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A special tribute wine, a rosé called “Legacy,” will be released at the 10th anniversary celebration. For each bottle of Legacy sold, the winery will donate $3 to kidney-cancer research at Cleveland Clinic in honor of Brandeberry, who served as dean of Wright State University’s College of Engineering for nearly two decades before founding his own winery in 2009.
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“Our 10th anniversary party is both wonderful and sad for our family,” said Kelly Brandeberry, marketing director for the winery and one of Jim Brandeberry’s three daughters. “Sad because the winery was my dad’s passion, and we are devastated that he doesn’t get to be here celebrating with us. It is also wonderful that we are figuring things out day by day to keep my dad’s legacy alive.”
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“We are bringing out a series of Legacy wines. This year the Rosé, next year the White, and the following year the Red. They will all display beautiful pictures of my dad on the labels. Being able to pay tribute to my dad this way and raise money for the Cleveland Clinic Kidney Cancer research fund is a way for us to help heal by doing something I know my dad would love.”
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Jim Brandeberry joined Wright State’s engineering faculty as an assistant professor in 1969. He helped launch the university's computer science department, became its chairman, left to work in the private sector, returned a year later and was named the founding dean of WSU’s college of engineering in 1986.
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In his non-academic time, though, Brandeberry’s passion was making wine. He was an avid home winemaker during the last decade of his tenure at WSU, earning scores of medals and awards in home-winemaking competitions.
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The recognition of his winemaking skills continued well after he founded his winery. His Brandeberry Winery Blackberry wine won “Best Fruit Wine” designation in the 2013 and 2017 Ohio Wine Competitions, and his “Black Dog” blend was named best fruit wine in the same competition in 2015.
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Admission for the July 6 event is $5. For more information about the "10th Anniversary Bash In Honor of the "Lil' Olde Winemaker," go to the Brandeberry Winery Facebook page.
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