By Gabbie Burton
Contributing Writer

Ben and Sarah Cody may not be who you think of when envisioning stereotypical winemakers. 

They aren’t particularly fancy, and they weren’t born into the distinguished wine industries of Europe or California. In fact, Ben and Sarah are both fifth-generation farmers from Oklahoma and Indiana, respectively, and their southern and midwestern agricultural roots are evident in the unpretentious nature of their 1723 Vineyards in Landenberg. 

For the Codys, they subscribe to the philosophy that wine shouldn’t be intimidating, and they are on a mission to make the winemaking and wine tasting experiences approachable for the average consumer.

Neither Sarah or Ben had past experience in vineyards before opening 1723. Sarah worked at a law firm while Ben worked in and continues to work in cyber security. Their passion for wine began when they were living in Washington, D.C. and visiting vineyards and wineries in nearby Virginia. Soon after moving to Chester County in 2012, they began to look for land to begin their own vineyard on.

While vineyards come with their own unique challenges and learning curves, the couple’s backgrounds in agriculture gave them the interest and the experience needed to tackle the daunting task of starting a vineyard 10 years ago when they planted their first vines.

 “I grew up on a big fruit farm and cattle ranch, and so I had already understood the basics of how to grow fruit, albeit not grapes, but a lot of that knowledge and experience translates,” Ben said.

“We came to this area for other reasons but ended up finding the spot here and planting it,” Sarah said. “We found a wine region that wasn’t already over-saturated.”

Being a part of those early days in the emerging Chester County wine scene meant the Codys had time to experiment and learn their craft without being surrounded by too much competition or early pressure to succeed. The couple received help from Cain Hickey, a current assistant professor of viticulture at Penn State but when Ben met Hickey at a conference about a decade ago, Hickey was a Ph.D. student at Virginia Tech.

“I recruited him to help me get this started and he’s a Pennsylvania native, so after he graduated, it was kind of natural for him to want to get back to Pennsylvania, so this has been

serendipitous,” Ben said. “We’ve had a long-term relationship with him, and he’s been instrumental in helping with our success.”

Time and patience

Viticulture - the growing of grapes - and enology - the science of making wine - can be complicated and frustrating for anyone. From learning what varietals of grape can grow in the Pennsylvania soil to spending years letting them grow before investing in the actual winemaking process, takes time and considerable patience. The couple shared that they’ve tried about 15 varietals in the vineyard.

“It’s about finding those varietals that function well in the region but also understanding what the demand is in the tasting room,” Sarah said. “What are people really interested in and what are they drinking?” 

Some of those successful varietals at 1723 Vineyards include Petit Verdot, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Chambourcin, Albariño, Riesling, Petite Arvine and Chardonel. For Sarah’s side of the business in the tasting room, the couple identified dry wines as being the top demand from local consumers. The couple shared that they both have a preference for dry wines which made it easy for the pair to solely focus on those selections at 1723 Vineyards.

While the Codys said that local consumers seem to have a preference for dry wines, Ben shared that the larger wine industry has a similar taste. However, he expressed frustration at the industry’s approach in leaning too far away from sweet wines and consequently not making it readily accessible to new audiences.

“One thing I think that’s kind of a negative in our industry is that people have a tendency to look down on folks who drink sweet wines or look down on sweet wines in general, and that’s not really fair. You should drink what you like,” Ben said. “Although we do focus on dry wines, there’s nothing wrong with liking sweet wines. If that’s what you like and if that’s what you make, then that should be celebrated, too.”

This pretension that exists in some pockets of the wine industry is the opposite of what 1723 strives for. The Codys have a foot in both worlds, one in the exacting and illustrious wine world, and one in the agricultural and unembellished locales of their respective upbringing and current community. It is that combination that gives the pair the unique skill set needed to not only succeed in the local wine scene but to ensure their consumers enjoy in their own forays into wine.

Demystifying wine

“I don’t spend a lot of time with people who are really pretentious,” Ben said. “If you go to some winery and they’re making you feel dumb then go to a different one. In this industry, we shouldn’t be doing that, but it happens all the time.”

Ben also shared that he loves to “demystify” wine by talking to customers about the process, breaking down the big words and procedures so each person knows exactly the labor of love that went into their bottle. The couple knows that their customers want a relaxed and honest vineyard experience where wine is casual. That’s why instead of focusing on entertainment value at the vineyard, the couple focuses on tastings and curating an intimate experience that centers on building community.

“We’ve created this community of people that we know and that know us, and it’s helped us to get involved,” Sarah said. “I feel like that’s the value we’re adding, we’re not adding money in the bank, we’re adding value to the community. We decided that we want people to come here and focus more on enjoying the company they’re with.”

In addition to community, family and history are present in everything about 1723 Vineyards. Its name comes from the year New London Township, and a piece of the property was once owned by Benjamin Franklin while he served as ambassador to France. Additionally, the pair learned that Ben had an ancestor with ties to the area in the Revolutionary War, making their location here all the more serendipitous.

The names of the bottles of wine at 1723 Vineyards are also historical with familial ties. Alta is named after Sarah’s grandmother; Josephine is named after Ben’s grandmother and Diamond Bar is named after Ben’s family’s cattle ranch. Ben shared that he and Sarah have another family name picked out for the next bottle of wine despite not knowing what that wine will be yet.

The mystery of not knowing what’s next and experimenting to find it is part of what keeps Ben and Sarah moving their vineyard forward and bringing their customers along with them.

“We’re just constantly experimenting because our customers push us in terms of exploring what’s new and what’s different,” Ben said.

After ten years of growing, producing and selling wine as part of the growing wine culture in Chester County, the challenge of innovating still hasn’t gotten old. The Codys know more now than they ever have before, not only about vineyards and winemaking, but about their brand ethos and what they hope to continue to offer to the local wine scene.

“I hope everybody knows that 1723 Vineyards is a welcome, unpretentious environment where people can come and relax, enjoy pretty views and enjoy the ones that they’re with,” Ben said. “This is a place for fellowship and camaraderie.”

1723 Vineyards is located at 5 McMaster Blvd. in Landenberg. To learn more, visit www.1723vineyards.com or call (888) 330-0526.

To contact Contributing Writer Gabbie Burton, email [email protected].