By: Andrew Silverstein

What happens when a blueberry farmer still has a ton of extra blueberries left over from the harvest he can't really sell?  Well, when life handed Joe Keel blueberries in 2003, he didn't make blueberry-ade (which sounds delicious), he took it a step further and tried his hand at 10 fresh gallons of blueberry wine.  Little did he know, this was the start of Keel and Curley Winery.

The first batch, naturally, didn't turn out too magnificent, but he kept at it making 10 gallon batches at a time until his methods were perfected.  Today, the winery he started with those first few batches is now a full-blown business selling over 20,000 cases since its start.

Keel and Curley Winery specialize in three specific types of blueberry wine now.  They offer a sweet blueberry wine boasting a medium body of sun-ripened blueberries and a non-overbearing hint of sweetness; a semi-dry or semi-sweet blueberry wine with a nose of tart berries and a body "bursting with sweet zingy acidity and warm dulcet fruit flavors" according to Keel and Curley; and a dry blueberry wine with a tart scent and classically dry body.

In July 2011, Keel and Curley Winery introduced two new wines, dry blackberry and sweet blackberry wine.  These are both unique alternatives to their classic blueberry wines and can be sampled alongside the blueberry wines at Keel and Curley's very own tasting room and gift shop.

The gift shop is a great place to pick up a bottled present for that special someone that's a little more unique than the standard bottle of wine.  If blueberry or blackberries aren't your thing, they offer a variety of fusion wines including strawberry riesling, tangerine zinfandel, peach chardonnay, and more.

If you're looking for a truly unique wine experience, head out to the Keel and Curley Winery in Plant City today!