Photos: Cody Kaye
Cody Kaye takes us on a tour of his Afton vineyard.
We’ve all heard that the best things in life take time. From an aged wine to a ripe cheddar cheese, patience and perseverance is the key to success—and Cody Kaye is a seasoned expert.
After an all-terrain vehicle crash at the age of 17 left the Afton resident nearly paralyzed, Kaye took a close look at his life, thankful for the chance to reassess and focus on what truly matters. For him, that meant returning to his roots and pursuing a meaningful project. The result, Yellow House Vineyard, is a business all his own, situated on the same land as the yellow abode he grew up in.
A 1980s French grape harvester before harvest at Yellow House Vineyard.
After recovering from the 2012 accident, Kaye gathered a group of close friends and returned to his family’s land to plant a vineyard. “I had no idea what I was doing at the time,” he says. “Before that, I was in charge of clearing the field of trees, prairie grass and buckthorn. I learned about proper upkeep of prairies, and it was just fun.”
Once the vineyard was planted, it was time to research, tend and wait for fruit. In the seven years it took for the vines to bear fruit, Kaye devoted himself to learning and building skills. In 2017, he graduated from the University of Minnesota with a degree in applied economics.
Cody Kaye with Jamieson Lindquist at his facility in Prior Lake.
“Anything you can experience and the more time you can spend doing it, the more you will learn,” Kaye says. He also received valuable support from growers at Brickhaven Vineyard in Prior Lake and Larry Headrick of Marquette Vineyards in Afton. “It’s just a really small industry. It’s kind of like family, at the end of the day,” Kaye says.
When Yellow House yielded its first grapes, Kaye was ready. But he didn’t anticipate the sheer amount of grapes that came from the property’s 2,000 vines. “It’s just a massive amount of fruit,” Kaye says.
As fruit production increased, Kaye challenged himself to think outside the box to maximize the product. His ingenuity led him to create something unique: wine jelly. “I used to make jellies with my mom growing up, and [wine jelly] was one of a bunch of different things I tried to do with the fruit,” Kaye says.
He fine-tuned the recipe and experimented with new variations. Along with Marquette and Frontenac blanc wine jellies, Kaye also created habanero versions. The flavor profile of the wine jellies allows the product to be multiuse, pairing deliciously with a variety of meats, desserts and cheeses.
The wine jelly is sold across the region at Festival Foods, Kowalski’s Markets, Lunds & Byerlys and other boutique stores. To date, Kaye has given out more than 75,000 samples through in-store demos and has paired his jellies with more than 50 types of Kowalski’s Markets cheeses.
Now, Kaye has his sights set on releasing a recipe book, which will include more wine jelly pairing ideas. Yellow House Vineyard also plans to release bottled wine in the future.
“ I just have the most respect for [area] growers. It’s a whole unique flavor profile, and we can definitely compete with some of the best wine in the world,” Kaye says. “… I want to create a need for Minnesota grapes, beyond just wine. There’s so many possibilities.”
Through city and state regulations, production hiccups and tricky weather, Kaye’s tenacity and passion motivate him to continue moving forward. “I want to stay in Afton forever. I want to stay there. I want to raise kids there. I want to have them experience the land and the area the way that I did,” Kaye says. “I’d love to create a lot more vineyards in Afton to preserve the land but also create an environment, an ecosystem, that’s gorgeous.”
At Yellow House Vineyard, there’s a legacy being built that’s worth the wait. “It’s amazing what I learn from the vines,” Kaye says. “Every year, I learn something new, and, from the vineyard, it’s always positive.”
The Perfect Pairing
Cody Kaye has given out more than 75,000 wine jelly samples and paired his jellies with more than 50 types of Kowalski’s Markets cheeses. But cheese is just the start of pairing possibilities.
Photo: Chris Emeott
Hoping for something sweet? Kaye suggests partnering the Marquette Wine Jelly with brownies or “anything chocolate.” To elevate the main course, pair Marquette Wine Jelly with steak or any red meat. The Frontenac Blanc Wine Jelly plays well with chicken, salmon, scallops and shrimp.
For something out-of-the-box, add a twist to pizza night with the addition of Frontenac Blanc Wine Jelly. Kaye has been having fun at home with some new combinations, too. “I’m doing candied bacon with the Marquette Wine Jelly,” he says. “That’s absolutely fantastic. The flavor is unreal.”
To add a kick of spice to all of the above, simply select the habanero versions!
Yellow House Vineyard
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