic animals are not allowed on the premises only **Certified Service Animals** are welcome.

Eco Art Projects

Through these art projects, we are able to show how recycled wine bottles can become a thing of beauty and a resource. Because of their varied colors, shapes, sizes, and durability, recycled wine bottles are the perfect material for creating unique and long lasting works of art. Our vision is to create and develop a place where people can come and view recycled wine bottles in a totally different way.

Be a Part of the Project!

We invite you to join us in our efforts by creating recycled wine bottle art on the Bunker Hill Vineyard and Winery land! We will supply our expertise, inspiration, recycled wine bottles, and canvas while you supply your vision, imagination, work, and skills. All individuals, groups, schools, and organizations are welcome to participate.