The Casteels plan to retire to their "dream home" after this season's harvest sells out.

Perry Casteel inspects grapes at Tri-Star Vineyards and Winery, which he and wife, Elaine, plan to close after wines from this summer's harvest sell out. (T-G Photo by Sadie Fowler) [Click to enlarge] [Order this photo]

"We are in the process of closing out the vineyard by taking out the less productive and freeze damaged vines," said the Casteels, in a final mailing sent out to their customers. "Our plan is to harvest (weather permitting) the cayuga, baco noir, catawba, chancellor, foch and muscadines this summer and then we'll take out the rest of the vines."

The winery will keep its regular hours until it sells out of its current stock and what it harvests this summer. Because this summer's crops won't be ready to bottle and sell for another two years, it will likely remain open for two to three more years.

"There's just the two of us running this," said Perry. "It's just time to retire ... for the second time."

The Casteels opened the winery for business in 1995, after Perry retired from his job in Virginia. Elaine had taken a job with U.S. Air, which took the couple to Hermitage.

Perry planted his vines in 1993 and began making the long commute from Hermitage to nurture the vines.

He commuted to the Scales Road winery for six years, until Elaine retired and the couple built a home on its five-acre winery and began working the growing operation together.

The Casteels do not plan to sell the winery.

"We are not selling the vines," said Perry. "We want to keep the land. We built our dream house here."

Upon retirement, the Casteels plan to travel, spend time with their children who live out of state, and ... make more wine.

"I've been making my own wine for 40 years, so I'll continue to make some for us," said Perry. "My favorite kind is the muscadine, but that is nearly everyone's favorite. That, and the chancellor."

The popular muscadine wine, a grape native to the South and best known for its uniquely smooth and luscious flavor, is now ready and available for purchase -- but it sells out pretty quickly.

Luckily for local wine connoisseurs, Tri-Star Vineyards and Winery produces about 1,200 gallons -- that's 6,000 bottles -- of wine each year. If the muscadine isn't available, it has about 15 other kinds that might suit a wine lover's taste buds.

More than anything else, Elaine Casteel said she'll miss the people who come out to tour and support the winery. Elaine said loyal customers have helped them, by word of mouth, go from a very small winery to what they are today. In fact, word of mouth has always been their best form of advertising.

Perry will miss the customers, too, but he'll also miss the work itself.

"It's hard work, but it is actually quite pleasant work, too, when the weather is good," he said.

The Casteels plan to keep their Web site, tristarwinery.com, updated as the different wines become available in the upcoming months.